A/N: Hey all, sorry this took so long. Have been really busy! VERY BUSY! So Here 'tis. The next chapter! Oh and it is a little jumpy, and real short. Sorry. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Sleep be needed

Aragorn shifted uncomfortably in his mount. They had been riding for days now, it seemed to the mortal that Legolas had forgotten the fact that he was a man and needed sleep. But he was not about to tell the prince that.

He assumed the dark circles that hung under his eyes, and his incessant shifting would most likely draw the elf's attention sooner or later.

The problem was that since Legolas seemed tense and was no listening to him of late, it would be later.

"Taran." The weary eyes mortal looked up to see the prince looking past him at the elven captain.

"Yes lord?"

"Send two of your scouts forward." Legolas ordered as he turned back in his seat, eyes once again on the road ahead.

"Yes my prince. Tasar, lamin……go ahead and scout for enemies." he smiled at Tasar and nodded when the young elf smiled and ran forward.

Tasar, was Taran's younger brother. They had both entered the Mirkwood guard at young ages and both were fine warriors. Tasar, though was only a scout, could handle a sword well, but had not much skill with a bow and arrow.

"Be careful gwador nin.[ my brother]" he whispered and the two scouts started forward, Tasar holding sword and lamin grasping bow.

Legolas turned back to see Aragorn, the man was rocking unsteadily in his mount, looking at the ground with a sort of longing, or was it unseeing?

The elven prince smiled and looked to Taran and nodded in the young man's direction.

The captain smiled tenderly and halted his horse, sliding down o the ground and walked to were Aragorn was.

A moment later, as was suspected, the weary young man toppled down on the side the warrior stood.

Taran caught the man and held him in his strong arms. He smiled up at Legolas and brushed the man's bedraggled hair out of his face.

The blonde elf sighed and shook his head sadly. 'How could I have forgotten, Aragorn could never sit up for four days in a row, riding mind you.' That was just to long for any man, even numenorean.

"How could I forget?" he whispered, Taran smiled and looked at Legolas.

"He did not want you to know, I have watched him."

"We will rest here, tell your warriors to move the horses a little deeper into the forest. Then we can rest without worry."

The dark haired elf repositioned the young man and carried him through the brush, the two elven horse following close behind.

Lingwen sat in her room, a smile upon her soft pale pink lips. She smiled as she read over the elegant curving elvish characters, she read it to herself and smiled as she thought of the elven prince. Her elven prince.

All the girls in the palace were jealous of her and Legolas's bond. It was obviously more special than any other.

She kissed the letter and trailed her finger down the flowing script that she had found in her room. The letter had been from the prince, he had left it for her to find and write a letter back to him.

A course howl pierced the crisp air that flowed through the window, and she sighed as she pulled her robes closer and a delicate tear grazed her cheek.

"Please return home soon meleth nin." she whispered as she brought her mouth closer to the candle that sat on the desk, throwing light off the walls. She let a quiet breath escape her lips and it entwined with the flame before going out completely and leaving her in the dark room alone.

Legolas watched as Aragorn turned over silently in his slumber, the elf heard a laugh to his right and turned bright blue eyes upon Taran, who was eating a piece of bread.

"What is it?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about what his father would say if I brought him back without any sleep, he'd be falling over the horses head and I would be sent to the dungeon most likely." Taran laughed again while he put away the food .

"Why yes, that would be a problem." the prince did not smile, but mirth gleamed in his eyes and his face took on a gleeful light.

The elven prince arose from his seat and patted Taran upon the back.

"I bet you, Taran, that he'll save you from death sometime in the near future." Legolas watched as the elf shook his head.

"I have nothing against Estel, but I doubt that he will ever save me."

The prince started to walk away from the camp, smiling.

"Where are you going my prince?" Taran inquired a deep smile marring his youthful features.

The prince held up the empty skin that he had taken with him. "I'm getting some water." he informed before taking off through the bush.

Legolas's keen eyes scanned the surroundings as he dipped down to one knee and put his water skin in the gentle brook.

His golden hair spilled over his shoulders and he roughly shoved it back, his keen eyes searching the area. Something did not feel right. There were no noises, not even the cool wind blew against his face.

He repositioned himself carefully, and suddenly a fastening pain lanced through his ankle and he fell back with a cry.

He was amazed when he felt new, hot tears fall down his cheeks. A burning lance of almost unbearable pain went through his leg and he slipped into a trance like state, that seemed like the only way he could deal with the pain that was ramming full force at his ankle.

A cry that surpassed those he had ever heard before rang across the new night sky, a flash of light echoed across the sky, lighting up the whole scene before him.

Taran listened as the crack of thunder whipped the air, he looked down at Aragorn's startled form and smiled at the young human's horror stricken face.

His hair was scruffy with sleep, and his eyes glinted as the lightning flashed.

"What is wrong Estel?" he whispered as the man stood up clumsily from his bedroll, and just stood there, one pale ear pointed south.

"Shhh…"

The thunder stopped and rain began to pour through the canopy of trees. And it was then that he heard it, hundreds of footsteps. Rumbling among the trees and pounding the new rain into the dirt.

Out like the roar of a lion, a collage of voices rang.

"Khazâd ai-mênu!"

TBC~

Authors Note: Ok, so that chapter was a little short, and kinda jumpy! I know! I know! But here it is! Hope you liked it! Namarie all!!!!! Oh by the way, for those of you who are not scholars in Dwarvish… like me……. "Khazâd ai-menu!" Means….. "The Dwarves are upon you!" hehe! Helps don't it?! J Anyway, please tell me any questions you have and I will be happy to answer them……

Legolas- [Looks at Firn] You are leaving me here? What about this? [shakes trap at his ankle]

Firn: [thinks a sec] mmm….ya. [nods] Gotta go and read Cassia's next chapter now! Hehe, so excited!!!! Namarie!