Author's notes: life sucks. =P

N/e waize I just wanted to tell ya guys that my fanfic is VERY inaccurate, timewise. I purposely sped up some of the journeys just for the sake of my fic. Yes, I'm butchering tolkien's masterpiece, but I'm too lazy to go and rewrite everything… =X so yeah, sorry bout that and I'll try to add stuff in or something just so the amount of days it takes to get somewhere is more accurate. (did I confuse n/e one else besides myself?)

To Ebony and kidcoolkc—all right, that mess-up wit the eyes is my fault. I was thinking back to how the freak I could have gotten GREEN when I'm always watching the friggin "two towers" trailer and his eyes r clearly BLUE (at least in the movie, don't know bout the book =X) and I think the reason is, I play freecell while I'm writing fics and u know how the background of the game is green? I guess I hadn't gotten out of that green mode… I don't know. It seems like a lame excuse but I was looking at my notebook and it says BLUE in there so I have no idea where I got green from. Sorry bout that!

Chapter 3: The Sending Away

Arwen walked out into the gardens where she found Aragorn standing over a bush of white roses. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Why do you seem so dismal?" she asked him softly, though she knew perfectly well the reason for his gloom.

"It is nothing, my love." Aragorn answered as he leaned his head gently against hers.

"Nothing would not bring such a frown to my husband's face." Arwen countered. She turned Aragorn around and stared into his eyes. "Will you not go to him? I know you long for him."

"I will do no such thing." Aragorn replied firmly. "I am bound to you and—"

"—And you know I have released you of your vows." Arwen interrupted. "I may have given up my Immortality to be with you but I do not regret it. Nor do I regret telling you to leave me. I do not like seeing you in pain, Aragorn."

"And I do not wish to give you pain, Arwen." Aragorn said.

Arwen shook her head and smiled. "I am not in pain—"

They turned as they heard the sound of horse hooves coming rapidly into the garden. They stared in surprise as Gandalf stopped by them atop of Shadowfax. His face was insistent and distressed.

"Gandalf!" Aragorn exclaimed.

"Aragorn, I urge you to go to Mirkwood immediately." Gandalf said urgently. "You must find Gimli and take him also."

"Why? What is the matter Gandalf?" Aragorn asked, frowning.

"There is no time for explanations right now, Aragorn!" Gandalf called as he began turning his horse away. "I must go now to Frodo and the others. I will explain it all to you when I see you in Mirkwood. Will you go?"

"Of course." Aragorn replied. Gandalf nodded and raced away. He turned to Arwen who had the same perplexed look on her face as he had on his own. She squeezed his shoulder and smiled gently at him.

"I have a feeling the Fellowship is being called again, Aragorn." She said.

Aragorn nodded and he hurriedly ran back into the castle.

***

"What do you mean, I can't leave the palace?" Legolas cried out in outrage at the two Elf-guards cowering in front of him. He had tried to leave the castle to walk around the gardens when the guards had stopped him and informed him of his new restrictions.

"Your father and Mithrandir gave us orders not to let you step foot outside of the palace, Prince Legolas."

"But this is my kingdom! I should be free to roam about as I wish!"

"We apologize but we have been given strict orders not to let you leave."

Legolas glared menacingly at them and stalked back to his room. He sat down on his bed, his arms folded around his chest, a huffy expression on his face. He glowered at his father as Thranduil entered the room.

Thranduil raised an eyebrow as he walked up beside Legolas' bed. "I disapprove of that look, Legolas."

"I have never had any restrictions put on me!" Legolas said irritatingly. "What have I done for them to be invoked on me now?"  

"Legolas, Mithrandir and I are not doing this to torment you." Thranduil said tensely, annoyed by his son's disrespect to him. "We have good reason for what we are doing and I wish you would not disobey us now. We only wish to keep you safe."

"What danger is there that needs me to be chained to this palace?" Legolas scoffed.

Thranduil sighed. "That, I am sure Mithrandir will explain to you once he returns. For now, it would be good you do not go against our rules." He left the room, leaving his son more frustrated than before.

***

For days, Aragorn had traveled to Moria. He had slept little along his way, wishing only to reach Mirkwood rapidly so as to hear why Gandalf was calling such an urgent meeting. He had heard nothing of danger. What trouble was Gandalf suspecting to be brewing now?

Aragorn rode up to an entrance to a great cave at the side of the mountain. The entrance, once closed to all, was now being guarded by two surly-looking Dwarfs, who stepped in front of Aragorn, barring his way.

"What business have you here?" one of them asked gruffly.

"I am here to see Gimli, son of Gloin." Aragorn replied. "I have urgent news coming from the wizard Gandalf the White. Will you let me through to see him or will one of you fetch him for me?"

"We may not let you pass." The guard replied firmly. "My partner will get Gimli."

"Tell him King Elessar of Gondor has come to see him." Aragorn said. The other Dwarf nodded and disappeared into the darkness of the cave. Moments later, he returned with another Dwarf at his side. The Dwarf looked at Aragorn, grinning broadly. He ran up to Aragorn' steed and patted the man's leg affectionately.

"It is good to see you again after so long, old friend!"

"Yes, Gimli but we have no time to chat. Gandalf has sent for us to meet him in Mirkwood. Will you come with me?"

Gimli said nothing. Instead, he struggled to pull himself up behind Aragorn. With the help of Aragorn and the two puzzled Dwarves, Gimli made himself comfortable in his seat and held tightly to Aragorn as they galloped off out of sight.

***

Gandalf knocked on Frodo's door. A moment later, the short merry-looking hobbit opened it and smiled brightly when he saw the old wizard.

"Gandalf!" he exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise! Come in and have some tea! Sam, Merry, and Pippin are here, too!"

"Are they?" Gandalf asked. He nodded and entered the house as Frodo stepped aside. He let out a sigh of relief as he entered the kitchen where he found the other Hobbits, all looking older, but still with the same cheery grins on their faces.

"Gandalf!" Pippin jumped up and down in glee.

"Hello, Pippin," Gandalf greeted. He waited for Frodo to come back into the room. "I cannot stay long. Rather, I must leave immediately. I have another task for the four of you should you be up to it."

"What is it?" Frodo asked.

"I cannot tell you all of what I know now for even I am unsure of all that is occurring right now. What I will tell you is that Saruman is once again attempting to rise to power." The Hobbits gasped in horror. Gandalf nodded grimly. "Legolas is in danger. I fear that Saruman is trying to lure Legolas to him."

"Why Legolas?" Merry asked, frowning in puzzlement.

"I do not know." Gandalf answered. "Do not tell Legolas when you reach Mirkwood what I have just now told you. He knows not of his danger."

Frodo nodded. "Of course."

"Good. I shall see you in Mirkwood then." Before the Hobbits could utter another word, Gandalf raced out of the hole, leaving the four Hobbits in excitement for another adventure.

"Come! We must go to Mirkwood!" Frodo cried out. With a cheer, the Hobbits reached for their old packs, which they had never unpacked from the days of the Fellowship. They marched out of the hole and as Frodo locked the door, they hurried along the path.

***

Saruman sat brooding in his tower. He was irritated by the way his plan had failed the other night.

"So Gandalf is reuniting the Fellowship to save the Elf. That is no matter; I shall not let him defeat me again. Wormtongue!" he screamed. Soon, a scrawny man scurried over to him. "Go look for one of the smaller Orcs. His backside must look like that of a small Elven child."

Author's note: I know it is highly unlikely for an orc to be as small as a child but umm…yeah… I'm really sorry I'm changing all of tolkien's world so much… =X hermm… maybe I should just call this an AU…