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He watched her as she lay motionless on their bed. He had not slept for the past couple of days, not wanting to leave her alone. He looked at her face. It was pale and framed by her pale blonde hair, giving it a soft glow. On her right cheek was a scar from a Morgul weapon. It didn't take from her features, instead, it enhanced them. The scar, which matched one that was also on her arm, made her look fierce. She had survived a Morgul blade and arrow. He knew that her eldest brother would not be happy that she had been injured while fighting for Mirkwood.

She gasped and then moaned. He held her hand, squeezing it gently to let her know that she was safe. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her gray-blue eyes seemed distant, as if he was still losing her. "Legolas," she whispered.

"I'm here, Mellon." He said without thinking. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. "What happened to me?"

"The blade and arrow were of Morgul make."

"Poison." She spat, knowing it was the same thing that had forced her mother away.

"We were lucky that Athelas grows nearby and that the weapons only grazed you."

"Grazed me?"

"You have a scar on your cheek and an arrow grazed your elbow after you killed that other Orc. Both were poisoned. You collapsed when we were about to go and check on the Dwarves, to make sure that they hadn't escaped while most of us were gone."

"Have you?"

"No. I've been here, at your bedside." She gave him a small smile. He returned it and she noticed the bags under his eyes.

"How long as it been since you've slept, Mellon?"

"Since the fight. A couple of days." She scooted over and lifted the blanket. "No, you're,"

"Legolas, get into bed. We are not going to do anything except sleep. I am tired and so are you." She looked at him, giving him a look that he was sure she learned from her father. He sighed and took off his boots and climbed in. She turned her back to him and was soon asleep. He stayed awake a few minutes longer, watching her, before falling asleep as well.

"I suppose you want to go and check on the Dwarves now." He said as he helped her stand from the bed. It had been a couple of days since she had woken, four days total since the fight with the Orcs. She had finally recovered enough to walk, mostly, on her own.

"How did you guess, Mellon?" She laughed. She didn't know why, but it made her glad to know that she and Legolas no longer just tolerated each other. They considered each other friends and that was important to her.

"Lucky guess." He said and helped her into her boots. Once she was ready, they walked out of their room and to the dungeons where the Dwarves were being held.

"With any luck, the Hobbit will have gotten them out within the past four days." Legolas opened the door and they walked down. She went to Thorin's cell first and looked in the others as she past. She put a mask of confusion on her face as she tried to open the door. It was locked. She turned to her husband. "Where are they?" He looked at her in confusion and then looked into the cell next to him. His confusion turned to anger as he checked the remaining cells. All of them were empty.

"What do you know of this?" He demanded of her.

"What are you implying? That I helped them escape? I've been recovering for the past four days."

"You went off to the cellars on your own."

"And I found the keys on a hook and made the captain put them on his belt. Then I met you in our room. Think, Legolas, did I have the time, between leaving you and meeting you, to get the Dwarves out of this palace without being seen?"

He hung his head. "I'm sorry. You're right. You didn't have the time. But then who let them out?"

"How many did we capture?"

"Thirteen."

"That is an unlucky number for the Dwarves. They will do whatever they can to avoid it."

"That means there was a fourteenth that we didn't see. But how could they have hidden. Surely we would have seen them." Eleryna shrugged. "Come, we must report this to Father. He'll know what to do about this." She nodded and followed him. He supported her after they climbed the stairs, seeing that it had taken its toll on her. She was still recovering. They made it to the throne room. The guards let them in without a fuss. Thranduil looked at them.

"Eleryna, it is good to see you up and about."

"It is good to be up and about, Majesty." She said and bowed her head. Thranduil turned to his son.

"I get the feeling that this is urgent."

"It is. The Dwarves are gone. There was a fourteenth that was not captured with them. Apparently, thirteen is an unlucky number for the Dwarves."

"Any idea on how he could have hidden?"

"None, Father." Thranduil turned to Eleryna.

"You have been trying to champion them since they were first captured. What do you know of their escape?"

"I am just as bewildered about it as you, Majesty. Before we left to stop the Orcs, I went to check on the keys. I found them hanging on a hook. I made sure they were on the captain's belt before I left. This is the first I have been out of bed in the past four days."

"Do you know where they are going?"

"I have a guess. I believe it is the same as yours. What do you plan to do?"

"I will have my jewels back. With any luck, they and the dragon will take care of each other. That will leave the jewels unguarded. We march to Erebor. Legolas, prepare the army. We may not be the only ones to take advantage of the Dwarves' misfortune." Legolas nodded and turned, taking Eleryna with him. "She stays here." Thranduil said suddenly. Legolas was about to open his mouth, but she stopped him and turned to face her father-in-law.

"Majesty, if the Dwarves are alive, Thorin will refuse to parley with those he believes are his enemy. He trusts me. He will listen to me. I could be of great use to you when dealing with them. They trust me. I only ask that you do not ask me to do anything that would destroy that trust. I have been friends with Thorin's family since they live in Moria many hundreds of years ago." Thranduil looked at her, looked into her eyes. He didn't get the feeling that she was going to betray her kind. Rather, it looked as if she was trying to please everyone.

"Trying to please all sometimes does not work the way we wish it. There will come a day when you will have to choose between your kind and your friends." The way he said it made Eleryna feel as if he were warning her. He had said friends without mockery. She wondered if he understood that she held the trust of Thorin's family. "That being said, I see the wisdom in your words. Should Thorin survive his fight with the dragon, then it may be that he will only listen to you. As you say, you have been an ally to his house for many years. It may be that is what will be needed to get through to him. However, you are still recovering. You will not march with the rest. You and Legolas will ride at my side. After all, a prince and princess do not march to battle. Legolas, get her a full set of armor. I do not want a repeat of what happened four days ago. And, I assume, neither do you."

"Yes, Father." Legolas took Eleryna's arm and pulled her away. Thranduil watched them go. He thought they seemed a little closer than they had before they left to fight the Orcs.

"Are things finally changing between them? Will my son soon be a father himself?" He smiled at the thought. He missed the days when his own son was a child. After his mother had died, it had just been the two of them. Those days had been the best and the hardest on him. He had to be a father and a king. Of the two, he preferred being a father.

"How soon until we leave?"

"Once the army is ready. That will take a few hours. They have to make sure their armor is sound and their weapons sharp."

"Good. I need to sleep some more before we leave."

"Are you unwell, Mellon?"

"No, just tired. I now know how my mother felt before she sailed."

"Will you sail?" She looked at him sharply. It was too quick for him to hide the pang of sorrow at the thought that she would leave Middle Earth like her mother had.

"No, I will not sail. I have things I must do here. I am my grandmother's heir. When she does sail, it will be me who will be the Lady of the Golden Wood, the Lady of Lórien. I cannot leave. That will leave her without and heir and the Light of the Golden Wood will fade. Though, I would never wish this on my worst enemy." He smiled as they finally reached their room. He tucked her in and waited until she was sound asleep. When he was sure, he left to do the tasks his father had assigned. Word had already spread that the army was to march to Erebor.

"Another surprise ruined. I wanted to wait to give her this set as well. Oh well. At least I know she'll like it. It's got the same design and symbols on it that the lighter one has. The only difference is that this is a full set and is gold instead of green." He sighed and hurried to the blacksmith he had left it with.

The Battle of the Five Armies approaches. Mellon, by the way, means friend. Hehehe. Thanks for reading and please review