"Thranduil." Nesséro came into the room, his long face set grimly. Thranduil motioned towards Legolas and asked if his message could wait until he was finished talking with his son.
"No My Lord, something has happened and you are needed immediately." Suddenly, everything seemed to happen in an instant. It was as though for a brief moment Írime's vision had returned to Legolas' eyes. The world split in front of him as neatly as if there had been a seam in the walls before him. Behind the two pieces of tearing reality the same searing white light assaulted his eyes. The brightness made his head swim before suddenly focusing on a dark spot and speeding towards it at a breakneck pace. As the spot came into dark focus Legolas' mind flashed with a brilliant light and he saw Carandoliel, lying broken and bleeding, calling his name in pain and agony. The haunting image was gone just as it arrived, but it's imprint was enough to terrify Legolas to his feet.
"I must go." He ran out of the study, past the wondering gaze of his father and the unusually disturbed face of Nesséro. He flew down the hallways towards his bedchambers, praying silently that his premonition had been a simple, brief nightmare. He felt his legs grow weak with horror as he came to his door and pounded on the thick oak before bursting in.
"Carandoliel!" He called out, his heart beating so feverently he was certain it would burst through his chest at any moment.
{Where was she?} He thought frantically, running about from room to room, crying out her name in desperation. He came into her dressing room and found it empty. Having searched the last of the rooms they shared he fell to his knees, screaming her name into the emptiness only to have it return to him quietly. He glanced over at a small delicately woven chair upon which her gown for the evening had been laid. His eyes fell to the hem, the delicate pattern of the single threads, bobbing and weaving their way in intricate designs. The material was soft and light against his fingers and pinching it softly his mind once again flashed the image of her mangled body in his mind.
"Legolas?" He spun around quickly to see Carandoliel, a look of confusion crossing her face, standing at the doorway. He fairly cried with relief as he rushed to her and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her as though he had not seen her in ages.
"What is it?" She asked, still wrapped in the folds of his embrace and smiling.
"Nothing." He whispered, kissing the nape of her neck and hugging her body even closer. He smiled broadly as he drew her far enough away to see her smiling face.
"Nothing." His lips pressed down against hers and held there suspended. Time slowed to a crawl as he drew his long fingers through the mahogany cascade which flowed freely across her shoulder and down her back. She wrapped her arms about his neck and allowed him to pull her closer and closer, until nothing stood between their bodies. When they parted, Legolas looked upon her with a wondering glow in his eyes.
"I do not know what would happen to me if I should loose you. You are more important to me than my crown or my kingdom…you are everything I could ever hope to be." Carandoliel's eyes seemed to open from the inside, pouring a wash of crystal clear water into her irises and causing them to shine like emeralds. She need not say anything in return, she simply hugged his neck and drew him into an embrace neither wanted to part from.
"My Lord!" Suddenly, Nesséro ran into the room, speaking but briefly before leaving again.
"The King summons you- Nevturar the servant and the mysterious lady were killed trying to escape into the forest!" Carandoliel's arms fell to her side in utter confusion as Legolas quickly took up her hand and together they ran after Nesséro.
He led them towards the main entrance to the palace where Araorë and Thranduil, along with two archers on horseback were speaking quickly. When they arrived, Araorë motioned towards the two riders.
"This is Sorontur and Galu- they were sent to chase Írime and Nevturar when they ran from the palace." The one Araorë had introduced as Galu spoke up:
"We came upon them in a clearing not half a mile from the city gates- orcs. They were brutally cut and the woman had three arrows in her back. One of the beasts lay slain on the ground." Legolas felt Carandoliel grip his arm tightly and he whispered for her to wait for him back in their chambers. She nodded and left, grasping her stomach and trying to withhold her nausea. Legolas turned back towards the group.
"Orcs? They have not been seen in Mirkwood for months now. They could not possibly pass the boarders of our land without our knowledge!"
"I know, your highness." Sorontur spoke with incredulous confusion, for he understood as little as Legolas as to how orcs had made their way so far into the forest of Mirkwood without their knowledge. "We were surprised as well- the guards will have to be doubled on the city walls if a traveling group of orcs is wandering about in Mirkwood." His voice sounded doubtful to which Thranduil now spoke:
"You sound upset Sorontur. Is something troubling you?" Sorontur shifted uncomfortably atop his horse, exchanging a nervous glance with Galu before speaking.
"Something was not right- something about the way they were killed. Come, I shall show you." The party made their way towards where the two bodies had been laid. It was quite a distance to the small hut where Írime and Nevturar now lay and Legolas noticed that the sun had begun to sink below the horizon when they finally came to the door of the toft.
Yellow candlelight filled the doorway as the elves made their way inside. A curious sensation had been growing at the tips of Legolas' fingers and he felt he should be somewhere else. The thought was pushed to the back of his mind as Galu ushered them towards a long table where two sheets had been laid over the bodies. He pulled one back to reveal Írime's back- pierced in three places by deep arrow wounds which were starting to turn a dull, bruised purple color.
"The woman was not so unusual as the man- as far as we can tell she was attacked first and then Nevturar tried to fend off whatever killed her. Come, I'll show him to you…" The elves moved to the other side of the table, all save Legolas. His mind was working furiously, concentrating on the three holes in Írime's back. In all his battles with orcs and all of the wounds he had seen, he had never seen orc arrows so precise.
{Only elvish arrows are so keen.} His heart leapt into his throat as he looked over at Nevturar's body and heard the last of Sorontur's words:
"…was he carrying a knife? The cut across his throat could only have been an elvish blade…we are certain." The world fell into a blur and when it refocused Legolas realized with mounting horror that Araorë was no longer in the room.