Legolas frowned at the ink covered parchment in his hand. While completing an essay on the history of The Last Alliance he had- in a very un-elflike manner- spilled the ink jar all over the desk and what once was his essay. Legolas stood up and watched as the black ink slowly dripped on the floor with a continuous splat, splat, splat. He walked into the bathing chamber, retrieved a wet towel and decided that trying to improve the growing spot on the carpeted floor wouldn't due any harm. He meticulously rubbed the ink stain in circles trying to relieve it form the carpet. The dripping sound bored into his brain and took on the sound of words echoing trouble, trouble, trouble.

He sat back on his haunches and looked at the now five times bigger stain on the beautiful red and gold carpet in his eldest brother's room. Earlier that day he had noticed that he had run out of ink and on the way to fetch some from the library he had run into his eldest brother and asked him if he could borrow some ink. Once he had retrieved the ink from a chest, Legolas had decided that a change of scenery was in order, and his brother's room was always interesting. He did not think that his brother would mind if he used his desk.

Legolas sighed again and considered his options. He could just leave the room and not tell his brother, and when he was inevitably questioned on the mess he would say he had no idea what had happened. On the other hand maybe it was a wise idea just to tell his brother outright what had happened and earn points for being honest.

Before he could contemplate another escape plan the door of his brother's room clicked open and said brother walked in.

Lasanden had at first been startled by his little brother but once he spotted the huge black spot on his carpet, became enraged. Legolas cringed as he saw a red flush creep up his brother's neck. Lasanden was- as his brothers called him- a neat freak, and Legolas knew this would not go unpunished. Lasanden took very slow menacing steps toward his younger brother and stopped directly in front of him.

"Get up." HeH commanded. Legolas slowly got to his feet avoiding the piercing gaze of his brother. "Look at me, Legolas."He said in a frighteningly calm voice. Legolas slowly looked up at his brother and regarded the tall figure in front of him. Lasanden was tall like most elves but like their father he also possessed broad shoulders and chest, the strength that most elves hid in a slender build was obvious at a glance. He had blond hair like Legolas and their father with remarkably deep blue eyes. The only noticeably difference about his brother compared to other elves was his hair. Lasanden's hair was rather short. Legolas felt a chill crawl up his spine as he recalled the day Lasanden had been brought home after he was captured by wild men.

King Thranduil paced the length of the great hall once again his mind completely bent upon his eldest son. Lasanden had been on one of his regular patrols as Greenwoods troop commander when his party had been attacked by orcs and the prince taken captive. Thranduil reached out to his son through their bond and found Lasanden's fëa lost in pain and darkness. Thranduil looked to his youngest son who was grasping the blood stained locks of blond hair that had been sent to them with the ransom note, demanding that Thranduil surrender his realm in exchange for his son's life. The sight made his heart constrict and he strode over to the young elf and gathered him into an embrace. Legolas' shoulders heaved with gut retching sobs while tears slid down his pale face. "There, there." Thranduil crooned to the distraught boy. "Lasland will find him." Thranduil's second son, Lasland had immediately led a rescue party in search of his brother when the ransom note had come the previous day. Legolas raised a hopeful face to his father, and opened his mouth to say something when the doors to the Great Hall flew open and Queen Mirineth ran into the room, her dark braids flying.

"They're back!" she cried. All at once everyone darted out of the hall into the antechamber and down the steps towards the gathered warriors near the front of the palace. Legolas scanned the warriors for his eldest brother and almost immediately noticed a litter suspended between two horses. Thranduil gasped, ran towards the litter and looked at the pale inert form of Lasanden.

"Get him inside!" Thranduil shouted to the guards. Legolas' mother clung to Thranduil softly weeping as they made their way back into the palace. Legolas started after them but stopped at the sound of a familiar voice calling his name. He turned to see his brother Lasland wearily dismounting his horse. Legolas let out a small exclamation as Lasland swayed slightly and braced himself against the side of the horse. Legolas ran into his brother's embrace and looked him over.

Lasland's usually cheerful face was set in lines of worry and exhaustion. He was the only son of King Thranduil and Queen Mirineth to inherit the Queens coloring of dark brown hair and eyes, and like most elves he had a slender build.

The two made their way into the royal families living quarters to find the door of Lasanden's room ajar, as he entered the room Legolas' face paled. Lasanden lay on his side, his face and body covered in bruises and cuts of different size. The amount of bruising on his brother's chest led Legolas to believe that many ribs were broken, but the thing that frightened Legolas the most was the state of his brother's back. Blood freely dripped from countless welts that covered Lasanden's back from being repeatedly whipped.

After the initial shock Legolas only felt pure savage hate to the men that had done this to his brother.

Physically Lasanden had healed, but he refused to talk to anyone about his ordeal. He simply told them that the men had treated him badly, then avoided the topic altogether. Legolas looked into his brother's eyes, and could see that Lasanden was still suffering.

"What happened here?" Lasanden asked at length, his voice much calmer. Legolas looked down at the almost forgotten stain on the floor.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to finish writing in your room and I accidentally spilled your ink. I promise I'll clean it up, and buy you new ink. Please don't be angry. Please" Lasanden listened to his brother trying to conceal his amusement of how scared the young elf in front of him was. Lasanden knew he had this effect on most people. Being the crowned prince and troop commander of Greenwood he had discovered that intimidation worked far better than any long drawn out conversation ever did.

Lasanden sighed. "That's alright. Just make sure you clean it up." Legolas took a step back in surprise. He had been clearly expected a scolding of some sort from his brother. As well he should Lasanden thought"Come on, Adar is waiting."

The two brothers walked down the hall towards the sitting room to find their father sitting by the fire reading a book. Thranduil looked up when his son's entered and a slow smile spread across his face.

"Good evening children." He greeted them.

"Good evening adar." They coursed. Lasanden took a seat across from his father while Legolas poured them some wine.

"I finished the patrol rearrangement you asked for, Adar." Lasanden said as he accepted the wine Legolas handed to him. Thranduil raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I only asked you for it last night. You didn't work late did you? That was not necessary."

Lasanden shrugged.

"I just want you to be careful, ion nin." Thranduil chided gently. "You are still not well." Lasanden lowered his head and Thranduil groped for words to comfort his so obviously suffering son. Before he could say anything the door opened and their mother strode into the sitting room. They all rose- as was customary for men when a lady entered the room- and Mirineth smiled at her family.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting." She said. "I had to handle some last minute details for the feast." Lasanden offered her his seat and went to pour her some wine. Mirineth took the seat and looked back and forth between Thranduil and Lasanden a frown in her delicate features. Legolas smiled, his mother missed very little. Lasanden gave her the wine and now sat next to Legolas. The family enjoyed some light conversation like the weather, daily activities, and feast preparations. At one point Lasanden placed a letter in Legolas' hand and mouthed the word Lasland. Legolas smiled, his middle brother Lasland was currently on a patrol and wrote to Legolas frequently. He tucked the letter in his belt to be read in private.

A servant entered and announced that the evening meal was ready the family stood and made their way to the small private dining room used by the royal family. Just like most of the stronghold the dining room was beautiful. The stone walls were elegantly carved to look like the forest and in the centre of the room a solid oak table with silver embroidery held a decadent meal.

Thranduil and Mirineth seated themselves, and at their fathers signal so did Legolas and Lasanden. The food was distributed and Legolas began chatting about the new archery drill they had done in weapons training.

Lasanden picked at his food. He was not altogether hungry and his father's comment had disturbed him. Was it so obvious to everyone that he was weak? He should have never allowed himself to be captured in the first place. He was useless. Lasanden raised his head and realised that his brother had been speaking to him for some time now. Legolas looked slightly confused, but both his parents looked concerned.

"Pardon me, Legolas. I was not paying attention. What did you say?"

"I said did you enjoy archery when you were my age?"

Lasanden smiled. "Yes I did though not as much as swordplay." The Crowned Prince was known as the greatest swordsman in Greenwood.

"Ha, I'd like to see how tough you are without that sword." Legolas lightly teased. Everyone at the table laughed but Legolas noticed his brother had frozen.

What Lasanden saw in front was not a quiet meal with his family. Instead he was in a cave chained to the wall. Men sneered at him their ugly faces inches from his. They repeatedly kicked his gut and laughed hysterically when they heard the muffled crack of his ribs.

"Not so tough now are you."

Legolas watched as the colour drained from his brother's face and his hands started to shake uncontrollably. Legolas reached out to try and comfort him but he recoiled from his touch.

"Get away from me!" He screamed. He stood quickly knocking down his chair and backing away from Legolas like a frightened rabbit confronted by a hungry wolf. Thranduil rose and slowly walked towards Lasanden while the queen sat with her hands covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face.

"It's alright, ion nin. Your safe here, no one is going to harm you." Thranduil said barley above a whisper. Lasanden's hands slowly stopped shaking and he straightened up. His eyes that had only a moment ago been glazed over with fear now looked around frantically. Without another word Lasanden strode out of the dining room. Legolas ran after him and when Thranduil went to stop him he found his wife holding his arm back.

"Let him go Thranduil, Lasanden needs Legolas right now."