A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful encouraging reviews and sorry it has taken a while to update this I promise that the next chapter will be up with in the next few days or so :)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lysander turned back as movement across the courtyard was caught by the corner of his eye. He had been sent to scout the rest of the grounds, making sure that none of the dark creatures had managed to get into the palace itself. Looking up he saw orc's clambering about on an upper level balcony. They did not look too pleased with the situation, he grinned to himself. But how did they get in, he was sure that all the entrances had been guarded.

It took him a few moments to realise the room that the balcony belonged to.

Estel's chambers.

What were they doing in there? He edged silently closer, concealing himself behind a wooden cart that had fallen on its side almost directly beneath the balcony. He tried to listen to their obviously frustrated sentences.

"Gone!" One cried out. "Fell it did."

"Jumped more likely, cowardly creatures are elves." Added another.

"Fools." This voice was deeper, more demanding. "You let it get away." An Uruk-hai Lysander guessed. "Next elf is mine you will not touch it unless I say so!"

Lysander waited until the voices moved away before creeping back out from behind the cart. He looked back up at the balcony and sighed, no elf could have survived a fall like that on to the stone of the courtyard. He needed to get inside, dispose of the orc's before they did anymore damage.

He glanced back to judge the distance between himself and the battle how long would it take him to alert others that some of their foes had wormed their way into their tightly guarded palace.

He froze as his thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a sharp in take of breath from the other side of the cart.

Cautiously moving around the wooden object his blooded sword held secure in his hand. The contents of the cart lay scattered across the ground mostly straw and fine pieces of wood. The cart had obviously been on its way to the stables before the chaos had started.

His breathing stilled as he caught sight of the fallen elf those orc's had been cruelly discussing about. It lay on its back unmoving in a bed of the dried grass, soft, silky looking blond hair covering its face, concealing its identity.

Forcing his stationary body into motion, Lysander moved slowly forwards.

Sinking to his knees beside the fallen creature, he released a sigh of relief as his eyes caught the slow, but very shallow rise and fall of the chest indicating that this body still held on to life. This elf was lucky, the straw had obviously broken its fall, but lucky for how long, Lysander did not think for a moment that this poor being had a high rate of survival.

Blood was beginning to flow slowly from the few cuts and lacerations visible through the torn material on the elf's arms and legs where it had landed on pieces of the splintered wood.

Lysander reached over and gently brushed the soft, blond strands away from the elf's face and jumped to his feet, stumbling back a few paces.

Legolas.

He glanced around, he was alone. Know one would know if he just got up and walked away, but not even he was that cruel, Arwen would be devastated at the loss of her friend.

"Legolas." He called out.

He got no reply, although to be honest he had not expected one. "I am going to get you help, do not dare die on me do you hear." He growled. Taking in one last glace of the elf before racing back across the courtyard.

~*~

Estel could not help but grin as he watched his foster father slice into yet another orc. This was the first time that he had seen Elrond in battle and he marvelled at the elder elf's skill with is blade that he had only heard of before.

"My Lord Elrond!" Both Estel and Elrond froze and turned at the voice, relying on those around them to protect them and complete the battle.

"Lysander." Elrond answered moving towards the dark elf, racing nearer to him. "What is it?"

"My Lord, orc's have managed to get inside the palace."

Elrond stared at Lysander in horror his thoughts immediately going to his daughter and the others seeking refuge with in the palaces supposed safety.

"Lysander take all those that you need, destroy them before those inside are lost to us!"

"Aye my Lord, but." Lysander stopped mid sentence as he noticed Estel approach.

"Well!" Elrond growled. What is it? We do not have time to waste."

"Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, my Lord." Lysander sighed.

"What about Legolas?" Estel asked hurriedly concern filling his features.

"He was attacked in his room."

"Does he live?" Estel interrupted his voice frantic and full of panic.

Lysander glanced from one to the other suddenly aware that he was wasting time.

"He fell, or was pushed; I am unsure which, from the balcony of his chambers." He watched Estels expression carefully as it deepened with worry for his partner. "He still lives" He tried to reassure. "But I do not know for how long, he is in urgent need of a healer's attention."

"Estel." Elrond turned to his youngest son. "Find your brothers, tell Elladan to gather a small group of uninjured warriors and check the palace, and have Elrohir me underneath the balcony to your chambers."

"But." It was clear form Estels expression that he desperately wanted to find Legolas.

"Now Estel, there is nothing you can do if he is as badly injured as has been said now go and then find us!"

Estel could not bring himself to speak and so nodded.

He felt physically sick.

"My Lord, maybe it would be better if I went in search of the twins?" Lysander said, unsure if he wanted to return and find the blond had already passed from this life.

"Yes." Estel managed to breathe out, his tone left no room for argument. Elrond merely nodded and turned and ran back in the direction that Lysander had come from.

Estel was in close pursuit.

They reached the broken cart in moments, and darted around it quickly.

Immediately spotting the fallen elf Estel sunk to his knees Legolas's name rising from his throat in a desperate cry. Unable to get again he crawled over to the limp body, where Elrond had already started to examine him.

Estel watched Legolas's unmoving body, he was barely breathing. Leaning closer to look down at the elf's pale features Estel felt almost afraid to touch him, scared that he would hurt his beloved elf further.

Elrond carefully moved a lacerated arm and watched as Legolas jerked in pain. Stopping his movements Elrond put down the arm and lifted Legolas's tunic inspecting the elf's swollen stomach. The elf Lord frowned as he tried to focus, running his hands over the soft but alarmingly cold skin.

"What is it?" Estel whimpered, moving to sit on the other side of Legolas to his father in order to grasp Legolas's limp hand.

"Ada!" Elrohir appeared with Lysander close behind him stalling any answer that Estel would have received from his father. "Lysander just told me, how is he?" The great concern that Elrohir felt was quite evident in his voice.

"Not good." Elrond's frown deepened as his fingers continued to skim across Legolas's stomach, pressing firmly in certain places. "Lysander how long since he fell?"

"Not long." He answered moving steadily closer. "It could only have been moments before I found him otherwise the orc's would have already left, after finding him I then I headed straight to find you."

Elrond nodded slowly.

"Then he may have a chance." He sighed before his voice deepened taking on a demanding tone that encouraged urgency from the others. "Estel, Lysander we will need fresh water, towels and clean sheets. Find a healer and tell them to bring out all equipment necessary for child birth. Elrohir I need you to help me."

"What do mean child birth?" Estel exclaimed moving closer rather than following instructions. "It is too early it can be."

"Aragorn!" Elrond all but shouted. "You will do as you are told unless we birth the child now it has no chance of surviving and if it dies there is a strong chance that it will take Legolas with, this is our only option now."

Bringing his hands to his face in shock Estel felt the tears that now streamed down his cheeks; he had not noticed them until now. Looking up as he felt a strong hand pulling him up he saw Lysander urging him to move, he needed to do this, Legolas need help and fast, he would do all he could.

Nodding slightly he scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could after the dark hair elf towards the main entrance to the palace.

Waiting until he was sure Estel was gone, Elrond motioned for Elrohir to pass to him the small hip dagger the Elrohir always insisted on carrying. Grasping it in his hand he began to slowly cut away at Legolas's tunic, frowning once again as the blond elf shivered.

"Can we not move him?" Elrohir questioned his eyes never leaving the still form of his friend.

"I am unsure of how bad his injuries are." Elrond sighed shaking his head in frustration. "Once the child has been removed I can be surer of his chances, we will have to do the best that we can. Remove your cloak, wrap it around the top part of his body, we can not afford for him to loose too much heat." His son nodded shrugging off the item in question.

"What is it father how bad do you think he is?" He asked as he carefully began tucking the material around Legolas shoulders.

"I fear that due to the fall the strain on Legolas's body is causing serous problems for the child if we do not aid its birth soon then it will die."

~*~

TBC.

Thanx for reading.