Elladan looked between Thranduil and Juniper. He was still feeling the effects of Haldir's wine from the night before. His head was near throbbing and he was trying very hard to not look sick. The ride that day had been a rough one, even if he had spent most of it in a wagon with Kree. She was not behaving like herself and it was troubling. Now the Queen was presenting him with something he just had so little understanding about.

Thranduil could tell what his problem was and shook his head. "Why haven't you just had the cure by now Elladan. You have been sick all day."

Of course the King would know. Elladan thought and sighed as he lowered into a chair and rested his head into his hands. "I was too afraid to go asked for it. Radelia would have to make it for me and I just could not face her."

Juniper looked up to Thranduil as he rolled his eyes and looked to Elthian. "Would you please go get him the cure so we can further this along rather than look at him being pitiful."

Elthian chuckled and nodded before leaving the tent.

Juniper tugged on Thranduil's sleeve and he stooped down so she could whisper. Thranduil stood up and smiled to her. "He drank Haldir's wine last night and he has suffered all day Melamin."

She frowned at him for speaking it out loud when she was trying to be polite about her question. Elladan just sighed and slumped even more in the seat. Celeborn joined them as Elladan slumped and took not that his grandson looked like a well used dish rag.

"Really Elladan." He said half in disgust.

"It was Elrohir who offered it to me." He muttered.

Right as Celeborn was going to let him have it, Elthian returned with the cure. He carried it to him in a steaming cup and offered it to him. "Personally I think it is a bit poetic that you have suffered today."

Elladan nodded as he took the cup and began to drink. The effects took only a short time to come upon him and he began to feel better and his mind cleared. "Just so that I am clear. The Queen wants to look inside of Kree's mind. To see what she had seen when she touched the stone."

Thranduil was going to speak but Juniper beat him. She obviously held no ill will towards Elladan for what had happened that night in Greenwood. She stepped forward as she spoke. "Elladan," Her steps stop when she reached him and her fingers pressed under his chin. "Look at me Elladan." His face lifted and his eyes met hers and he looked deeply into those lavender polls and she looked deeply into the dark depths of his. She smiled in a way that made him feel warm all over and calm.

"Let me explain. I do not want to do this. It seems to end badly for me when I try this. However, I must do this. For her and for us. Whatever she saw could be a very dark burden on her. Also it could have an effect none of us would want for her. At least if I see it too we will know better what she will need. " Juniper finished and pulled her fingers away. "Maybe there is something there that can help us as well. Maybe not, but either way it must be done."

Elladan nodded gently. "Very well. I will speak to Kree and try to gain her consent. I too feel she needs something but to be honest I do not know what. "

Elladan left the tent to go speak with Kree. As they waited Juniper spoke to Thranduil and Elthian. "I want Minol to be the one that goes with me."

"Why? I have done this with you in the past shouldn't I..." Thranduil was protesting vehemently against it and she could tell the very thought was disturbing to him. She reached out and grabbed his hand tightly.

"Melamin listen to me. I do not want you to be touched by him. That kind of darkness should never be close to your mind. Not ever. Minol would be better suited this time."

He lowered down before and looked her right in the eye. "And this kind of darkness should be allowed close to your mind?" Thranduil asked softly all the worry began to show in his usually stoic expression. The one he put on when he was around others.

"I did not say that however, I am the one that can do it. This frightens me Thranduil. If I said it didn't I would be lying. This only adds to the weight. I know you want to protect me and keep me safe. I know Elthian does and all of you do." She looked to Celeborn and all the most trusted that were there in that moment. Then she looked back to Thranduil. "Truth is though. You can not do it. That is the harsh reality that is coming to pass Melamin. I will leave very soon I will take a few that can do their best to keep me safe but in the end my safety will be my own. That being said, when it's all over I will be so happy to return to the safety you , all of you provide."

Thranduil's bottom lip actually trembled. His hands took hers and he lifted them to his lips and pressed kisses upon them and sighed. As hard as what she had said was to hear, it was the truth. She had proven she was quite capable to protecting herself yet that did not stop the desire he had to protect her. She would be departing within the next day or so. He would have to sojourn on without her. All his trust and faith placed in the hands of those that would go with her and in her own hands.

"Someone go fetch Minol please." Thranduil spoke without looking to those gathered or caring who went to get him. His attention fully on his wife who was by far stronger than he wanted to admit sometimes. "Remember our promise. Neither of us will go anywhere the other can not follow." She smiled and leaned closer to him. "I do not break promises."

Minol had been brought to them as they left the tent and walked with Elladan towards his own tent. They paused outside and Juniper let go of Thranduil's hand. Once the warmth of her touch was gone his hand balled into a loose fist and he looked to Minol. "You will keep her safe." It was a command not a request and Minol actually felt weight in his words.

"Of course my King. She is my priority after all." He bowed his head a bit. Making Thranduil snort.

Elladan entered first and held the flap back for the Queen and Minol. They entered and the flap fell behind them leaving the others outside. Kree awoke and pushed herself up when her eyes finally fell upon them she gasped loudly. Elladan had moved to her side and standing near the tents entrance was a small luminous being. Feminine in appearance, who smiled softly at her. Next to her stood the looming figure of a demon. The contrast between them like night and day.

"Stay here Minol, at least for now. Your presence is a bit heavy." The Queen told him softly and he bowed his head.

Juniper walked slowly towards Kree as Elladan lowered down to sit beside her. His hand taking hers into his grasp. "This is the Queen of The Greenwood Juniper." He looked to Juniper as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Your name is Kree isn't it." She said softly sensing her fear. Juniper tried hard to bottle down her own. "You saw something when you touched the stone. I know it is difficult to speak of it. I too have seen dark things in my dreams."

Minol shifted a bit. She was speaking of him and this made him smirk but be managed to keep quiet.

Kree found some courage and spoke to the Queen softly. "Seems you keep company with them as well."

Juniper laughed a bit. "Indeed. However, Minol's appearance and what he really is within are not the same. I trust him with my life. We are here to help you if we can. I would like to see what you saw. I would like to hear what you heard and if he has done something to you I would like to heal that."

Kree frowned and looked to Elladan. "I would not have brought them to you or asked you to meet with them if I did not trust them. Especially the Queen. "

Kree looked into his dark eyes with her own and finally nodded. "Alright." Her attention turned back to the Queen. " How do we do this?"

Juniper turned and crawled on the bed. "Forgive me please." She said softly and crawled over Kree's legs. " I will touch your head. It's better if you don't fight it. It will feel strange. That's because my mind will be seeking to be within yours." Juniper watched Kree's eyes widen as Minol walked up behind her. "He will not touch you. He will be touching me. "

Kree's eyes seemed locked in on the horned demon that stood there stoic and unmoving. Then her gaze lowered back to the Queen. "Just look at me. Focus on me." Small soft hands reached up and gently lay against the sides of Kree's head. When Juniper began to feel Kree's emotions Her eyes closed and Kree's followed suit. That was when Minol finally lay a warm hand on Junipers shoulder.

The vision was at the for front of Kree's memory. Juniper did not even need to go far. She could smell sulpher and feel the heat. Then the burn of fire against her flesh as He touched her. Kree was screaming in pain her eyes wide with fear as a face came into view . I beautiful face. The features of it were smooth and the flesh held the grey tone like Minogos' but not as deeply as Jeven. Yet those eyes were like Jeven's. Silvery and ringed in red. He was looking right at Kree. It was as if he were just inches from her.

"Who are you?" He asked her and she began to writhe and try to pull away from him. His grip became stronger upon her. "Who are you?" His face was just a breath from her own. Juniper was looking right into his eyes as Kree struggled and fought not to answer him. Then his gaze shifted and he was now looking at Juniper. Kree all but forgotten by him. "I knew you would seek her memory. Now I see You. Oh you are lovely little fae. I can not wait to have you." Juniper glared at him. Though the fear boiled in her gut . As he reached out to touch her Minol was suddenly in the front. Blocking him. "Ahh the traitor. Does she know what you have done? Does she know the depths of your heart?"

"You are no longer allowed in this mind. Your sorcerers tricks will no longer work here. This Elleth is free of you ." With that Minol thrust his hands out and grabbed the head that owned the pretty face. His hands glowing as the smell of burning flesh began to permeate the senses. The next thing Juniper knew was that she was on the floor with Minol's arms wrapped around her. She only had a slight head ache and a small trickle of blood came from her nose but it was nothing like before.

Kree was sobbing and being held by Elladan . She looked to Juniper and cried. "Thank You."

Juniper pushed herself up and she looked to Minol. He had smoke drifting up from him and his dark blood began to pool on the floor. "MINOL!" she screamed and got to her knees. He grasp her hand and winced in pain. Celeborn and Thranduil entered as soon as they heard Junipers cry.

"What did you see?" Thranduil asked Juniper as Celeborn tended Minol. Thranduil himself had carried Minol from Elladan's tent. Smoke still drifted from him as he was carried towards the tent he had been occupying . Juniper sat in a chair and Thranduil was cleaning the blood from her nose. He had the headache remedy already prepared expecting her to by much worse but this time she was fairly unscathed.

She was sipping the brew and looking to Minol who had finally stopped burning and seemed to be resting. "We were right to go into her mind. He had formed a connection through Kree. At first I saw just her memory of what happened . She said nothing to him Thranduil. She wouldn't even tell him her name. Then he saw me, I saw right into his eyes."

She turned and now looking into the worried eyes of her husband. "He is rather eager to meet me. Then he tried to touch me but Minol pushed him back. Then he severed the connection he had with Kree. That was when he began to burn." She looked towards Minol who was already beginning to heal. "I saw a weakness within him Thranduil. I saw a weakness in the great evil."

Thranduil lowered the cloth from her nose and and tilted his head so she would look at him. Her gaze met his. "What is this weakness?"

"His loneliness and a desire to really be loved. Minol hurt him in more ways that I had known. It was a betrayal that he dealt him that wounded him deeply. He desires this love Thranduil. He has no idea what it all really means. I do not know that he was created with that capacity. Yet he feels it."

Thranduil blinked and sat back looking at her as she turned to look back at Minol. "He used that desire to gain the confidence of the darkness. Minol is wicked too." She looked to Thranduil again. "To use love as a weapon. That is the cruelest thing."

Zhuanth Uss spoke to The Fellowship as they prepared to leave, "Stay with the group let them speak when needed. Your safe passage depends upon this. The closer you get the more the fog will lie. May your journey be safe and end in joy."

Gandalf thanked him for all they were doing for them before the group began to ride out of the village and into the fog. Those that could not see were surrounded by those that could. The Avanati were now protective of their wards and a bit curious.

Jeven ended up being the most popular of the group with him seeming to be answering a never ending amount of questions from the escorts'. Tauriel tried to seem unbothered by this. Even though she only wished to ride close to him, that was becoming near impossible to do. Eventually he would break away from them and move closer to her. Which garnered much attention from the them.

"They are so curious," Jeven said softly. "They are even more curious now about you since I told them you were my wife."

Tauriel shot him a wide eyed look that made him chuckle. "Relax none of their questions were unseemly." She then relaxed a bit. "For the most part." He added and her look made him laugh again.

"You are teasing me." She finally hissed.

"Apologies ussta ranndi." He said with a smile.

Glorfindel was on edge and rode tense. Not being able to see further than the small group was unnerving to him. It was quite visible and Elrond finally had to say something. "Would you try to relax Glorfindel. I think your tension is a bit offensive to our host."

"I just can't get past not being able to see. Visibility now is worse than when we were on the road." He tried to speak lowly.

"We are on a path they know. If there is anything for us to be alarmed about I am sure we will be told." Elrond tells him only for Glorfindel to scowl.

At mid-day they were passing through another tribes territory. The Fellowship remained quiet like that had been told to and just let their host do the talking. Soon many Avanati warriors just seemed to appear from the forest around them. Curious about the outsiders that were being lead through their lands . It was there that they stopped for the mid-day meal and more of the tea that stopped the effects of the fog.

Women with their children came to the gathering to see the outsiders. Tauriel's red hair was a big hit with the women as was Bynsarda's and Glorfindel was a source of fascination for the children. Eventually giving in and letting them climb all over him and soon he really began to relax. Gandalf even showed off his magic tricks and flirted with the women . Which had Elrond laughing.

Minogos and the ancients kept to themselves and were quiet. The Avanati seemed to have a fear or them later Jeven told them it was more of a reverence than a fear.

After the food and tea they were off again. Glorfindel now was covered in small golden flowers from the children. Needless to say his mood had improved. As the day progressed the trees began to thin out. Yet the fog was still thick, they had the sense that they were entering a plain. Then suddenly the fog was gone and before them was a vast open plain and the mountains they had been riding towards.

"How can this be?" Glorfindel asked. "Only a few days ago the mountains seemed at least a week away."

"It was the fog." Gandalf said and rode up beside him. "Time and perception were altered within it I am guessing."

They continued on a bit further until they were beside a quick moving stream. There they made camp for the night. The Avanati watched them as the Fellowship erected their simple small tents. Themselves preferring to sleep under he night sky in thick fur lined sleeping bags that had water proof outsides.

All of the Fellowship finally felt as if they could breathe and the openness of the plain was welcomed. There would be no fire built. The Avanati told them that it would be a beacon in the night and would bring things they did not wish to encounter. Jeven ended up explaining it to them. "It will call the verin ky'ostal the armored creatures I trained the elves to fight. As long as there is no light they should not come."

The watch was set and the Fellowship turned in for the night. With the exception of the ancients they decided to help keep the watch.

The night sky had just begun to turn to inky blue. The stars were fading and a new day was beginning. Tauriel rolled over to find Jeven awake and grinning at her. Her lips met his then the ground began to quiver under her. "What is that?" She asked and Jeven shot from the tent.

"Verin Ky'ostal." He growled.

She too shot from the tent. Everyone was being roused from the sleep and the Avanati prepared for battle. Tauriel and Glorfindel had received Jeven's training so they prepared. The horses ran with Shadowfax leading them. Their eyes drawn to the west and the cloud of dust in the air.

The Avanati along with Jeven formed a line before the others. They being the most experienced against this foe. All of them seemed confused by their appearance this close to the morning on a clear day.

Glorfindel turned to look back to the east. His gaze going wide seeing elves riding towards the stampede of bugs. The elves rode right through the camp passing all those standing ready for battle and past the Avanati. A few of the bugs made it past the elves and were quickly dispatched by Jeven and the others and that's when they realized there were more elves there than just the ones that had come from the east.

Everyone stood there staring in wonder at the elves that were finishing up their hunt. The Avanati host cheered when the last bug fell. Then all elvish attention was on them.

Three broke away from the group and rode slowly towards them and stopped to speak with the Avanati.

"Udos bel'la dos whol elggin lil' verin ky'ostal." The leader of their escort spoke.

"Nau g'rftte zhah ssrig'luin. Vel'uss inbal dos sila've areion lil' yorlii?" One of the elves spoke.

"They thanked them for killing the verin ky'ostal. The elf is asking who we are." Jeven began to translate to the others which got the attention of the elves.

Now more of the other elves were approaching and looking on the Fellowship with suspicion. The from one of the new faces to join the ranks of the elves a voice was raised. "Glorfindel?" He said and slid down from his horse and began to walk closer. "It is you." Now the elf was pushing past everyone and right up to Glorfindel. He pulled his helm away and let it drop to the ground. His long golden hair flowing on the breeze.

Glorfindel gasps loudly. "Calenhad?" Tears began to form in Glorfindel's eyes as he threw his arms around his old friend. "How is this possible? I saw you die." Glorfindel spoke with a shaking voice.

"The same could be asked of you Glorfindel." Another elf spoke. "For I watched the Balrog take you."

Glorfindel released Calenhad and looked to the one speaking. "Inglor?" He took a few steps towards the elf that was now dismounting and they looked at each other . "It is you." Glorfindel found himself smiling and laughing as he embraced his cousin.

"How is this possible?" Glorfindel asked and looked between the two ellon that had been very important to him in the past.

"Just wait cousin. Just wait until you see." Inglor says and hugs Glorfindel again.

The one that had been speaking with the Avanati first looked to the others. Some elvish and some not. "Well we know this is Glorfindel but who are you?"

Gandalf cleared his throat. " I am Gandalf, the elves call.."

"They call you Mithrandir I have heard of you." The mounted elf said.

"I am Elrond Eärendilion." As Elrond gave his name and the name of his father there were several gasps among these new elves.

"I am Tauriel Thranduiliel." There were now eyes on her which made her look to Jeven in her discomfort.

"I am Jeven. I travel with them." He motions to the others.

"I am Bynsarda." She said softly.

There was a grumble heard. "Hiroc." He said quickly.

Followed by. "Hannibal." Who now looked to Minogos.

Minogos sighs before speaking up. " Minogos."

This made all the new elves present look at him with surprise. "The son of the demon?" The leader asked.

"Yes the son of the demon." Minogos answered with another sigh.

"So it is time then." The leader said and looked down. " I am Helluin. You are expected."