CHAPTER 18 - Shadow Of Doubt
They were sitting in Astaler's bedroom in a small circle on the floor in silence. Legolas felt that he ought to be happy, but a crushing sense of doom was weighing him down. The task set by Urshak was haunting him, making him terrified. He looked at Nilwethion whose eyes were red and swelled with salty tears, and then at Calensil sitting in his lap, her arms around him in a search for comfort, for once in her life saying nothing and sitting as still as a statue. He thought of what was planned for them and winced, looking away.
The door opened slowly, revealing a dark haired elf with wide eyes. Elrohir. He slipped in through the small crack in the door and sat down in between Astaler and Legolas.
"You escaped!" his voice was low and filled with awe.
The three princes nodded.
"Is . . . Did Elladan? Is he alive?"
"He is alive, but we could not help him," mumbled Astaler, fixing his gaze on a point in the middle of the small circle, "We know not what the orcs have done to him,"
Elrohir stiffened and drew his knees up, resting his chin on them.
"Then how did you escape?"
Legolas caught Nuryavie's sharp glance, warning him to keep his mouth shut. The three stared at each other, trying not to burst.
"Legolas, you are shaking," said Calensil. Her small hand was now resting on his arm, her pale brow furrowed. She looked up at him with large blur eyes. Legolas looked away, furious with himself.
"How did you get away?" the question was repeated, but this time by Nilwethion. His voice was curious as he fiddled with the cuff on his sleeve.
"I . . . I cannot tell you," whispered Legolas. Inside his chest, his heart broke when he looked up at his brother. His face was filled with emotions, clearly upset that Legolas was keeping a secret.
"Why not?"
"Never ask that again!" Nilwethion fell back as Astaler snapped his head around, suddenly angry. His fists were clenched tightly and he, like Legolas, had begun to shake, though more violently than his younger sibling. Suddenly he gasped with pain and hid his head in his hands. The prince began to rock backwards and forwards and let out a dull moan. When Nilwethion tentatively put his hand on his brothers' back, the elf looked up. Nilwethion sprang back, leaping up to his feet. Astaler snarled viciously, making Elrohir jump up on his feet next to Nilwethion before the pair darted out of the door. Calensil let out a petrified squeak as she saw what the other two had seen and scrabbled to get up, but Legolas held her firmly in his arms, a dark realisation flooding over him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nilwethion and Elrohir ran down corridor after corridor with their hair flying wildly behind them until they burst in to the throne room. Scanning the room quickly they could not find whom they were looking for and were about to run off again when a voice hailed them.
"Nilwethion? My son?" a weak, distraught voice made them turn around again. The two young elves saw Thranduil looking at his son, his face hollow and hopeless.
"Yes adar?"
A small smile crept across the kings' face.
"Have you also forsaken me?"
"No adar, of course I have not. I am not possessed. Have you seen Mithrandir?"
Thranduil nodded and his crown of berries fell over his eyes. He pushed it back up again.
"In the gardens with Elrond and Celebrian," he replied
Nilwethion nodded his thanks and the two young elves turned around and ran off again, heading for the gardens. Thranduil stared after them for a moment filled with a bittersweet happiness before he realised what his son had actually said.
"Possessed?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Walking slowly through the gardens of Mirkwood's king, two worried elves spoke softly with an ancient wizard wearing a tall, pointed grey hat. As their silver robes swished gently, they noticed lightly thudding feet approaching. The trio turned around to see Elrohir and Nilwethion running up. They waited patiently until the two elves reached them, but were surprised when neither stopped to speak, but grabbed Mithrandir's sleeve and began pulling him back the way they had just come.
"Stop!" commended the wizard. The two elves stopped pulling him along, but became restless and twitchy.
"What is this about?" asked the aged wizard, looking at the two elves sternly.
"Mithrandir, you have to come quickly!" begged Nilwethion, "Astaler is possessed!"
"Possessed?"
The young prince began jiggling up and down, clearly desperate to get back to the palace.
"His eyes . . . they were red. He was so angry . . . what . . ."
The grey pilgrim held up a hand and Nilwethion closed his mouth, but began chewing on the long sleeve of his green tunic. His blue eyes were wide and desperate.
"What is this tale?" asked the wizard, "Begin at the beginning,"
The prince swallowed and took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.
"We were sitting in Astaler's room, and then Elrohir and I asked how they escaped. First time they said they could not tell us, and then when we asked why Astaler became angry. Suddenly he just put his head in his hands and started rocking backwards and forwards. When he looked up, his eyes were glowing red and he snarled at us. That was not the Astaler I know!"
"Could his eyes not have been reflecting the firelight?" asked Lady Celebrian. Her arm was linked with Elronds, the long silver sleeves seeming to mingle with his. Her eyes showed nothing but honest hope. Elrohir shook his head.
"Nay naneth, there was no fire lit, nor were there candles. The only light came from the stars through the window,"
"Why?"
The simple question seemed to confuse the two young elves. They looked at each other, slightly confused.
"I think," said Nilwethion hesitantly, "I think Legolas said something about the darkness hiding you,"
The three older companions exchanged worried glances. Mithrandir's face grew grey as the moonlight bounced of his old skin, revealing the wrinkles grown in his sudden worry.
"Why should he want to be hidden?"
"We do not know,"
"Lead the way,"
As Nilwethion and Elrohir turned around to run back to the room the three princes and their sister were in, an arrow thudded in to the ground by the feet of the young prince. Nilwethion stumbled and tripped, unprepared. He grabbed the arrow and pulled it out of the soil as Elrohir, Mithrandir and the lord and lady of Imladris ran to him. He looked up at them.
"Twenty four days? What does that mean Mithrandir?"
The wizened Maiar grabbed the arrow from the prince. Carved in to the thick wood was a message saying only "twenty four days". He turned the arrow over and over in his hands before giving it back to the prince sitting on the ground. Nilwethion took the arrow and pulled himself up.
"Perhaps we ought to ask your brothers," he said in a low voice, "Lord Elrond, would you kindly go and tell King Thranduil about this occurrence. I find myself wondering how the archer got past his guards, as I am sure he will,"
As the lord and lady of Imladris hurried quickly in one direction, Mithrandir disappeared off after Nilwethion and Elrohir
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas looked up as the doors swung open revealing Mithrandir, Nilwethion and Elrohir. Mithrandir looked around at the darkness and whispered something to the large wooden staff in his hand. The top of the staff lit up, sending a bright light around the room. In the sudden white light, Legolas blanched and screwed his eyes shut, turning his head away. Nuryávië, he noticed, did the same. Astaler was lying on his bed, unconscious. Calensil, however, bounded towards Nilwethion and wrapped her arms around him.
"Prince Nuryávië, prince Legolas, you hide from the light," the prince heard Mithrandir say.
"It hurts our eyes," said Nuryávië. Legolas opened his eyes, but shielded them from the light with a hand. Mithrandir raised a hairy eyebrow, but strode over to the bed where Astaler was lying.
"I have heard a dark rumour, my dear princes. Do you know what this rumour is?"
Legolas passed a filthy glare to the two young elves standing close to the door, but said nothing.
"I hear Astaler is possessed. Something to do with red eyes. Much like yours."
The blonde prince snapped his head up at the wizard. Glancing towards the mirror that stood on the dressing table, he gasped. His eyes were, indeed red.
"What happened when you were taken by the shadows?" Mithrandir began to slowly walk towards the princes, who in turn backed away from him.
"Could you tell us, perhaps, what significance twenty four days has to the elves of this realm?"
This time, the old wizard had struck mithril. Nuryávië stared at him for a moment, and then let out a small, helpless moan. His eyes rolled in his head and he fell backwards to the floor, hiding his head in his arms. Legolas choked and covered his mouth.
"No," he whispered, "Please no,"
Elrohir and Nilwethion looked at each other. The latter held out the arrow with the message carved in to it.
"What is going on, Thranduilion?" Mithrandir became harsh, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the prince with the glowing red eyes.
"They . . .Urshak . . .I cannot do it. Help us," the last part was small and helpless, like a lost child. Mithrandir looked around at Nilwethion, Elrohir and Calensil. He signalled to them to close the door. Elrohir swung it shut with a 'click'.
"Now, prince Legolas, you will explain exactly what is going on,"
The young prince fell to his knees and avoided the eyes of all those watching him.
"We did not escape," he whispered, "We were set free. Urshak told us - that is, we have to . . ."
"Have to what Legolas?" asked the wizard. Nilwethion put Calensil down on her feet and walked over to Legolas. He knelt down next to the prince and put his arms around his shoulders.
"He told us that . . .that if we do not . . ."
In a fluid movement, Nuryávië leapt up off the floor and covered Legolas' mouth.
"Shut up, you fool!" his voice had become low and guttural, reminding Legolas of the orcs, "Urshak has spies everywhere! Think what will happen if you tell them!"
The glow of the staff dimmed, leaving only Mithrandir illuminated. The wizard grew tall, pulling himself up to his full height - taller than any of the young elves in the room. When he spoke his voice boomed, echoing around the room.
"Nuryávië Thranduilion I do not know what is going on, but you will not stop your brother from telling me. I know not what dark spirit has taken you over, but believe me I will not let it stop me!"
The elf shook and recoiled as if burnt, his red eyes wide in terror. He dragged himself backwards until his back met a wall, never letting his eyes leave the wizard. The room returned to normal.
"Legolas Greenleaf, do not let any terror stop you," said Mithrandir, returning to normal, "Now tell me, with no interruptions, what is happening.
Legolas stared up at the wizard and opened his mouth, but said nothing and closed it again. Instead, he pulled up his sleeve and held out his arm, revealing the 'N' rune slashed so deeply in to his flesh by the orcs. After a few moments of stunned silence, Nilwethion, still kneeling by Legolas, pulled the princes sleeve back down over his arm.
"Urshak - that is, Neldoreth, he told us that we have to kill Thranduil and naneth, and that we have to make sure we get Nilwethion and Calensil to them. He said he wants all his siblings on his side,"
Nilwethion let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Why would you do that? Now you are free, there is no need to even think about what he said!"
Legolas shook his head sadly, his messy golden locks flopping miserably over his shoulders.
"You do not understand. He still has Oroweth and Thellind and Elladan. If we do not do as we are told, they will kill Elladan in the slowest, most brutal way possible and turn Oroweth and Thellind in to the most twisted orcs ever created!"
The silence in the room was deafening. Nobody in the room moved for what seemed like hours. The moment, as if frozen in time, dragged out beyond reason. At last Calensil began to cry, breaking the silence. She ran to Legolas and flung her little arms around his neck.
"What are you going to do?" asked Nilwethion. Legolas looked away sadly.
"We were going to kill naneth and Thranduil," admitted Nuryávië in low tones, "But when we saw him we realised that is impossible. As much as we hate him, we could never bring ourselves to do it."
"I am glad to see you have not been turned yet then," said Mithrandir. When he spoke, the elves felt suddenly reassured somehow, as if everything was going to be all right, and that they were silly to be under such a dark shadow of doubt, "However, we do seem t be in a very dark situation,"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Cookie time! **Gives nice reviewers lovely big choc chip 'n' cherry cookie** Nothing really to say this time, except that I'm thinking about moving update day to Fridays, not Sundays. Hmm, we'll see.
PERSONAL REVIEW THINGY
MAVERICK GIRL ~ the anger continues through to this chapter, but not quite so strongly. Obviously.
SONY ~ ah well, never mind. I'm sure one will come hopping along soon.
ICED ~ not really what I would call cute, but never mind. I suppose, viewed in a certain light, angry princesses in a mood with their parents can be seen as cute.
FIREANGEL ~ good reason. Have a nice time in Italy.
PIRATE-CHICHA ~~ wait a mo, that means you've changed your name twice in about two weeks! Confusing. If they're evil or not, that's for you to judge. If you did that, they probably would turn evil. It all gets explained why.
LEXIE ~ yup, black blood. Poor kiddies.
TAMARA ~ yes he does. All the princes who were taken captive do. I didn't actually write it down, but he does.
JUKIA WOLFCALL ~ heh. Shouldn't bet then should you? Who were you betting against and what was the bet? Did you notice your name last chapter?
IMBEFANIEL ~ you bet I want it! So what is this poison? Could come in very useful. **Kidnaps plot bunny from Imbefaniel** HA! My plot bunny!
EBONY FALCON ~ but so far, lots of the stuff Neldoreth told the princes is true, or is true in their eyes. They don't know Thranduil had search parties looking all over Mirkwood for them, or that he was looking for Neldoreth for months and months.
COOLIO02 ~ thank you very much. Here it is.
They were sitting in Astaler's bedroom in a small circle on the floor in silence. Legolas felt that he ought to be happy, but a crushing sense of doom was weighing him down. The task set by Urshak was haunting him, making him terrified. He looked at Nilwethion whose eyes were red and swelled with salty tears, and then at Calensil sitting in his lap, her arms around him in a search for comfort, for once in her life saying nothing and sitting as still as a statue. He thought of what was planned for them and winced, looking away.
The door opened slowly, revealing a dark haired elf with wide eyes. Elrohir. He slipped in through the small crack in the door and sat down in between Astaler and Legolas.
"You escaped!" his voice was low and filled with awe.
The three princes nodded.
"Is . . . Did Elladan? Is he alive?"
"He is alive, but we could not help him," mumbled Astaler, fixing his gaze on a point in the middle of the small circle, "We know not what the orcs have done to him,"
Elrohir stiffened and drew his knees up, resting his chin on them.
"Then how did you escape?"
Legolas caught Nuryavie's sharp glance, warning him to keep his mouth shut. The three stared at each other, trying not to burst.
"Legolas, you are shaking," said Calensil. Her small hand was now resting on his arm, her pale brow furrowed. She looked up at him with large blur eyes. Legolas looked away, furious with himself.
"How did you get away?" the question was repeated, but this time by Nilwethion. His voice was curious as he fiddled with the cuff on his sleeve.
"I . . . I cannot tell you," whispered Legolas. Inside his chest, his heart broke when he looked up at his brother. His face was filled with emotions, clearly upset that Legolas was keeping a secret.
"Why not?"
"Never ask that again!" Nilwethion fell back as Astaler snapped his head around, suddenly angry. His fists were clenched tightly and he, like Legolas, had begun to shake, though more violently than his younger sibling. Suddenly he gasped with pain and hid his head in his hands. The prince began to rock backwards and forwards and let out a dull moan. When Nilwethion tentatively put his hand on his brothers' back, the elf looked up. Nilwethion sprang back, leaping up to his feet. Astaler snarled viciously, making Elrohir jump up on his feet next to Nilwethion before the pair darted out of the door. Calensil let out a petrified squeak as she saw what the other two had seen and scrabbled to get up, but Legolas held her firmly in his arms, a dark realisation flooding over him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nilwethion and Elrohir ran down corridor after corridor with their hair flying wildly behind them until they burst in to the throne room. Scanning the room quickly they could not find whom they were looking for and were about to run off again when a voice hailed them.
"Nilwethion? My son?" a weak, distraught voice made them turn around again. The two young elves saw Thranduil looking at his son, his face hollow and hopeless.
"Yes adar?"
A small smile crept across the kings' face.
"Have you also forsaken me?"
"No adar, of course I have not. I am not possessed. Have you seen Mithrandir?"
Thranduil nodded and his crown of berries fell over his eyes. He pushed it back up again.
"In the gardens with Elrond and Celebrian," he replied
Nilwethion nodded his thanks and the two young elves turned around and ran off again, heading for the gardens. Thranduil stared after them for a moment filled with a bittersweet happiness before he realised what his son had actually said.
"Possessed?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Walking slowly through the gardens of Mirkwood's king, two worried elves spoke softly with an ancient wizard wearing a tall, pointed grey hat. As their silver robes swished gently, they noticed lightly thudding feet approaching. The trio turned around to see Elrohir and Nilwethion running up. They waited patiently until the two elves reached them, but were surprised when neither stopped to speak, but grabbed Mithrandir's sleeve and began pulling him back the way they had just come.
"Stop!" commended the wizard. The two elves stopped pulling him along, but became restless and twitchy.
"What is this about?" asked the aged wizard, looking at the two elves sternly.
"Mithrandir, you have to come quickly!" begged Nilwethion, "Astaler is possessed!"
"Possessed?"
The young prince began jiggling up and down, clearly desperate to get back to the palace.
"His eyes . . . they were red. He was so angry . . . what . . ."
The grey pilgrim held up a hand and Nilwethion closed his mouth, but began chewing on the long sleeve of his green tunic. His blue eyes were wide and desperate.
"What is this tale?" asked the wizard, "Begin at the beginning,"
The prince swallowed and took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.
"We were sitting in Astaler's room, and then Elrohir and I asked how they escaped. First time they said they could not tell us, and then when we asked why Astaler became angry. Suddenly he just put his head in his hands and started rocking backwards and forwards. When he looked up, his eyes were glowing red and he snarled at us. That was not the Astaler I know!"
"Could his eyes not have been reflecting the firelight?" asked Lady Celebrian. Her arm was linked with Elronds, the long silver sleeves seeming to mingle with his. Her eyes showed nothing but honest hope. Elrohir shook his head.
"Nay naneth, there was no fire lit, nor were there candles. The only light came from the stars through the window,"
"Why?"
The simple question seemed to confuse the two young elves. They looked at each other, slightly confused.
"I think," said Nilwethion hesitantly, "I think Legolas said something about the darkness hiding you,"
The three older companions exchanged worried glances. Mithrandir's face grew grey as the moonlight bounced of his old skin, revealing the wrinkles grown in his sudden worry.
"Why should he want to be hidden?"
"We do not know,"
"Lead the way,"
As Nilwethion and Elrohir turned around to run back to the room the three princes and their sister were in, an arrow thudded in to the ground by the feet of the young prince. Nilwethion stumbled and tripped, unprepared. He grabbed the arrow and pulled it out of the soil as Elrohir, Mithrandir and the lord and lady of Imladris ran to him. He looked up at them.
"Twenty four days? What does that mean Mithrandir?"
The wizened Maiar grabbed the arrow from the prince. Carved in to the thick wood was a message saying only "twenty four days". He turned the arrow over and over in his hands before giving it back to the prince sitting on the ground. Nilwethion took the arrow and pulled himself up.
"Perhaps we ought to ask your brothers," he said in a low voice, "Lord Elrond, would you kindly go and tell King Thranduil about this occurrence. I find myself wondering how the archer got past his guards, as I am sure he will,"
As the lord and lady of Imladris hurried quickly in one direction, Mithrandir disappeared off after Nilwethion and Elrohir
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas looked up as the doors swung open revealing Mithrandir, Nilwethion and Elrohir. Mithrandir looked around at the darkness and whispered something to the large wooden staff in his hand. The top of the staff lit up, sending a bright light around the room. In the sudden white light, Legolas blanched and screwed his eyes shut, turning his head away. Nuryávië, he noticed, did the same. Astaler was lying on his bed, unconscious. Calensil, however, bounded towards Nilwethion and wrapped her arms around him.
"Prince Nuryávië, prince Legolas, you hide from the light," the prince heard Mithrandir say.
"It hurts our eyes," said Nuryávië. Legolas opened his eyes, but shielded them from the light with a hand. Mithrandir raised a hairy eyebrow, but strode over to the bed where Astaler was lying.
"I have heard a dark rumour, my dear princes. Do you know what this rumour is?"
Legolas passed a filthy glare to the two young elves standing close to the door, but said nothing.
"I hear Astaler is possessed. Something to do with red eyes. Much like yours."
The blonde prince snapped his head up at the wizard. Glancing towards the mirror that stood on the dressing table, he gasped. His eyes were, indeed red.
"What happened when you were taken by the shadows?" Mithrandir began to slowly walk towards the princes, who in turn backed away from him.
"Could you tell us, perhaps, what significance twenty four days has to the elves of this realm?"
This time, the old wizard had struck mithril. Nuryávië stared at him for a moment, and then let out a small, helpless moan. His eyes rolled in his head and he fell backwards to the floor, hiding his head in his arms. Legolas choked and covered his mouth.
"No," he whispered, "Please no,"
Elrohir and Nilwethion looked at each other. The latter held out the arrow with the message carved in to it.
"What is going on, Thranduilion?" Mithrandir became harsh, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the prince with the glowing red eyes.
"They . . .Urshak . . .I cannot do it. Help us," the last part was small and helpless, like a lost child. Mithrandir looked around at Nilwethion, Elrohir and Calensil. He signalled to them to close the door. Elrohir swung it shut with a 'click'.
"Now, prince Legolas, you will explain exactly what is going on,"
The young prince fell to his knees and avoided the eyes of all those watching him.
"We did not escape," he whispered, "We were set free. Urshak told us - that is, we have to . . ."
"Have to what Legolas?" asked the wizard. Nilwethion put Calensil down on her feet and walked over to Legolas. He knelt down next to the prince and put his arms around his shoulders.
"He told us that . . .that if we do not . . ."
In a fluid movement, Nuryávië leapt up off the floor and covered Legolas' mouth.
"Shut up, you fool!" his voice had become low and guttural, reminding Legolas of the orcs, "Urshak has spies everywhere! Think what will happen if you tell them!"
The glow of the staff dimmed, leaving only Mithrandir illuminated. The wizard grew tall, pulling himself up to his full height - taller than any of the young elves in the room. When he spoke his voice boomed, echoing around the room.
"Nuryávië Thranduilion I do not know what is going on, but you will not stop your brother from telling me. I know not what dark spirit has taken you over, but believe me I will not let it stop me!"
The elf shook and recoiled as if burnt, his red eyes wide in terror. He dragged himself backwards until his back met a wall, never letting his eyes leave the wizard. The room returned to normal.
"Legolas Greenleaf, do not let any terror stop you," said Mithrandir, returning to normal, "Now tell me, with no interruptions, what is happening.
Legolas stared up at the wizard and opened his mouth, but said nothing and closed it again. Instead, he pulled up his sleeve and held out his arm, revealing the 'N' rune slashed so deeply in to his flesh by the orcs. After a few moments of stunned silence, Nilwethion, still kneeling by Legolas, pulled the princes sleeve back down over his arm.
"Urshak - that is, Neldoreth, he told us that we have to kill Thranduil and naneth, and that we have to make sure we get Nilwethion and Calensil to them. He said he wants all his siblings on his side,"
Nilwethion let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Why would you do that? Now you are free, there is no need to even think about what he said!"
Legolas shook his head sadly, his messy golden locks flopping miserably over his shoulders.
"You do not understand. He still has Oroweth and Thellind and Elladan. If we do not do as we are told, they will kill Elladan in the slowest, most brutal way possible and turn Oroweth and Thellind in to the most twisted orcs ever created!"
The silence in the room was deafening. Nobody in the room moved for what seemed like hours. The moment, as if frozen in time, dragged out beyond reason. At last Calensil began to cry, breaking the silence. She ran to Legolas and flung her little arms around his neck.
"What are you going to do?" asked Nilwethion. Legolas looked away sadly.
"We were going to kill naneth and Thranduil," admitted Nuryávië in low tones, "But when we saw him we realised that is impossible. As much as we hate him, we could never bring ourselves to do it."
"I am glad to see you have not been turned yet then," said Mithrandir. When he spoke, the elves felt suddenly reassured somehow, as if everything was going to be all right, and that they were silly to be under such a dark shadow of doubt, "However, we do seem t be in a very dark situation,"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Cookie time! **Gives nice reviewers lovely big choc chip 'n' cherry cookie** Nothing really to say this time, except that I'm thinking about moving update day to Fridays, not Sundays. Hmm, we'll see.
PERSONAL REVIEW THINGY
MAVERICK GIRL ~ the anger continues through to this chapter, but not quite so strongly. Obviously.
SONY ~ ah well, never mind. I'm sure one will come hopping along soon.
ICED ~ not really what I would call cute, but never mind. I suppose, viewed in a certain light, angry princesses in a mood with their parents can be seen as cute.
FIREANGEL ~ good reason. Have a nice time in Italy.
PIRATE-CHICHA ~~ wait a mo, that means you've changed your name twice in about two weeks! Confusing. If they're evil or not, that's for you to judge. If you did that, they probably would turn evil. It all gets explained why.
LEXIE ~ yup, black blood. Poor kiddies.
TAMARA ~ yes he does. All the princes who were taken captive do. I didn't actually write it down, but he does.
JUKIA WOLFCALL ~ heh. Shouldn't bet then should you? Who were you betting against and what was the bet? Did you notice your name last chapter?
IMBEFANIEL ~ you bet I want it! So what is this poison? Could come in very useful. **Kidnaps plot bunny from Imbefaniel** HA! My plot bunny!
EBONY FALCON ~ but so far, lots of the stuff Neldoreth told the princes is true, or is true in their eyes. They don't know Thranduil had search parties looking all over Mirkwood for them, or that he was looking for Neldoreth for months and months.
COOLIO02 ~ thank you very much. Here it is.