Kay here is chapter three I hope you like it and again reviews I crave reviews they help me write smiles Disclaimer: I don't anything by Tolkien only my character yada, yada, ect!

Chapter Three Confrontation

Legolas walked down the streets toward his palace. The streets were lined with elven folk; 'Legolas, Prince Legolas has returned' was heard through out the streets and made its way to the palace. Thewon and Thranduil both waited on the balcony to see a glimpse of their son, she was very excited and her whole body and spirit was filled with anticipation. Thranduil could not wait to see Legolas even though in the past they had not been on the best terms, the War of the One Ring had changed them both, Thranduil felt he could finally have a relationship with his first born son, his heir. That and he wanted desperately to make amends for what he had done in the past, starting by getting Laurwen and Legolas back together. His thoughts were stopped, as Legolas made his way through the palace gates, what he did not notice was another had already made her way through the gate and approached him from behind. "Thranduil could we talk." A cold voice stated. "Yes Laurwen, congratulations on dispersing of those Orks effectively." He said full knowing what was coming. "Why did you not tell me he would be there, I was wondering why you called me for something a field marshal could have done." She spat coming up beside him. "It would have effected you performance." He stated simply. "I would never put my personal life infront of my duty to Mirkwood, my army comes first." She asserted "However you would have hesitated." He protested. Thewon sighed she had seen these two quarrel on many occasions, she was about to intervene when something caught her eye. "Legolas!" she called out. Legolas turned "Mother." He began to walk towards her when he noticed the cloaked figure from the battle standing behind his father. She turned to Thranduil "We will continue this later." And she hopped over the rail and hooked onto a brach and climbed to the ground, her horse came thundering past her and she flipped on it. Thranduil just shook his head and turned to his son. "Legolas it is good to see you home, and in one piece!" he laughed and actually hugged his son much to Legolas's surprise. Legolas smiled "It's good to be home father." And hugged his father back, his mother than moved in and he was swept up in her embrace. "Oh my son it has been much to long." She whispered. She felt him nod "Yes I needed to see my home again." He whispered back. "Well," Thranduil stated "Tonight we shall have a grand ball to celebrate your return, unless you'd rather have a quite night at home." He added knowing Legolas hated balls. Legolas was shocked his father was being nice, and asking his opinion! Legolas smiled "Whatever you and mother want." "A ball it is then." His mother stated smiling "There is so much to plan oh I'd better get going." She laughed walking into the house. "Its good to have you home son." Thranduil stated and began to follow his wife. "Father?" Legolas asked. "Yes." "Who was that she-elf in the cloak? She saved us from the Orks, though with a very rude attitude." He asked. "I would have thought you would have recognized Laurwen." He stated Legolas paled "That was Laurwen she is the commanding officer for the army now?" Thranduil nodded "Yes I could not have picked a better elf for the job." "I thought you did not like her?" Legolas probed. Thranduil shook his head "Much has changed, but that is not a topic for now in the open we shall talk of it later." And he disappeared into the house. Legolas stayed and looked over his kingdom. He had seen Laurwen and had not even recognized her, worse still he almost yelled at her for being suspicious about Gimli, when in all due respect she was only doing her job. Oh he hadn't even been back for an hour and already he had made things worse. The fact to that his father seemed to have changed as well for the better, which Legolas found incredibly appealing it would be nice to have a relationship with his father. Oh well he had better go and introduce his guests to father, hopefully he would keep an open mind when it came to Gimli.

*

Laurwen collapsed onto the bed, 'he doesn't even recognize me' she thought. Her eyes filled with tears and her body began to tremble, oh seeing him again just brought back the feelings to surface, the ones she thought she had buried. Valar how much she loved him, all she wanted was to run to him and fling herself in his arms. All she wanted was for him to love her, but the fact remained that he didn't, it took all her willpower not to go to him. Even if he did love her she was unsure she could ever love again. She did not remember how to love; he would have to teach her all over again. All she wanted was to have his love, to fell his arms around her holding her when he needed him. She knew however that would never happen. She cried harder and her trembling body curled up into a fetal position. That is how Thewon found her, she had thought that she should check on Laurwen and see how she was taking it. She saw her crying on the bed 'obviously not well' she thought and she hurried over to the bed. "Laurwen." She asked softly "Laurwen sweetheart." Laurwen turned to her and flew into arms; her sobs rang through the air. "Sh its okay just cry let it out." Thewon whispered soothingly, rocking Laurwen. When her crying finally subsided she turned to Thewon "Thank you." She sniffed. "I did not mean to brake down but seeing him again it brought it all back." "It is perfectly understandable that you would feel that way my dear you have not seen him in two years." Thewon reasoned. "He did not even know me." She whimpered. "In all due respect you were wearing a rather large hood." She stated mildly. Laurwen looked up at her "Then all is not lost." "No and tonight we are hosting a ball for Legolas, Thranduil and I expect you to be there." She forced. "I could not it is too hard." She breathed. "Where is that iron hard warrior will, or are you too scared to face him." She taunted. Laurwen's eyes lit with fire "I am never afraid." "Good be there in five hours I had the royal tailor drop off a dress when I arrived, do not worry you will like it." She laughed upon seeing the look of horror on Laurwen's face. "Fine I am not afraid." She stated coldly. Thewon just laughed and stood up "I will inform Slrya about the ball and make sure she gets you ready, oh and no weapons under the dress like the last ball." "What the dagger came in handy that poor elf would have had her hair tangled to that tapestry for Valar knows how long." She smiled slightly. "Yes well no weapons." She laughed and took her leave. After she had left Laurwen went to see this accursed dress; she didn't mind the plain dresses she wore but a fancy ball gown/dress well that was too much.

*

Legolas sat in his father's study, waiting for him to arrive he had mentioned talking about something, Legolas thought right now would be as good of a time as any. His father walked into the study and stood slightly startled to see him. "Legolas?" asked, "What would you like." "To talk father about everything. What happen to Mirkwood while I was away? How have you and mother been? How many causalities were there in total? How did Laurwen come to be the commander of the army, how is she, how has she been? How . . ." Legolas rambled. "Okay everything I understand." He interrupted laughing, "Let us start with the important questions, the ones you threw in the end. The questions pertaining to Laurwen." Legolas nodded, "Why do you like her all of a sudden? Last time I checked you thought she was not noble enough for our company. My sources (A.N. Legolas has sources te he) tell me you treat her like a daughter." "My immediate attitude towards Laurwen is something I deeply regret." He sighed "I unfortunately did not take your advice and get to know her. And I am sad that it took what it took to change my outlook. She is more noble than I will ever be." Upon this statement Legolas looked at his father in utter shook. "Yes Legolas you heard correctly she is more noble than I will ever be." He reinforced. "What changed you mind." Legolas asked getting impatient. "She almost died for me." He answered simply looking at Legolas who seemed to be visibly shaking. "She, she what." Legolas crocked his voice cracking. "It was during one of the first Ork attacks, I was felling valiant and decided to over see the armies defence, owing to the fact that we did not have a proper commanding officer at the time. Eventually the battle started and it was heavy, one of the worst in our history, we suffered many losses that day." Thranduil trailed off "It was the middle of the battle and we had thought that we had destroyed all of their archers, but we had not. An ork launched an arrow straight for my heart with out me noticing it would have hit it, but Laurwen who was fighting on my right side pushed me out of the way and took the arrow in her right shoulder." Thranduil explained. Legolas found his legs could not support him and he sat in a nearest chair. "Now normally a wound to a shoulder would not be fatal to an elf but this one had infected her with a rare poison not known to our healers. She sat for weeks on the brink of death until in Rivendell Elrond upon my request had found the cure, he magicked it over and she was cured. Though she will always carry the poison in her system and on her right shoulder she has a small scar. She did not awake for two months, and when she awoke she still needed another two months to recover." Legolas just swallowed, sweat was apparent on his brow. "Which brings you to your next question when she was fit to serve I asked her to be our commanding officer. One that loyal with that amount of skill was fit for no less, she took the job and our army has not lost a battle since. She is the most wonderful she-elf of her age I have ever had the pleasure to get to meet. And I do know you hold her heart now and forever." He sighed moving over to Legolas. "She is dying inside and does not have much longer to walk this earth if someone does not help her." "Where is her brother, why is he not here when she needs him." Legolas asked. At this Thranduil grew dark "You were aware that he was missing?" Legolas nodded. "Well shortly after you left he was found, killed by many ork arrows. When she lost him she lost her hope and the light in her soul, she does not want to live." Thranduil breathed. Legolas put his head in his hands and began to cry silent tears "I have done so much damage I do not deserve to have her back in my arms." Thranduil moved over to his son and put a comforting hand on his shoulder "You might not deserve her son but you need her and she needs you and that is all that matters. Given time your love will heal and her sores will close as long as you are there to see that they do." "Tell me the truth father is there still hope?" Legolas asked quietly. "Yes, but not if you do not act now." Thranduil answered. Legolas stood up "Thank you father do you know where she might be?" "Lets see is three o'clock she would be at the training grounds before getting ready for the ball tonight." Thranduil stated "She is always drilling those men." With that Legolas nodded and walked toward the training grounds.

"Come on boys I know you can do better that that." Laurwen catcalled "I want to see every arrow land on its mark GO." The archers let their arrows fly and when all was settled everyone had hit a bullseye. "Much better, lets take a half an hour break. If anyone needs me I shall be in my tent, Gereck and Maron I want no disruptions NO ONE understand." She stated violently. They nodded smiling knowing fully whom she was talking about they watched as she disappeared into her tent. Laurwen sat down at the large table in the middle of her tent; it was littered with maps of Mirkwood and the occasional map of middle earth. She picked up one of middle earth, and suddenly a thought occurred to her that she would have to be spending a lot of time with Legolas in the near future. As he was a member of the fellowship and a key player of the War of One Ring he would know pretty much the complete story, and as it was her duty as the keeper to record the events into history. No doubt his story would be long and would take many days to record because he was gone for two years. "AHH!" she cried and let her head fall to the table, she looked up to the clock and realized that she had soon better get home and get ready for the ball, at that thought she let her head fall to the table again with a loud thump.

Legolas stepped onto the large training grounds it was full of soldiers going every which way, last time he was here it was not this organized and not this full. He looked to his right archers were hitting target after target in well planned waves, to his left elves were engaged in sword and knife play. 'She really has done a good job' he thought, he scanned the base until he spotted a large white tent on the other side of the field. It was decorated with the banners of the army (black, grey, green, and sliver) it must be hers, he moved unnoticed towards the tent. He had reached the flap of her tent when two spears stopped him. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked sharply and almost laughed when he noticed his friends "Gereck, Maron how have you been!" They smiled "Legolas you've actually come home" Maron asked; "Now we can finally return to some of our old habits." "Ya it is no fun making trouble when there is only two of us." Gereck laughed. Legolas laughed "I suppose not now let me pass I need to talk to Laurwen, after maybe we can go tree hopping or something." "While I like the latter, but you can't see Laurwen." Gereck grinned. "Why not?" Legolas asked his smile gone. "Well she said no one can disturb her unless it is strict military business." Maron explained. "And because you are not here on strict military business we cannot in good conscience admit you." Gereck explained trying not to laugh at the look on Legolas's face. "Can't you make an exception for me." He pleaded. "You might be our best friend but she is our superior and because we wouldn't want to go against our orders so no." Maron stated desperately trying to keep a straight face. "But." Legolas begged, the two shook their heads and Legolas was strongly reminded of Merry and Pippen. At that moment a tall elf walked by Legolas recognized him as Sarnnoth the son of his fathers head council he had never liked him much. He nodded towards Gereck and Maron and they let him pass. "I thought you said only military business he did not even have a weapon on him!" Legolas protested. "Well by no one she meant you, and besides she has been spending a lot of time with him lately." Gereck stated. "Dam lousily asshole." Maron muttered. "Hey we are not allowed to call him that Laurwen told us remember, even if it is true." Gereck whispered. "Anyway why don't you come with us we found this great new spot to practise, come on." Maron stated and Gereck and him pulled a protesting Legolas towards the forest.

*

"Hello gorgeous." Sarnnoth stated walking into Laurwen's tent. "I told you not to call me that." Laurwen said calmly "Why not you are gorgeous?" he asked. "Lets not go over this again, please." She stated "I am tired." "You put to much stress on yourself is it because of Legolas's return?" He mentioned. "What do you think?" She spat looking him in the eye. "No need to lash out at me, now I just came to see how you were holding up." He commented moving over to her and putting his hand on her shoulder. "Don't." She said moving away from his touch he shook his head. "Are you going to the ball tonight?" He asked. She nodded "Yes." "Why do you go? Do you think he will welcome you with open arms? Will you have him after what he had done to you? Why do you torture yourself when hope is lost?" He whispered exactly what she did not want to hear. "Hope is not lost." She whispered tears threatening to run down her face. "Really was he there when you lost hope, when your brother died was he there will you no, he let you fall into the pit of loneliness that you lie in now." He muttered. "He did not know." She cried, "He did not know." "Should that matter?" He asked. "No I, I . . ." she stuttered, as Slrya burst through the flap she stopped when she saw the scene infront of her. "Out!" She called to Sarnnoth. And he left before he had to deal with her flying insults of flurry; she moved over to Laurwen and held her. "I heard what he said it is not true, now shhhh its okay lets get you ready for the ball." She stated and led Laurwen towards there home.

Te he and the plot thickens! Oh well reviews please