A/N: This has been a while coming, and I'm really sorry for the wait. I was sick for a while, and though I've already done a fair lot of chapters for this, I wanted to update my other fic first, as that is my first one that I started. Now I've written that, but it seems my beta is having a busy time, and I couldn't possibly add to her workload more without being very guilty, and besides, what if she doesn't like this fic? That's all good, but not if you're a beta. So who wants to beta this story? Any takers?

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Legolas' mind reeled. What had happened? Why was Ada crying? Why was the picnic cancelled? Where – Legolas swallowed hard – where was Naneth?

His eyes flickered up towards his parents' room briefly before he fixed an unwavering look upon his father. "What happened?"

Thranduil gave a little choke, but didn't answer. Legolas became more fearful. He had never seen his father lose control like this before. The king slid slowly down the wall and landed hard on the ground. He put his face in his hands and sobbed.

To say Legolas was tense was an understatement. Something had happened to his nana. Had she fallen from the balcony? With a superhuman effort, Legolas banished the image of Melda, lying bruised and broken in a pool of her own blood in the gardens. He had to find out what had happened, and clearly, Thranduil was in no state to tell.

Legolas began walking with leaden steps towards his parents' room. Before he got there, the door was opened with vicious force, and Melda strode out of the room.

Relief hit Legolas so powerfully that for a moment he felt light-headed. But as Melda reached him, she ignored his smiling face and his arms which were outstretched for a hug. Without stopping, her arms came up and slammed into her son's chest, throwing him into the wall. Melda continued walking, paying no attention to her sobbing husband.

Legolas coughed. His mother was quite strong and the impact with the wall had knocked the air out of his lungs. But what hurt far more was the fact that his naneth – his own naneth – had just pushed him into a wall without even a second glance. He wondered what she had done to Thranduil, and most of all, why.

He heard noises coming from the room his mother had just vacated. They were quiet, but definitely there. Legolas was certain of it – somebody else was in that room.

He stood up and covered the remaining distance to the door. He looked in and froze.

Traius, one of the peasants from the outlying towns, was sitting on his parents' bed, shirtless. He was pulling on his boots, but stopped and looked up when he sensed another presence in the room. He smiled wickedly when he saw Legolas.

"Well, little prince," he drawled, "I am guessing you know why your father has turned into a blubbering wimp, your mother hates you, and I am here, sitting in your father's usurped territory?"

Legolas blinked and tried to stop all the pieces of the puzzle from fitting together in his mind. "No," he said. "I won't believe it."

Traius shrugged. "Suit yourself." He finished with his boots and pulled on a shirt. Finished, he sauntered over to the door, and ruffled Legolas' hair playfully. The younger elf slapped his hand away. "I wouldn't want to touch your hair anyway," the peasant said mockingly. "Too much like your father's." He left, laughing softly.

Legolas' eyes followed him out. He was scared. Had his mother really betrayed him like that? Betrayed Ren? Betrayed his father?

Slowly, he forced his legs to move. He felt like none of this was real, like he was walking in a dream. But he knew that this nightmare had become his life. He stopped when he reached Thranduil and sat next to his adar, who was still crying quietly. Legolas raised his arms to hug him, and Thranduil leant into his son's embrace, sobbing brokenly. After what might have been years, they broke apart. Both had tear tracks running down their faces, but neither at this moment cared.

"I should tell Ren," Legolas said quietly.

Thranduil just nodded. He would prefer to sit here and cry for another few hours with his son, but he knew his daughter needed to be told that they were not going for a picnic. She needed to be told what her mother had done.

Legolas stood and walked slowly through the palace, eyes fixed on his feet. He could feel the strange looks from the servants boring into his back, he could almost hear the gossip created by his disheveled appearance. He didn't want this attention, didn't need it… he had only just lost his mother, to some peasant!

He stopped himself, unconsciously wiping the new tears from his face. He had never and would never discriminate against the less fortunate people of society. He would only discriminate against less fortunate people who owned a farm, had the most sickening brownish hair colour and were named Traius.

But he was not the only one at fault here. His own naneth had thrown him into the wall like he meant nothing. She had betrayed her husband on their wedding anniversary. Legolas remembered her joyful smile that had been present at breakfast, her loving manner. She just seemed so… her. But what an amazing lie that was. Melda. It used to be a name that meant the world to him. It meant love. It meant security and safety. And it meant stability. If that could vanish, what else in his life had an unanticipated expiry date?

He reached the great doors he had entered what must have been an hour ago. One hour. One hour could change the world. One hour had changed the world.

For the third time that morning, he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He had never known anything to hurt as much as this did. He didn't usually cry; he didn't like to show weakness. But what did strength matter when the one who had been that strength for so many years betrayed you?

He stopped suddenly when he saw something on the grass. Typical. Ren had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful. The ghost of a smile was upon her face, and Legolas wondered if she were dreaming of the day she thought she was going to have. How could he rip that away from her?

He was saved the difficult choice of whether to wake her when she stirred suddenly and her eyes focused. Typical Ren, Legolas thought as she caught sight of his grief-stricken face. She had no clue as to what was going on, but she thought of others' comfort before her own burning curiosity. She must be suffering terribly, Legolas thought.

He pushed her away. She looked confused and opened her mouth to ask a question, but he cut her off. "Ada saw Nana kissing Traius." There. He had said it. And the moment the words left his mouth, he knew how stupid they sounded. Such a great issue should not be talked about so rudely.

Ren froze. "You aren't joking, are you?" she asked. Legolas shook his head silently. Herenya looked at the ground and nodded slowly, then turned and headed slowly into the palace.

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A/N: Stupid place to end, I know, but it seemed a good place to break it. If not here, it would have been a good deal longer.

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I responded to everyone except Steph (who I thanked at school), and Linn, who were anonymous. But your comments still mean so much, please keep them coming!