A/N: This story takes place in TA 652. In this story, Elladan and Elrohir were born in TA 139 and are 513 years old (their birth year is the same as in the books). Since Legolas' birth year is never told I have set it at TA 288, which would make him 364 years old. For my story, elves reach adolescence at age fifty and are teenagers until around 300-500 years. So going off of this, in my story Legolas is the equivalent of 18 and the twins are around 23.

A Tale of Three Elves

He found him in a grey corner of the cave. His hands bleeding, his feet broken and his back, like his soul cut to pieces. As Elladan drew near the crumpled form he suppressed a gasp as he saw the tears of crimson that leaked from the young elf's eyes. The skin around the young one's eyes was raw and puffy and next to each eye was an unnaturally white scar in the shape of a leaf.

Elladan had seen this mark before and it pained him that one so young and so merry had endured such depravity. The scars gave Elladan the identities of the ones who had hurt the young ernil of Mirkwood. He had seen other elves who had met this foe and, they too, had borne the mark of a leaf seared into their fair skin. The men who had done this were of a race far lesser than the great Dúnedain. They were born out of a foul, heathen group of marauders who came from the south. They lived in deserts but had begun to come north as the Haradrim had forced them from their lands. They bore no name anymore and had become too foul to be called by their ancestors name and so they had earned the name Harnûm which meant 'southern-evil' in Sindarin.

Elladan prayed to Erû that the Harnûm who had found the prince were not as barbaric as those he had heard of. They were known to torture their victims using metal instruments carved into horrific spikes and points and dipped in a foul poison that caused agonizing pain yet did not kill. Many also dipped these accursed tools in blue flame which increased the agony of their victim. It seemed that they had tortured this young one's eyes with heat and flame. The breaking of bones, searing of flesh, and mutilating of the body and soul were the torture methods of the Harnûm.

Elladan was pulled to his senses when his dear brother, so similar to him in voice and appearance, gave a quiet gasp as he entered the room. Even in fear, Elrohir's voice was as fair as his being, as it was with all elves, especially that of his kin.

Elladan drew close to the wretched elf and when his twin came to his side he spoke at last, "my dear brother, we must hasten in our return to Imladris or I fear Ada will be able to do little for our fair friend."

With a quick nod, Elrohir carefully wrapped the injured elf in a blanket he had taken from his pack and lifted him into his arms, careful not to cause him more pain then need be. The elf moaned in protest at being picked up but this did not slow down his rescuer. Indeed, it made him hasten to leave the sordid cave and get back to his fair home.

"He is fading, my brother, we must not tarry," Elrohir said as he mounted his horse.

Heeding his brother's warning, Elladan got his horse to a gallop as he led the way through the forests surrounding The Last Homely House west of the Mountains as Elrohir followed up behind with Legolas safely in his arms.

TBC…

A/N: Sorry if I made any mistakes in either the content or any grammar mistakes. If you find any please let me know so that I can fix them. Criticism is welcomed as it will improve my writing.

Should I continue?