A/N: Hello everyone! My name is Stella and this is my first LOTR fanfic. Forgive me if I don't portray certain canon characters very well, for I'm not too good at writing characters someone else was made! The story is just a tad bit AU.

Before you read, I just need to tell you a quick thing about the italics. If it's just in the middle of normal text like this, then it most likely is for emphasis. If it's an entire paragraph or more (not in speaking) then it is a dream or vision. And lastly, if it's in quotations "like such" then the person speaking is speaking in Elvish unless stated otherwise.

That's the end of my Author's Note, so enjoy the story!

His end draws near.

Blue eyes flashed open and scanned the room. It took a moment for him to realize where he was, but it quickly came. He was in Minas Tirith, in the Citadel.

Legolas slowly sat up and came to the realization that he was on the floor, having somehow fallen off the bed in his sleep. The book he had been reading before he took an unplanned nap was still on the bed, right on the page he'd left off on.

Orange sunlight shone through the window as he stood and ran a hand through his hair. You managed to waste half the day sleeping. Good job. He thought to himself as he watched the sun descend behind the rolling hills.

The last ray of sun shone down upon a rapid creature moving up the 4th level of Minas Tirith. Legolas honed his vision on the lone creature and saw it to be a white horse, a hooded rider mounted on its back. It galloped towards the settlement with urgency in its stride.

Legolas watched it ride, but his thoughts drifted to his dream- if it could so be called. It was simply a conscious darkness that he could feel himself drifting through. He felt, but he could not see anything but the darkness and there was no sound to be heard. Not until the end, when he heard a familiar and soothing voice whisper 'His end draws near.'

Legolas did not know who the dream spoke of, but he had too many suspicions to count.

His mind soon returned to reality, as he did not allow himself to get lost in thought often, and he was able to relocate the horse riding through the 6th level. In fact, they were seemingly coming towards the heavily guarded gate leading to the 7th level.

They finally came to a halt outside of the gate, just as Legolas had predicted. The rider dismounted quickly and began talking urgently with the servant who had approached him.

They talked- or rather, argued -for a round 15 minutes before another guard came and apparently granted permission for the rider to enter. The rider then sped past the guard and approached the Citadel. He dismounted again and handed the horse's reins to a stable boy as a servant hurried down.

The rider pulled down his hood as he followed the servant up the steps, revealing a shock of long blonde hair as pale and light as Legolas'. The rider glanced around with a feminine face, not only disproving Legolas' suspensions that the rider was male, but also sparking his memory.

His eyes widened and he felt a strong urge to drop his jaw once he connected the face with a name.

Lasca Thranduiliel, his younger sister, entered the building.

Legolas stood dumbfounded by the window for a minute, his mind raced with questions. Why was she here? What happened? Had she simply come to surprise him? Did she bring bad news? Should he go down and greet her? Or should he wait to be called down? What was she doing here?

He pulled himself out of his stupor (the second one within the half hour!) and decided to go down stairs and find out why she was here.

Legolas opened the door to find a servant standing outside, his fist in a knocking position. He quickly lowed his fist and his eyes.

"You have a guest, Prince Legolas. Your sister, the Princess Lasca, awaits you in the first floor gardens, sir." Servant said, his eyes never leaving the ground.

"Thank you." Legolas quickly stepped around the man and hurried down the hall to the stairwell at the end. Once on the first floor it was a short walk to the doorway that lead out to the gardens.

He stopped once there, staring at his younger sister through the doorway as she sat on the edge of the garden balcony. He had not seen her in over ten years, and yet she looked the same. She sat a little taller and her hair was a little longer, but overall not much changed.

"Lasca!" He called as he walked out into the garden. She turned her head and smiled when she saw her older brother with his arms spread wide. The lantern light made her eyes shine the most beautiful blue.

She hopped off the railing and embraced her brother. "Legolas. It's been too long."

"Far too long." He agreed. "It's been ten years since I saw you last." Legolas pulled out of the hug, but kept a hand on her shoulder. It didn't take him long to see that her smile did not match her eyes, which reflected exhaust, sorrow, and- was that fear?

His smile faded and looked deep into her eyes, trying to decide if it was truly fear. But it was quickly gone. "Tell me sister, what brings you here?" Lasca's smile now disappeared in a matter of seconds and her eyes flashed momentarily to the ground.

"Father is dying."

Shock ripped across the older elf's face. "What?! Dying? How can he be dying? What happened?"

"He was poisoned. It happened at the feast last week, which was being held in honor of the Ring's destruction. He took a sip of his wine and he fell over. Mother had brought in nearly every healer in Mirkwood before I left."

"Why wasn't I told of this sooner?" Legolas demanded as he released Lasca's shoulder and walked towards the balcony at the edge of the gardens, trying to wrap his head around the events. Father can't be dying.

"Because we did not think it that dire at first. Once more than one healer said that there was little chance of survival, I set out. This was as fast as I could get here." Lasca explained, a barely-there edge detected in her voice.

Legolas placed both his hands on the railing, gripping them so tight his knuckles turned white. Somebody had tried to assassinate his father. It had happened in the past, but this was the first time they had succeeded this far. Whoever it was, they were no petty rival.

"Brother." Lasca said gently as she pried his fingers from the marble rails. Legolas slowly turned to look at her. Both their emotions were written all across their faces; a rarity among the Greenleaf family.

"Come," He wrapped an arm around his sole sister. "You are exhausted. You can sleep in my chambers tonight, we'll leave for Mirkwood tomorrow." He promised. The brother and sister walked into the warmth of the palace.

A/N: Please tell me what you think, good or bad! Reviews are always welcome!