So in this particular chapter Legolas would probably be around the age of 16 in human years, and Ava would be about 15.
...
"Can we go now Melinor?" Ava asked anxiously handing in her paper filled with carefully scrawled letters to match Legolas'.
It had been raining for days, forcing the young elflings to stay indoors, and while many of elves in Thranduil's halls had put much effort into keeping the two heirs entertained there were none the less anxious to finally be allowed outside again.
Melinor raised a dark eyebrow, and placed the papers on top of their other schoolwork he had yet to grade "Avalein, you know this isn't the end of your lesson" he scolded half heartedly. Followed by a sigh as his pupils shoulders slumped in obvious disappointment.
Dejectedly the two elflings reached forward to grasp the books in front of them and began reading the appointed chapters. Legolas' blond hair falling in front of his face as he read, already too absorbed in his reading to be bothered to push it back out of his face. Also the one to focus wholeheartedly on a task, even if it was against his wishes. Melinor smiled slightly, yes Legolas would make a wonderful King when the time came.
Feeling a pair of eyes on him Melinor switched his gaze to his other pupil who quickly dropped her gaze to the book in her lap, feigning interest. Her fidgeting leg betraying her. Normally her black black hair would be stuck out in all directions by now. But due to the summers heat it had been braided neatly to and pinned to her head. A little too neatly Melinor observed, meaning someone had done it for her, and he had a hunch that it might have been the King.
Ava's green eyes snapped up to the window once again, but dropped down a second later when she realised his attention still rested on her. Missing a few hours of lessons couldn't hurt that much, could it?
"Go" Melinor finally relented, holding out each hand for their books, lest they misplace them. Two pair of hopeful eyes snapped up to him, "Hurry before I change my mind." Quickly two books were thrust into his outstretched hands, chairs were scraped against the floor as the two elflings rushed for the door.
In an apparent spontaneous idea Ava ran back up to his desk, throwing her arms around her instructors neck and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek "Thank you Melinor" she called as she dashed out the door after Legolas.
...
Legolas had been waiting for her outside in the corridor, reaching out Ava grasped his hand and began sprinting for the door leading outside.
"Where are we going?" Legolas asked a little breathlessly beside her, his blond hair streaking behind him as he ran
"I can't tell you here!" Ava replied giddily, jeting past a pair of guards before either of them had an opportunity to ask what he and Legolas were up too
Seemingly contented with her cryptic answer Legolas picked up speed, pulling in front of her slightly as they raced down the corridor "Bet I can beat you there!" He called back as he edged ahead of her even more
"Bet you can't!" Ava called back, willing her legs to move faster than his.
In the smaller corridors elves going about their day were forced to flatten themselves against the walls in order to not be trampled, shaking their heads in amused exasperation as a hastily cried "Sorry" was shouted at them. In the wider corridors a few elves attempted to question them of where they were headed only to be met with the same answer of "Outside!" as they raced passed.
The pair hardly even slowed as they raced passed Thranduil, too caught up in their race to pay much attention to anyone else. Besides, the would see him at dinner. Rightnow, there was an adventure to be had.
After making their way through the twists and turns of their underground home they finally arrived at the surface gasping for air, Legolas slightly ahead.
"Told you I could!"
"Oh please, I let you win. Its good for you self esteem every once in awhile" Ava assured him, shoving him playfully before opening the door and striding out into the sunshine
With a delighted chuckle at his victory Legolas jogged to catch up with his longtime friend "So where are we going?"
"Over the wall"
Its was common knowledge that neither of them were allowed beyond the wall into the forest beyond without the direct consent of the King. That didn't mean however, that they still didn't do it. Together they had found a few ways to slip past the guards and up and over the large, sturdy wall.
"Well, I'm sure the archery range is full of people so they tree's there are out of the question" Legolas mumbled, more to himself than to his companion
"So we go under it, instead of over it" With a wicked grin Ava took off once again towards the large run off pool on the opposite side of the training grounds.
Many sunny afternoon's had be spent in the sparkling depths of the pool, normally on hot days there was almost always at least one elf cooling off in the water but today it appeared they were all too busy to float in the pool. Thankfully.
It took hardly no time for them to reach it, both of them inconspicuously glancing around for anyone lurking nearby. Finding no one, Legolas rolled the large stone out of the way revealing a trench large enough for them to squeeze under the wall.
Ava went first. Sliding on her stomach pulling herself forwards with her arms and pushing with her feet. They had contemplated making the trench larger, so they could simply crawl through it but decided it would be too risky to attempt such a thing. They were lucky they even got it dug in the first place.
After waiting a few seconds Legolas plunged after her, the rock rolling back into its place behind him sealing off the light. Inch by inch Legolas wormed his way forward in the cramped tunnel, silently praying there wouldn't be anything else living in the tunnel this time.
A light appeared at the end of the tunnel without running into an incident, this time. As the reached the end Ava reached in and pulled him the rest of the way out, laughing when he hit his head on the rock lip just above the mouth of the tunnel.
"I'm sorry" She said with a smirk, suppressing further laughter "Are you okay?"
Rubbing the tender spot on his head Legolas glared at the rock, "Yes. I'm alright"
With a nod and more laughter Ava started forward, not waiting to see if he was coming or not, already knowing that he was. Springing up into a nearby tree she tossed him the bow and arrows and knives they kept up there for their outings, already quite good at firing them.
"So where are we going again?" Legolas asked, slinging his bow over his shoulder
"Remember when Miliwan told us that apparently there's a cave around here somewhere?"
"Yeah"
"I found a way in, I was looking at some maps of the area while you were talking to Thranduil the other day and I found a way to get into it, Ready?" After a nod of confirmation they started out towards where Legolas assumed the mouth of the cave was located.
...
"So, what's in there exactly?" Legolas asked suspiciously, kicking a rock into the cave and listening to the echo that seemed to never stop
"Hm, no idea" Ava responded, pursing her lips and tilting her head contemplating what could be concealed in the depths. Then reaching into the small bag she had brought with her she pulled out a flint and a torch.
"Nobody's told you?"
"Nope"
"No idea what could be in there?"
"None whatsoever"
"Still going in there?"
"Oh, most definitely" Holding the now flaming torch in front of her, Ava began the descent into the dark depths
The musty stuffy air wafted into their noses, blocking out the pleasant forest air they were leaving behind. Bugs of all kinds scuttled across the floor and the sides of the cave away from the light, deeper into the depths of the cave. A few times one or the other would stumbled on the uneven rocky ground, but quickly regained their balance.
Glancing behind him Legolas could hardly see the light filtering from the mouth of the cave, it seemed miles away at this point. The constant 'drip, drip, drip' of water and the light treading of their feet were the only noise echoing of the stone walls.
"Do you smell that?" Ava whispered to him
"Smell wha-" Then the smell hit him. It wasn't the normal foulness of stale air they had been smelling up until this point, but a different more potent stink. Like rotting flesh.
"I think we should get out of here.." Ava whispered, her voice echoing down the way in each direction.
Nodding his agreement Legolas turned around to head back the way they came, but only, "Where's the light?"
Turning on her heel Ava spun around, alarmed "What do you mean where's the light?"
Legolas pointed a slightly shaking hand towards the way they came, where the entrance should still have been shining, since they had only walked in a straight line. Instead of the comforting glitter with the promise of escape only blackness greeted them.
...
"What do you mean you 'can't find them'?" Thranduil demanded, his voice shaking with anger and worry.
No there were too many things that could go wrong in those woods, too many creatures, so many accidents could happen. Especially if they were alone. It wasn't safe.
He knew something had been up when Legolas and Ava had raced past him earlier that day, both had mischievous grins plastered on their faces. Naturally, he had send someone to find out what exactly the two troublemakers had planned. Except, they had yet to find them outside; and the guards at the door were adamant they hadn't returned inside.
"I'm sorry my King but it appears they have ventured beyond the walls"
Reaching up Thranduil pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the building pressure, of course they ventured beyond the walls. Of course, why on Arda would they behave for at least one day?
"Send search parties out. I want them found before nightfall"
With a bow the guard scuttled away with a hasty, "Yes m'lord" he disappeared to go muster up search parties
...
Legolas and Ava stood in stunned, frightened silence for a few moments simply staring at the way they had come. "Maybe there's another way out?" Ava suggested meekly
Again, Legolas nodded though he didn't know why since both of their gazes were still fixed on the way they had come. Neither of them wanted to say it, but he knew both were thinking the same thing; something was blocking their way out. Something big.
Still they stayed rooted into place, neither wanting to tear their eyes away from what was lurking in the darkness. Silently Ava reached out and grasped his shaking hand, and began walking forward, deeper into the cave. It became a silent agreement that she would look forward, and he would look behind. That way nothing could sneak up on them, or so they hoped.
...
Thranduil's abnormally large horse trampled through the underbrush, stepping over large fallen tree's other horses had to jump over. Its nostrils flared in anger, it snorted at something it smelt on one of the leaves nearby.
All around him elves called out desperately for his elfling, they had been searching for hours and yet to come across even the faintest of tracks to follow. Practically the whole city was out searching by this point, spread out across the woods. Thranduil had no doubt many would search until they dropped from exhaustion if thats what i took to find the elflings. If they could find them..
No, he wouldn't think like that. They would find them, and when he did, he would kill them for scaring him so badly. They were both smart, and remarkably well trained for their ages, they would be alright they would find a way back to him.
A shout from his left caused hope to raise in his chest, but the collective gasps that effectively replaced his hope with despair. Was one of them laying dead on the forest floor?
With no prodding from his master his horse leapt forward towards the sounds. Within seconds of reaching the group of clustered elves Thranduil leapt from his horse, pushing them aside to reveal the corpse on the forest floor. A man's corpse.
Most of his flesh had been torn from his body, leaving the bones in his leg and arms exposed. The flesh that was left on his face and chest was white and swollen from having been left out during the heavy rains. He had been dead awhile.
"A warg, I expect" His chief advisor, Grandesh, observed "Judging by the teeth marks"
" I wasn't aware we had a hunting pack so close to our gates" Another elf spoke
'Nor was I" Thranduil finished, climbing back atop his horse with new urgency. He had to find Legolas and Ava befor the Wargs did.
...
Dead end. The cave led to a dead end, with no other than they way they came.
The flickering light from the torch bounced off the walls, casting menacing shadows even out of the smallest of bumb. Ava shifted her feet self consciously, and stepped on something, soft?
Her eyes darted downward to her boots where her foot had trodden on someone fingertips. With a noise somewhere between a scream and a whimper she stumbled backwards, bumping into her companions
Legolas gripped her shoulder to keep her from falling over "What is it? What happened?"
"I found the source of the smell" Ava moaned, lowering her torch to light the rotting corpses and bones that littered the small bowl shaped room they were standing in.
Many of the skeletons appeared to be from creatures, ranging from wild horses to small birds; a few however were human. A half eaten man, probably a lumberman, laid at their feet, his dead lifeless eyes staring up at nothing. If she weren't so terrified Ava was sure she would have thrown up her lunch.
"We need to get out of here" Legolas spoke, struggling to keep his voice level
"There's no way out, unless, you want to go forward.."
"It doesn't look like we have much of a choice" Reaching back Legolas grasped an arrow and fitted it into place on his bow, and slid his knife back into its spot.
Ava adjusted the grip on the knife already in her hand and raised the torch higher, "Forward, then"
Rather skittishly they crept forward for what felt like hours, their muscles constantly ready to jump into action when they found whatever was blocking their path. Their boots made little to no noise one the stone floor, and both held their breaths for as long as they could before releasing them and gasping more air in, quietly, before once again holding their breaths. Every step they expected to finally come across the creature blocking their path.
Unexpectedly, Legolas let out a loud nearly hysterical laughter
"What are you laughing at!" Ava demanded
Reaching out Legolas grasped something ahead of them and yanked it back. It was a leaf. A large leaf had blown in the wind and settled of the exit, covering it and blocking the light. There had never been anything in the cave with them after all.
Quickly Ava joined in his laughter, leaning against the side of the wall with relief "It was only a leaf" She said through fits of laughter, shaking her head at their own stupidity
After their laughter had dissolved Legolas grasped her hand, and pulled her forward "Come on, its dark, Ada is probably worried sick"
Together they not to gracefully exited the cave, drunk on their relief after having been paranoid for so long. They noiselessly moved through the tree's towards the main road, there was no use sneaking back through the walls at this point someone would have noticed they were missing.
They walked in comfortable silence for a distance, occasionally bumping into one another playfully.
"Legolas wait" Something in her voice caused the hairs on the back of his neck to raise, and the adernial to start its course once again through his body
She pointed a hand to the bushed to her right, where a pair of green eyes glowed menacingly in the darkness. Quickly Legolas went through the list in his head: Yellow - Owl, Red - Deer, Blue - Serpent, Green - Warg
A growl rumbled forward, and was answered from somewhere behind them.
Legolas drew his bow and pointed it towards the glowing eyes. Hearing Ava do the same aiming her bow somewhere into the darkness where they had heard the answered growl.
The rumbling growl turned into snarls, which were answered by more Wargs. A hunting group.
...
A howl of pain alerted the elves to the attack, quickly and uniformly they took to the tree's swinging from branch to branch with ease. It didn't take them long to come upon the battle.
Two dead wargs lay nearby, as more circled Mirkwoods only present elflings. Simultaneously the pack sprang forward, Ava stabbed one quickly before she was knocked over and pinned to the ground. Legolas had gotten off a shot, but missed his target as he leapt to the side, and then for him.
The sound of arrows being released chorused through the woods, the group of warriors fired on the beasts. Most hitting their targets. Three Wargs dropped dead instantly, the rest fled in all direction abandoning their prey on the floor.
Melinor dropped from the tree he had been in before waiting for the signal, and rushed to where his students still lay on the forest floor, "Legolas, Ava are you alright?"
There was a groaned 'uh huh' from Legolas, but Ava remained dreadfully still on the forest floor. Dropping to his knees beside her Melinor scanned her over for any sort of injury, but found none other than a few scrapes "Ava" He called.
She remained still.
"Avalein" He tried again, cupping her cheek with his hand "Avalein dear, wake up. Come on, open your eyes"
He was vaguely away or someone checking Legolas over to his right, and the sound of distance hoof prints which meant Thranduil was on his way; but he dared not rip his attention for limp from in front of him
"Please penneth. Wake up"
...
Thranduil's horse wasted no time in making for the sound of battle, as anxious as his master to find out the fate of the elflings that always overfed him treats. He raced ahead of the other horses in his search party, and didn't even slow until he crashed through the tree's to where a gathering group of elves had assembled.
Thranduil instantly noticed his son standing with the aid of another novice archer, he seemed for the most part unharmed except for a gash in his leg. He'd live. Tears of relief sprang to the kings eyes, but he quickly blinked them away.
His eyes searched the crowd for Ava, and found her sitting next to Melinor in the grass, while being interrogated by one of the healers. They were alive, he hadn't lost them. Not this time.
He wanted to run to both of them, hug them tight and never let them go. He knew however, Legolas wouldn't appreciate such a gesture in public, though he was certain his son would seek him out for comfort later. In private. Legolas hesitant smile told him everything he needed to know, he was relatively unharmed, and more than moderately worried of his punishment.
...
"I'm sorry" Ava apologized again for the fifth time she had woken up, her lip trembling slightly as her eyes pooled with tears. She wasn't entirely sure why she was about to cry, but she wanted to anyway.
Melinor's arm tightened around her shoulder, as Nariem continued to inspect her for injuries "Its alright child, shh"
Her eyes found Legolas' again as he was inspected for injuries by a different healer, his leg neatly bandaged up. He looked rather upset himself, though not close to tears as she was. His eyebrows raised in a silent 'Are you okay?' to which she nodded her response, before raising her own eyebrows, where he nodded too.
Someone called her name and her head snapped toward them, as Thranduil dismounted his horse.
Without a thought she pulled away from Melinor and rose to her feet, dashing across the clearing and into Thranduil's outstretched arms. His arms wrapped around her tightly, as he rested his head atop of hers, she eagerly welcomed the feeling of complete safety after such a long time filled with nothing but terror.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry" She sobbed into his chest, still not entirely sure why she was crying.
...
They didn't fit as well on his bed as they used too. When they were little he used to allow them to sleep in his bed with him on occasion, Ava under one arm, Legolas under the other one. Now, however that they were bigger they didn't fit quite so well.
After returning to their home, his elflings had promptly been fed, wrapped in blankets and checked over once more for any sign of injury. Legolas' injured leg had been giving a few stitched, and re-wrapped.
After that Thranduil had suggested they go to his room so they could tell him exactly what had brought them into such a situation. The explanation could have waited until the tomorrow, but Thranduil had been reluctant to allow them out of his sight so soon.
Sometime during their story Ava had curled against him seeking comfort, and Legolas had ended up sitting so close he might as well have been curled against him as well. Not that Thranduil minded in the least.
Tired from their day's adventures both had promptly fallen asleep following their tale, and quite frankly Thranduil didn't have the heart to wake them in order to get more space. So presently he found himself squashed rather tightly between the two of them, in an increasingly uncomfortable position.
No, they really didn't fit as well as they used too.