This is my first time ever doing anything like this, so I apologise if I'm no good I would love some feedback on this chapter.

Suspicions

The cavornous Halls of the Elven King were airily quite, and had been for the past week. Ever since Legolas, heir to the Mirkwood throne had vanished.

For months King Thranduil sent out patrols to look for his missing son, but after two years of searching the Elvin King lost hope.

TWO YEARS AGO:

"Ada seas. I shall take Kerdir with me, and you know how seriously he takes his job." Legolas continued to beg. This particular plea had been going on for days. It started when the prince had over heard his Ada talking with his councilors about sending an ambassador to Laketown, to negotiate trade routes.

"No, and that's my final answer Greenleaf." Growled Thranduil. "If you continue to pester me about this, then you will find yourself locked in your rooms for the next month. You know I do not make idle threats ion nin." Legolas recognising defeat decided to finish the conversation before he managed to anger his Ada further.

"I understand Ada I just wish you would reconsider."

Thranduil was often seen as cold and detached but he was not blind to his child's emotions. Sighing the king tried a softer approach. "I known little leaf but you've never been to a human settlement. Nor have you had interacted with a human, and in case you have forgotten you have yet to come of age."

Thranduil loved his child. Anyone who knew the royal family could see that. Legolas had a strong bright spirit, just like his mother had, and despite his age Legolas had gained the love and respect of all the Mirkwood people. Though this respect came with a high price. When the prince was about one hundred which is equivalent to a ten year old human he witnessed his mother's very brutal murder.

She was a brave and stubborn elf, there was no denying that. One day the Queen decided to surprise the young prince with a picnic in the woods, but before they made it too the clearing they were ambushed by orcs. She made a vallient effort to hold back the orcs as best as she could with her twin knifes, but she knew that she couldn't hold them back forever. With this in mind she threw Legolas on her horse and whispered to the horse to protect her son and take him home. With her child safe the Queen continued her fight. She slashed and tore at the beasts who had dared to scare her son but a single Elven warrior can only last so long against the forced of evil.

Search parties were sent out to retrieve the Queens body once it was discovered that she had past, but all that was ever found of her was her twin knifes and favourite mithril necklace.

Elves were made with strong bodies but their fea were another story. Being creations of the light Elves can only handle so much darkness, before it overwhelms them. It's when the darkness outways an elfs grasp of the light, that they begin to fade and their souls retreat to the Halls of Mandos for healing.

Most of the elves in Mirkwood believed that the prince would fade after witnessing such a horrible event. That he would lose his grip on life and allow his fea to find healing in the Halls of Mandos, but he proved stronger than that. As much as he wanted to fade and be reunited with his mother in Mando's halls, he knew that he needed to stay for his father. This is how the little prince became the hope of the people. If he could survive his mother's murder, then Mirkwood could withstand the growing darkness that was encompassing their home.

The prince could sense defeat. he had been petitioning his father for days and the patrol was due to leave tomorrow, so it was with a heavy heart that the prince conceded. "I understand Ada, but before I go, I request to be excused from supper tonight." He needed some time to himself to come to terms with his father's denial. In his heart the prince knew that his Ada only wanted to keep him safe, but he was beginning to feel trapped.

Thranduil understood that legolas wanted time to himself to process this denial, but something felt wrong about accepting this request. After a moments hesitation the king chose to ignore his hearts warning, missing out on one meal with his son seemed like a good deal considering the circumstances. "Of course my child. I shall see you tomorrow at breakfast." Thranduil replied with a nod. Legolas took this as the dismissal it was, and offered a small but sincere smile as he bowed to his father.

It was later that evening that legolas could be found sitting on his window sill staring out across the forest. This is where he could always be found when pondering over something important, in fact after his mother's demise he sat unresponsive in this very spot for about two weeks. His mind was currently in overdrive going over his options.

The negotiator was to be sent to Laketown on the morrow with a contingent of Mirkwoods best warriors. Most elves at this point would accept defeat but not the famed prince of Mirkwood. Legolas had decided he was not going to spend his life sitting in the safety of his father's palace. He had waited 900 years and now it was his time to see the world outside of his Homeland. As much as he hated to defy his father, his desire for adventure was too hard to ignore. So it was at this point that the prince began coming up with reasons to justify his choice.

"How could Ada not trust me to run a simple errand? Why couldn't I at least join the patrol as a soldier, nobody would even know who I am." Fueled by these thoughts and the continual denial of his father's trust, Legolas began to pack for his solo trip to Laketown. If his father wouldn't give him a chance to prove himself then he was going to have to find his own way.

Thud thud, someone was at the door? Legolas gave a sarcastic laugh. "of course there's someone at the door why else would I hear Knocking." The prince wasn't expecting anybody at this hour, but it was common for a member of the palace staff to check up on him before they left for the night.

"Enter" he yelled while tucking his bag and weapons under his bed. It wouldn't do to get caught by a maid for she would surely tell his father. He had begun packing his bag about an hour ago, and as this was his first trip outside the palace walls he wasn't so sure what to bring. This made packing very slow going. Everytime he put something in his bag he would find himself taking it out and reconsidering it's necessity. It was getting to the point that the prince felt like he was procrastinating.

At the sound of someone clearing their throat the prince was snapped out of his mussings. As he turned around he realised that it was no maid standing at his door but his royal bodyguard.

"Kerdir? What brings you here?" Legolas asked while trying to subtly draw the ellons attention away from his bed.

Keldir had known Legolas ever since the prince learnt how to walk, and therefore create chaos. His father Kelthoniel has been the king's bodyguard for the past millennium, so their families had always been close as long as Keldir could remember. So it was with a bemused smile on his face that Kerdir crossed his arms and watched his charges guilty behaviour. Legolas had never been good at lying, despite his many attempts at it. This was something Kerdir appreciated, for if the prince could lie then he would have been a lot more successful in his past escapades.

"Why my prince I have come to see how you're coping with missing out on going with the delegation to Laketown. I know you were keen to attend." Legolas could see the look on his protectors face and he immediately knew that he was suspicious. He had to redirect his guards attention before it was to late.

"Thank you Mellon nin, but I am ok. It's true I wanted to represent Mirkwood, but my father makes a good point. I am too young to travel to other lands."

Keldir knew exactly where his princes pack lay, and he had a suspicion of what it contained. He had noticed it the moment he stepped in the room. The strap that was sticking out from under the bed was a dead give away. Based on this discovery he deduced everything rather quickly, but decided not to confront his long time friend yet. Instead he intended to drag out the princes suffering as punishment for lying to him.

"I see my prince, it's very mature of you to look at this situation through your father's eyes. Maybe I'll put a word in with your father about this new found maturity." As he was talking he slowly walked towards the bed, never taking his eyes off of the prince. Relishing in the way the prince scrambled to regain control of the situation, Keldir chose to stand right next to the bed and continued to exert ignorance towards the pack hiding under the bed.

A part of Legolas realised that his faithful guard knew about his pack and weapons, but whatever chance he still had in getting away with his lie he was unwilling to give up. So with that in mind he continued with his rouse.

"That's a nice offer Mellon nin but you're more afraid of my Ada than I am"

"Aye my prince I must agree with you, your Adar is terrifying and I say that respectfully of course."

"Of course." Laughed Legolas. He hadn't missed the evil spark that was in Keldir's eyes nor had he failed to notice the formal tone in his voice, he was screwed and he knew it.

Seeing a change in the prince, Keldir felt like this was the perfect time to end his suffering and reveal his discovery. Bending down behind the bed the elf reappeared holding Legolas bow in one hand and his pack in the other.

"I myself would hate to be in the room when your father finds out about your plan to go against his direct orders and run away to Laketown."

Legolas face immediately turned beat red while he stood there trying and failing to come up with an excuse. A true sign of his discomfort was the way he fiddled with the Hem of his shirt, this had always been one of Legolas main tells.

"I uh, I was, I... Please don't tell Ada!"

Keldir found himself at a loss for words, but it didn't last long.

"Mellon what are you thinking! You know what? YOU can't have been thinking because if you were, you would have realised that this plan of yours is ludicrous."

"Please Kel. Just hear me out." The prince pleaded, while staring at Keldir the biggest puppy dog eyes he could manage.

"No my prince. I will not allow you to go ahead with this. It's dangerous and plain stupid. You want your Ada to view you as an adult don't you? I can assure you that this is not the way to go about it, and stop with those damn puppy dog eyes. they don't work on me."

"KEL! just shut up and listen." Yelled Legolas. "I know you don't agree with my plan, but I'm going. Now you can go to my father and tell him about all this. Or you can be my loyal friend and forget you saw any of this, It's you're choice. And by the way I don't have puppy dog eyes I'm no child."

Keldir stood there looking highly flustered, before he rolled his eyes. He saw many flaws with both of the options given, but one thing was certain he had to protect his prince. So it was with this aim in mind that caused The guard to visibly deflated. He knew he was going up against a stubborness he could never hope to defeat.

"My prince you know I will always be loyal to you, and not only because you're my prince and it's my duty but because your my gwador. Now if you're sure you want to go along with this hairbrain plan then I'm at least coming with you."

Legolas was dumbfounded never before had Kel called him his gwador, but it felt right.

The prince found himself smiling.

"Ok gwador. If that is your wish then you may accompany me."

Keldir smiled at the use of the title, before leaving to pack his bag for the trip to Laketown.

Elvish translations:

Ada= dad

Adar=father

Mellon= friend

Mellon min= my friend

ellons= male elf's

gwador= sworn brother.