Author's note: Many thanks to my colleague flyingarrow for her fun yet hard work in creating Legolas. This is from an ongoing roleplay session between us.

Chapter 2

Legolas sits in his garden once again, back to the wall this time. He's reading, oblivious.

I finally get some respite from the forest. Naturally, I head to the garden. I just want to walk and enjoy the smells, the fresh air in my face as the sun warms my body. I enjoy myself until I spot that infernal Elvenprince. Why me, Eru? Why?

He keeps reading, not noticing me yet.

Should I hide, or should I confront him? I decide the latter. I paste a pleasant smile on my face. "Afternoon, Greenleaf. How fare you this lovely day?"

He looks up, glaring. "Why must you haunt my time?"

I continue my façade. "Perhaps I enjoy annoying you."

"Let me guess, your Lady of Darkness sent you to harass me," he snaps.

"What did you say?" I hiss, getting right in his face to show him I mean business.

"I said your miserable Lady of Darkness sent you to harass me."

I punch his nose before I know what I am doing, my eyes blazing with wrath. "How dare you insult Lady Galadriel, and after she agreed that you may have a dress too! She's sent it already and it should arrive any day."

He scoffs. "See, and you said you wouldn't hurt me!" He punches me back, face reddening.

"I don't care! You don't insult the Lady!" I grab him and hold him close to the wall, glaring. "Take you words back. Now."

He just sniffs. "Why should I? I do not want to."

"Fine. I'm not being nice anymore." I force him to the ground and place my foot on his chest. "No more nice Haldir, Leggy boy."

"At last you admit it! And do not call me that!" He struggles, but is stuck.

I grin. "Leggy-poo, you have a lot to learn." We wrestle for some time, each of us too angry to truly know what we are doing. Several minutes later I prevail, since his broken wrist prevents him from fighting to the best of his ability. I pull him up, glaring. "You're coming into the forest with me. Let's see how good you are at killing spiders."

I frown. "Very good."

"We'll see about that. I want to know which of us is better at killing the beasts," I hiss. "Now walk. I take it you know a secret way out of here?"

"I do," he leads me out, deciding he'd better humor me. "Surely I am to have weapons?"

"Yes, but only your sword. Neither of us will use our bows unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Besides, I doubt you are able to use yours now anyway."

He doesn't argue and several minutes into the infernal forest I finally stop him. "Alright. We wait here. Don't try anything funny."

"Funny?" he glares. "Like what?"

"Like running from me, or trying to hurt me, or get me lost in these infernal woods."

He glares, but sits down, swallowing hard.

"Tell me more about the spiders."

"I don't know much; just that they are big, evil, and hard to kill."

Suddenly, I step back, my eyes wide in horror and my face pale, the blood draining from it and my eyes clearing from red to normal vision. "Legolas, what have I done?" I moan, feeling rather ill as the anger leaves me and is replaced with remorse and realization that I am in big trouble with a certain Elvenking.

"You're simply going to sit and watch me die when I can't fight off the spiders," he scowls.

I hold my face in my hands. "No! I promise you will not die. We should head back now. I'm sorry!"

However, he refuses to accept my apology, silently glaring at me and still fuming with wrath.

Suddenly, a spider lowers itself behind Legolas, so I place whip out my sword. "We have company." I point to the spider.

He spins and yells, instantly taking out his sword, and he charges. He takes down a few, before one bites him in the side. He screams and plunges the knife into its head. It dies, and he crumples to the ground, choking as the venom takes over.

I fight the spiders, oblivious to everything except them until they finally decide enough is enough a leave. After carefully wiping off my blade from the filthy, black gunk which exudes from the accursed arachnids as I perforate their exoskeletons, I sheath it and look for Legolas [he simply means they get his sword dirty when he stabs them]. I find him lying on the ground, so I rush over to him and shake him. "Legolas! Are you alright?"

"No!" he gasps, paling and writhing.

"What's wrong?" I ask, quite worried as I crouch beside him.

"Bit...venom...die!" he grinds out.

"No!" I gasp and scoop him up. "Point the way to Mirkwood Palace. You're not dying on my watch."

He points weakly, tears streaming down his face. He holds back a scream as the venom takes over and the pain becomes unbearable.

I run in the direction Legolas tells me, realizing we are much further from the palace than I thought. "Stay awake, Legolas!" I pant, my eyes wide in fear. This is all my fault. What is wrong with me?

He moans, gripping my tunic so hard his knuckles are pure white.

I finally arrive at the palace gates, calling out frantically, "Let us in! Prince Legolas is injured!" The guards thankfully see the problem at once and one takes Legolas from me, running to the healers. Another summons the Elvenking while I follow the one with Legolas.

The healer rushes in, takes one look and rushes back out. She returns with several herbs, which she feeds to him and places in his wound.

I watch on, then King Thranduil stalks in and rushes over to his son. He takes his hand, being careful to stay out of the healer's way. "Legolas! You'll be fine."

The healer does what she can, and leaves. Legolas has fallen unconscious.

I stand awkwardly to the side, then carefully explain things to the Elvenking. He tells me to wait in my room so he can deal with me later. Apparently the Elvenqueen is on a holiday in Rivendell but shall come as fast as she can. I feel so helpless. I hope someone punishes me severely.