A/N: Here is another chapter up

A/N: Here is another chapter up. Hope you guys will enjoy.

Disclaimer: The only characters I own so far are Theliel and Miluion.

Chapter 7: Renewed Hope

The rays of the sun slowly edged across the pages as Mithrandir read through what seemed like the 100th book and yet he still found no answers, "Confound these books!" He muttered to himself, "Where is a recipe for antidotes when you need one." He raised himself achingly from his chair and stretched his aching back, there was audible popping sounds coming from his stiff joints, "What good is having a library when you haven't got any useful books?" His frustration increasing with each passing minute.

Hearing a knock at the door he went towards the door, opened it with more force than was necessary and spoke rather brusquely, "What!! Can't you see...," When he saw who was standing there he quickly changed his tone, "I'm sorry, Theliel, it's been a long and arduous night, please come in." He stepped away from the door to allow Theliel to enter, "I'm sorry for disturbing you I just thought that you could do with a cup of tea." "I would prefer something a little stronger but tea will do just fine." Theliel noticed for the first time that the floor was littered with piles and piles of books, some still laid open, "I gather from your expression that you haven't succeeded in finding an antidote yet." "I know that it was mentioned that norecords were being kept since snake bites are so rare in these parts but I was hoping that I could find something that would aid my search for an antidote, no such luck as of yet."

With that, the wizard slumped back into his chair. Theliel walked towards one of the books that was lying open and started paging through it, "If you can't find anything, is there no other way to find the antidote?" Theliel looked up from the book she was glancing through almost pleading him with her eyes for him to say that there was, "There is another way...but," He stopped her when she was just about to speak, "But it may prove to be difficult and it may take even longer." When he saw despair creep into her eyes he quickly reassured her, "I will do whatever it takes to find the antidote even if it means creating one, be assured I will not give up. Now if you will excuse me I got to find a cure for a certain little boy." With that he bent over his task at hand and began his search once again. Theliel took one last look at the wizard and left the lab to see how Thranduil was doing.

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Elrond was the first to awaken and even though he was exhausted from another long, sleepless night he couldn't seem to go back to sleep.

Elros began stirring from his slumber but by the looks of the dark rings under his eyes he also didn't get much sleep. In fact, it had been days since either of them got any proper sleep, "Morning already?" Elros asked while yawning and stretching at the same time, "It feels like I had just fallen asleep." The twins got up from their beds and sluggishly got ready for the day.

They made their way towards the dining-room table yawning as they went along. "Have you boys not been getting enough sleep lately?" They heard their mother, Elwing ask. They both shook their heads meekly while standing in the doorway towards the dining-room. Elwing's heart went out to them, she knew that Thranduil's poisoning would affect them but she never anticipated this much. Their expressions were haggard, their clothes were creased and their hair was messy. But what concerned Elwing the most was their eyes, they were bloodshot and dark rings were encircling their eyes. Normally elves did not need all that much sleep, but considering that fact that these were merely elflings that still needed their sleep and the fact that even elves had their limitations.

"Come, come over here and sit next to me and have something to eat, you will need to keep your strengths up." Elros and Elrond did as they were told even though they weren't feeling all that hungry. Everyone continued to eat but the atmosphere was very much like it was the night before.

When breakfast was over, Theliel and Luthien once again took some food up to Miluion and Mithrandir.

Elwing had instructed the twins to spend the day outside, it was not good for them to stay cooped up inside for that period of time they needed the fresh air. The two walked solemnly towards the forest each one deep in thought.

They found themselves heading towards the pool, the very same one they played in with Thranduil before the whole incident. "Don't you wish you could just turn back time to the very moment we spent playing here with Thranduil?" It was Elros who broke the silence, "Yes, but what's the point of wishing, it's never going to happen." Once again silence had descended upon the two. All they did was stare into the sparkling water and thinking back on the day the three of them threw each other with mud and splashing each other in the pool.

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Back inside the palace, or more specifically just outside Thranduil's room, Theliel knocked on the door and entered. She once again found Miluion sitting in his usual sleep dozing. Theliel quiely walked towards him and gently touched his shoulder so as to not startle him. Miluion blinked slowly and looked to see who had awoken him, "I must've dozed off." He quickly got up and checked on his patient again, "Hmmm, there doesn't seem to be any changes, he's still stabilized which is a good sign." "Here, I brought you breakfast, you best eat it before it gets cold." Miluion took the tray from her, "Hannon le."

Theliel nodded and walked towards the bed. She took one of Thranduil's icy cold hands in one of hers, she sat down on the edge of the bed and began stroking Thranduil's head with the other one, "His sleep is not very peaceful, he clenches his eyes and his hands." Miluion nodded, "It's the effects of the poison, it will continue to cause him to have nightmares as long as it ravishes his body, every now and the I have seen his mouth moving, but what he is saying I cannot make out."

At that moment Oropher walked into the room and strode towards the opposite side of his wife. Miluion got up to give the small family some privacy, he decided to go and check if he could aid Mithrandir in finding an antidote.

Now left alone Theliel looked towards Oropher who had taken Thranduil's other hand in both of his. She was shocked at the amount of emotion shining through his eyes, she realised that Oropher shared her pain and was going through the same torture as she was; he just hid his more, for her sake and everyone else's. She stopped stroking Thranduil's head and placed her hand on top of her husband's hands that was still holding his son's. He looked up from his son to stare into Theliel's eyes, "I know I never showed it all that often, but I do love my son, I always have and I always will, and to see him like this tears me up inside, my biggest fear is losing him." Oropher's short speech had shocked her even more she had never heard her husband speak like this, not even to her. Once she got over her shock she gave a small smile and squeezed his hands gently, "At least we still have each other, and together we will pull through this, as long as we can rely on each other and each other's strength. Thranduil needs us now more than ever we need to be strong for him." Oropher nodded and returned the smile with a slight one of his own.

If someone had to walk in they would see a perfect picture of a loving family that would go to any ends for each other

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Earandil had also decided to loan his aid in finding a cure. Once he walked into the lab he found Mithrandir and Miluion hunched over a couple of books, "Anything? Startled, they both looked up then quickly composed themselves, it would not do to show how Earandil managed to sneak up on them, wouldn't be good for their reputation.

Mithrandir sighed, "Nay, still nothing, we checked just about every book SEVERAL times." Earandil walked further into the room, picked up a discarded book and sat near the window, "Surely there has to be something in these books that can help us." Miluion stood up from where he sat on the floor and nearly fell back down, his legs had gone numb from sitting on the floor, "Yes, well, we still haven't found anything and...AAAH!!" Both rushed towards their friend in panic, "What, what is it!?" Asked Earandil with concern, "My legs, they're coming back to life." Mithrandir offered him a chair and helped him slowly towards it, "Thank you, I'm alright now, really, it's merely pins and needles, they'll pass quick enough, we should continue looking." After making sure he was really alright the other two went back to looking through books.

In what seemed like no time at all the letters became more and more difficult to read. Mithrandir looked up from the book he was currently looking through, "The sun is setting and another day is almost over." Both Earandil and Miluion looked outside and saw that the wizard was right, it was quickly growing darker, "I think we should take a break, we've been looking for hours we need a fresh start." Earandil advised.

"No, every hour waste is an hour closer to death for Thranduil." Objected Mithrandir, "But we cannot go on, the light is failing and you are weary, I can see it. You spent all night and all day searching." "And I will carry on doing so if I have to, I promised Theliel that I won't give up and I don't intend to, I will carry on searching non-stop if I have to." "And what if there isn't a book here that can help us? We're only wasting our time."

As the argument continued no one noticed that a pair of ears heard everything that was said, "El, we shouldn't be listening in on other people's conversation, mother says it's rude." Elrond whispered nervously, "Shush, I can't hear what they're saying besides we're only finding out how far they got with helping Thranduil since no one will tell us everything."

Shortly afterwards, the two tiptoed away to clean up and go for dinner.

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"Quiet, both of you, this argument is not helping anyone!!" Miluion had to raise his voice in order to be heard over the other two, lowering his voice he continued, "Going through these books is no help either clearly we need to try a different route." "What do you suggest we do then?" asked Earandil, "I suggest we find our own way to make an antidote." Mithrandir spoke, "That could take time, and that is one thing we do not have much of."

"Why don't we split the task?" Suggested Earandil, "One of us works on the antidote and the other two carries on looking through the books, that way we'll work twice as fast and hopefully we'll find the cure in no time." The other two looked at each other. Yes it was a good plan and they all agreed on it. Earandil would be the one to work on the antidote for his skill in healing and medicine was exceptional some even said that he was the best healer in Middle-Earth. Miluion was left to pick up the books on the floor and bring them to the library as Mithrandir poured himself and Miluion a glass of wine. Soon both became engrossed in looking for answers.

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Thingol sat on the garden-bench contemplating the past, present, future and everything in-between as he was wont to do since finding out about Luthien's love for a human, a HUMAN. His heart broke every time he thought about her. Melian often sat next to him, sometimes they spoke and sometimes they just sat in silence not needing to say anything.

Thingol spotted his wife walking towards him she looked so surreal in the glow of the moonlight that it was hard to believe that she was flesh and blood just like him. Ever since he first laid eyes on her he could not comprehend how beautiful she was and that never changed one bit, she still took his breath away.

"May I join you?" She asked sweetly.

"You ask me that every time you come here. Of course you may. My answer has never changed and it never will." He took her hand, kissed it and gently used it to pull her down so that she would sit next to him.

"I know I just love asking it every time." Thingol couldn't help but smile, Melian was so full of surprises that she still caught him off guard at times. Luthian must've inherited that from her and it became more evident when she announced her love and devotion for Beren to her parents.

"She's grown so fast it's hard to believe." At his wife's statement Thingol spied their daughter through the trees dancing to the music only she could hear. It was not the first time that they spotted her in fact, it was almost every night, "She looks so happy and content but she's not entirely, I can see that she is worried about Thranduil."

"As are we all, he has brought so much joy and laughter in our realm since the day he was born, nothing or no one could dampen his spirits. Always a happy child..." Thingol wandered into thought again and Melian merely nodded. The couple sat watching their daughter silently as she danced in the light of the moon and her feet carrying her gracefully as her dress swirled in every direction.

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Later that night the twins, after saying goodnight to everyone, sat up in their beds talking. Elrond was the first one to voice his concerns, "They can't find an antidote. What if they never find it?"

"Then Thranduil dies, but we won't let that happen, there has to be something we can do." The twins began to think of ways to save their friend, "Wait a minute, Elrond, I got it." "Got what?" "An idea, I just remembered something, I might have figured out a way of not only saving Thranduil but also to redeem ourselves."

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TBC