"Addiction"

Rated: T

Warnings: AU, Extreme OOC in later chapters, strong language, violence, and drug use. Addiction is not pretty...you have been warned.

Summary: REPOST. This is an expanded and revised version of "Addiction" written in 2007-2008. After suffering serious injuries on a routine patrol young Legolas finds himself suffering with a frightening dependency that threatens his life. As he quickly spirals downward his family must quickly uncover his terrible secret before it is too late.

Disclaimer: As if this is necessary but anyway…all recognizable characters, settings, and themes belong to Tolkien.

Author's Note: As with the other story I am basing this story on events that happened in my life with my brother. Again, the drug of choice will be based on opium as I feel this would be most realistic for a Middle Earth setting since it from a plant. I wanted to further develop the plot and the characters and feel that I am ready to do that now. When I wrote the first story I had never written anything beyond a research report and certainly nothing that required much plot or dialogue. I generally received positive reviews for the last story and hope that you all will enjoy this one as well. Each signed in review will be replied to…I LOOOOOOOOOVE to talk about ANYTHING Tolkien!

Chapter 1

The year 1739 of the Third Age

Legolas tried not to fall asleep as he sat, his blond head propped up by his elbow. As his eyes started to unfocus he was abruptly awakened by Aearion's sharp elbow in his ribs. He looked over sharply at his father's chief advisor. Aearion nodded toward the king, wordlessly reminding Legolas where his attention should be directed. He sat up with a start and tried to listen to his father drone on. In his opinion, nothing was worse than attending Court. It was long and dull and made the morning drag on for an eternity as it seemed that all anyone ever did was take turns talking about the same things over and over. But as the youngest son of King Thranduil, it wasn't as though he had a choice. He had a duty to the Realm as its Prince and as his father was apt to remind him he was still very young. Legolas had just come of age just two months earlier but his father thought that he was too inexperienced to leave home and fight the Evil creeping its way into the Woodland Realm like his older brother Camthalion. Thranduil thought that Legolas needed some experience serving the Realm at home and that he was too impulsive, too eager for adventure to serve in the dangerous South. Legolas found the entire situation unfair and thought that his father was being completely unreasonable. He thought that Thranduil would never see him as anything more than a helpless elfling and struggled to find his way out of his father's overbearing grip. Camthalion had been sympathetic but told Legolas that he preferred his brother safe and whole if only for a few more years.

The present case finally ended and the next one was quickly brought forth. Two neighbors were once again quarreling over the borders of their homesteads. Legolas was annoyed that something so petty was taking up valuable Court time. This wasn't first and most likely not the last time these two ellyn would appear before The King. There would be no hope of finishing before mid day now. The young Prince audibly sighed before he could stop himself. The feuding elves glanced his way, stopping in midsentence. Legolas shifted uncomfortably in his seat, knowing that everyone was staring at him. Aearion squeezed his arm, warning him that his behavior was inappropriate for the setting. Slowly, he shifted his gaze toward his father, who was sitting on his throne. Thranduil's blue eyes flashed with irritation down at him. Legolas quickly looked down at the parchment on the desk in front of him and deliberately avoided looking at anyone. He knew that Thranduil was at best annoyed with him and would have a few things to say at the first available opportunity. The Elvenking was well known for his outspoken, blunt manner. But Thranduil said nothing and motioned for the ellyn to continue. After another long hour Court disassembled for the week. Edhil milled about afterward, chatting for a few minutes before going home to their mid-day meals. Legolas inwardly groaned as his father made his way down from his throne and approached him, looking rather unhappy.

"Walk with me, iôn nín" Thranduil said as he firmly placed a hand on Legolas's back and steered him out of the Great Hall and into the antechamber so that he had little choice but to comply.

"Adar," Legolas began as they walked toward the private area of the Palace. He felt the need to start explaining himself before his father could start to scold, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be disrespectful. But you know how I feel about attending Court. It is more useful for me to serve the Realm as a soldier. I am never going to be an advisor and I have no desire to do so. I find it all so dull."

"I understand that," Thranduil said, his voice was surprisingly gentle, despite the fact they had a similar conversation nearly every day "But you are my son and that bears other responsibilities as well. Yes, you are a gifted soldier. But you are still so young and impulsive. It often gets you into trouble, does it not?"

Legolas grimaced and reluctantly nodded, hating to admit that more than once he and his friends Sellion and Valen had gotten into trouble. Ever since they had completed their soldier training and joined The Elvenking's Army just a few weeks past, the three of them had been disciplined twice for insubordination and horseplay. Thranduil had not been pleased and had wholeheartedly supported the harsh discipline that the increasingly exasperated Captain had set.

"Furthermore," Thranduil continued his lecture 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 where I can keep an eye on you. Learning to serve the Realm here will allow you to learn some patience and self-control which I don't need to remind you will be very valuable when it is time for you to serve in the South. Right now, young one, 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 and bit back the retort that was on the tip of his tongue. There was no need for arguing as he had no chance in changing Thranduil's mind. He was incredibly headstrong and stubborn. Legolas hated adding to his father's immense stress and worry. He knew that Thranduil was currently under a lot of strain. Once again Evil was spreading from Dol Guldur and inching closer to the King's Stronghold each day, infesting the Forest with orcs, spiders, and Shadow. Legolas' older brother Camthalion commanded the Realm's forces. The current climate in the South had turned so serious that Camthalion had to tend to it himself. He had been away for several months now, trying in vain drive back the Shadow. His letters home had been vague and short and that alone spoke volumes. The family shared the close familial bonds common among The Eldar. Each felt his absence and constantly worried about the relentless danger he was in.

"Forgive me for being so late!" a soft, feminine voice jerked Legolas from these sobering thoughts. Amoniel, Camthalion's wife, appeared and took her usual seat across from Legolas. "I was so wrapped up in the preparations for the feast that I did not realize it was already mid-day!"

"No harm done," Thranduil said with a smile as the servants brought forth the meal, "How are things coming along?" he asked as he piled venison and greens on a plate and handed it to Amoniel.

"There is still so much to do," Amoniel gushed happily, her gray eyes sparkled with excitement as she accepted the plate and began to uncover the silverware from the napkin in front of her, "But we still have a couple of days to get it all together. I think Tarnin Austa will be even more grand than last year! Then she suddenly turned her attention to Legolas."What are you doing this afternoon, Legolas?" she asked casually. Legolas tried not to smirk. He loved Amoniel dearly. She was beautiful and kind. But he also knew that she was quite bossy and was going to try to recruit him into helping her 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 by."

Amoniel nodded, accepting his excuse. Legolas and Thranduil finished their meal in almost complete silence as Amoniel went on and on, endlessly chattering about the feast preparations, what she needed the palace staff to do to complete her vision, and what she thought they could do to make it even better the following year. At long last, the meal concluded, much to Thranduil and Legolas' relief. Legolas quickly bid them both a good afternoon went directly to his bedchambers. He grabbed his sword then shouldered his quiver and bow before he quickly made his way out to the Common Greens where the Military Headquarters was located. In the large common room, several other soldiers were already there waiting for their afternoon assignments. Sellion and Valen were standing in a group of newly minted soldiers and laughing over something someone had said.

"Mae govannen, Legolas," Valen called out when he saw his friend approaching. Legolas grinned at his good friend and returned the greeting. He approached the group and joined in the good natured banter. They only had to wait a few minutes before the new Lieutenant, Glandur, approached them and began to call out the names of those he had chosen to accompany him on the patrol. Glandur was very eager to prove himself in his first leadership position. He chose Legolas, Sellion, Valen and a new soldier named Locien to be part of the patrol. The four younglings were pleased by Glandur's choices. He was the newest Lieutenant in the Realm and much more easy going than the more seasoned officers. The rest of the group was casting envious glances at Legolas and his friends, wishing they had been chosen to go instead of being assigned to a dull afternoon of guard duty at the Palace.

The small 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, warning them of the danger ahead. The Elves immediately took to the trees and silently but quickly climbed high into the canopy to take cover. Legolas instantly saw that a few yards away that there were a number large nests with spiders in them. The nests were silent and free of any noticeable activity. Glandur studied the spiders for a while and decided that since they appeared to be asleep they could take care of the solution rather easily from their current position. Legolas and Valen grinned at each other, happy not only to have the opportunity to be a part of the limited action near the Stronghold but also to have an exhilarating tale to share back at the Headquarters. Legolas could not help but smile as he thought about recounting the afternoon's events to his father at the evening meal. There was no way now Thranduil could doubt his ability to serve the Realm abroad. Legolas and the others unshouldered their bows and notched an arrow. The young Prince sat in nervous anticipation from where he perched. After spending the morning sitting behind a desk with Aearion a chance to do something physical was just what he needed. 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 before they could even leave the nests. Suddenly, without warning, more spiders appeared from nowhere, clearly roused when they heard the screams of their comrades. 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 the more skilled archers of the group, "Sellion and Locien draw your swords and follow me!"

Following orders, they all did as they were told. On the ground Glandur, Sellion and Locien were successfully cutting down the spiders few spiders that managed to make it to the ground without being impaled with Elvish arrows. The three ellyn were soon splattered with the vile, stinking, black blood. Up in the trees Legolas and Valen, both accomplished archers, had quickly and easily cleared the trees of the spiders. In no time the nests were empty and silent. Legolas scanned the ground for any remaining spiders and saw that the last of them had been killed. The only things moving on the ground were Glandur, Locien and Sellion wiping off their blood splattered swords. To his right he suddenly heard Valen, who had loosed all of his arrows, unsheathe his sword and shout. Legolas quickly looked over at his friend and saw something large and black rapidly swinging toward him. Before he could think to react the large 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 at a branch on the way down but the force of the impact was too much for even Elven agility to manage. The large, ancient beech tree cried out in dismay and tried to use its limbs to catch him but he was falling too fast to seize anything. Moments later he felt a blast of pain as he hit a large limb. The pain radiated from his spine and ribs and took his breath before he hit the ground with a sickening crunch. There was a bright explosion in his head and then he knew no more.

TBC...

Tarnin Austa is the midsummer festival and is described in the Book of Lost Tales Part II.

Elvish Translation:

Ellyn=male elf (pl)

iôn nín= my son

Mae govannen= Well met

Edhil= elves