A/N: Some more back story. Everyone knows what happens when Legolas reaches Rivendell and from then on, but this bit before Legolas is sent out is needed for the events of the plot. Think of it as a second prologue; one that really did not fit in with the first since it is present time for the characters!

Chapter 1- Evils In The Night

20 Narië 3018 of the Third Age - Mirkwood

He walked quietly along the great halls, the smooth stone beneath his soft- booted feet casting endless reflections from the candles adorning the walls as if it were the grandest mirror in all of Arda. The faint sound of joyous music from the great hall of his father's palace drifted through the still air and lessened as he moved swiftly along the corridor towards his chambers. All he had been able to think about the entire evening was how he was going to get out of entertaining his guests from Lindon. When he finally saw a clear path of escape, he took his chance, risking a possibly large altercation with his father in the coming morning. Mostly Thranduil would not have cared if his son had taken leave of a feast early. However, there was one type of celebration that Thranduil could not excuse him leaving, and that was one that involved the High Elves of Lindon, and Círdan's daughter. The celebration where Thranduil and Círdan would announce the betrothal of their children.

Why had he been betrothed anyway? Elves were not of the betrothal kind, maybe in a few extreme cases, but not in Arda, and definitely not in Mirkwood. His father had never been betrothed. His own mother had not been of noble birth, and yet his father had still married her. Why could he not have the same? He wished to find an elleth that he truly loved, and not be bound to one elleth to which he only even knew her name and of her high birth. Oh she is a beauty, Thranduil had said. A Prince of Mirkwood would see fit to bind with a Princess of Lindon, Thranduil's other advisors had said. Did the people of his wood really think him so shallow that those would be the qualities he looked for in a wife?

Lóme, the princess, was indeed beautiful, but nowhere as beautiful as his friend Undómiel. Lóme was certainly of high lineage, but she lacked something as did many others of high birth. He could not put his finger upon exactly what she was lacking, but he figured it had something to do with her lack of personality. Sure, he understood the need for courtly formalness, though only to a certain extent would he wish for someone to practice it. There was no need for constantly being a mope around the halls or showing little gaiety when a truly funny jest had been made, just like the one his father had made about the dwarves earlier in the evening when the feast had first started. The noble ellyn at the head table had chuckled, as did a few of their wives, but Lóme sat with the rest of her ladies in a stone-faced disgusted manner as is seemed she found his kingdom rather detestable. Lóme would have been far more beautiful if she smiled some of the time.

True, he had not been the best picture of cheerfulness for the evening, and really he could not blame her for such a dour face. Though, the joke his father had told was quite a funny one and even he could not hold in a laugh. And in turn he had received a piercing glare from the princess. To humor his father, he had asked her for a dance, to which Círdan spoke for her. Legolas had found himself with his arms around the coldest elleth to ever walk this side of the sea. She did not speak much to him when they were alone, and when she did it was in bitter snaps and woe-as-me sighs.

After a few dances and trying in vain to break her ice, he had deposited her back in her seat near her father and gone to mingle with the rest of the partygoers. Thranduil had then pulled him aside to tell him it was his duty to properly court the elleth. Duty! That made Legolas laugh. Of all the duties he held in Mirkwood, the least his father needed was for another to be born and placed in line for the throne of Mirkwood. After all, Legolas was only a prince by title and birth, and would never see a day of power until Thranduil traveled over sea. That was if Thranduil traveled into the West. And the only duty he particularly cared about was guarding his lands from grotesque spiders and orcs and dwarves. He still could not figure out how those dwarves had escaped so long ago...

No, the only duty that his father saw important was that his son would marry a princess from another land to secure a tie with each other. Sometimes it felt like he was only a subject being commanded by his king rather a son by his father on such issues. Mirkwood was more than capable of standing alone in battles, and their trade was good with the Men. Largely were their woods untroubled, and far better off than Lindon was. But then, maybe Círdan needed their protection. He enjoyed Círdan very much, and had always thought him a great ruler of Lindon and ally of all elven lands, even though he had heard many wonderful stories of High King Gil-galad. He did not wish to disappoint both his father and Círdan, but at this point it seemed inevitable. He would not wed the Lindonian princess.

Finally, he reached the door to his chamber, the candles on the wall flickering around him as he stopped in such a haste. He had not realized he had been moving so quickly through the halls, but was glad that no one had followed him or caught him slinking off. The main room was lit with a soft glow from the large ornate fireplace, and many other candles were lit in the room he noticed as he traveled back to his sleeping and bathing chambers. Who had paid enough attention to him this evening that they had called for a servant to come to stoke the fire and prepare his room for the evening?

Legolas walked back to his sleeping chambers and pulled off the rich green outer tunic he was wearing and threw it into his wardrobe, not the least concerned that the fine cloth would wrinkle. He stretched his arms above his head and took the mithril circlet from his hair, setting it on a side table, walking back into his bathing room to wash his face with the cool water in a shallow stoneware bowl. The amount of fine summer wine that he had consumed this night to drown the thought of binding with the Princess of Ice was slowly taking affect and making him drowsy.

His hope to be alone for the rest of the evening was shattered by a soft knock at the door in the front room of his chambers. He went to the door and opened it slightly to peer out, finding that the person there was not as bad as a visit from his father would have been. Legolas opened the heavy wood door the rest of the way on it's hinges and looked down at the silver-haired elleth standing there.

"My lord," she spoke softly and as shyly as she could manage, though he knew that it was all just an act.

He gazed at her and looked down at the rather revealing blue gown that she wore. "Nindë, what is it you require?"

"I came to make sure that you did not need anything more, milord." Nindë said, wetting her lips with her tongue.

Sometimes he loved to play her own game with her. He would start by messing with her head, as though he were interested in something more with her. Then he would make her leave him alone; send her from his sight. Legolas worried that it was only adding fuel to the fire, as he had often entertained the idea of going further with the elleth for pleasure's sake. Other times, though, it was all he could do not to banish her from Mirkwood for all of things she tried to get him to concede to. She seemed to think that he was young and unaware of the wool she tried to pull over any powerful or high-born elves' eyes, but that was hardly the case with him, especially after his last visit to Lórien and the things she had been saying behind the March Warden's and Lady Indilisse's backs.

When he had received news of Haldir's and Indilisse's binding, he had been so happy to hear it, but at the same time had wondered what the sinister elleth named Nindë would do since she could no longer have the one she lusted after. He was glad that she had not attempted anything so horrid as poisoning or stabbing as these were only a few of the ways she had talked of going about ruining Indilisse. Legolas would have taken care of her personally if she had harmed Indilisse in anyway, so he was glad he would not have that bloodshed on his hands. Of course, because he had hoped the storm had blown over, Nindë had the nerve to come to Mirkwood, and it seemed then and still did seem, that she had come for the sole purpose of gaining with Legolas what she could not with Haldir.

Legolas had laughed the first time he saw her working as a handmaiden and it made him wonder if she had ever seen a day of hard work in her life. To this day it amused him to no end watching her trying to balance heavy silver trays of food or carefully pour wine glasses without spilling.

Unfortunately for her, this evening was not an evening he felt like dealing with her. Legolas sighed and looked around the room, "I do not think I need anything."

"I shall turn down your bedcovers for you, then, milord." Nindë said, brushing past him quickly before he could react.

He stood at the door and watched her retreat into the bed chamber, astonished that she had actually just done that. Shutting the door, he walked quietly back to the doorway to watch Nindë turn down the bedcovers. She moved as sluggish as a dwarf, moving in somewhat suggestive ways, he supposed to try to entice him. Nindë finished finally, after what seemed an age, and looked at him with an innocent smile. She slinked up to him and bowed her head slightly.

Legolas sighed, "What is it that you want from me, Nindë?"

"Is it not obvious, my lord?" She questioned, looking up at him and daring to run a finger down his jaw line.

With his adept reflexes, he had grabbed her hand and pulled it away after just barely touching his skin. "Nindë, do you ever give up? You have been doing this for nearly seventeen years now, and not once have I given in. What makes you think I will suddenly do so?"

She looked at him in mock sheepishness. "No male elf can withstand an elleth offering herself to him for a long time, Legolas. I figure it is only a matter of time until you give in."

"I would never give in to you, Nindë." He said, his mouth twitching with amusement. "The only one you deserve is Sauron himself. And I am not even sure you are worthy of him. He could be too good for you."

Nindë scoffed and pulled away from him, turning for the door. "In time, my dear prince, you will see that you want me."

"Have you never been in love, Elleth?!" He called.

She paused, and did not turn around, "I do not believe in love, your highness. I believe in stations and power and prestige. Those are what I believe in."

"Then you are like many." Legolas said.

Nindë sighed heavily, "I am but a lowly servant in your palace. What would you want with me when you could have a beautiful princess from Lindon?"

He chuckled and shook his head, seeing through her act of trying to gain his pity, but indulged her a bit, "The princess is not to my liking either, though I do think somewhere in that cold heart of hers, she believes in love."

"Maybe you would bind with someone like me instead of her then." Nindë offered and continued for the door.

Legolas laughed harder and waited until she had the door half closed, "I would not marry someone who speaks ill of my Lothlórien friends."

She stopped for a moment and let out a disgusted groan before slamming the door shut. He smiled to himself and walked back to his chambers. For some cruel reason it felt vindicating to say such things to Nindë and to hurt her vile pride. Sitting on his bed, he began to remove the tall boots on his feet, but there was yet another knock at the door. Groaning inwardly, he stood up and traipsed to the door, throwing it back, prepared to dig into anyone who was standing there. However, he stopped almost instantly upon seeing two of his underling guards looking at him with worried expressions.

"What is it?" He asked, praying that Nindë had not done anything rash in her rage.

"He has escaped, my lord," Cúmor spoke hurriedly.

Legolas' mind was still foggy from the wine and fatigue of the day, so he asked, "Who?"

"The creature." Cúmor said now, "The creature Gollum."

Could this night get any worse than it already was? Legolas set his features so he did not show too much anger, "What do you mean he 'escaped'? I put extra guards there to stand watch."

Cúmor nodded his head, "We know, my lord, and we are sorry. But we took him out to be amongst the trees and were attacked by orcs from Dol Guldur."

"And lost him." Legolas felt a dull ache forming behind his eyes, trying to calm himself so he did not verbally explode at the young guards in front of him. "How could you oafs have let him get away! He is dangerous, even though I do not know how so! It is what Mithrandir said."

"We are very much grieved, my lord." Both guards hung their heads in shame.

"Have you alerted my father?" Legolas questioned, finding both of the guards looking up at him with worried eyes. Thranduil was very much a kind and generous elven king, but at the same time he had a streak of great anger when such things as this happened. It was obvious that the guards feared speaking to the king directly, especially during such a night as this, and Legolas could not blame them even though he knew it would now be his duty to tell his father. Oh yes, the next time he saw his father, the meeting would not be a pleasant one.

"We sent others, my lord, to go hunt for it." Cúmor said.

Legolas nodded his head, "Go out searching with them. I will deal with consequences when all guards return, with or without the creature. But pray that you find the creature, because you will not only experience my wrath, but also that of my father if you do not."

The guards scurried away from the door quickly, and Legolas rested his head against the cool stone next to the door. How was he to tell his father this foul news? How was he to tell his father that Mithrandir and Aragorn entrusted them with the safe keeping of the horrid little creature, and he had let it escape so easily because he had not personally seen to it that the correct guards were standing watch? Legolas walked back to his bed chamber, pulling on a tunic quickly and strapping his weapons to his body. He started through the corridor, but just as he was about to turn a corner, he heard the clearing of someone's throat. Legolas sighed and slumped his shoulders, recognizing who it was without even turning around.

"Father." Legolas said, turning on his toes to face the amused king.

"The least you could have done was warn me you were leaving for the evening." Thranduil joined Legolas' side. "But I did not expect you to stay long. It seemed that you had far better places to be than at a celebration with your betrothed."

Legolas rolled his eyes, "Do not start speaking to me like you are disappointed, Ada. You saw as well as I did that the princess is far from what we would call social."

"Maybe it was because of the feelings she got from you?" Thranduil mentioned, and raised a brow. "It was easy to tell that you already had your mind made up where she was concerned."

"I do already have my mind made up as far as she is concerned," Legolas replied. "And I will not bind with her!"

"Legolas, please, it has been a long day. Maybe you will think differently in the morning light." Thranduil continued, placing a strong hand on Legolas' shoulder. It felt like his father wanted to hear that he felt differently in morning, even if he did not.

Legolas pulled away from him, "I will not think differently in the morning, Ada. I will not marry a princess that I do not love."

"Then you would see fit to spend some more time with her and fall in love with her." Thranduil said evenly, and looked at Legolas, noticing for the first time the manner of dress Legolas was in. "Where are you going so late at night with your weapons?"

"The creature escaped." Legolas said, waiting for his father's initial reaction to the news.

Thranduil's face turned a bright red, "What do you mean, he escaped?!"

"The guards took him out into the forest and they were attacked by orcs." He explained, "It got away, and that is all I know. I am leaving to go on the hunt."

"Who were the head guards this evening?!" Thranduil exclaimed loudly.

Legolas bit his tongue, "Cúmor and Luindir. I told them I would punish them when they returned."

Thranduil took a deep breath, trying to calm his rage and it frightened Legolas that he had acted the exact same way when he had heard the news. Oh how he hated to be so much like his father. Thranduil gritted his teeth, "I will deal with your guards, you are to go out with them and hunt for the creature as long as you should see fit. And that should be until you find him."

"Very well, Ada." Legolas bowed his head, and turned on his toes to head towards the exit of the cave. At least he would not have to worry about trying to 'fall in love' with the princess for a while. Legolas smiled; maybe he could take an extremely long time hunting for the creature, then she would grow bored and continue with Círdan back to Lindon. Selfish as it was, he hoped that some part of it would come true. He was not going to bind with anyone he could never find himself caring for, regardless of what his father and Círdan wanted.

30 Yavannië 3018 of the Third Age- Mirkwood

"All trace of the creature is lost, Ada." Legolas said slowly, training his eyes on the tapestry behind his father's golden-haired head so he would not have to look directly in his eyes.

Thranduil was silent and sat back in his high-backed wood chair. He put his hands together, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair, placing the index fingers to his lips. Legolas shifted uncomfortably on his feet, a huge weight now seemingly placed on his shoulders. He hated when his father did this. Thranduil sighed, "You are sure of this?"

"Aye, Ada." He nodded, "We have searched every bower, beech and cave from here to the plains of Rhovanion. Gollum is lost."

"Very well." Thranduil sat up and hunched over the scrolls on the large table in front of him.

After a few long moments of silence, and Legolas finding this rather odd that his father would have nothing more to say on the matter, he cleared his throat. "Ada?"

The king looked up at him, "A moment, Legolas."

Legolas waited again as his father went over some more paperwork. Now he was quickly becoming angry at Thranduil's seemingly uncaring nature for the news of the escaped creature. "Ada..."

"I am looking over the guard rotations Legolas." Thranduil spoke, "Who would you send as emissary to Imladris to alert Lord Elrond? Tyelco is back from the borders, is he not?"

"He is, Ada." Legolas said, "But I would not send him."

Thranduil looked over him, "He is the only one I fully trust to get this message to Imladris besides you, Legolas."

"Then send me," Legolas said. "I am the captain of the guard after all, and it is ultimately my fault that I allowed for the creature to escape. It was my ruling that said the guards could the creature out into the trees."

"But you did not rule for the orcs to attack them." Thranduil reminded. "I would not wish to send you, Legolas, if I did not have to. You needed back here to command our warriors when the time comes for war."

Legolas let out a heavy sigh, "We are already at war, Ada. We just have not seen the full force of it yet."

The king was silent again and looked over Legolas for a long while. "Do not forget you have duties to attend to back here while you are away."

"What would those duties be, Ada?" Legolas asked.

"Why, commanding your guards." Thranduil stood from his seat and walked around the large desk, "And binding with the lovely princess from Lindon."

He hoped that the grimace upon his face was not too displeasing to his father, but those were not the words he had wished to hear from him. He had succeeded in staying out on the hunt for Gollum long enough that Círdan and his party had to travel back to Lindon, but it seemed he would not succeed in forever ending the betrothal. Legolas sighed and bowed his head slightly, "I will leave for Imladris on the morrow."

"Do not go alone." Thranduil said, "Even though you have grown, and you are a worthy captain and warrior, I still worry about you, ion nin."

Legolas chuckled and walked towards the door, "It surprises me that you even trust me with a bow and arrow after my many problems as an elfling."

Thranduil laughed loudly, "I had a great deal of faith you would grow into your own and become a fine archer and fighter."

Legolas nodded his head and stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. Elbereth knew what he had just gotten himself into, but he was ready for whatever task came for him on his road to Imladris and beyond. His only hope was that it would take his mind off of his impending fate back in Mirkwood.

--- Narië- June Yavanne- September Ion nin- my son Ada- Father