I may not be able to get to the net tomorrow because my youngest brother is getting married!!! Yes, the brat is getting married at the age of twenty-two!!! My favorite pest is going to be a husband! Mwahh!!

Anyway, I leave you guys the next chapter here, the 2nd for today. I will return on Monday…hopefully.

@ Zoya : Cliffhanger alert is absolutely correct!! Thank you for telling the others! He! He! About the Spanish GP, I'm with you. For the first time this season, Kimi Raikkonen didn't finish the race on the podium. Heck! He barely even starts!! Argh!!!!!!!!!! (Sorry, guys, for that outburst. I'm still mad like a hornet!)

Thranduil was shaking his head in disagreement. "No, I cannot allow that."

The delegate from Lamaris didn't give up, though. "But my Lord Thranduil, this new treaty will give you the ruling rights to the open plains near the Misty Mountains, and most of the River Anduin. This is a good offer, my lord. My own peers in Lamaris are willing to give you everything you ask."

"And you want half of my woods for exchange, right?" Thranduil was getting annoyed by this time. The delegation from Lamaris was trying very hard to get what they wanted.

"Exactly, my lord. Only half of your woods."

"Only half?" Thranduil raised his eyebrows. "You understand that the forest is our legacy, coming down to us from our Silvan ancestors? You also know that the forest is sacred to us?"

"Yes, my lord, we understand it all but…"

"How do you manage to think that we will bear to part with it?"

"But my lord, your forest is vast! We only want half of it and still you won't be missing it too much…"

"There's where you're wrong. We are keeping it for our future generations. To me, the forest is not ours, but it belongs to our children. It is not something to be given freely."

"We are not taking it for free, my lord. We are offering you the Galad plains and our own share of River Anduin for exchange!"

"We have no need of the plains and we already have our own share of the great river. Please, go back and tell your liege that I'm sorry, I cannot accept this treaty."

The leader of Lamaris delegation lowered his head, knowing that his mission had failed. He and his fellow delegate members had been trying for two days to persuade Thranduil to accept the suggested treaty in their favor, but the king of Mirkwood was indeed very firm and not easily swayed in his decision-making. "Very well, my lord. I'll relate your message to him."

Thranduil was a firm king, but he was never cruel, especially to the other elven realms. "I understand you are having troubles with your crops this year. The plains you live on is not a very fertile soil anymore, not like thousands of years ago. We are willing to help in that. We can supply you the needed food, if you are willing to give us something in exchange."

"And what would that be, my lord?" the delegate leader asked. His heart felt a little lighter to hear this new suggestion from Thranduil.

"Whatever you deem appropriate. We could use a whole new armory here. And I believe your ladies are the masters in fabrics and clothes design," Thranduil said. The Lamaris delegates actually beamed to hear the appreciative words.

At that same time, the crown prince of Mirkwood walked into the throne hall. Legolas was covered in soot and dirt from head to toe. His silver under tunic and leggings fared no better. Thranduil sighed as he saw the stunned expression on the Lamaris elves' faces. "From the look of my son, we are in dire need of new clothing. May I present to you my son, Legolas, the crown prince of Mirkwood…I think."

Legolas was grinning. His white teeth flashed brilliantly in stark contrast against the black soot on his face. "Forgive me to intrude you and your guests, father…especially in this…err…condition." The Lamaris elves were still staring wide eyed at the prince. They had heard that the youngest Mirkwood prince was incredibly beautiful, but this one looked exactly like a coal miner.

Thranduil was massaging his temple. "What exactly have you been doing, Legolas?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Our kitchen chimney was blocked. The smoke didn't go anywhere so I had to climb up and sweep it clean," Legolas replied, oblivious to the interest stares he was receiving.

"You what?!" Thranduil's eyes were bulging. "You climbed up the chimney?!!"

"Err...yes…"

"Why you? Why didn't somebody else do it?"

"Because I'm the only who can fit into the chimney, and I'm a lot more agile. The kitchen helps are either too scared of cramped spaces or too big to get inside. Besides I've done this before."

Thranduil closed his eyes and counted to ten. Of all the un-princely thing to do! A crown prince becoming a chimney sweep?!! Looks like there's still some things on decorum that Legolas has to be told about!

When he opened his eyes, Thranduil saw that Legolas was still grinning at him and the other elves were still gawking at his son. The king couldn't help but chuckle in amusement.

Legolas smiled even wider. Good. Now I've made him laugh. I just need to make him open up and tell me what has been bothering him lately.

"Actually, father, before I got distracted in the kitchen, I was on my way here to give you this." Legolas came forward and gave the set of keys to the king. Thranduil took it and looked at his son. "You have put on new locks to the dungeon gates."

Legolas nodded, then he grew solemn. "Yes. Knowing you are busy with your guests, I've also checked the spring and something is definitely not right with it. The water is not as translucent like usual. It's quite yellowish. The lettuce is still not growing well and I received some reports of sickness among the elflings. But don't worry about it, father. I'll handle it. I just want you to know this before I looked deeply into the matter. So, I take my leave now."

As his son bowed and turned to go, Thranduil spoke, "Legolas?"

The prince halted. "Yes?"

"Clean up yourself first."

Legolas laughed as he walked out of the hall. Thranduil cleared his throat and smiled ruefully before he said, "Well. Now you've met my son. And trust me, that is my son."

His guests laughed softly to hear that. "My lord, you also have problems with your crops?" one of the delegates asked.

"I'm not sure I would call it a problem yet. We only just discovered it. It has something to do with our water system. But as my son had said, he'll look into it and the matter will settle in no time."

What the king didn't know was that someone was already tampering with the sacred spring of Mirkwood…

TBC…