Authors Note: Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews they are really encouraging. It may take a bit longer than normal for me to post the next chapter as I have my last exam this week as well as a load of course work due in but I will do my best :)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Legolas walked aimlessly through the long, cold corridors that linked most of the main rooms in the palace. He continued to wear his over sized sleep robes that flowed loosely from his shoulders, they were comfortable and he had no desire to attempt to fit in to any of the clothes Lord Elrond and his father had provided for him since his increasing size.

He had woken early, well before the rest of the house hold, from a restless sleep to find that his father had already left. There had been no note left and no words of farewell spoken between them, and though he knew he should feel annoyed at the sudden departure he could not bring him self to feel anything much at all except for a strange sense of peril that would not leave him. It had begun to nag at his mind since he had woken and was slowly going stronger as time went by.

Finally returning to his room, Legolas made his way out on to the balcony and started uneasily out across the grounds.

Everything was calm, just as he had expected it to but for some reason if felt wrong.

Something was not right.

It sent a shiver through his body.

He shook his head trying to clear his mind, blond hair flying from side to side, and then turned back into the sleeping chamber. He glanced around and sighed, trying to put his increasing anxiousness down to the impending birth of the child. As if knowing that it was being thought of the tiny infant kicked gently against the inside of his protruding stomach.

"Yes," Legolas breathed heavily moving his hand to rest upon the soft skin encasing his unborn child. "I am well aware that you are still here, but I do not believe that you are the cause of this sense of worry I can not seem to shift."

A sudden shout from outside made him jump, and it was followed by a sound rather like thunder, but it was increasing.

It was getting closer.

~*~

Lord Elrond was already awake when the frantic knocking on the door to his private chambers started. He had been awake for quite sometime, unable to sleep knowing that the lives of all those in Rivendell rested in the hands of a king he had never once called friend.

"Come." He called out as the knocking continued, apparently who ever was out side did not understand his silence for wanting to be left alone.

"My Lord," The elf, which Elrond quickly recognized as Quilan, a young member of the patrol that was situated closest to Rivendell, bowed hurriedly before beginning to stumble over his words. "Our front lines must have broken." He said breathlessly. "Our scouts have picked up large numbers of orc's moving towards us at an increasing speed."

"What of our warriors already stationed in battle was there any sign of them, of my son's?" Elrond asked quickly whilst moving through his room. He stopped beside a large cabinet and opened it slowly.

"None at all my Lord Elrond, I am sorry but it seems as though we fight alone and with the little resources that we have left...."

"Do not yet give up hope." Elrond interrupted his voice scolding the last thing he needed for the few warriors he had to turn tail and run. "We have much to fight for and shall not give in easily." He turned back to the cabinet and pulled out a sword its blade hidden with in its highly decorated leather scabbard. Gripping the weapon by the hilt he swiftly removed it from its sheath and swung the blade powerfully into the air.

"Ready what fighter's we have." He all but growled. "Anyone, male, female, even elf-ling as long as they are near enough to their majority that they understand what is happening, anyone that has been even briefly taught in the use of a blade give them a sword, everyone else bows, knives what ever else you can find in that armory. Everyone must be armed do you understand."

The other elf nodded but was not given enough time to construct an answer before Elrond spoke again.

"Make sure that all in Rivendell are aware of the danger we are in."

"Aye, m..my Lord." The elf bowed again before darting out of the chambers and down the corridor shouting out the situation to those he met as he went.

Elrond sung his trusted weapon once more before replacing it back into its protective scabbard and carefully putting it down on the near by wooden table. He turned back and pulled out his riding tunic and leggings they were comfortable and allowed easy movement, they would be most suitable for the trials ahead of him this day.

~*~

Rushing towards the balcony Legolas watched as the previously quiet grounds became a flurry of life. The few warriors that had been kept behind racing towards the stables already fully armored.

Was there a problem with the current troops already fighting? Legolas's mind began to process all possible reasons for this turn of events. Had their lines become weak? Was Estel well?

The thundering that he had almost pushed to the back of his mind continued to increase and he glanced furiously out from his view point desperately seeking the cause of the sound.

Finally his keen elvish eye sight caught sight of movement towards the west. The trees were trembling with the force of what ever creature was creating that sound and it was moving closer.

He had the sudden urgency to get dressed, some how at an unconscious level understanding that what ever was about to occur he should not be simply dressed in his night robes. But an ear piecing screech broke his chain of thought and drew his eyes across the palace grounds to the main entrance gates of Rivendell.

He knew the sound before he saw the dark creatures attacking the firmly shut gates.

Orc's.

Hundreds of them, covering the area behind Rivendell's protective walls as far as he could see like a dark lake the sun light seemed to avoid.

He could see them all clearly now. Some of them still attacking the gates, others attempting to scale the walls, hacking at near by trees to create some way of boosting themselves up the solid stone work.

Once again he turned back into his sleeping chamber forcing his eyes from the evident threat that was now upon the elven realm.

Suddenly grateful that his father had, had a few of his tunics and leggings enlarged he pulled on the nearest pair of leggings that he could reach. The lacings were some what difficult to tie as they were styled to do up just underneath his extended stomach, which was also out of his eye sight. Finally succeeding he reached for the matching dark green tunic which, he sighed out loud in relief, was far easier to lace up and to his surprise, considering his size, it was a little to big.

Legolas smiled faintly before reaching for his bow and quiver full of arrows that had not moved from the side table since Estel's departure all those months ago. He took a deep breath and slowly made his way out on to the balcony once again.

The sight he that greeted him was one of terror but unfortunately not of surprise. The orc's had already broken through the gates it had hardly taken them any time at all.

The fifty or so elven warriors that had remained were battling for their lives, trying everything possible to prevent the dark creatures from gaining further accesses into their home.

Balancing his weight against the balcony railing Legolas took an arrow from his quiver, placed it carefully in the bow and aimed.

He released it and it hit its target, an orc ready to swing a killing blow upon a struggling young elf. Not waiting to see if the elf had survived Legolas quickly aimed and fired a second arrow into the deadly black sea of moving orc flesh and Uruk-hai madness.

~*~

"We are too late." Lysander growled as they came with in sight range of Rivendell's once grand and formidable gates.

Estel ignored him and continued to lead the group at full speed towards their home. He tried to shut out the state of the gates and surrounding land, but it was near impossible. All tree and plant life had been trampled or hacked to pieces and the gates themselves that had once been a piece of elvish art was now a ruin of twisted wood and metal.

Why has it taken us so long to get here? Estel mentally shouted at himself, if he had lost Legolas he would never. he had no time to continue with that train of thought as the first group of orc's came into view they were battling very weary looking elves many of them not very old.

"Let us save our home." Elladan shouted out to him and all those it ear shot before jumping from his horse and disappearing into the sea of bodies and the middle of the battle.

~*~

TBC.