A/N- Thank you all for reviewing! I loved them all, you guys are great! LPI3

Chapter 5

Legolas opened his eyes. He was in a white room in a bed of silky white sheets. He sat up and clutched his chest as he remembered the pain. He moaned silently.

"You are awake then." Legolas turned to see the two young elven Princes, Elladan and Elrohir standing side by side in the door way.

Legolas smiled. "Yes, but how?" Questions began to form in his head. He wasn't sure of how he got in this room and he wasn't sure what had happened to get him there.

"So you do not remember then?" Elladan walked gracefully over to Legolas' bed and sat down on a chair next to it.

Legolas shook his head and looked down at his bare bandaged chest.

"Your injuries were very severe. Ada was not for sure if you would make it or not ." Elrohir said seeing the confused look on Legolas' face.

"Arwen is of course worried something awful about you." Elladan smiled.

Legolas looked up panicking. "Arwen, how could I have forgotten? Where is she? Is she well?"

"Calm down Legolas," Elladan assured using his elven tongue. "She is fine, but resting. No serious wounds as far as we could see."

Legolas calmed himself and laid back onto the soft pillow. "I did not mean to get her into that," he whispered.

"Of course you didn't." Legolas looked up at the voice; Arwen was standing behind Elrohir, smiling.

"Elladan?" Elladan looked over at his brother and nodded; stood up and followed him out of the door.

Arwen closed the door behind the elves and turned back to Legolas. They stared at each other for a time in silence.

"Arwen, I-"

"Please, don't say you are sorry," Arwen said as she walked over to Legolas' side.

"But I am. If I hadn't asked you to come none of this would have happened to you." Legolas looked into Arwen's eyes and saw sadness.

She shook her head, "It would not have happened to me but you might be dead now." She took Legolas' hand into hers and smiled, "I would have lost you forever."

Words failed Legolas so he lay there and stared into Arwen's eyes.

There was a cough from the doorway. The two young elves turned and looked- Thranduil and Elrond stood there.

"Arwen," Elrond said and gestured for her to leave. She gave one more look to Legolas and then hurried out of the room.

"Father, Lord Elrond." Legolas addressed the elders properly as they sat down on two of the chairs by the bed.

"Legolas, do you remember what happened?" Thranduil asked cutting to the chase.

Legolas looked down and nodded. "I didn't want to put Arwen in that danger, I swear it."

"We know that Legolas," Elrond assured him. "We just want to know what happened."

Legolas recalled the last couple of months, which Elrohir had told him they were gone for, and by the time he had finished, the two older elves were shaking their heads in disbelief.

"Do we know why they hate elves so much?" Thranduil asked.

Elrond shook his head. "I cannot understand why they would do this."

"From the impression I got, they seemed very territorial. They kept saying how much they hated when elves especially came onto their land."

"Well, we won't have to worry about them any longer." Elrond said.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.

"Elrond sent an army into Theserians; they should be getting the upper hand on this one I may presume?" Thranduil looked over at Elrond who nodded in assurance.

"So, that is it then. Rivendell's army will clear out the area and everything is alright. That is all they will deserve?" Legolas asked.

"Legolas, I can not imagine what happened to you for those months, but please try to think about what would happen if we tortured them as they did to you, we would gain more enemies that way." He stopped and then added, "I believe we have Eldera in captivity in the cells."

Legolas sighed, "I just can't take back the feeling of seeing the worry in her eyes there."

"She will be fine, nothing too bad happened. They will get what they deserve." Elrond placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder. "You have to get some sleep."

"You and I shall return to Mirkwood tomorrow evening." Thranduil said as he and Elrond exited.

Legolas looked over his bandaged body: they were on his legs, across his chest, and on his arms; some of the wrappings were soaked in blood. He sighed again and lay down. Arwen hadn't been hurt badly, but what if she had been? What if she had died? It would have all been his fault. He wasn't going to let Eldera just get a sentence for what he did to Arwen- he was going to get what he did to her. Legolas would make sure of it.

~~

Legolas crept through the dark halls that night after all the lanterns had gone out. He was clothed now in his prince clothing. His destination was close, just in this door and down the stairs.

The stairs echoed with every step Legolas took. He finally reached the bottom and looked around. It was darker than outside and smelled strongly of hay and was very humid. Two dark halls were on either side of him, each leading into a separate dungeon. He chose the one on the right.

Eldera's cell was now in front of him. He couldn't see into it due to the darkness, but he knew Eldera was in there.

"How does it feel to be on that side of the cage?" Legolas asked resting his head on a steel bar peering into the cell. A shadow moved from inside, followed by that haunting laugh.

"Well, well is that you Prince Legolas?" The voice asked in a mocking tone. "Did think I would see you again. I thought you had died."

"You assumed wrong." Legolas spat. He didn't let the pure disgust hide from his voice.

The man laughed. "And how is the missy?" he asked.

Legolas grew very angry. "You have no right to ask about her."

"I think I do, you see her and I, we shared a thing, and it was wonderful." The man laughed again.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked, his heart began to beat very fast.

"She didn't tell you?" Eldera paused. "Her lips are very sweet, have you noticed?" He was going to say something else, but Legolas cut him off as he sent an arrow through the bars. Eldera gasped and there was a thud as his body hit the ground.

Legolas panted, his bow was still in his hand. He backed up to the other side of the hall and leaned on the wall. It was a lie, she would never kiss that man, and she couldn't. He bit his lip, he was jumping to a conclusion, and he had to see Arwen.

He ran down the hall and back up the echoing stairs. He ran all the way into the women's corridor and into Arwen's room.

Arwen was asleep in her bed when Legolas rushed in. She opened her eyes to see him pacing on the floor. "Legolas?" she asked and sat up, "What are you doing here?"

"I have to know Arwen," Legolas hesitated for a moment but he needed to know the truth. "Did you... did you share a... a kiss with Eldera?"

Arwen was silent for a moment and then bowed her head. "let me explain Legolas." she walked over to him. "I can not exactly understand why I did it, I forgot who he was."

"You forgot?" Legolas laughed sarcastically. "Oh I see, you thought he was your father maybe?"

Arwen began to cry. "No, I wasn't right! I think they did something to me... he just was not him."

Legolas bit his lip; he didn't know what to do. "Who was he?"

"Legolas, I don't-"

"Who was he Arwen?" Legolas protested.

"He was you Legolas, when ever he was around, I saw you." Arwen rested her head on Legolas' shoulder.

"I don't understand," Legolas said. "Why?"

"Like I said, I think they did something to me, but I was happy when he, or you, was around." She looked up into his face. "I did not mean any harm."

"Well, you do not have to worry about Eldera anymore." Legolas hesitated.

"Why not?" Arwen looked confused.

"I killed him." Legolas whispered.

Arwen was silent for a moment. "You killed him... why, how?"

"I was confused. He said you kissed him and I panicked and I shot him with my arrow." Legolas pulled away from Arwen, "why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't want it to be real. Do you think I enjoyed kissing him?" Arwen asked.

"You mean kissing me," Legolas turned to the window and looked out at the sky.

"No... I..." Arwen lost her words.

"I understand Arwen," Legolas turned back to her and smiled.

"No you don't, Legolas, you and I have never kissed. When I thought that was you and you kissed me, I was happy, you can not understand that, so I wanted to be around him." Arwen wiped away the tears on her face. "I didn't know it wasn't you, I was hallucinating."

Legolas sighed. "I am not going to blame you Arwen, but I am sorry I can not give you what you want."

Arwen let more silent tears escape from her eyes as Legolas walked past her to the door. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered.

"You were happy with me, but it wasn't me, so I do not know if I can give you the same pleasure... it wasn't me." Legolas bit his lip. He didn't want to make Arwen cry, he never wanted to hurt her, but it wasn't him she had been kissing.

"Please Legolas, do not leave me." Arwen grabbed onto Legolas' arm, "I swear I love you."

Legolas paused, what was he doing? He turned back to her, "I love you too Arwen." He smiled, "I don't know what came over me, but I love you too."

They smiled at each other, and then Legolas bent his head down and kissed Arwen.

"How was it?" he asked as they pulled away. "Is it me?"

Arwen laughed. "It was better." She leaned in again and kissed him.

"Well, I say, that is a wonderful ending." Elladan whispered as he and his brother stood on their balcony and looked at Legolas and Arwen through the window into her room.

"I would say it." Elrohir said, "I wonder what took them so long to figure out that they loved each other?"

"I knew it from the beginning." Elladan said.

"I believe everyone did." Elladan laughed and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

A/N- Thank you everyone! Well, this story is now completed! I would like to thank my beta reader very much, she was a wonderful help. Well, that is it! LPI3