April 20 TA 2768

It was dark. One of the darkest nights he had seen in many years. Since he was young and full of wonder and hope in Beleriand, before the stars. His time had come. Time for revenge, for justice. For once it was all falling into place on its own, and the king would not see it coming until it was too late.

"Sir."

Beinion turned to one of his followers, "yes?"

"Mirkwood has sent out scouts to investigate our position."

"Kill them without hesitation."

"Yes, sir," the man said and walked away to tell the others.

"Hir Vuin is out of time," Beinion said with a smile.

"Hir Vuin," Faroth said as he ascended the stairs to the King's Throne. Thranduil looked up tiredly, and Faroth furrowed his brow at the King's appearance. "Thranduil," he said, concern in his voice, "are you alright?"

"I am fine, Faroth. What did you come to tell me?"

"Beinion. I found record of him in the family archives in the library."

"The archives? Who is he?"

"His father, was Lord Hinwe."

Thranduil's eyes widened. Lord Hinwe was his father's nemesis in the political ring, and in every aspect of his life. They had competed against one another for position, power. They had even dueled on several occasions in Thranduil's childhood. Hinwe had tried for the throne of the first king of Mirkwood under Sindarin rule, and lost terribly to the peoples' favor of Oropher. "Now it is clear."

"I assume he was after the throne in name of his father and out of greed, attempting to overthrow you by overcoming villages of men who opposed your rule and using their force to slowly overtake the forest one village at a time. But he was misinformed of the attitude of Lorn's village regarding your rule, and did not expect you to pay attention to a tiny village. But you surprised him and killed his wife. Now it is twice as personal as before. You must be careful, Thranduil. I fear he does not fear death on his path to revenge, and what he believes is justice."

Thranduil stared at Faroth, his eyes were wide and full of terror. "You believe he means to assassinate my family and I?"

"I believe he means to assassinate your family. Especially Earien, who ordered the death of his wife, and to get back at you for the death of his own." Thranduil shook his head, and Faroth put his hands on his shoulders. "Be calm. It would be unwise of you to succumb to worry, planning carefully will prevent anything from happening to Earien and Legolas. They are well protected and well loved by your people. They will protect them as well. But you must keep it together, Thranduil."

Thranduil nodded, and pulled his trembling body from Faroth's arms. He tried to regain his composure, and searched himself for Earien's comforting presence, which he quickly found. She must have been nearby. "Faroth, can you draft up a stronger guard plan, especially for the royal wing."

"Ofcourse, anything else my lord?"

"Nobody enters this kingdom, and no one is to leave without my permission," Thranduil said quietly. Faroth nodded and Thranduil walked away and sought Earien.

April 21 TA 2768

Luin watched his sister gracefully sit across from him, and smiled, "you have been scarce."

"I have been distracted, I am sorry," she said and poured herself a glass of wine.

"Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. He didn't need to worry. "No, Thranduil is just worried about Beinion."

Luin held her gaze, "what is it?"

"Nothing. Luin, I am serious, there is nothing to worry about." He stared at her and his eyes held sadness and a sense of knowing. "I am ok, do you not trust me?"

"You would not tell me if you were in danger," he said quickly. "Ever since I was a child you have held things from me when it came to your safety."

"Because I care for you and I do not wish for you to worry about something that will most likely never happen," she said quickly, "why should I tell you terrible things to keep you up at night when I myself think it will never occur?"

"Because I am not a child and I do not deserve to be kept in the dark on matters regarding my family," he said quietly.

She sighed, "I must go, I do not wish to speak of it now." She rose and strode from the room.

She was surprised to see Elrond in the hallway. He smiled at the sight of her, and embraced her.

"Elrond! I did not know you were coming?"

"I wished to surprise you, are you pleased?"

"I am," she smiled. He visited more often now that his children were grown and it was only him and Estel.

"I wished to see you, it has been too long."

"That it has. How is everyone?"

"The twins are well, as is Arwen. Estel can be a handful, but he is well also."

"He is still a child, he will grow."

"That he will, but for now I am focused on you."

Earien spent the evening with Elrond and dined privately with him in the garden before retiring for the night. Thranduil was at his desk before the fire, writing orders for the patrols. He hadn't slept in days. Not since Faroth had uncovered Beinion's plot. He would not be allowing the villain's plan to proceed and steal more of the people he loved from him. His father, his mother, his cousin. He was done losing those he loved, it stopped with his wife and son. He had told her what Faroth had said, and she seemed unconcerned with the prediction. She told Thranduil to focus on protecting Legolas, that she would be fine. Meanwhile, nightmares plagued him every time he closed his eyes, and he had patrols searching obsessively for Beinion and his pack, which was seemingly untraceable.

He kept his distance from her as much as he could, even though he wanted to be with her at all times, making sure she was safe. He knew Elrond was most likely there because Faroth had written and told him. Thranduil considered scolding Faroth for doing so without permission, but he was glad Elrond was there. He cared for Earien as well and he could only help, not hinder her safety.

"What is it? You are looking at me like you have seen a wraith."

He shook his head, "nothing. I am merely tired," he said quietly.

"Come to bed, it is late and you have not slept well."

He obliged without argument, and slipped under the blankets next to her. She curled against him, the heat of her warm breath tickled his cheek, cold against the silk sheets. He watched her calm face, and she smiled sadly, "I believe we need to talk."

He shook his head, "no. Rest. I am alright."

She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand gently, "you once spoke to me of your troubles."

"My troubles are now abundant, and they are of you, and Legolas," he breathed.

"We are well protected. He cannot hurt anyone within the stronghold, and Legolas and I are both capable of protecting ourselves."

"Yes because Legolas was clearly capable of caring for himself the other day when he nearly died at the hands of Beinion."

"Be calm. Legolas was merely trying to stop this problem in its tracks." She said quietly.

He stood and raked his hands through his hair, "I cannot live like this. This fear, it strangles me. I cannot breathe, cannot focus on the problems at hand in the Kingdom. I am always searching for you and for Legolas. Why could I have not ruled in peace? The darkening of the forest increases every day and I am powerless to stop its progress. Now I have an old enemy of my father after my family? Why can I not just protect my family if I cannot have a peaceful rule?"

She stood and walked over to him, "whatever will happen will happen regardless of how much you worry, or how unfair it is. If I die-" he shook his head and she stopped him, "If I die, Thranduil, I will still love you, and I will be ever present in your life, even from Mandos' Halls."

"If you die, I would surely die as well," he said quietly and grasped her shoulders, "Earien-"

"I am concerned for Legolas, not myself. He is yet to control his anger, like you when you were his age," she smiled, "but it makes him rash."

Thranduil nodded, "he has your kindness. Your compassion. Your nose."

She smiled and pulled Thranduil into her arms, "everything will be alright, my love, like it always has."

She did not sleep, she stayed up with Thranduil and brushed her hands through his hair and spoke to him as they did when the world was as young as they. Nothing was as simple as the unspoken love that was between them. Regardless of their distance, there was a constant sense of love that could not be altered by time or events. This love could not be shattered.

When the sun appeared in their window overlooking the forest, they rose, and Earien silently braided his hair. After which she kissed his cheek, and left the room. He sat in silence for an unmeasured amount of time before Faroth entered. Thranduil looked up at him, resigned.

"My Lord, I think you will be happy with my improvements." Thranduil nodded, and Faroth sat on the couch, "I have taken it upon myself to position sharp shooters among the guard in the upper corridor and just outside the gate. I've placed highly trained guards among those in the royal wing, your personal elite sentinel. I've also given Adanion and Thangannas mail to protect them, and required all guards to wear their battle helmets."

"That pleases me," Thranduil said quietly.

"I assumed," Faroth said. He put his hand on his shoulder, and waited until Thranduil's eyes met his. "There is nothing more we can do."

Thranduil nodded and stood, "Thank you."

Legolas didn't hear his cousin enter, and didn't look over at him when he sat next to him on the balcony ledge. The crickets chirped quietly in the brush below them, and Legolas sighed. He hadn't been the same since Legolas had been shot, and was mostly silent. Calis had spoken with Thranduil, but Legolas didn't know what they had spoken about. Whatever it was, his cousin was still upset.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Legolas touched his side where his stitches were beginning to itch. "I am well."

Calis nodded, "I have been thinking of you, and I am sorry for the pain I have caused you."

Legolas looked over at him, "what did you speak to my father about?"

"He had heard what I had said to you from Faroth. About wishing for he and your mother's deaths."

"And he said?"

"He told me he loved me. As did your mother, who was there also. I apologized, and told them that my feelings were not as I had led you to believe that day. Your parents are like my parents, Legolas. I would never wish harm on either of them."

"I know that, and so do they."

"I'm sorry I did not protect you that day. I did not see the archer-"

"I do not blame you at all."

Calis nodded, and brushed hair from his face. "Your nana will be alright. They will catch Beinion."

Legolas nodded. His cousin always knew what was on his mind. It reminded him of his parents. "I suppose."

"My Adar, he was in the forest when he was killed. Your Adar is staying in the stronghold, surrounded by guards. As is your naneth."

"At least I hope they will."

Elrond didn't know where Earien or Thranduil was, and he couldn't help but be paranoid about their locations. He'd had dreams of this danger they all feared, and that was the reason he had come. He did not know what was coming, but great violence came to him in his dreams. Clanging of swords, the whistling sounds of desperately speeding arrows- He couldn't sit at home in safety and wait for news. It wasn't in his blood.

He was with Rissien and Luin, and they were speaking of the violence of the forest as of late. "The warriors of the guard are regularly being injured, now. It has become a very dangerous job, and enlistment has lowered," Luin said quietly.

"Is that why Legolas is not in the guard?" Elrond asked.

"He is in the guard, the southern patrol even. But he was home on leave and now after his injury and this threat, he is home indefinitely." Rissien said in response. His appearance was more like Earien's than his father's, and Elrond was amused by the similarities in their expressions.

"Well Thranduil opened the doors for Faroth to do whatever he wished to protect the realm, and he has done everything. He's even pulled out the elite sentinel," Luin said with an elusive ghost of a smile.

Elrond's eyebrows rose. He'd never seen the elite sentinel, they were for the royal family in times of disaster. "He is afraid."

Luin and Rissien looked at him curiously. "Of what?"

"He promised Oropher he would protect his son, and he promised Thranduil he would protect his son, as well as his wife. Faroth has much on his plate."

"You have seen something?" Luin asked quietly.

"I have seen violence. It was vague and unspecific, but regardless, it does not waver. This violence is coming."

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