"Get up, you disgusting waste of flesh. Up I say!" Legolas blearily focused his eyes as his captor continued to shout at him. A bitter laugh escaped him.

"What would Haldir think of his 'great Prince' if he saw me now?" he thought. He laughed again, the laugh holding the same bitter quality. "Probably how much I am disgracing the kingdom and race that I fight for."

"You dare to laugh at me?" his captor asked. "I heard tell you Wood Elves were stupid creatures, but I did not realize that you were at such a loss for brains."

"Dolle naa lost," Legolas hissed. "I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'nor, 'Ksher. Lle merna aut yassen sen."

"Naa lle lakwenien?" His captor laughed. "Dina, Legolas, son of Thandruil. Amrun'quessir, amin naa. Quel marth yassen nuquernuva lye. Lle naa thaliolle."

"Why you - " Legolas began. His captor whipped out a knife, slammed Legolas to the ground, and pushed the blade against his throat. Out of no where two more Sunrise elves appeared, each holding a bow, an arrow tightly notched in the string.

"You were say?" His captor gave him a ruthless smile. Legolas did not answer. "That is what I thought. Now on your feet, Ruthaer. We have a long way to travel before nightfall."

~*~

Thwap. Thwack. Thwap. Sounds such as these echoed through the forest. Branches of the dense trees gave way to create a path for a man and two elves. "Aragorn," one of the elves said, almost breathlessly. "Aragorn, we've been traveling since day break. Night has fallen. Let us rest."

Aragorn turned around and glared at the elf. "Haldir, one of your friends, a brother, is out there alone and possibly hurt, and you want to rest? I think not!"

"Amin anta est, Aragorn. Lye est sinome sina undome. Lle estolada sinome or lle auta. Lle lava?"

Aragorn sighed. Haldir was right. They had traveled for three days, beginning at daybreak every morning, stopping only for brief periods. "Amin lava," he allowed.

Haldir nodded and waved a hand behind his back, dismissing the other elf, Astal, to go and collect firewood. "Diola lle," he said. Aragorn just rolled his eyes.

~*~

Legolas was shoved to the ground as his captor picked a spot to stay for the night. The stars glowed brightly against the moonless sky. Legolas searched the sky for one constellation - a secret, special one that only three knew about. "No," he corrected himself, "four know of its presence."

He searched the sky for what must have been hours, blocking out the sounds of his captor's torments. "You want some food, wood elf? Well, you may have none. HAHAHA…you want me to take the bonds off your hands? Never…you want a blanket so you won't become chilled? Well since you've been so good...Nah, you're still a good for nothing wood elf. HAHAHA!"

Finally he found it. LeL VagoR, the constellation that stayed bright all year round, guiding the three safely through the jungles, rivers, mountains, battles, and anything else that life might throw in their path. It guided them back to their loved ones, almost as if it knew what their destinies were and it had a hand in creating them. For the fourth it shone, letting her know that they were safe and would soon return. It was almost their "guardian angel."

"It has never failed me before," Legolas thought. "Nor has it failed Aragorn, Haldir, or Sarah. I can only hope that now it will lead me home." He slowly rolled over to lie on his side, and was confronted by a pair of feet. He looked up to see his captor standing there, a whip in hand.

"You looked surprised," his captor commented, watching Legolas's eyes widen at the site of the whip. "Surely you know what being a prisoner means. Do you not realize that you are a captive who is subjected to whatever I feel is necessary?" He laughed as what was about to happen fully dawned upon Legolas. His laughter echoed through the forest, over the sound of a whip meeting skin and cloth. A ripping sound - a crack of the whip - bare skin being hit - and through it all, not one sound. Not one scream, not one whimper - not one sound.

~*~

The fire dimly glowed, casting a small bit of light and shadow upon the objects and people around the little camp area. Haldir and Astal rested comfortably and close to the fire, their cloaks under their heads to serve as pillows. Aragorn, on the other hand, was wide-awake, staring at the stars, luminescent in the sky. They seemed to be taunting him, their glow reminding him of happy faces that leered at him in the dark. "How can they dance so brightly when someone usually so graced as to continually be in their presence is gone…missing…alone?" He shook his head. He knew not the answer to that.

"And what of LeL VagoR? It does not shine tonight. Does this mean that my hope of finding Legolas is futile?" Aragorn was now worried. Did this mean Legolas was not to survive this ordeal?

A slender hand reached over Aragorn's shoulder and traced a pattern in the sky. "There LeL VagoR is," a voice pointed out, echoing in the distance. "It still shines bright."

Aragorn turned his head, startled. There stood a vision of two beautiful elves, on with long blonde hair and the other with long black hair. "Galadriel? Sarah?" he asked.

"Yes Aragorn, 'tis I," Galadriel responded. Her voice had the same echoic quality as before. Sarah knelt down next to Aragorn.

"'Tis I also," Sarah said. "Aragorn, you must not give up. You must find Legolas, and bring him back to Ellowyn. And you, you must bring yourself back to Arwen. They can not live in wonder forever."

"She is right," Galadriel chimed in. "Legolas may not return from this trip." Aragorn opened his mouth to interrupt, his face horrified, but Galadriel stopped him. "I said this trip, and to be technical, I said MAY not. You, however, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, King of Gonder, shall return in a fortnight- whether the Prince of Mirkwood is with you or not."

"So you want me to leave my companion - my friend - my brother - out in these woods to fend for himself?" Aragorn asked angrily. How can you be so heartless Galadriel? I thought you would show some compassion for your own race," he spat.

"I am showing compassion," Galadriel hissed, the vision slightly faltering as she took a step forward to confront him.

Sarah stopped Galadriel by beginning to speak. "Aragorn," she said, drawing his attention to her, "Aragorn, do as she says. You may not see the reason behind it, but please, do as she says. If Legolas does not return from this trip, Ellowyn will need someone to comfort her; someone to look after her; someone to be a father figure. Please do this for me; for her; for Arwen."

Aragorn looked into her eyes, seeing her fear. He then nodded. "Good," Galadriel said. "We leave you know, son of Arathorn. But remember this conversation. It will bring strength and comfort to you in days to come." Sarah moved to stand beside her. "Remember."

Dust began to pick up as the vision slowly disappeared, creating a windstorm. When he finally looked up, they were gone.

Aragorn lay down next to the fire, resting his head on his cloak. "Remember…" he murmured, closing his eyes.

~*~ They say that these are not the best of times

But they're the only times I've ever known

And I believe there is a time for meditation

In cathedrals of our own

Now I have seen that sad surrender in my lover's eyes

And I can only stand apart and sympathize

For we are always what our situations hand us

It's either sadness

Or euphoria. ~*~

- Billy Joel, "Summer Highland Falls"

Translations: Dolle naa lost - Your head is empty.

I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'nor, 'Ksher - The bones of our foes will gleam under the sun, Evil One.

Lle merna aut yassen sen - You shall go with them.

Naa lle lakwenien - Are you joking?

Dina - Be silent.

Amrun'quessir, amin naa. - I am a Sunrise elf. (Backwards. Written is elvish, if directly translated, "Sunrise elf, I am.")

Quel marth yassen nuquernuva lye. - Good luck with defeating me.

Lle naa thaliolle - You are strengthless.

Ruthaer - Angry One.

Amin anta est - I need to rest.

Lye est sinome sina undome. - We rest here this night.

Lle estolada sinome or lle auta. - You camp here or you leave.

Lle lava - You yield?

Amin lava - I yield.

Diola lle - Thank you.

LeL VagoR - StaR WarrioR

Please bear with me, these are all rough translations - I'm not that skilled in Elvish.