Author's notes: This is a sequel to First meetings, I do hope you enjoy it and I'd be happy to listen to your feedback.
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings and characters belong to the great master Tolkien.
Second games.
Greenwood was still apart from the slight breeze every now and again. The sun was shinning brightly for a change as recently it had been getting darker and darker. A lone elf was walking down the corridor in the halls of Greenwood. A normal elf wouldn't have heard the almost silent scuffling of someone following them or the whistle of a tunic as the owner moved. Bu then again this was no ordinary elf. With a small cry the spy attacked his prey. The "prey" turned round and caught the attacker round the middle. Holding the squirming elfling at arms length.
"Little Greenleaf what are you doing?"
"I'm ambushing you Ada. What does it look like?"
Thranduil smiled at his son, before he pulled him into a hug.
"I didn't do very well did I?"
"Actually Legolas you did wonderfully. The only reason I knew you were there is because I'm King."
Legolas pulled a confused face at his father. Who smiled, turned and walked down the corridor.
"Because I'm King I am connected to the forest. I hear things that hardly anyone can hear. You too will hear them one day."
"But I'm not going to be King, Beren is."
"It's not if you're King but if you are of royal blood or Married to one of Royal then you can hear it. As you grow you will hear more and more."
The bright smile on Legolas's face told him that his son was very happy. Well he was about to become even happier.
"Do you want me to tell you something Legolas?" He asked as he set his son on his shoulders and carried on down the winding corridors.
"What Ada?"
"We have some visitors arriving today. Me and your mother forgot to tell everyone. Marya was very annoyed with us as she has to start cooking now and she said she hadn't the right ingredients."
Legolas giggled, quickly covering his mouth with his hands.
"Did she yell at you Ada?"
"No, but she nearly did."
Legolas giggled once again, and then lay his head on top of his fathers. Thranduil smiled, he loved to hear his children laugh, in his opinion it was the most beautiful sound in Middle-earth. Along with Máraran's laughter of course.
"Tell me Ada, who is coming?"
"Hmmmm, maybe I shouldn't tell you."
"Oh please Ada please! Legolas be good if you do."
Thranduil picked his son up so he was hanging upside down facing Thranduil, "Not good. Better than usual."
Thranduil laughed and turned Legolas around and tucked him under one arm as he pushed a door open. The blonde cried out in delight a who was sitting in the family room.
"Elladan! Elrohir!" He kicked his legs until his father put him down and racing over the blonde launched himself at the twins. The three landed in a pile on the floor, giggling helplessly. Máraran walked in, Beren and Lúthien trailing behind her. When they saw the three they squealed and jumped onto the pile, laughing along with the others. Their parents smiled at their antics, when they had first come back all five children had been rather depressed and upset. So after being home for two months and not being able to stand their sad faces any longer their parents decided it was time for a visit.
"Come on let's go and play!"
Scrambling to their feet they ran out the door.
"Well that just ruined your plan."
"Pardon Elerossë?"
"I thought you and Elrond agreed that you were going to keep and eye on them. And seeing as they just ran out the door without a single, 'Don't do any thing dangerous' or a 'Don't play tricks and attacks people'. I'd say they're about to run wild."
Their parents all pulled a face, sometimes a child being to sweet got the better of you.
"Well, why don't you and Glorfindel find them and keep them out of trouble." Thranduil said and turning to his guests he gestured to the door and they left.
"I shouldn't have opened my mouth should I?"
"Nope."
They had been there for a week and so far caused complete havoc on Greenwood. Elerossë and Glorfindel were presently sprawled over a couple of sofa's with ice being held to their heads. Laughter filled the air as five elflings sprinted across the grounds. Throwing themselves onto the ground, under a huge birch they giggled to themselves.
"What should we do now?" Elladan asked staring into the bright blue sky. Beren who had dozed off, focused his eyes and stared at the twin.
"I don't know. We've done everything I can think of doing."
"How about the tunnels?"
"What are the tunnels?" Elrohir asked rolling onto his stomach to stare at Legolas.
"The tunnels, are underground beneath the palace. When Sauron was alive and fighting, the people of Mirkwood lived under there for fear of being killed. There are halls, sleeping areas and the dungeons."
"I didn't know you study at all Legolas?"
The blonde shrugged sending Lúthien a shy smile. "They sparked by interest so I read about them."
"Oh little brother," She laughed, "Will you ever stop surprising us?"
"I doubt it." Elladan said flashing a wolfish grin, "I doubt we will ever work out what goes on behind that pretty face of his!"
"Hey!" Legolas cried out as the others burst into laughter. He scowled at them which made them laugh even harder as Beren said he looked like their father. The blonde's eyes began to fill with tears as he looked at them, his bottom lip trembled. Lúthien stopped laughing instantly and pulled her brother into her arms.
"Legolas don't cry. We didn't mean it."
The blonde looked up all traces of sadness gone from his face and an evil smirk replaced it. Lúthien worked out he had been pretending and threw a fit.
"You rotten thing." She wailed, pushing her brother away from her.
"Now who's upset."
She stuck her tongue at him and crossed her arms holding her head high.
"Now now young ones" Elladan teased, "Be good." Brother and sister glanced at each other before knocking the twin over and tickling him until he screamed for mercy.
"Now that that's finished shall we go to the tunnels?"
Beren tentatively took a step forward, after sneaking back in and locating some torches they had made their way to the huge door that separated the tunnels from the palace. The air was dense and extremely quiet down here, the musty air seemed to take over his senses and he coughed quietly. It seemed like someone had banged a gong as hard as they could. He winced slightly and motioned his friends in. The five set off, torches in hands down the passages. They seemed to stretch on forever, turning and twisting like a snake further and further down. They soon found themselves jumpy as the very walls seemed to be closing in on them. Elves weren't meant to stay under the ground for too long. They reached a set of doors, much like the ones that opened to the main hall, where all councils were held. Placing the torches gently on the floor the five set to push the door open and with much curses and straining they pushed they did so. The room was huge with a domed ceiling and pillars standing along the rim. There were seats across half of the room, raising higher and higher until they reached the last seat which was the highest of all and obviously the king's. Legolas smiled and darted up the stairs that led to the throne. The child ran his fingers lightly over the back, fingering the patterns covering it. Then with authority that he had copied off his father Legolas seated himself in it, head held high. His façade of calmness and royalty broke when Lúthien ran up and sat beside him. The others joined and soon all fives elflings were squashed onto the seat, their giggles filling the quiet halls. Once they had finished playing in the room they moved on, discovering more rooms but none as interesting as the first.
They came across a set of doors, but the odd thing was that it had alot of locks and bolts on it. Shrugging the children began to slowly undo them.
"I don't know if we should go in there?"
"You scared Elrohir?"
The brunette flashed his twin a glare and opened his mouth to reply when Beren joined in.
"Chicken!"
"Am not!"
"Of course you aren't, we believe you." Even an orc could tell that Lúthien was being sarcastic.
"Fine! Have it your way!" Elrohir growled and he flung the doors open with difficulty and stormed through. The four shrugged their shoulders at each other and followed him through. After spending a minute or two down the passage a sense of foreboding came over them. But being the little elflings they were they ignored them and carried on. Every now and again there would be a wooden pole reaching from the floor to the ceiling, they worked out it was to hold the ceiling up. But it wasn't a part of the decorations so why were they there? Lúthien had just ventured this question when they entered a room, water hung in the air and the stench of rot filled their nostrils. At the other end of the room was a hole, which didn't look like it was meant to be there.
"This place is collapsing." Elrohir whispered his eyes darting around the room.
"Collapsing?"
"Yes, I was trying to tell you earlier when you call me chicken. There was a notice saying 'Danger do not enter'."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because you wouldn't let me."
A sudden crunching noise cut anymore retorts off and slowly a creature emerged from the shadowy hole. It was bent over on all fours much like an orc. It had a small black scaly body and claws on the end of his arms and legs. It's head had a short snout and a fork tongue whipped out as it stared at the children. It's black horns glimmered in the firelight as it took a step towards them.
"Where's Elerossë when you need him?"
They stared at it for a few seconds before Elladan let out a shuddering breath, "What do we do?"
"Run."
"Good idea."
They turned and bolted from the room, they could hear the clatter of claws on the stone floor as it followed them. They cried out and the second they were out the door they turned and slammed it. They could hear the creature's frantic screams as it scrambled at the doors trying to get to them. Breathing deeply the children bolted the door turned and ran back up the passages.
Thranduil was talking with the other Three parents. Trying to work our what to do about their children. When the elflings in question ran in, yelling their heads off.
"Quiet down! What is the matter?"
"There's a monster!"
"Where?"
"In the tunnels we - "
"I thought I banned you from going in there?"
"Well you did but - "
"Why did you disobey me?"
"There was nothing else to do but father there's - "
"Beren I don't want to here it!"
"I agree with your Father, Beren" Máraran said, standing up with her hands on hips, glaring at her children, "I'm disappointed in all three of you."
Her children gazed down at the floor, the guilt welling up inside of them. Sighing Elrond took to his feet, "Tell me you two, did you know it was out of bounds?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you still go."
"Because we were bored and - "
"You have to remember your responsibilities, you can't disobey me and your mother or Thranduil and Máraran."
"Go to your room, supper will be brought to you."
"You two as well."
Nodding the five elflings walked out the room, heads bowed. The door slammed shut behind them and they glanced at each other.
"What should we do?" Elladan asked.
"Wait until they're not angry with us and then tell them." Legolas whispered, blinking back his tears. Lúthien slipped a comforting arm round her brother's shoulders and they walked off down the corridor.
~*~
Down in the underground passages of Mirkwood a loud cracking sound rang out. A pair of red eyes poked out of the gloom. After hours of smashing into a half bolted door it had finally given way. It smirked slightly, he would have to thank the elflings.
To be continued . . .
First chapter finished. What will happen now?!
Characters guide.
Mirkwood.
King Thranduil: Legolas's father.
Queen Máraran: Legolas's mother.
Crown prince Beren: Legolas's brother.
Princess Lúthien: Legolas's sister.
Elerossë: Captain of Mirkwood, good friend of Thranduil.
Rivendell.
Lord Elrond: Lord of Rivendell, husband of Celebrian.
Lady Celebrian: Best friend of Máraran. Mother of Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen.
Elladan: First of the twins of Elrond and Celebrian.
Elrohir: Second of the twins of Elrond and Celebrian.
Glorfindel: Elven lord, advisor and good friend of Elrond.
