Chapter 9
Legolas truly felt for Loki. He knew the other was not telling him the whole story, though he could not expact such things as he barely knew him. He did understand enough though. Even if the story was vague, and carefully crafted to avoid overly sensitive information. He understood the basics. Despite being a Prince, the youth was ridiculed, mocked, and even physically harmed by others inferior to him. He was outcasted for his magic, abused by his father-though to what degree Legolas doubted he would figure out anytime soon-and renounced by his brother. He had the contempt of his family, something Legolas had never had to deal with. It was shocking, that a person could so very much hate someone they had willingly brought. A child, an innocent. It hurt his heart to think of all the torment the other had gone through. To top it off, he had figured it out, not because this adoptive father had told him. No, he was not even given the decency of being told by the man who raised him, badly yes, but raised nonetheless, what he was. He found out through a battle that should not have happened, by chance, and nothing more. Not to mention all of this came so swiftly. He was not just the child of a different people, but of a people deemed monsters. He had to be totally terrified. Legolas knew he would be. And as though that were not enough, he figured out the true reason of his relocation. As a trading piece. Legolas could only imagine the pain, hurt, anger, and trauma which this boy had suffered. Such overwhelming emotions.
And now, here he was. Alone, and suffering, none else the wiser. If Legolas had not been an elf, a trained observer, he would have thought the other was merely telling a bedtime story as the hobbits had requested.
"I am sorry," loki stared at Legolas, blankly.
"Whatever are you apologizing for?" He asked, amusement hidden, but tracely detected in his tone.
"What you have had to go through, it is so, horrid. I cannot think of ever having to deal with such horrific events in a series of lifetimes." Loki gave Legolas a small, though pained, smile.
"It is nothing you should apologize for. You did nothing wrong, you have not, nor have you ever wronged me jn any way. Apologies should not come from you."
"Very well, than I am saddened, of your plight. The torment which you must have felt." Loki bowed his head.
"Thank you, for your...sympathetic outlook."