Chapter 2. A feeling of dread

"Eluisul!" Thranduil's demanding call reached the crown prince a few steps away from the healing wing.

Not daring to stop or even look back, the young elf kept on running, franticly trying to get his brother to safety as quickly as possible. He knew that it was highly rude to ignore his father and king, especially among the crowd of gathering elves that was slowly appearing in the yard, but right at the moment Legolas' life was of higher priority. And it was something Eluisul knew his father would definitely agree with. He was out of breath from frantic running, his throat was tight with worry and dread. So as he cried back to his father, his words came out in a blur.

"It's Legolas… wounded…" He had no time to say anything else as he stopped near the entrance to the healing wing. One of the warriors that were accompanying him opened the door and Eluisul vanished inside the darkened corridor, cradling his precious burden close to his heart and calling for the head healer.

To say that Thranduil was stunned would be a great understatement. He was on his way to the courtroom when a commotion from outside caught his attention. Spotting his son's figure in a distance running to the palace with two more warriors at his sides, the king hurried down into the yard. Only when Eluisul had ran past him, oblivious to his surroundings, did Thranduil understand the true meaning of the commotion. Because cradled in the prince's arms was limp body of Legolas, a long black arrow protruding from the young elf's back. Even though the king could see his son only for a few moments, the sight of his blood-stained back was enough to carve into Thranduil's heart and mind, scarring his very soul.

Panic rising inside of him, the king had a hard time to put an order to his thoughts, staring dumbfounded at the small drops of blood visible on the ground. Legolas was wounded? But how? Why? He looked at the two white-faced warriors who were standing near the door to the healing wing. With a great effort of his wide-known will Thranduil put a stoic mask on his face, calming his breath in order to be able to actually speak. He walked toward the two elves who bowed in respect, their eyes averting those of their king.

"What had happen?" Thranduil asked sharply but not accusingly. He knew well enough that his warriors were ready to put their lives in benefit of their realm and would undoubtfuly sacrifice themselves for their king or princes. Yet, his worry made his words sound harsher then necessary.

"We do not know, my lord." One of the warriors spoke up. "We were on the training grounds with prince Eluisul when prince Legolas run out from the trees shouting in alarm. Then he went down. Our companions are searching the woods around. I ask a permission to take few more guards and go help them."

He bowed again, his eyes shining with sincerity.

"You have my approval." The king nodded, forcing himself not to break the door to the healing wing down and storm inside in search of his son. "Go now. And make sure you catch the one responsible."

The warriors bowed in respect once more and hurried away, calling for their fellow warriors. Thranduil noted with satisfaction that almost every soldier was ready to volunteer for the search. His sons were respected and loved by their people and that was a good sign indeed.

Shaking his head to rid of the unnessesary thoughts, the king quickly made an arrangements for his councils to take over the court and few important meetings. Then without another glance around, he stepped into the corridor of the palace's healing wing, shutting the door behind him.

XXX

The king found his elder son sitting on the small and rather uncomfortably-looking chair, his face pale and hands shaking slightly. Eluisul looked horrible with his hair disheveled, cloths covered in mud and blood. Some amount of blood had also stacked to his hands and even face. Flinching at the younger elf's appearance, Thranduil came closer, crouching near his son and heir in a anything but king-like manner. He paid no heed to the fact that his long rich robes were sweeping the floor, getting stained with mud and blood as well. All that mattered at the moment, were his sons and their wellbeing.

"Eluisul!" Thranduil took one of his son's trembling hands into his own, frowning slightly at their coldness. "Look at me, my son." His tone of voice was gentle, almost pleading, and to his own dismay Thranduil found out that he's unable to hold the tears back.

Slowly, as if rising from a deep trance, Eluisul looked up. His green eyes, as deep as his mother's were, were huge with fear and at the moment he looked much like a lost elfling, silent tears spilling down his cheeks. The king almost lost his composure there and then. Yet he knew that at least one of them need to stay strong and it seemed that Eluisul was far from that state. Grasping his son's other arm as well, Thranduil looked pleadingly into the younger elf's face.

"Eluisul, son, please tell me what had happen?"

The prince blinked few times, barely able to suppress a sob.

"I… I really don't know, father…" He chocked out, few more tears rolling down his cheeks. "All I saw was Legolas running out from the woods in alarm… Valars! Father, I thought I would die in spot when I saw him gasping for breath with an arrow in his back."

Being able to held his sorrow no longer, the young elf broke down crying. Thranduil hugged his elder son, a tears o his own slowly streaming down his face. Kissing the crown of his son's head, the king couldn't help but tighten up his hug. He hadn't seen Eluisul this distressed for a long time. Ever since his wife and the boys' mother was found dead in the woods, if to be precise.

Unwelcomed, the memories of that horrific day came back to Thranduil's mind, flooding his heart with an old half-forgotten pain.

*flashback*

Thranduil took his dozing younger son into his arms, coming to stop near the window. For a two hundred years old Legolas was much too energetic. In only one day he managed to create a havoc which the Mirkwood palace hadn't experienced in centuries. Ever since Eluisul, the crown prince, had grown up actually, with a small exceptions of times when lord Elrond was coming with a visit in company of his sons. Thranduil smiled at the thought of the twins. Looking at them he could have swear that his own children were a pair of angels.

The king sighed, watching as the sun was slowly sliding down the horizon. It took his wife only one day to be absent from the palace and their youngest had gotten completely out of control. With Eluisul occupied at the training grounds and him being busy with a human delegation from Dale, Thranduil had no other choice but to entrust his son to the servants' care, which had obviously been a rather bad idea as it had turned out lately. Legolas managed to drive the cook mad by switching a few spices that resulted in a completely ruined dinner. Obviously unsatisfied with his achievements, the small elfling decided to travel to the stables. How he managed to walk past the guards and the stable workers was beyond Thranduil's understanding. But the result of it was almost tragic: Legolas wandered into one of the stalls and almost got killed by the horse. Badly scared by the close danger, the elfling let itself be led back into the palace. Deciding that it would be better to keep a closer eye on the youngling, Thranduil send for Eluisul bagging his elder son to calm his brother down. As it had turned, the boys managed to stay out of trouble for the rest of the day, making everyone within the palace walls sigh in relief. The feeling was a short-lived though. Since the meeting was finished and all the questions for the day solved, the king took Legolas into his study, letting Eluisul attend to his archery practice. Having a few papers to look through, the king gave his son a piece of parchment and a few coals, asking to drew him a picture. Legolas eagerly agreed, settling himself onto the floor near the fireplace. It wasn't long till one of the councils came, bowing and asking for a few moments of attention. Thranduil sighed, putting the newly sighed agreement aside and went into the corridor, wishing not to discuss any serious problems in his son's presence. He was gone but for a few minutes. Coming in, the king saw nothing out of order which made him a bit suspicious. Yet, he decided that the lack of action could probably be explained by the fact that even most lively elflings do get tired. It wasn't until he went back to his desk that Thranduil noticed an absence of one important paper. The agreement he had just been studying was gone. The king was shocked. He looked through all the papers on the desk, in it, under it… But the parchment seemed to vanish. The parchment… Paling a bit, the king slowly crouched down next to his youngest son, a sudden realization hitting him. Legolas was drewing something with such a determination on his young face, that it looked almost comical. Almost, that is. The paper which Thranduil gave him earlier was laying aside, completely covered in some intertwining stains and lines. And the elfling had found himself another parchment to continue his work, the one that was presenting a result of a long meeting, signed by both Thranduil and the head of human delegation.

The king smiled down at his now sleeping son. His councils might not be pleased with the job of copying the ruined agreement, but it would serve them right. The elfling shifted slightly in it's sleep, muttering something under it's breath and quieted again. Thranduil went into his chamber that was connected to the study, and put his son onto the big double-bed, covering the small form with a soft blanket and placing a gentle kiss on the child's brow. He couldn't explained the uneasiness that had settled in his heart.

Unable to get back to his work, the king walked back to the window. It was time for his wife to get back. The queen of Mirkwood was an offspring of an ancient sylvan clan and was even closer to the nature than her husband, who had a sindarin blood in his veins. She was a healer, as her mother and grandmother were, and she had insisted to personally go out into the woods, from time to time, to gather rare herbs, which were much needed in battling the spider' poison. Thranduil knew how much it meant for his wife to be close to the nature and so he didn't resisted, although insisting on her staying not far away from palace walls, well aware of the spreading darkness that was corrupting once fair forests.

What could have possibly happen to slow her down? Although being able to treat wounds received on the battlefields, Thranduil wasn't strong in healing arts. Yet, he had always thought that most of the herbs are preferred to be picked up in the morning, before the sun dries them out of their juices. So, what was taking so long?

The uneasiness in his heart was steadily growing, turning into deep concern as a sun was falling over the edge of the forest. The daylight was dimming rapidly, being replaced by cooling evening shadows. First pale stars were starting to appear on the darkening sky, looking young and uncertain in the rays of sleeping sun.

And then it happened.

A strong wind washed over the forest, making the trees rustle and tremble, crying in their fair voices. The air seemed to suddenly cooled down, once gentle evening breath chilling not only the king's body, but also his heart. He stared unblinkingly at the dark clouds that were hiding the still visible sun and appearing stars. He knew that it wasn't a natural changing of weather and he dreaded to think what that meant.

"Daddy…" Small frightened voice called out, breaking the spell, and Thranduil hurried over to the bed, where his young son had been sleeping only minutes ago. "My heart… hurts." The child whimpered, clenching a small hand to his chest.

Looking at the pale tearstained face of the elfling, the king felt his own heart breaking.

"Don't worry, Legolas. I'm here, little one. Daddy's here…"

His voice was soothing, but his heart was numb. For deep inside he knew what was going on. The forest was crying. Crying for the loss of it's queen.

"Father?" Pale frightened Eluisul stumbled into the room, looking fearfully at the king. "What's going on?"

It wasn't for a few more hours that the patrol group had at last found missing elves. By the time they reached the palace, carrying the bodies of their slaughtered companions and their beloved queen, Thranduil had his two sons curled in a bed, sleeping restlessly with their arms around each other. They both knew what had occurred, just like their father did. In Legolas' case he might not exactly understood the meaning of the sorrow that had formed inside his heart, but he surely felt it's severity. Both boys had been crying nonstop for a few hours, exhausting themselves and eventually falling asleep. Thranduil himself was tired, drained of all strength. He suddenly felt the toll of each year in his long lifetime laying heavily over his shoulders. But what hurt the most, was a constant ach that was stabbing his heart repeatedly, eating at his soul. His love was dead, half of his soul was gone, leaving him suddenly alone in the darkness of despair, leaving to a fight which he wasn't sure he could win.

Leaving his two sons in the care of one of the healers, the king summoned all his strength to went down into the courtyard in order to meet the sad procession that was nearing the palace walls. He stumbled toward one specific cart, blind and deaf to anyone and anything around. His eyes were only for one person.

The queen was beautiful as ever, her pale face peaceful, as if she was simply asleep. Although his mind knew that she was dead, Thranduil's heart felt a sudden stab of hope to see his beloved one just waking up and smiling to him again. But that couldn't be happening. And the reason for that was a single black arrow, protruding grotesquely from her belly…

*end of flashback*

…TBC