OMG. Thank you for the many reactions! I wasn't expecting this! But it worked. I think I never finished a chapter sooner than this. Hope you like it!

DISCLAIMER and DEDICATION: Chapter 1.

ANSWER TO REVIEWS:

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ElvesAreEpic: Thank you! I hope you didn't break to much things waiting for this chapter ;) Well, I'm not going to tell you the plot of the story of course. You'll just have to wait *evil grin*

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Hope you all enjoy it! And please, review!

Time froze. Aragorn hardly dared to breath. With reason actually, for he was certain that if he inhaled too deeply, the weapon would cut through his flesh. Legolas too seemed to have turned to stone. He looked as tense as a drawn bowstring, his shoulders squared and rigid. His slender hand holding the knife didn't move a muscle.

Aragorn tried to say something, but no sound emerged from his dry throat. He swallowed and immediately winced. As he had suspected, the sharp edge had tasted some blood. Again, he tried to utter something. The dark look in Legolas' eyes was threatening. Like in the palace, they held absolutely no recognition, no love, no warmth. Predator eyes, they were.

A tremor ran down through his spine as he began to realize that there was a chance –a more than comforting great chance- that his friend would slay him here if he couldn't bring him back to reason.

"Legolas." There, his voice obeyed him once more. He had to pay for it with some more blood though, but that was the least of his worries right now.

"Legolas. Im mellon. Saes, Legolas. Iston enni!" (Legolas. I'm your friend. Please Legolas. Recognize me.)

Nothing. He could as well being speaking to a stone. Other tactic.

"Your father wouldn't take it too well if you killed one of his guests, Legolas." But that too didn't impress Legolas at all. Aragorn was growing desperate.

"Legolas, lasto beth nîn! Tolo dan na ngalad!" It was an old incantation, yet it worked. The elf blinked and withdrew his hand just a little bit, but enough for Aragorn to breath easier. Still, they weren't out of danger yet. (Legolas, listin to my voice. Come back to the light!)

"Tolo dan na ngalad. Legolas, tolo dan na ngalad."

Slowly, the knife was lowered, until it was stroking his chest. Then, all of a sudden, a tremor shook the elf, and the weapon fell out of his hand, while Legolas fell down on his knees. His strange behaviour momentarily forgotten, Aragorn rushed over and caught him, before he could hit his head.

"Legolas!" The elf moaned in his arms and struggled weakly to get free.

"Hush, my friend. It is I. Saes, calm down. You're safe. Hush, gwador nin." It took some moments, but finally, he felt Legolas' body relaxing and loosened his grip, allowing the elf to free himself. His friend was staring at him with large eyes.

"Aragorn?" His voice trembled just a little, but enough for the Ranger to notice.

"Yes, it's me. Easy my friend."

"Wh- What happened?" He should have expected that, Aragorn thought wryly.

"What do you remember?"

"I…," Legolas' eyes shone with confusion and frustration. "I don't know. I have images in my head, but I hardly know whether they are true or not."

"Tell me." The elf closed his eyelids in concentration.

"You and I… riding. My room with you and my father… The stables… The pool…" Legolas sharply inhaled his breath and looked up. When he saw the blood tickling down from Aragorns throat, his eyes widened in shock.

"No! Nonono, I didn't do that! That wasn't me!"

"Hush, Legolas. I know it wasn't you."

"No! It can not be true! What is happening to me? What is happening to me?" Legolas folded his arms around his knees, buried his face in them and started to sob. It tore Aragorns heart in two to see his strong, proud friend broken like this. He felt useless. The only thing he could do was pulling the elf closer in his embrace and stroking his hair, while murmuring soothing nonsense.

At last, the sobbing lessened and stopped. His golden head began to lean heavier against Aragorns chest, and his breathing slowed down. Carefully, the Ranger moved his head to look at his friend. He was sleeping, with his eyes closed. Never a good sign, but since he seemed to be just sleeping, Aragorn didn't attempt to wake him. If he had fallen asleep that easily, he really needed his rest. Moving slowly, the man leaned back until he touched a tree, and relaxed, and waited for his friend to wake, or for the sun to descend.

When the shadows of the trees were covering them wholly, Aragorn couldn't postpone it any further. Gently, he shook Legolas' shoulder.

"Legolas? Wake up. We should go back." The elf merely murmured something and pushed his head against Aragorns chest.

"Now, now, none of that. Wake up, Legolas. Your father will be expecting us." Slowly, his friend opened his eyes. He straightened himself and look around, confused.

"Aragorn? What happened?" The Ranger sighed.

"I'll explain later. Buy first, I would like to have a talk with your father." The shoulders of the elf sagged, and a desperate look appeared.

"It happened again, didn't it?"

"What did happen again?"

"Me freaking out, forgetting things. It happened, didn't it?" He didn't dare to look at Aragorn, instead chose to examine the grass beneath him.

"So you know about it? Why didn't you warn me?" Perhaps his voice sounded a little harsher than he had intended to, but he was sick of the constant questions and worries.

"I… I had hoped it wouldn't happen with you."

"But what is it then?" This time, his frustration was clear. Legolas winced a little, but didn't look up.

"I… Perhaps we should go back." Aragorn practically growled.

"No! Please, Estel, listen to me. You were right. My father will be worrying. He'll probably think I murdered you or something like that…" He clearly didn't remember what had happened, "but I promise I'll tell you everything I know by dinner. I promise, Estel."

"Fine," Aragorn said curtly. "Let's go then."

Just as before, very few words were spoken. It was almost a relief when they entered the stables and could busy themselves with the care for their horses. Occasionally, Aragorn glanced at his friend. He was pale and weary, but his eyes were alert. He seemed alright… for the moment.

"Hir nin." A tall elf with honey blond hair and dark brown eyes came to Legolas and bowed. "You father requests your presence in his room, my lord."

"Thank you, Gelirdan. We will be there in a moment." For the first time, he looked at Aragorn.

"Yes, I'm ready. Give me a minute." Quickly he pushed the saddle upon the shelf and closed the barn.

"Let's go." A few moments later, they knocked upon the door of Thranduils private room. When Legolas had been appointed to lead the patrols, he had often come to this chamber to eat with his father and discuss the growing shadow and the things they could do to fight it. And as Thranduil had come to accept his friendship with the mortal Estel, he too, would occasionally come and eat with them. It had been pleasant times. But this evening, the air was loaded with tension.

"Shall I order something else, Estel?" The Ranger startled.

"Eh, no, thank you. It's delicious." Thranduil glanced at the food upon his plate that had barely diminished, but didn't say anything about it. Suddenly, Aragorn was feeling nauseous. He laid down his cutlery and leaned back.

"Will anybody now tell me what is going on, or do I have to keep guessing?" Father and son exchanged a glare. Apparently, they came to a decision, for Thranduil turned to him.

"I will tell you what we know, but it is not much." Estel nodded. The elven king took a deep breath but before he could begin speaking, Legolas interrupted.

"If that's alright for you, father, I would rather tell it." Thranduil looked surprised, yet bowed his head in approval. The elf now faced Aragorn.

"It started some weeks ago. One day, I was riding with Gwilith to one of our outposts. Some of my people are trying to rebuild their old towns that they had abandoned when the shadow had threatened them. I wanted to go and see how they were doing, and whether they needed something. I… I don't know exactly what happened, but one moment, I was riding near the river, and when I blinked, I was in the village already. The rest of the trip was completely lost to me." He paused for a moment, to gather his thoughts.

"At first, I wasn't really concerned. It had been a tough time. Perhaps I had slept. At least, that was what I tried to convince myself of, for it didn't feel like I had been sleeping. But the black-outs started to come back, and they increased in number." Thranduil took over fluently.

"I too, noticed that my son was more and more absent-minded, yet I too, thought it was the burden of the wars that caused this demeanour. But one day, I caught Legolas in the gardens, staring into nothing. I approached him." The king laughed mirthlessly, while looking at the small wound on Aragorns throat.

"I guess you have experienced quit the same as I have." Unconsciously, Aragorn touched the sour spot. He couldn't believe Legolas had attacked Thranduil. But then again, neither had it seemed possible that he would attack him.

"I do not know what is happening, Estel, but you have to believe me when I say that I do not remember anything! When you asked me, it was the first time that I could recall a thing!" The young elf looked quit distressed, with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Peace, Legolas. I believe you." But the elf lowered his gaze.

"I'm not finished yet. Some days after my… conflict with my father, I found a portrait in my room of an elven lady. I thought it was new, and I asked my father why it had been placed there. I…" A lonely tear escaped his haunted face, and he couldn't speak for a moment.

"It was the portrait of my mother, and it had been in my chamber since she had passed. But I didn't remember it!"

"He is forgetting things. Slowly, but surely. Estel, can you not find a cure? All of my healers have examined him already, but they do not know what to do." Thranduil pleaded.

"I will. I have never heard of such a disease, but I will find a cure. Would you please excuse me? I'll have to consult some books. Legolas, would you mind helping me?" He hoped it would take the elf's mind of his failing memory. All of a sudden, he couldn't sit there idly anymore, doing nothing. Quickly, he raised and went for the door, hearing Legolas' stool also scraping the floor. Thranduil too stood up, but Aragorn turned to him.

"My lord, if I may… I think it would be wiser if you would spare your powers. It could be that I will need them to strengthen a possible cure." And I don't like you around while I'm researching in the library. You're an elf of deeds, not of patient reading. You would be far too nervous, especially since it is concerning your son.

Thranduil seemed on the edge of protesting, but Legolas supported Aragorn.

"I agree, father. Your powers have saved me before. Please spare them, for now. I'm not dying at the moment." With the greatest reluctance, the king yielded.

"You will call me as soon as you found something," he replied threateningly.

"I will, my lord."

"Then off you go. Go, and find something." Not a heartbeat later, they were on the hall, striding through it as fast as they could without really, really running. Near the kitchen, they almost ran Dinemîn off her feet, a pale, black-haired elvish girl. Apologizing quickly, they barely halted, and continued their way to the library. It was only a corner later that Aragorn realised that she hadn't had pointed ears.

"Legolas? The kitchen maiden, is she human?" Not relenting, Legolas turned his head surprised.

"Yes, didn't you know?"

"No. I though Thranduil didn't like mortals?"

"We found her in a burning village near the borders of Mirkwood. She was alone, the rest had been murdered. She… We never heard her speak but for some years ago. She's… how do I have to I say it… She's a bit out of her wits, if you get what I mean. Ah, here we are." They disappeared behind the door.

Neither of them did see the strange smile of Dinemîn.

The human was here. That was a good thing, she thought. The human was always there when the Golden Elf was in trouble. The weed was working. She wondered how long it would take. A week? Perhaps a month?

The moon entered the hall while she was standing there. It stroke her face. She smiled, an absent-minded, mysterious smile. The moon had always been gentle to her. It had comforted her in the village, and in the first days in the halls of the King. And now, it would help her again. The next time the moon would be as full as it was now, she would take the Golden Elf with her. When the weed was working…

Please let me know what you think about it!

xXx Archiril