Author's note: I do not own the character Legolas, he is from the Lord of the Rings, and is the property of J.R.R. Tolkien. All other characters and the realms and provinces belongs to me, as I created them. This chapter is very short, I know... But still, I hope you find it worthy to read and comment on. This is my first fanfic ever, just FYI. Please read and comment!

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The young elf stared towards the three newcomers to the forest. They were sitting around a fire, talking about something they must do. Carefully, he stepped closer. He did not have anything to fear from these humans. After all, no creature could hear or see an elf, if the elf did not wish to be seen.



He stopped behind a bush, and silently moved a branch to watch the three humans. They were two men and one woman, he noted. They were young, not more than seventeen, he guessed. One of the men was fair, with short blond hair and blue eyes. He could perhaps pass as an elf, the watching elf thought, though he lacked the long hair, pointed ears and clothes of an elf.



The second man had brown hair and the woman had long, wavy blond hair. They both had brown eyes, but the man's were almost black.

"So, how many more days 'til we get there, Ryan?" the woman asked.

"A week at the most." the dark-haired man, presumably Ryan, replied shortly, looking into the fire.

"And then we have to find the guy." the blond man added, and his two companions nodded.



Quietly pondering their mysterious arrival to the woods, the elf was surprised by the feel of cold steel against the side of his neck.

"Don't move, adsha. Or you will die with this arrow of yours through your throat." a determined, female voice whispered in his ear.

The elf glanced down quickly, and saw that, indeed, the weapon held to his throat was one of his arrows, no doubt taken from his quiver. He cursed himself silently.

"Walk." the woman said in a low voice.

"Into the glade?" the elf asked, and got his answer whispered into his ear:

"Yes."



The blond woman looked up as the tall elf stepped into the clearing, and his blue eyes looked back at her calmly. The two men that accompanied her had gotten to their feet. She noticed his pointed ears, and his unusual clothing. She also noticed an arrow held towards his throat, and the figure holding it, a person she recognized.



The woman holding the arrow had her raven-black, straight hair pulled back into a ponytail, which hung down her back. She was wearing a worried and determined expression on her face. When the elf stood near the fire, she lowered the arrow. The elf-man turned around to see his attacker, and studied her closely.



Ryan looked from the dark-haired woman, still with the arrow in her hand, to the elf.

"Dawn, what is this?" he asked the dark-haired woman, obviously named Dawn.

"He was spying." she replied.

Ryan frowned and looked at the stranger.

"Who are you?" he asked the elf. "Tell us your name."

The elf directed his eyes towards Ryan, looking away from Dawn, finally.

"I am Legolas, prince of Mirkwood." he said, turning towards Ryan.

"Is that so?" Ryan replied.

Legolas nodded and said: "That is so."

Ryan studied Legolas for a few seconds, then said:

"I do not believe that you lie, prince Legolas."

And then he bowed his head to the prince.



Stepping forward to Legolas's figure, Dawn touched his shoulder, and Legolas turned to her.

"I'm sorry." she said, giving the arrow back to the elven archer. "I really am."

Legolas saw regret on her face, and smiled vaguely.

"It is all right." he told Dawn, as he put the arrow back into his quiver. He then turned away from Dawn, and towards Ryan and his comrades. "And who are you?" he asked them.



"I'm Ryan." Ryan said, his black-ish eyes smiling. Legolas nodded, already knowing that.

"This is Athena." Ryan continued, pointing towards the blond woman, who raised a hand in greeting.

"And I am Nicholas." the blond man said, bowing his head slightly to the elven archer.

Athena smirked. "And you've already met Dawn." she said.



Legolas inclined his head to Athena and the two men.

"Do we need to call you adsha?" Athena asked, then she smiled. "Or would 'your highness' do?" she said.

The blond elf shook his head.

"Calling me Legolas will be fine." he replied, not noticing that she was joking.



Ryan and Nicholas seated themselves at the fire again, and Dawn stepped towards them. She stopped next to Legolas, hesitated, then decided to go ahead.

"You're welcome to join us if you wish." she said, gesturing to the fire and the others sitting around it.

The elf thought it over, then nodded, and sat down between Dawn and Ryan.



They sat in silence for a few seconds, then Athena said:

"So. Where was that guy hiding out?"

The question resulted in glares from Ryan and Nicholas, making Athena blink, surprised.

"What? It isn't as if he doesn't know about it!" she exclaimed.

Nicholas, Legolas and Dawn smiled.



Ryan cleared his throat.

"Well, last that was seen of him was near the gray forest in Neras." he said.

"The emperor and empress of Shiradir asked us to bring a man to the Council." Nicholas explained to Legolas. "He's the leader of a gang of outlaws who've been pillaging villages in the south." Nicholas paused, thinking. "What was his name again?" he asked.

"Talkin." Dawn replied, and the other three nodded.

"That's it. Talkin." Nicholas said.



Dawn shook her head.

"Could we talk about something else?" she asked.

So the five chatted aimlessly about all the irrelevant and amusing things that crossed their minds for hours, until they all drifted off to sleep.