A/N: Yay, I'm finally back with the next chapter!! Be proud. My 20th birthday was yesterday, and I'm so happy...err, that was random, but oh well. I have a correction from Chapter 3: in that chapter is says that Enednilwen's horse, Alanoth, is a mare. Chapter 4 says Alanoth is "Asfaloth's brother". A bit of gender confusion there, no? Well, in truth, Alanoth IS a male. I don't know why I ever wrote that he was a female. But things like that oft occur in an ill-prepared story. Hopefully I will catch a mistake next time before I post a chapter! Now..ONWARD!!!

Disclaimer: As always, I do NOT own Legolas, Thranduil, Mirkwood, Asfaloth, or anybody that directly comes from Tolkien's works, nor do I pretend to own them. Thankyeh.

Chapter 5: Thranduil's Command

Eruialiwen weakly opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented. It was full daylight and the wood was much thinner, allowing much yellow-green light to spill in and emphasize the deep shadows beyond. She was slumped over on a horse, but she was not holding the reins. Someone was behind her. She tried to turn in her seat but pain in her head exploded like fire, and she was forced to look forward again, groaning.

"You will live," said Enednilwen from behind her. "A spider poisoned you."

Eruialiwen looked up at Ainacalion, who was riding before them. His horse was bloodstained and weary. "Is everyone unhurt? Where is Merian?" she asked, not daring to turn her head again for fear of the crushing pain assaulting her again.

"Everyone is fine," Enednilwen replied grimly. "Knocked about a little, but Lothatal killed most of the spiders before they could reach us. They were mainly after the horses."

"Is Merian hurt?" her sister demanded, slowly feeling herself growing stronger. She brought herself up to a sitting position and attempted to look over Enednilwen's shoulder at the other two elleths. "Was he poisoned too?" She averted her gaze to her sister and stared at her.

Enednilwen's face was calm, but her eyes were downcast. "The spider that threw the web over you...it killed Merian just before we could destroy it."

Horrified, Eruialiwen could not break her stare. For a few moments she could feel no words come to her. When she finally was able to speak, she said, "But the spiders paralyze their victims before eating them. They don't kill them straightaway!"

"This one did," Enednilwen murmured. "It must have been hungry. I am sorry, sister."

Eruialiwen turned back in the saddle and felt a crushing pain--this time not in her head--grind her into dust. Her horse, her beautiful stallion she had raised from a little colt...

"Never mind that, we are upon King Thranduil's realm," came Lothatal's cold voice from behind them. "I thought he knew we were coming."

"He does," Ainacalion said in a puzzled voice. "But some of his people do not."

The party was suddenly and quietly surrounded by a dozen elves, blending seamlessly with the wood, bows strung and arrows nocked. All of them had gleaming golden hair and wreaths of autumn flowers upon their heads, but they did not seem cheerful as those upon the fair heads that had welcomed Eruialiwen to the king's feast. Their faces were calm and expressionless, but their steady hands at the bows affirming that if the party moved, they would be shot.

"What is your business in this kingdom?" one of them said quietly; an older he-elf with tawny hair. He wore a plain silver circlet on his forehead and the party recognized his position as the captain of Thranduil's guard.

"We are here by the summons of King Thranduil," Lothatal said, in a matching voice that was yet full of authority. "We are sent by Lord Elrond of Rivendell."

The opposing elves looked wary, and Enednilwen said: "We are friends and kin. " No noise permeated the wood; it was as though every living thing had paused breathlessly to watch what would happen next.

"Kin?" The guard-captain echoed. "I can see the Edain in your every step and breath."

Eruialiwen knew that Ainacalion, Talawen and Lothatal would initially be offended by this, but the guard-captain was speaking exclusively to she and Enednilwen. "I have been here before," she said, forcing her voice to remain clear and steady despite the pain throbbing through her head and her heart. "Prince Legolas received me. I am Eruialiwen Calenhen, daughter of Araniel of Rivendell and Talmin the Blue-Cloaked."

The guard-captain gazed hard at her, blinked, then his face softened. "Ah. You are indeed a friend. I did not recognize you, forgive me. Lower your arrows, friends. Eruialiwen and her riders were indeed summoned by the King. Let them pass and receive treatment for their wounds."

The golden-haired elves immediately withdrew their weapons and moved out of the way, silent and their expressions unchanged. Ainacalion and Talawen, who were in front, led the three other elleths through the strewn leaves and past the watchful elven guards. The guard-captain walked swiftly ahead of them, crossing first over the wide bridge that swept over the thundering black Forest River, and the great gates to Thranduil's cavern kingdom swung languidly open, though there was no-one beyond them.

"We will take care of your horses," the guard-captain said, rounding about and facing the bloodstained travelers as they dismounted their horses. "My name is Isolden. I will take you to the king, and then you all may rest."

Nodding slightly in response, the party dismounted; all but Eruialiwen, who was staring blankly at Alanoth's grey mane. Enednilwen and Talawen seemed to think she was sleeping, but Ainacalion quickly went to her and grasped one of her small, pale hands, and said: "Come on. Merian died very quickly, I doubt that he felt pain. You must look ahead to the summons that King Thranduil gave you. You'll be seeing Prince Legolas again, no doubt, and that thought must cheer your heart."

Eruialiwen said nothing, but her eyes thawed from their unmoving stare as she let herself be gently pulled off her sister's horse. She briefly wondered why the woodland prince was not there to greet her as she was briskly guided across the bridge and into the halls of his father.

Unlike the last time Eruialiwen had been here, there was no uplifting elvensong filling the light cavern rooms and corridors. There was only a strange, unusual silence. She followed Isolden into the great hall where King Thranduil paced up and down before his intently carved throne.

"They have arrived, my king," Isolden said quietly, dropping down to one knee before Thranduil, who at the moment was ignoring everyone's presence and was still pacing. He wore a rich brown cloak that trailed the floor, and a crown of berries and autumn-infused leaves upon his forehead. His long silver-blonde hair fell just past his shoulders, catching intense gleams from the crimson and gold torchlight as he at last looked up to meet the eyes of the elven company before him. His dark grey eyes were drawn down by eyebrows that were furrowed in worry.

"Greetings and hail King Thranduil," Lothatal said cooly, and her comrades murmured the same, dropping down into kneeling bows before rising again. "We have arrived at your calling and desire to know your intentions."

Thranduil looked slightly distracted as his eyes searched the party. "Rise and leave us, Isolden. Where is Eruialiwen, who is also called Green Eyes of the West? Ah, she is indeed here, along with her sister. Welcome, all of you." He managed a grim smile and strode toward them, coming within a few feet of them and gazing at them all in turn, as the guard-captain inclined his head in respect and withdrew from the great hall.

"I am afraid to say that the spiders attacked us on the way in, my king," Ainacalion said, his eyes darkening. "We destroyed several of them, but not before Eruialiwen and Talawen were injured and one of our steeds was killed."

It was only now that Eruialiwen noticed that someone besides herself had been stricken by the spiders. Talawen's cheek was dripping blood, and her long sleeve was torn in several places. Her bright copper-colored hair was askew from its delicate plaits. Thranduil gazed hard from Eruialiwen to the other bright-eyed elleth.

"It is not often that the elves are taken unawares by the spiders. You should have been more vigilant." He turned away and sniffed, but not contemptuously. "As should have I," he added in a low mutter.

"King Thranduil," Lothatal said sharply, seeming preturbed that the king thought her watchful skills less than perfect. "I must inquire to why you summoned us here. Surely there is some reason that is less than savory. The elves are not merry this day."

Thranduil turned his head back toward them in a clean twist; his body slowly followed. His face was suddenly drawn with grief. "I would not have asked anyone less than your company to attend to the task at hand. It is my son, Legolas. He has disappeared beyond the mists."

Everyone but Lothatal started at this news, Eruialiwen especially. Her heart leaped into her throat and now all thoughts of her dead steed were cast away to focus only on Legolas.

"The mists, my king?" Ainacalion ventured, looking confused. Eruialiwen, Enednilwen, and Talawen all shared his expression. What was this other evil lurking under the black eaves of Mirkwood, and why hadn't they heard of it before?

"The Black Vale," Lothatal responded darkly, before the king could speak. "I have seen it before. Even to elves, it is not visible in the shadows until it is too late. Anyone or anything that passes through the Black Vale never returns."

"If it is not viewable," piped up Talawen, "then how could you have seen it? Surely you did not go through it and come out again."

Lothatal eyed her, seeming to challenge the redhaired elleth's query. "My brother disappeared through it," she said with a hardened voice and expression. "He and I were riding past King Thranduil's palace, in a northwest direction following the Forest River. He strayed from me. As I watched, he and his horse were swallowed up by a sudden void. I did not follow him, for fear I would meet his fate, whatever it would be. Five hundred times the leaves have bloomed in Mirkwood and Rivendell alike, and I have not heard from my brother again. I wish I had gone through the Black Vale to find him."

Thranduil closed his eyes for a long moment. "Legolas, just like everyone else who dwells here, knows not to traverse along the north side of the Forest River, for fear of running through the invisible shadow. He always was the more adventurous of us..." He trailed off and went to his throne, where he sat down with a heavy sigh.

Eruialiwen knew at once what had to be done, and at the moment she did not care if she died for it. "You are requesting us to go into the Black Vale ourselves and find Prince Legolas."

Thranduil's mouth was a straight line. "I am not requesting of you. I am commanding you," he said.

Ainacalion's eyes flashed. "Then you are sentencing us to death, and for what, my king?" he snapped, taking a bold step forward.

"For the sake of Legolas!" Thranduil flared, leaping out of his seat so quickly that Talawen and Enednilwen gasped, but Ainacalion remained one step closer to him. Thranduil took a deep breath and sat back down. "I do not see how the Black Vale brings death. It has taken him to another place, no doubt, though whether in Middle Earth or otherwise is debatable. I do not know how the Vale came to be, for it has not always been in Mirkwood. It is the work of some dark force, maybe a sorceror's. I know the elves did not create it, and neither did men. The Black Vale, if created by a dark sorceror, could have been created as a transport. Sorcerors are not that rare in Mirkwood, though I have never heard of any this close to my people, endangering their welfare and endangering the welfare of the beasts who live here as well."

"So...if we go through the mists unscathed, and find Prince Legolas, how are we to bring him back?" Ainacalion asked, great skeptisism in his voice. "As Lothatal said, nobody ever returns after they enter the mists."

Thranduil stared at him, and the party already knew his answer, it was plain on his face: "That I know not. But that is why I called upon the best young elves I can conjure in my mind. I trust you. I trust you to find my son and return him to Mirkwood, however you may be able to do that."

There was silence, a deadened weight that filled the great hall and seemed to leak into all surrounding corridors and rooms. It felt like a hundred years before anybody spoke, but Eruialiwen finally found her voice and managed, "We accept your command readily, King Thranduil."

Her comrades at once stared at her, and Ainacalion scowled noiselessly. But Eruialiwen's eyes were only for the king, and they shared an unbreaking gaze that reached into the depths of one another's trust. "All of you shall be greatly rewarded when you bring him back," he said softly, his face brightening slightly. "But for this night, you all shall rest and find refreshment. In the morning you will set out. Eruialiwen, I shall lend to you Legolas's most prized horse, Calenhen. You are warmly dismissed."