A/N) Yay, I updated when I said I would! I'm hoping to get the next chapter up on Thursday or Friday. I think after that chapter the final chapter will be up, and hopefully in two weeks time the sequel to this story "Fear of Men" will be up, which concludes the storyline started in Just an Innocent Child, as we learn the identity of the Shadow Elf and what his real purpose is!



Enjoy this chapter!





The Forge of Friendship

Chapter 6

Explanations



Legolas ran with all his might through the dense forest. Dark and dreary, the forest made the elf feel lonesome and in a way afraid. To top it all his worry over his failure for Aragorn and the other two elves was tearing the Prince apart. He could not bear the thought of Aragorn or the other elves in these mens hands.

Why was I given this choice? The elf thought. How can I choose between a filthy human and two of my kind? He knew he would have to choose between the three, but how could he? Whether I like it or not I will have to sacrifice one of them in order to save the others.

A few minutes later Legolas stepped into the clearing of the former camp. He supposed the other elves had gone back to the elven halls. That meant he had another two hours of walking, and he was already tired from the escape.

And Aragorn and the elves did not have two more hours. Who knows what was happening to them?

Well, I'm just going to have to try and get aid from my father! He vowed.



*****



Aragorn could barely remember what had happened since his capture, but as the drug he had been forced to have, slowly wore off, his memory began to return. He could see Hayner's grinning face as every word Aragorn said hit home. The only thing they had not asked was his lineage - which was a good thing - but the drug had forced him to tell them that he was Aragorn son of Arathorn. Luckily they had no idea of Arathorn or of the Dunedain.

His identity was safe, that was the only thing that mattered in this case. Legolas' people was the things that mattered. His thoughts immediately turned towards the other two elves that he and Legolas had freed. Where were they? Had they escaped or where they back at the Camp?

Forcing his head round Aragorn studied his surroundings. It was getting lighter; the sun just beginning to rise below the treetops. To his surprise the two elves were bound securely to a pole next to him, their heads limp, their bodies slack. So they hadn't escaped. Legolas was no where to be seen.

Valar, let Legolas have escaped. Let everything be alright!

He closed his eyes and gently let sleep take him. If Legolas came he would need to have his strength, but the way his hands were bound made struggling impossible. He slept.

He was woken by a slap to the face.

What a way to be woken! Aragorn thought, as his eyes focused on Doyni grinning madly.

"Well Ranger, its good to see you have not succumbed to the darkness our little mind-numbing drug did to our little elves," he indicated the other two elves, "unfortunately for you we have no use for you anymore. Your precious little elven prince escaped us, but we'll get him back. Already half of my brothers men are searching for him."

"Once an elf disappears you can never catch him. They are too fast for you." Aragorn said, his eyes glinting, "Whether or not, Legolas will come back, and with aid!"

"Unlikely! He is heading right into a spider's trap. We will get him back, don't you worry, Ranger."

Aragorn spat at the man. "Whether I die or not, you will not succeed. Thranduil will not stand for what you have been doing to his son."

"We will see. He has no proof." Doyni said, shrugging his shoulders.

Aragorn grinned. "The marks on his back are proof enough. You will see: the elves will come, and you will fall."

Doyni left muttering under his breath: "Damn human."



*****



Oh, great! A Spider's Nest! Just my luck!

Legolas mentally cursed himself for falling so quickly into this trap. After getting back to the camp he had opted to not follow the path back to the Palace but had instead made his own way, obviously his sense of direction was totally wrong.

He looked wearily around him clenching his fists around the hilts of the two knives he still held.

He stepped back quickly, before running back. Even before he reached the next row of trees, spiders emerged from the treetops and began spinning webs round and round each gap in the trees preventing the nimble elf from escaping. Breathing hard from exertion, the elf readied himself for the coming battle.

Spiders came from everywhere and the Prince ducked, and jumped, and ran around the clearing slashing at webs and skin of the spiders whenever possible. He killed two before he was completely surrounded by the creatures.

He stood still waiting for them to make the first move.

As if by magic a bright light erupted from behind the spiders. The brightness dazzled them, and Legolas shielded his eyes from the light.

The light dimmed, and standing between two trees was Gandalf the Grey.

"Mithrandir!" the Prince cried. "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you through foresight. I have come with a message from your father. He will meet us on the edge of the camp. At midday we will march for the camp." Gandalf said. "Tell me, where is Aragorn?"

Legolas lowered his head, shame rippling through his fair features. "I'm sorry Gandalf. He was caught. I had to get home."

Gandalf nodded. "Tell me, is their a reason behind their capturing of elves?"

"You already know. Aragorn told you."

"He did, but I want to hear your view of the situation."

"They planned on using me to get Ada to co-operate with their demands. They want to know who was behind their parents death. It was a group of elves that did it. They want to know why. I told them Ada wouldn't know but they did not take that as an answer. I fear what they will try and do to Aragorn while he is their prisoner." Legolas mumbled.

"They no longer have a bargaining chip to suit their demands. At the least they will try and trade him for you."

"And the most?"

"Take his life."



*****



Just as Gandalf had told the Prince, Thranduil was waiting with a small group of elves. It was not normal for the King of Mirkwood to go on trips such as these, but these men wanted to speak to him and so he would. They had decided that he and Legolas would go into the men's camp, with Gandalf. From there they would bargain for Aragorn and the two elves to be released before any information was told. As well as Gandalf escorting the King and the Prince, there was also another elf to go who held the information that the men sought.

This elf was the sister of one of the elves that had been in the party who had killed the men's parents. She had known what they were planning but hadn't wanted to participate in the arduous game in which her brother had. Since that time, she had never seen her brother again. Word was that the elves responsible had all perished, or had left the land of Mirkwood entirely to hide away. Wherever they were, none had ever returned.

Celedë, which was her name, walked beside the King and his son as they entered into the clearing of the men's camp. None of them had any weapons, and Thranduil's guards were hiding in the bushes, ready to attack and defend if their King asked it of them.

The men's camp was completely surprised at the appearance of the elves; as was Aragorn who was still bound. But his joy at seeing Gandalf and Legolas changed, when Hayner emerged from his tent with a wicked smile on his face.

He'd known. Hayner had known what was to come. He had prepared for it.

Hayner approached the group of elves, the smile now gone, and with his brother told them their names. Thranduil did the same, letting on that he knew what they had done to his son. Hayner did not reply, instead he walked back towards his three captives.

"I will release this three if you tell me the information I seek. If you do not then I will order my men to kill them one by one." he turned back to the elves. "What say you?"

Celedë stepped forward clearing her voice. "I am Celedë, sister to Derondë, one of the elves that was involved in the incident involving your parents."

Hayner's eyes slit. "How do you know?" Then his eyes roamed to Legolas and he realised. "Of course, the Prince. Are you well?"

"I'm fine." Legolas replied, his eyes burning brightly at the man that had hurt him.

Celedë held up her hand. "I will tell you what I know. It may not be accurate, but it may be enough to sway your minds."

"Proceed." Hayner said, fixing his focus completely onto the female elf, who's blond flowing hair was whistling in the wind.

"My brother, Derondë, was on a hunting trip with his friends when they were set upon by hunters. Men. One of my brother's closest friends were killed. The elves sought revenge on all the huntsman that were involved. They attacked the town where they had seen them go, and attacked, finding each hunter and killing them, brutally. The elves never returned to Mirkwood after that."

"The evil? There is evil in these woods." Hayner stated.

At this Gandalf stepped forward. "There was evil in this wood. Ten years ago the evil was vanquished and sent away further east. I know, I was the one that did so. Evil has corrupted this wood. The elves have been unaffected. Can you not understand that these two events are not connected to each other? Instead a simple misunderstanding?"

"I can see that." Doyni said.

However Hayner was not about to give up easily. "I don't believe your words wizard! Never trust a wizard!" he spat, grabbing his sword and advancing.

Aragorn's eyes widened when he heard the man's next words. "Kill the prisoners!"

Three men stalked towards him and the two elves holding knives, while the other men apart from Doyni, stalked towards Thranduil, when his warriors emerged from the trees where they had been hidden.

The battle was about to begin.



TBC