@Cathryn64 : Da first reviewer indeed! Yes, I wrote 'The Evil Bride'. It seems ages ago! Keldarion's name came up before I fully understood the whole 'Eldar' and '-ion' thing. He! He! But his name is kinda cool though, so I just stick to it. Thank you for pointing that out.

@Layla146 : You're welcome, girl! And yes, it's the young cousin.

@Sparrow Greenleaf : Hugs to you too! You really want to get hit with a BAM, do you? Okay, wait n see!

@Karina : I'm glad you like it! Thanks!

@szhismine : So. You're ready for some cliffhangers, eh? Well, good luck, mate!!! (Prepares herself with heavy-duty scissors and tear gas)

@Sailor Elf : Rambunctious and cute! What a mouthful! LOL!

@miekje : More prequels coming up, but I will finish this one first as you asked.

@purplesmackers : Thank you, thank you! (Blushed prettily at the standing ovation).  Can I have more?

@Lisseyelen aka Lady V : Sorry. Not even a little bit of blood. But I always stock several pints of Leggy's in my fridge for any one of you who has sudden craving for it!

@DiamondD : Yes. Dior and Maeglin are from Silmarillion. I can't remember the last time I read that book but I believe it was Oropher who founded the realm when they arrived from the north…or something like that. I might be wrong. It might help if you go and check the Encyclopedia of Arda.

@Ailsa : Okay. You are getting paranoid. LOL!! Don't worry, girl. It's not Thranduil. Yeah, I kinda switched the characters of Silmarillion. Confuse? Good!!! Ha! Ha!

@Lucy : Thanks for the support about that Power Ranger/Spiderman/Tazmanian Devil stuff! I'm waiting patiently for my nephew to turn 5 which will take several more years from now! Arghhh! He's climbing over the tv set again!

@Aranel of Mirkwood : Sorry. The tissues are out of stock since 'Terrifying Darkness'!

I forgot to tell you all that this fic is only 4 chapters long! Yes. Very short, so sue me!

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Legolas was bored.

He glanced up and saw Niniéth slumped in the sofa across his chamber. His nanny was dozing deeply, her needlework lying folded on her lap. The prince sighed as he looked back down at the toy warriors scattered around him. There's no fun playing all alone by oneself, he thought.

Keldarion had gone for a ride with Commander Linden into the woods for his daily training. His father was busy in his study with whatever matter that a king of a great realm had to oversee, while his Uncle Maeglin had left the palace since that morning to tend to his personal affair. Legolas had wanted to play outside but Thranduil had forbid it, saying that the afternoon sun was too hot for his child that day.

That left Dior.

Smiling as new inspiration struck him, Legolas bent down and pulled out the box that contained Big-Worm from under his bed. He had seen his cousin return to the palace a couple of hours ago and had not left his chamber since.

Clutching the box under one arm, Legolas tip-toed to the door and walked out as silent as possible so as not to awaken Niniéth. When he reached Dior's door situated at the other wing of the palace, Legolas knocked once before entering.

Dior, who was standing outside at the balcony, whirled around and frowned at the prince's entrance. "What are you doing here, cousin?"

Legolas grinned, oblivious to the dark mood that Dior was in. "I come here to keep you company," the prince said cheerfully. "I know you're bored and lonely. Well, so am I!"

Dior stared at the prince with narrowed eyes. Bored? Who says I'm bored, you little idiot?! I'm angry! And all because of you!

His meeting with Luthwen had not gone as well as he had expected. Dior could not seek her out last night after dinner because the hour had grown late. And when he did see her this morning, Luthwen had been so shocked and distraught that she broke down and cried before rushing hurriedly away. Dior was confused at first, but he found out later that Luthwen was already involved with other young lad, a novice warrior of Mirkwood.

Dior had not stopped seething since. The entire thing is this stupid boy's fault, damn him! If he wasn't born, this whole disaster would never have happened! Queen Marwana would still be alive, Father would not have left Mirkwood and Luthwen would still be mine!

"Err… Dior?" Legolas was quite troubled by his cousin's long glare. He fidgeted, but then remembered the box he was carrying. "Oh! Here. I want to show you something." He opened the lid and took Big-Worm out by its neck, showing the long twitching creature to his cousin.

Alarmed, Dion jumped back instantly. "What the blazes are you doing?!"

"I…I want to show you Big-Worm. This is my pet."

"Your pet?! That's a snake, you moron!"

Legolas frowned. "But it's just a garter snake! It won't…"

"Throw it away, you stupid boy!"

The prince began to get angry for being called that way. He glared back at the elder elf. "I'm not stupid, you…you lily livered coward!"

Dior's face grew thunderous. "You're calling me a coward?"

"Yeah!" Legolas bravely replied. "Only a coward gets scared by a harmless garter snake!"

Dior exploded. He knocked hard at Legolas' hand, sending the reptile flying off to land onto the floor with a plop. Then he grabbed Legolas by the scruff of his tunic and dragged the prince to a closet. "Let's see who is the coward here, shall we?!"

The prince struggled and kicked wildly about for release, crying out indignantly. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

Dior opened the closet door and pushed his cousin inside. Before Legolas could jump back out, the door was slammed shut in his face, leaving him in utter darkness.

"Now stay there!" Dior shouted. "That will be your lesson for talking back to your elders!"

Legolas began to tremble in pure panic. The pitch-black darkness and the close confined space brought to his mind the terrible experience of being lost in the dungeon. "Open the door!" he screamed, slamming his tiny fists repeatedly at the sturdy mahogany. "I demand you to open the door!"

"No! Not until you apologize to me! That should be your penance for your misbehavior!"

By then, Legolas began to get hysterics. The darkness was so terrifying to him that his breath came in short fast gasps. "Open the door, please! Let me out! Let me out!!"

Dior just stood there and stared at the closet door with his arms crossed over his chest. Serves him right! he thought in satisfaction. The spoiled little prince needs some discipline!

After a while, Legolas was still screaming and banging for release. Dior began to get worried that others might hear the racket so he quickly opened the closet. Legolas immediately tumbled out and started to run for the door but Dior grabbed him before he could even took any more step.

"I'll tell Kel and my father!" Legolas yelled as tears ran down his face.

Dior sneered. "Listen here, cousin, and listen well. If you tell your father or your brother, I will kill them! Mark my words, boy! I will kill them if they find out about this!" Dior was only bluffing. He had no intention or the guts to carry on with his threat. But for a naïve child like Legolas, it sounded very real indeed.

As soon as Dior released him, Legolas took off running and never looked back.

When Keldarion returned to his chamber later in the evening, he found his little brother in his bed, hiding under the coverlet and desperately clutching a pillow to his trembling body. Alarmed, Keldarion rushed over to Legolas' side. "Legolas? What's wrong?"

The little prince jerked upright and hurled himself into Keldarion's arms, crying silently. The elder prince was even more worried. "Legolas, please tell me what's wrong," he coaxed, brushing away the tears off his brother's pale cheeks.

Legolas reluctantly looked up. Between broken sobs, he mumbled, "N…nothing."

"That's impossible. You're shaking!"

Legolas threw his arms around Keldarion's neck and cried harder. "Legolas." Keldarion gently pulled out of his brother's death grip and tilted up the elfling's chin until heir eyes met. "Tell me."

Legolas gulped in indecision. "Well…I…" He fumbled for explanation. I cannot tell him! the little prince repeatedly told himself. He knew that if Keldarion found out about what had transpired just now with Dior, his elder brother will surely go and confront their cousin, and Dior will kill him. So he lied.

"It's…it's Big Worm. He…he has escaped."

Keldarion frowned. Something in Legolas' voice told him that his brother was hiding something. "Big-Worm has escaped?"

"Err…yes! I…I think I forgot to…to put the lid on and…he…err…he slithered away and I couldn't find him!" Legolas stammered, not use to telling lies before. "So, I'm afraid…that…that father will get angry!"

Keldarion's eyes narrowed. He knew that Legolas was not telling the complete truth. But the elder prince will accept his brother's words. For now.

"Big-Worm is a free creature," Keldarion said. "Didn't I tell you before that every animal should roam free without being caged like a prisoner?"

"Yes, Kel. I know. You are right." Legolas looked down and rested his head against his brother's chest.

Something is definitely wrong, Keldarion thought. Legolas was not so easily agreeable with anything before.

"Kel?" came Legolas' timid voice.

"Yes, brat?"

"Can…can I…sleep with you tonight?"

Keldarion blinked. That was the first time in many months that Legolas had voiced out such a request. In the following days after he had been rescued from the dungeon, Keldarion and Thranduil had to accompany Legolas at night because the elfling had had a sudden phobia of the darkness and of being alone. Keldarion thought that Legolas had outgrown the fear after some time.

Hugging his brother to him, Keldarion whispered, "Sure, brat. Anything you say. My chamber is your chamber too."

He is frightened about something, Keldarion thought as he comfortingly rubbed down Legolas' still trembling back. And I will find out what had caused this! 

TBC…