T.O.W.G., I loved your review! It made my day.


A dark-haired, able-bodied dwarf stomped among the stones and grass, his mind a whirl of ugly emotions. His handsome, care-worn features displayed anger and resentment, but it was a protective facade. For deep in his heart, Thorin Oakenshield was terrified and wrought with worry! He had been searching for his missing nephews for three days and still had not found them!

It had all started only a few nights ago, during the company's rest for the evening, when Fili and Kili were assigned to keep an eye on the company's ponies. They had found two missing! As they'd scoured the area, they couldn't trace the ponies, and then heard voices in the woods. As they checked it out, they saw a band of tan hooded figures leading the ponies away. Fili and Kili had charged at the horse thieves, only to be knocked out cold by the taller people then carried off! It had been the little hobbit, Bilbo Baggins who had discovered the lads missing, when Bofur had asked him to bring the princes their dinner. Four ponies were missing, and so were Fili and Kili. At first, Bilbo had looked around, but no sign of them and that was when he'd returned to the company to inform them of their two princes having vanished into thin air.

Thorin had not slept a wink from the moment the halfling had come running back to them, panting and blurting out that he couldn't find Thorin's nephews. Even with Gandalf in their midst, Thorin had not rested at all though he'd given his men brief rest periods. Millions of frantic thoughts were racing through his brain. What had become of Fili and Kili? "Those two idiots will not escape my wrath this time!" He kept saying to himself.

He had helped his sister, Dis raise her two boys after her husband had fallen during battle. Thorin loved his sister's boys deeply. He would die for them! He would take a beating for them. They were his joy, even though they'd already given him more gray hairs than he cared to admit. But they had brought so much needed joy into his life, after losing his grandfather, father, and brother. Thorin had never thought it possible to love more potently than he loved Fili and Kili. They were young and curious, and eager to please but also kind and loyal. And above all, brave!

Though Dis had known the gravity this quest may have on her family, she'd made Thorin promise to keep her boys together. He'd promised his little sister with all his heart. And now? He'd broken it! But he would mend that before this was all over! But how? He didn't even know where to turn! They'd lost the tracks yesterday. Thorin had no idea where his nephews had been taken or who had taken them. His only small comfort was that he knew it wasn't Orcs! The footprints had been much too small and light to be those foul creatures. But then who? And Why? Thorin would give up all the gold in Erebor right now, if only to see his lads safely back!


"What do you mean?" Legolas finally found his voice after he'd heard Glorfindel speak those dreaded words. Slowly and with a great deal of physical discomfort, the captain told them everything. Elrond and his sons were horrified and angered. Who would do this?

"They have my friend. They better not hurt her!" Estel snapped, stomping his foot in anger.

Legolas's stomach felt as if it was being cruelly twisted into a knotty tree, with icy cords of fear. His only remaining family, stolen from him! Or maybe even worse. "I'm going after them!" He announced and whirled on his heel for the doors.

"Legolas, no! Wait!" Glorfindel tried to call him back. Legolas glared at him.

"I am not going to just stand here and wait! I'm going to find my family!"

"You can't! At least...not yet." Glorfindel said dismally. "They said to expect a ransom note in a few days. And if they see any scouting parties before then, they will kill your father and sister before they can be found! Though I have a sickening feeling that they will kill her first, to break your father. Legolas, I know this is hard for you, and it feels wrong. But you must wait!" Glorfindel implored him. He hated the very words coming out of his own mouth, fully aware of the deep pain it was causing his young friend. It felt so wrong! It was wrong! But they had no choice.

Legolas pounded his head on the door in frustration and hot, righteous anger. His family was out there! He couldn't just sit here and wait! He had to do something! And now they were telling him he couldn't. Tears filled Legolas's eyes. Estel walked up to his elf friend, and hugged his waist. Legolas winced, clenching his fist on the door. He was absolutely helpless to do anything.