Disclaimer: Please see chapter one. But I do not own these characters.

Chapter Sixteen

Glorfindel stood, looking out over Rivendell. He was supervising the cleaning up that was being performed following Faren's fire. It had done a lot of damage to the flet's near to where the source of the fire. Several trees had been damaged beyond even Elven help and it was with heavy hearts that the Elves went about their appointed tasks of removing the carcasses from the area.

Glorfindel was pleased with just how quickly the clearing was returning to normal, although, if he were to be absolutely honest, Mithrandir's help had done much of the work with the use of magic. Glorfindel knew he alone would be eternally grateful. It had seemed at one point as if he would be choking on smoke for the foreseeable future.

At least Elrond and Legolas were safe and being looked after. He had only accepted this assignment because of that fact. Even then he had been reluctant to leave the Halls of Healing.

A shout from the vicinity of the Great Gates caught every one's attention and all work stopped as they turned to see what more could be happening.

As Glorfindel made to move towards the gates that guarded Rivendell, one of the guards hurried to his side. "My Lord, you are needed at the gate."

"What has occurred?" Could any more go wrong? Actually, Glorfindel decided he did not want to know the answer to that question. It was just a little too much like tempting fate.

"One of the patrols has found a body."

"Who is it?" Glorfindel was amazed that such an experienced warrior could turn green, but the Elf beside him had managed it.

"We can not tell, my Lord." The Elf, Anstela gulped trying to regain control of his rebellious stomach. "The body is unrecognisable."

As they neared the Great Gates Glorfindel could not have missed the group standing to one side, just away from them was one of the novices, his face a sickly grey green.

"Baerela found the body. Not a pleasant introduction to your first patrol." Was Anstela's comment as the group parted to let Glorfindel near to the scene.

Glorfindel's first look was enough to tell him why even the seasoned warriors looked green. There was very little left of the face, apart from a bloody pulp. Certainly nothing they could use to identify the body by. The clothes were the grey and black of Rivendell, but that was the only clue, the body did not even carry any weapons that they could have used for identification.

"Anstela, organise your men to take the body back to Rivendell and the House of Preparation. Baerela, you are relieved of duty for the day, go and try to relax, I will need to speak to you later." At the two's nods he continued. "We will need to account for every warrior that may be the only way to find out who this is. I will need to inform Lord Elrond. For now though, you all need to be on the alert for anything unusual."

None of the Elves were aware they were being watched or that the body had been placed where it was for a just that reason. Now they could go back to their leader and let him know that one threat had been eliminated.

Elrond closed his eyes in frustration. If he did not have proof, he would have thought his sons were enjoying having him as their patient. The gleam in their eyes told him he would be regretting any supposed past digressions.

They had already fussed about the state of his pallet, although to his eyes there was nothing wrong with it. But no, they had to change the sheets and add extra pillows so that he would be comfortable.

The situation was not helped by Thranduil's badly hidden mirth as he watched them. Elrond sighed, well he could give them this chance to return all the care he had given them in the past, but if they thought they would get away with bathing him…

Thranduil could not hold the laughter that had been threatening in any longer and he tried unsuccessfully to hide it with a cough. Elrond's raised eyebrow and glower did nothing to help and the urge to laugh grew harder to fight.

"Ada, we need to bathe you and get this soot……"

"No!" The panicked look on his old friends face was the last straw and Thranduil and Estel collapsed almost crying with laughter. Elrohir was a second behind them and Elladan stood mouth opened in shock before he too burst into peals of laughter.

Elrond crossed his arms and glowered even more. "This is not funny!"

"Oh, but it is, Ada, trust me." Elrohir could not catch his breath. "You should see the look on your face!" That comment set them off again.

"Just you wait until you are next in my position and knowing the four of you that will not be long." The warning in Elrond's voice did nothing to stop the laughter and in fact only added to it. "Of course, Legolas will be exempt from this punishment."

"What? That is not fair!" Elladan's voice held a whine.

"Yes, it is. Can you see him laughing?" Elrond's comment sobered them all up faster than any of them would have thought possible.

Legolas was still asleep; he had not woken since Faren's last attack, which was beginning to worry Elrond a little.

"When do you think he will waken?" Thranduil's voice was soft.

"I do not know." Elrond hated to make that admission, but it was the truth.

A sad smile crossed his friends face. "All I want is to be able to speak to him. It will not even matter that he will not know me."

"You will, Thranduil, he just need time to heal and rest." That assurance earned Elrond a watery smile.

"I trust you, Mellon-nin." Thranduil's voice was soft and Elrond could hear the sincerity in it. "I would trust you with his life."

Silence fell.

It was broken by Glorfindel's arrival to tell them about the discovery of the body. Gloom descended on the room. Who would murder a Rivendell Elf and in such an awful way?

Estel still held Legolas' hand, watching as his father walked to the window and looked out, brow furrowed.

"Where is Mithrandir?" Elrond really needed their old friend's thoughts on all of this.

"He us still helping with the flet's, five trees have had to be removed they were too badly damaged. He was seeing to that for us."

Estel gave his friends hand a gentle squeeze, knowing how distressed Legolas would be at the fate of the trees. Legolas' love of all trees and wildlife were all too well known. He froze as his hand was squeezed back. "Legolas?" The squeeze tightened. "Legolas?"

All attention in the room was once again on the injured Elf's pallet. Thranduil moving back near to his son.

Estel could only wince as the hold on his hand tightened further. He saw Elladan moving to the herb table from out of the corner of his eye. But, before he could say anything, Legolas began fitting once again.

Elrond could only watch with pride as his sons dealt with the seizure with the ease of what was becoming old practice. Between the three of them, they kept the Elf Prince safe and without further injury as the fit followed its course. The herb tea Elrond had made, once again helped and finally Legolas was once again limp on the bed.

Thranduil stood frozen to the spot as he watched the scene play out. He turned fearful eyes to Elrond, for reassurance only to find the Lord frowning in worry. His attention on his son.

"Elladan, check Legolas' pupils for me." It was an order not a question.

Elladan did as his father wanted and watched by all he used a candle to check the responses. He sat back with a frown. "His left eye is still not normal, it is at least three sizes larger than the right and very slow to contract."

"As I feared. Does he react to pain?" Of all times for him to be injured! Legolas needed him and all he could do was lay there leaving others to help.

Elladan looked around for something to use. A hand passed him a brooch, shaped in a leaf. It was the emblem of Mirkwood. The hand belonged to Thranduil. He nodded his thanks and began to check Legolas' pain responses.

Elrond let out a sigh of relief as Legolas tried to move away from the source of his pain, albeit sluggishly. All in the room turned to him and taking a deep breath he ready himself to speak of his increasing fears.

Outside of Rivendell, hidden in a cave five Elves were meeting to discuss how to move forward with their plans. Each knew that their task had been made much, much harder by one of their contacts. If only he had not been bent on revenge they could have killed the Prince and been on their way. But no, Faren had to step in and stir things up. Still their 'contact' had more than paid for his indigestion.

How to get around Elrond and his brood. Even more important how to get around Mithrandir and get to their prey? Thranduil was no problem he could be disposed of easily. No it was the Prince who was their primary target, it just may take a little while longer to accomplish that was all.

Mithrandir sighed tiredly as he made his way to the healing room containing his friends. All the damage had been attended to and new temporary flet's had been arranged for the families who's homes had been destroyed. Even the clearing had had temporary plants added until the grass and new striplings could be planted. It had been hard work even for the Maia, but more than worth while.

He opened the door to find a very subdued room. Smiling he made his way in. "What is all this? Has some one died?" His joke fell completely flat and his smile faded. He listened gravely as the afternoon's events were explained to him.

"May I see the body? I may be able to help." Elrond nodded his agreement. "And how is our young Prince?"

"Recovering, but very slowly. His head injury is no better and he has had another fit. I am worried about these seizures, it is a matter of being patient. As hard as that is." Elrond winced as he moved awkwardly setting off the ache in his ribs. He felt guilty at not hopefully unnecessarily?

"I see. Come Glorfindel, let us see to your body and see if we can find out who it is for you." The two left the room once more.

They returned not thirty minutes later, laden with food that Mithrandir had meticulously checked for tampering.

Once every one was settled and eating Glorfindel told them their news.

"The body was Faren. It seems as if he had some 'friends' who were not too pleased with him. They must have been very angry to cause the amount of damage inflicted on him." he could not stop a shudder coursing through him. What had been done to Faren was barbaric and unnecessary.

"At least that is one threat out of the way and dealt with." Mithrandir's voice was thoughtful.

"Yes, but what about the other threat? We know now that Faren was not working alone." Thranduil sounded frustrated. "We are still no nearer to finding out what is really going on. And why they want my son dead."

"All will be revealed, Thranduil, given time. Until that time we are here with and for him." Mithrandir's voiced was vague and slightly mysterious and Elrond would have sworn he knew more than he was letting on.

"The Lady Galadriel, said much the same before we left Lothlorien." Haldir stood in the door way fresh from his rest. "That all would be revealed given time and that Legolas should he live will be the stronger for it."

"Should he live? What did she mean?" Thranduil's voice was frantic.

"I do not know, My Lord. She can be as mysterious as Mithrandir when she wishes to be. All I know is that Legolas must over come this. He is needed on Middle Earth for a lot longer than he has already been." He turned to take in his friend. "He has us all praying for him, may be one will be answered. Until then we protect him. I am prepared to do so with my life."

He crossed the room to stand by the pallet. A moment passed then he looked up with a frown. "Why is his nose bleeding?"

Elrond rose too quickly into a sitting position causing ribs to rub together. Elladan moved quickly to help him.

To every ones shock a thin ribbon of blood trickled its way lazily down from his right nostril….

To be continued.

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