Thranduil was still at the party, having a jolly time, speaking with his friends of cheery subjects. Suddenly, he felt as though he shouldn't be there. Like he should be somewhere else, with someone else, DOING something else.. But what was it?

He searched his memory, when suddenly he found himself somewhere else..

** The dragon had just engulfed Miroros in flames. His agonizing scream echoed through his head.. But it wasn't HIS head anymore. He was Riania once again, as he had been when he had healed her.

He/she screamed for help, when the dragon turned on them. "Oh, I missed," it grinned wickedly. "Oh well." Suddenly, as it was about to put Riania/him alight with fire, arrows were shot out of nowhere, some piercing the dragon, some falling to the ground. With a roar of anger the dragon whirled about until he came face to face with Rivendell's archers, who fired at will. In a rage, the dragon pushed from the ground, knocking Riania/Thranduil to their knees, and flew away swiftly. All of the warriors came to her/his rescue, and put Miroros's lit body out. They were then carried away to the palace..

A bright flash told Thranduil that he was yet again in another memory of Riania's, but it was far more recent, for he was in Mirkwood. He/she was speaking with a woman, who Thranduil recognized as Laurah, his wife's good friend. Suddenly Laurah's eyes went wide with shock and surprise, and he found Riania asking, "What? What is it?" And then he/she heard Laurah answer,

"You're pregnant."

Again, with a flash and a surge of wind, Thranduil found himself in the most recent of all of his wife's memories-tonight. The party was grand, but still he/she felt weary with a new child burden. So, with a last kiss on the cheek of her/his husband (again, Thranduil felt EXTREMELY odd kissing himself, even if he WAS in Riania's body during one of her memories), Riania/Thranduil strolled away from the party. Whilst retiring, Laurah called for him/her to wait, and so they did.

"Do you wish to know if he child you're carrying is a boy or girl?" she asked the queen/king. Thranduil snorted silently as Riania/he laughed outwardly at this absurd request. But then he noted a slight glint in the eye of Laurah, as she told them that they COULD know. Immediately Thranduil knew this meant trouble.

"Well-I thought-" Riania/he stammered uneasily.

"What you thought was wrong." When Laurah swept herself away with a swirl of her flowing dress, Thranduil began to relax. But he nearly screamed (if he could, but alas this is a memory and he cannot change anything) when Riania/he decided to follow their friend.

Once in the dark, gloomy room, Thranduil tried desperately to do something, ANYTHING that could stop what was sure to come from happening. The wicked grin that played upon the lips of their "friend," only confirmed his doubts. No! he wanted to scream at his wife. Don't do it! It's a trick! But alas, he could do nothing. He watched through her vision as she drank from the goblet, and he felt the pain. Not all of it, but enough to know what was supposed to happen, to know Riania could die..***

With a jolt that nearly sent Thranduil flying onto the floor, he was back at the celebration, and his friends gave him queer looks when he doubled over, leaning upon his knees.

"My wife," he gasped. "She's in trouble! She's dying!" Although this was a most strange claim was almost unbelievable because he had been at the party the entire time, all knew better than to not do as their King said, and so all warriors present followed Thranduil as he followed, by Riania's memory, to Laurah's room. Even before they got there they heard a fell voice on the air.. Bursting the door open, he gasped in anguish.

His wife was curled into a ball of pain, still screaming at the top of her lungs, for that is what they had all heard when approaching-that was the voice. Reaching down gently, Thranduil wrapped his arms around Riania, and she did not protest, and he quietly-except for her screams-carried her away to the healing wing of the castle. At first all who had witnessed this were shocked and dumbfounded. Why was their queen in so much pain, who did it, and even stranger, how did their King know about her?

Shaking off the odd actions that just took place, everyone followed Thranduil, and their dying queen..

~~~~~

Will Riania make it? What happened to Laurah? Is the evil betrayer's plan going to work? What about the dragon? Is the baby still alive? All these questions-and more-will be answered in later chapters! So keep reading and reviewing!!!

By the way, this is going to be my last chapter until Monday because I'm going away on one last vacation before school starts. ^_^ Hope you can wait, my wonderful readers!!