Disclaimer-None from Lord of the Rings belong to me. No way, no how. Not Legolas, not Aragorn, not Thranduil, not Elrond or anyone else. Any original characters belong to me.

Summary-Legolas had a sister who died in an accident and he believes he was responsible for her death. Years later, it comes back to haunt him when he, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir travel towards a rarely visited, and dangerous, part of Mirkwood.

Author's Note-This is somewhat based on 'The Lion King' (Which also doesn't belong to me). Please don't hurt me for that. ducks. Legolas is still pretty young in the first few chapters. This is my first story for Lord of the Rings and I don't know everything so if something's not quite right, I'm sorry.

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Journey of a Thousand Steps

Legolas ran out of his room and headed down the hall, laughing on the way. Thranduil walked out of his chamber only to move as his son ran right past him. He laughed as he watched the young elf hurry down the hall.

"He will never change and neither will his sister," he whispered to himself as he headed after them, a smile on his face

The young elf hurried up to a door and pounded on it with his fists until the door opened.

"Nanay, come on! We have got to go!" cried Legolas.

Nanaylia laughed as she joined her brother down the hall, her long blonde hair following her. Both Legolas and Nanaylia had a few things in common when it dealt with their features. Both had the same coloured hair, and the same length. Both were the same height and both had the same smile of which their father said they got from their mother.

"Legolas, I'm coming! We will go for that picnic," she said. "Do not worry! We're going!"

Legolas' smile widened as their father walked up behind them.

"Remember that you shouldn't stray too far away from the palace when you do this today. Don't want the two of you to get hurt or captured," he warned them.

"We won't Father," they said in unison before running away from them.

He watched his two children head towards the kitchen and he quietly laughed.

"Those two are so... so... similar it's not even funny. I really don't want to see them get into a battle of the pranks with Elladan and Elrohir again. Those two sons of Elrond were pretty upset over their loss created by my own children," Thranduil whispered to himself.

Thranduil tried not to favour either of his children. There was always at the back of his mind that even though Legolas was only slightly older than his sister, by a few hundred years, they never did act their age and probably never would. Especially when they were around Elladan and Elrohir. It would seem that they would never grow up.

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Legolas hurried into the kitchen, followed by his sister. They ran up to Chimone, their caretaker when their father was away on business. The older blonde haired elf looked at them with a smile.

"Here you go Legolas and Nanaylia. The food for your picnic, just like you asked. I hope you have fun," she told them, holding out a basket.

"Thank you Mony," they said in unison as Nanaylia took the basket from the older elf's arms.

"Just don't stray too far," she called out to them.

She watched them leave the room.

"Just don't go near the forest off the western part of the palace. That place is far away and way too dangerous for the two of you to be by yourselves," she whispered to herself.

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Legolas led the way out of their home on the horses. Nanaylia followed him, a smile on her face.

"Where are we going Legolas for our picnic?" she suddenly asked him.

"We are going to go there," replied Legolas as he pointed the way.

His sister gulped as he did so. She suddenly became scared for he was pointing in the western direction.

"Legolas, Father told us not to go in that direction. Chimone told us as well," she protested. "Why do you want to go there?"

"It doesn't seem like a bad place. Father and Chimone never told us why we should never go in there anyway," replied Legolas as he continued forward. "Come on, let's go."

Nanaylia cautiously followed him into the area, afraid for what may happen if they weren't careful. Legolas led her deeper into the woods. She looked from side to side, as if looking for something to jump out at them.

"Legolas, we should go back," Nanaylia complained to him.

"Come on, let's go," Legolas told her. "Nothing is here that could possibly hurt us."

"How do you know Legolas? Maybe Mony and Father told us not to come in here for a reason," Nanaylia replied as they continued on.

Legolas shrugged it off. Although he didn't admit it to his sister, he was becoming a bit scared himself. But of course, that all changed after they looked around and soon realized they were slowly becoming lost.

"Where are we Legolas? We should go back before we get lost even further," Nanaylia complained.

"Maybe we should go back before Father worries about us," agreed Legolas as they led the horses back to where they came.

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Thranduil walked up to Chimone, who was straightening up Nanaylia's room.

"Chimone, where did Legolas and Nanaylia go for their picnic today? I forgot to ask them," he asked her,

"I am unsure. They did not confide in me about it," came the reply.

Thranduil became a bit nervous then. The idea of them going to the Dark Forest, as it came to be known to the elves, scared him in the back of his mind and he hadn't told them yet of the dangers that lay within its confines. No sane elf dared approach unless they had a death wish.

"They don't know what that place is called! They've gone there! I know they have!" he cried as he hurried out the door.

He quickly readied himself for the sudden trip.

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Legolas and Nanaylia tried to make their way out of the woods. It was dark and seemed to be very scary to them.

"Legolas, the trees, they aren't normal! Where are we going?" demanded Nanaylia, the fear obvious in her voice.

I don't know Nanay," he replied as they came across a large tree.

It was on its side and the roots cast eerie shadows as they rose to the sky. It looked like to the brother and sister that it had been pulled out years ago.

"Let's go check it out," Legolas said happily, forgetting his fear.

"Don't do it," Nanaylia protested.

But he ignored her and headed for the tree. But that all stopped when they heard evil laughing coming from the woods. The two froze and wondered what fate would befall them now.

TBC...