Chapter 3

Set Plans

Aragorn looked hungrily at the plate that Legolas was making for him. The elven prince eyed his friend warily for a moment.

'He looks like Mistan when he is hungry.' the prince mused and set the plate full of deer, bread, and cheese on the table where the man sat.

"So." Legolas smiled and sat down, after giving the seemingly short and unmannered elf at his side a glare. "What did you discover?"

As Aragorn talk Legolas felt it hard not to watch the sleepy eyes of the young mortal, they were so….weary. He had dark circles under his eyes and his mind seemed somewhat foggy as he spoke.

The man took a big helping of the deer and swallowed it down whole.

'Eru, he eats like him too.' the elf prince fought hard to keep himself from laughing.

"I have found that Mistan is from the mountains, or that is where he traveled from. What he spoke of that first day, were great fortresses and caves, gold and silver. But he also spoke of forest….tangling and chilling…spiders creeping from each edge." Estel nodded and smiled, "And as I was sleeping, I had a dream. I know it sounds farfetched, but please, mellon nin. Listen to me."

The young man grabbed the glass of water that the elf prince had put out and gulped that down as well.

"In my dream, I saw as Mistan said. Mountains, not tall, but large that bordered the middle of Mirkwood. Spiders crept along the edges of the trees and goblins retreated to caves. But what they had with them caught my eyes." he stopped and sighed, but then shot the silver irises into the direction of Mistan, who was watching the roaring flames in the fireplace with much interest.

"I saw elves Legolas…..but not just any elves, I saw Galanion and Tarsae, they were caught in nets and traps. Galanion fought back most, but he paid for what he did. The goblins handed him off to some smaller being, he held a whip and then began cruelly beating him. I did not see anymore, for I awoke."

Aragorn saw the seldom placed fear in the elf prince's eyes. Tears welled up and began to trail down his fair cheeks.

Lingwen, who had disappeared into the next room for just a moment saw him and ran to Legolas. She hugged him gently and whispered in his ear.

"Legolas? Meleth nin? [My love]" Nothing could bring the elf out of his stupor, not even her light kiss on his cheek.

Suddenly his eyes hardened and his fine lined lips turned to a deadly frown. He turned cold merciless eyes on Aragorn, they burned at the man's very heart.

"We are going to get them! And we are going now!"

Legolas stood up and spun swiftly on his heel, then without another word disappeared down the long hall before the last of the burning torches flickered and went out, and he was lost among the darkness.

"Legolas! I said no!" Thranduil's eyes glowed red at his son's frequent and incessant question.

"But father?!" the elf prince cried in dismay as the king of Mirkwood turned and began walking away, to a closed door that led to one of his private chambers. "They are in danger, they are our friends. And Galanion is a fine captain! You would loose these immortal lives for the sake of one, who will willingly give up his own."

Aragorn sat down heavily on the chair, knowing that this could take a while and he did not want his father to yell at him for ruining his healing.

The elven king snapped back round and Legolas winced at the fire that burned inside his eyes. "Who will go with you ion nin?! [My son]" he prodded. "Estel is injured, Taran is on leave, and Galanion, he is missing!"

Aragorn raised a hand. "I would go your majesty. I can walk and ride easily enough."

Thranduil and Legolas both turned on him, their identical glares boring into his head. "STAY OUT OF THIS!"

"Alright, sorry." he sat back down.

"Please father, as a gift for my birthday?"

"Ha! You can not fool me….your birthday was last month." the elven king laughed and sat back down on his thrown, looking at the tapestries about him.

"Drat! Well, please Ada, Estel can come with me. Sure he is slow, but still he can fight. Please Ada."

Aragorn's eyes popped up from the floor. "Slow?" he questioned, highly annoyed that Legolas was using him for an example. What happened if he came back to Thranduil with Legolas hurt. "Ooooo. Not good."

The prince growled and stepped closer to the dais, where the king stood. Unsolicited tears were coming into his eyes.

"Ada? I just want to help….I do not want to be protected just because I am prince. If you want me protected, let Estel come with me." he whispered gently. Thranduil let out a sob and nodded in understanding.

He walked to his son and threw his strong arms around the young elf. "Legolas, it is not because you are prince. You are all I have left, if I loose you, my life will no longer have meaning."

"You won't loose me Ada, I will return….and so will Galanion and all his troop. I will make you proud."

Thranduil smiled once before nodding and hugging Legolas tighter than before. "Go now, before I change my mind, but take with you all the warriors you may."

"I will take Taran and his men." the elf prince informed, smiling wickedly.

Thranduil actually laughed as he wiped the lamenting tears from his eyes. "Someday, he will kill you, you know that?"

Legolas turned and walked away, but not before answering. "I know father, I know."

Legolas had been in Estel's room packing all day, since he would rather not have the mortal moving to much.

The very same day King Thranduil had said yes, they could go…Legolas and Aragorn had hurried off to their rooms and began to pack.

But since Estel had a limp that made the elf prince wonder if he could walk, Legolas had sent Estel off to his room to sleep while he packed the supplies, being the protective figure that he was towards the boy.

Just as he finished packing the supplies, a knock sounding at the old oak door and he smiled looking up from his duties.

"Come in."

The door swung softly open and Lingwen glided across the cave floors and rugs, her soft eyes brimming over with worried tears.

"Legolas, I need to speak with you." the elf-maiden sighed and looked at the bag that held Estel's things. It was small and did not have much, a little food, a water skin, one extra change of clothes. A stone for sharpening his sword, and a little home-made leather pouch that was filled with silver and gold coins.

Her weary face turned back to Legolas, her cheeks were paler than usual and she was not as radiant as she normally was. Only the sparkle of tears came from her eyes.

"Lingwen? What is wrong?" the question rang oddly in his own ears, he knew full well what was wrong…but he did not dare say it.

She sucked back all the emotions that seemed to be flooding her train of thought.

"No Legolas, I am not all right! I don't want you to go! Please Legolas, do not leave! Please!" she ran into his open arms and cried, harsh sobs shaking her beautiful, perfect frame.

He rubbed her back soothingly and tried to hush her cries, but they did not cease for the a good time.

The elf prince winced, he was not sure what to do, he had never held her, nor any other woman before. He did not know what to do. So Legolas only held her tight and rubbed her shaking back.

She would not stop, even when it slowed. The pleas only came more urgent from her dry mouth. "Please Legolas, meleth nin. [My love] Leave me not! Please! I beg you Legolas!"

Her deep sobs and cries hit his heart like an anvil, he felt paralyzed on the spot. Unable to move his own limbs, he could not even rub her back. The elf prince only stared at her. 'Maybe I should stay.' he mused, 'Maybe Aragorn could-'

What was he thinking, Aragorn, lead an army. He could hardly walk, and many of the Mirkwood elves still did not trust him. They thought that Legolas might be lying of the time he had saved the elf prince.

Feeling flooded back to his body and he smiled sadly, tilting Lingwen's chin so she could look into his silver-blue eyes, he spoke softly to her and the very birds outside stopped to listen to his beautiful voice.

"Lingwen, look at me and listen." His heart stopped just looking into her teary, silver eyes…..he almost could not bear the thought of leaving her behind.

She knew how he felt about her, but….he had never told her himself. He had called her sweet names and she had heard from his friends about his love for her. But she had to hear it, from him. He opened his slender mouth to say it. Nothing came out.

He meant for the words, the right ones. But they did not come, instead another question came.

"What troubles you?" he wanted to smack himself in the head, right at that moment he wished that it would have been him instead of Estel, whom the cave troll had hit.

"I do not want you to leave." she whispered back, and looked up at his with discernment.

Legolas smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I know that dear, now what is really the matter?"

"I am afraid that you will get hurt, and what if I never see you again."

Legolas took her chin and pulled her face into his, slanting his mouth over hers. Her breath caught in her throat and his heart stopped.

Her palms laid flat against his chest and she pulled away from him and looked deep into his eyes.

"I love you." She whispered just before they pulled back into another soft kiss. His arms wrapped around her slender waste.

They pulled away and he ran his fingers through her wonderful Golden hair.

He grinned playfully and brought a smooth cold and on her cheek. "I love you more."

Lingwen laughed and pushed him away, he just watched her, taking in her features, tracing them….loving them.

Legolas was too entranced in Lingwen to even notice Aragorn leaning on the door post. The man coughed awkwardly and both elves turned their eyes on him.

"Valar, I wish you would stop that." he rolled his eyes at Legolas. "Whenever I come, two of you elves turn eyes on me and it is beginning to get rather odd." He smiled gleefully and looked at Lingwen.

Legolas turned his attention back to the elf maiden that still stood beside him, looking at Aragorn. He took one of her pale hands and pulled her in.

"Take this as a promise. I will return to you Lingwen, always." he kissed he hand and smiled. "I love you too much to let go of life." She smiled and brushed his blonde tresses away from his face, and leaned in placing one last, sentimental kiss upon his lips.

"Good."

Taran smiled as his lord, Legolas, came out into the courtyard. He bowed and spoke with dignity.

"My lord, the troop is ready, we await only you and Lord Estel."

"Hannon le, Taran. [Thank you Taran] Let us mount, then we will be on our way."

Taran nodded and fell back to his warriors.

Legolas helped Aragorn up and handed him the small pack of supplies.

Then frowning he mounted his black stallion Glasonae. He looked back behind him, all the troop was read, horse snorted and stamped as they waited impatiently for their leader Glasonae, and his rider to start.

Legolas raised his hand and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"We ride south, if you get lost, make for The Mountains of Mirkwood." With one last longing look at Lingwen and a deep sigh the black stallion started forward, Gwenovere and the collage of colored horse behind him.

TBC~

Hey no cliffy this time! What do ya know?! Hehe! But anyway, hope you like this chapter…gotta go. Namarie, and please Review!!!! No flaming!