The Summer of 2063 4 months before the Siege of Dol Guldur.

"Is he in there" Unede whispered into the darkness.

"No."

"Then I need you to let me in." Unede said hurriedly as she glanced up and down the hallways.

"What's in your hand cousin."

"Ingwe, do this for me."

He looked her up and down. Her hand's clinched around letters, her brow set, she looked worse than she had on the eve of her first battle.

"You look terrible." Ingwe said "Why do you want in the King's study. I can't let you in here."

"You can and you will." She said faster.

"Why?" He frowned. His dark hair blended into the wall, and his jovial nature quieted into combat.

"Ingwe I am your Captain-"

"Don't pull rank on me Unede, I have orders." He whispered hastily into the dark.

But before she could respond a shadow appeared in the glimmer of the torches and light steps pattered on the stone. Unede shot an angry look at her Cousin, her only chance had been thwarted. Family loyalty be damned, the thing's she does for Eryn Galen. The shadow slipped past the great arches, and finally in the dim light, Unede watched as the Prince approached. She let out a sigh, her plans were through. She had no chance now.

"What are you doing here so late?" He said smiling at Unede.

She shrugged "Chastising Ingwe about missing family Dinner tonight. Perhaps if he were to ask kindly, I would bring him a plate." Ingwe gave her a dark looked from behind his furrowed brow. "And you?"

"Oh I left my cloak in the study." Legolas replied, and then caught sight of the papers in her hands, and the ink stains on her finger tips. She was up to more, she always had some plan, some idea he never knew about until the fruits of her mind were ready to be birthed. "I think I saw your pen in here earlier, you know, the one that doesn't leave you covered in ink?" He smiled at Ingwe.

"If she just said she needed her pen, I would have let her in." He rolled his eyes and unlocked the heavy wooden doors.

"After you my Lady." Legolas gestured to her.

The pair entered the study, it was quiet, the fire was in embers, the windows closed, the dead of night had settled in the room.

"You can trust me with these schemes you have you know." Legolas said as he walked towards the couch where his summer cloak was flung across the arm. He looked at Unede, her skin pale and clammy, her hands shaking.

"Not this one, not this time." She breathed. They were quiet for a moment and then she shook her head "Your father may have me banished if he knew."

"I do not think he would, I would not let him at least. Unede there is nothing you could do that would make me abandon you."

Unede looked away, unable to make eye contact with the Prince. She collected herself, and looked at Legolas, shame filled her stomach as she thought about the letter's in her hand. They were a unit, meant to work in tandem, in harmony, she could not hold this secret from him, however much shame it brought to her.

She extended her hand to Legolas, holding the unsealed letters out "I know we are strong" she whispered "but we could be stronger together. I know not what drove apart our houses Legolas, but the people of Mirkwood should not suffer over some thousand-year-old quarrel."

Legolas looked at her puzzled and reached for the letter's. In the dim light of the embers he unfolded the heavy paper and read the words that she had penned. When he finally looked at her, she could hardly glance at him before her eyes fell back at the floor.

"You mean to call for aide from Rivendell and Lothlorien." He whispered.

"I do, we need the healers, we need the swords. My family can help, should they decide to."

Legolas watched her, she rarely spoke of her Mother's side of the family, and he often forgot she hailed from a great house which held at its head wise, and powerful elves. She had always pressed the importance of independence and strength for the elves of Eryn Galen, and yet she was the only daughter of the eldest child of the Lady of Light. Here before him was the heir to the oldest of houses, and he felt small before her. She was right, whatever ancient quarrel rested between the old ones, it was time to put it to an end.

He walked to his Father's desk and found his wax and seal. The Prince lit a match and held it to the wax, letting the green liquid drip onto the folded papers before him. As the puddles began to cool, he pressed the seal of the King into it, then replaced his Father's tools to their case.

When the wax had dried, he slid the letters into the pocket of his cloak and walked towards Unede. In the quiet dark he took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. They watched each other for a moment, and then finally Legolas spoke.

"Come to the aviary with me." And he led her silently out of the study, past her Cousin, and down the arched stone hallway.

Their feet padded dully on the stone stair's as they climbed high into the mountainside, and soon the soft cooing of birds could be heard in the distance.

"Do you think they will come?" Legolas said as he opened the door to the aviary.

"No" Unede said "But The White Council should know that we will do this great thing alone. They should know that we are humble enough to recognize when we are in need, and they must understand that Eryn Galen would answer their call if it came."

Legolas turned to face her "Would we? Would my father?" he asked.

"I would." She whispered. He nodded, and knew she was right, he would fight for any elven kingdom should there be a need, as was his duty.

Legolas tied a letter to the leg of a bird, and then another, and whispered to them gently as he held them in his hands. They coo'd and roo'd and finally spread their wings and slipped silently out of the window and into the night.


The day's passed by in a silent tension. Unede was often found pacing the halls late into the evenings, often wordlessly with the Prince, and the King had begun to take notice of the hefty weight that held his Captain's tongues.

"What news have you that silences you so." Thranduil said to her when at last he found her wondering alone.

"None at all my King, it is as though the whole of Middle Earth stands still." She said quietly. The King stopped, but his Captain continued silently down the winding hall and into the darkness.

But then, after the sun had risen and set, and risen again, on an afternoon breeze, came a bird carrying a letter with a seal of gold. It was addressed to Unede, and clasped in the hands of the Prince, who had snatched the Bird from the aviary when he saw it fly in on the wind

Legolas handed her the parchment with a shaking hand.

She cracked the seal, and fluttered the papers open, but a moment later flung them into the fire before her. The bright red made her golden hair seem aflame, and her face crinkled with the anger of a thousand years fought without allies.

"We are alone then." Legolas said as he watched the parchment burn.

"We have always been alone." Unede confirmed, and she felt her heart grow harder.