Title: Tithen Dulin Author: Mystkyten (mystkyten@cox.net) Pairing: Legolas/OFC

Rating: R

WARNING: abuse of a child. Please do not read if this bothers you. I know that there are not many references to elves being evil, but the way I figure it, if there are good and bad human, then there are good and bad elves. If you do not agree, do not read this story. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize, they belong to Tolkien, I am only borrowing them for a little while. I promise to bring them back in the same condition as I found them, maybe with a little wear and tear.

^means thought^ *means human speak* ***means flashback*** "means elven"

Please R/R

Chapter 9

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Thranduil cautiously entered the clearing. He looked around warily. A cliff rose in front of him, small caves riddling the surface. This was a perfect spot for a...AMBUSH! Thranduil leaped back, pain searing his cheek as the sword that was intended to remove his head from his shoulder grazed his face. He whipped around spotting the malevolent elf preparing to swing again. Thranduil charged the younger elf knocking him back long enough for him to draw his own blade. As he prepared to strike him, he noticed the blade that the other held. It was Legolas's blade, one of two that he had gifted his son with on his last begetting day. He shook with fear as he realized that the blade was stained with blood, his son's blood.

"My son, where is he?"

"Dead." Balendir spat out the word.

Thranduil screamed in anguish, His sword flashed as he challenged the smaller elf. Balendir scrambled back from the enraged father. He dodged off to the side, spun around, and then reentered the melee. He forced the king back against the tree.

"Your son was pathetic. Did you know I had him on his knees, begging me for his life, before I ran him through?" Balendir laughed at the rage that burst forth from the king's eyes. "Just like I will make you beg for your life, and when I am done with you, I will be able to enjoy myself with the little treasure I have secreted away. Her blood is so sweet."

"NEVER!" Thranduil charged, driving the murderous elf back across the clearing. The two fought a heated battle, neither getting the upper hand on the other. Balendir looked up as he tried to block the enraged king's sword. His eyes widen with disbelief and shock as he spotted a glowing figure behind Thranduil. His distraction cost him his life as Thranduil took advantage of the preoccupied elf to run his blade through his evil heart. The king watched the elf fall; he was dead before he touched the ground. "All the deaths you have caused have been avenged." He reached down, grabbed his son's sword and reverently clasped the sword to his heart. His eyes filled with sorrow.

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A soft glow filled the clearing, accenting the young prince lying unconscious at the edge of the forest. The light flowed towards the injured prince.

"Legolas...wake up."

Legolas tried to obey the insistent voice. But the pain he was in made him want to stay in the dark, where it could not follow.

"Legolas."

Reluctantly he opened his eyes. He looked around for the persistent voice, but did not see anyone. He struggled to rise off the ground, using the nearby tree to help keep him on his feet. The pain was almost more then he could tolerate.

"Legolas, Tithen Dulin needs you."

Legolas turned in the direction of the voice, but all he saw was the light. "Who is there, what do you want?" He squinted trying to see through the light. The light highlighted a path through the forest, than faded. Legolas struggled to follow.

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The glow filled the small cave containing the child. Tithen Dulin was tied from hand to feet, a cloth tied around her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks leaving trails in the grime on her face. She looked up in fear as the light entered. A soft voice comforted her.

"Ada and Legolas are coming Tithen nin, hold on." The light encompassed the child, filling her with a sense of well being and love.

************************************************************************ "Ada."

Thranduil glanced up at the weak cry. His son was standing across the clearing swaying, his hand clutched to his side, blood showing between his fingers.

"Legolas!" He ran to his son and wrapped his arms around him supporting the injured elf. "You are alive. I feared you were dead."

"Not quite." Legolas moved his hand from his side. He struggle for breath as the bleeding started up again. "But I think I am going to..." Legolas slumped in his father's arms. Thranduil gently laid his son on the ground. He quickly examined his son's body checking for other injuries. Satisfied that his side was the only injury, he concentrated on binding the wound. Completing the task, the king looked at his son watching for any sign of him returning to the land of the living. He was worried about the human child, but he could not leave his son like this. A movement from the corner of his eye caused him to crouch in front of his son protectively, sword at the ready. He breathed a sigh of relief as he recognized the return of the guards.

"Your Majesty, are you all right?"

"I am, but I am afraid that I can not say the same for my son."

"I am fine, father. Just resting." Legolas smiled weakly up at his father. He took a deep breathe, and then started to rise.

"What do you think you are doing? You are in no shape to move around." Thranduil placed his hand on his son's shoulder holding the young prince down.

"We have to find Tithen Dulin. There is no telling what he has done with her or to her." Legolas raised worried eyes to his father. "Father, something strange happened. I heard a voice tell me that Tithen Dulin needed me. A weird light showed me the path to get here. She must be nearby."

"We will find her. You rest." Thranduil stood, nodding at one of the guards who hurried to his side. "Make sure he stays here."

Thranduil studied the cliff in front of him. The small caves riddling the face of the cliff would make excellent hiding places.

Before he could move to examine the caves, a light breeze caressed Thranduil's face. It felt almost as if someone kissed his cheek. He put a hand to his face and looked around him, trying to figure out what occurred. The breeze whispered "Ada." Thranduil whipped his head around trying in vain to locate the call. His son was across the clearing, the whisper could not have come from him.

"What is wrong father?" Legolas noticed his father staring at him.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Thranduil again felt the caress on his face. "Ada, hurry"

The clearing where the elves stood filled with an otherworldly light. The glow seemed to gain strength and move towards an outcropping of shrubs at the base of the cliff. The elves moved back in stunned disbelief.

"That is the light I saw, Ada." Legolas struggled into a sitting position leaning on the guard.

Thranduil slowly approached the light. As he drew near, he noticed a slight disturbance in the shrubs, as if someone hurriedly moved through them.

"I found something." Thranduil knelt in front of the shrub and moved the branches aside. He saw a path going into what seemed to be a small cave. He swiftly followed the path.

"Father, wait." Legolas gestured for one of the guards to follow his father.

Thranduil was the first to spot the bound child. The light had followed the king into the cave and lit all the darkened corners exposing the appalling scene. Thranduil saw Tithen struggling with the ropes that constrained her. He could see the dried tears on her face. He hurried to her side and swiftly cut the ropes that bound her and gently removed her gag.

*Ada!* Tithen Dulin threw herself into the king's embrace, sobbing as if she would never stop.

*Yes, little one, Ada is here.* Thranduil gathered the child into his arms and carried her out of her prison.

Legolas smiled as he watched his father exit the cave, the little one cradled in his arms. The light seemed to follow him from the cave. The prince gasped as he saw the light form into a female shape. "Father, look"

Thranduil looked up at Legolas's cry. His eyes widened as he watched the light transform into the figure of his eldest daughter. "Gwaeren" he gasped in disbelief.

The elfess smiled gently. "I came to say goodbye, Ada. Do not mourn for me." She gazed at the child looking up at her in wonderment. "Please let your hatred go, she needs your love."

Gwaeren leaned down and tenderly kissed the child's forehead. *Take care of Ada for me Tithen Dulin.*

Gwaeren glided to Legolas and lovingly laid her hand on his cheek. "Be strong, laito gwador." Legolas felt the light surround him. A gentle warmth filled him taking all his pain away. He looked down at his wound and was astonished to find that it had healed with no sign that it had ever been there. She smiled at him, then looked back at her father once more, "I love you Ada." She slowly faded from sight.

"I love you, Gwaeren." Thranduil drew Tithen Dulin tightly to his chest, tears of healing flowing down his face, all the anger and hate he had previously felt towards the child seemed to melt away.

One child lost, another found, balance was restored in Mirkwood.

The End

laito gwador = baby brother tithen nin = little one

A/N: This is the end of a story that was only intended to be a couple of chapters. I hope you liked it. Please let me know if any of you would like me to do a sequel and what you would like to see in one.