Reviewer responses to chapter 12:

Sielge, Mornflower, Deana: Thanks so much for the reviews...I'm sorry this took so long. grinsI'll try to do better!

Po-Pla: Lamb's urine? Dunno...wish I had thought of horse's urine...that WOULD have been easier to find! Doh! Yeh, MORE trouble ensues....hehe.

Star Wars Forever: Worse and worse predicaments. HEHEHEHE...enjoy this one!

Marbienl: Ur...I'm fine...yep, he is weak now! And in trouble again. Hope you like this chappie...sorry these responses are short...in a hurry!

Kelsey: Yeh, the scent thing...Hehe...hope you enjoy this chapter, a little less laughter.

InsanePirate624: Thank you for the compliment. I'm creative! YAH. This chapter isn't too long...I have little time...but I hope it is good.

SivanShemesh: Thanks for reviewing again. They are ALWAYS in danger in my fics! Well, unless it's a comedy. Keep reading and I promise I won't kill Legolas.

Aranna Undomiel: Welcome back. Glad you like this story! Hehe...am I going trap them in that cave? I wonder...I AM rather evil...I might do it...

Beling: Eek...uptight...oopsy. That's the New Yorker in me coming out in Middle-Earth. Sorry bout that. Glad you like and I'm thrilled you chose to review more than once! And that you will read Then and Now!! I do try to work on the feelings of the characters...glad it seems to be working. Thanks for the compliment on the Estel torturing Legolas...AND...FINALLY...thanks...well...just thanks a bunch...you have really made my week with all those reviews! Enjoy this chapter too!

Shadowfax2931: Hey girl! Yeh, the name was weird...but it catches ones attention!!!

Me: Hey...you...LOL. Got them out of there in chapter 7, yup I did...glad you reviewed...if you read to this...see where I got them NOW. Don't cry for Estel just yet...he isn't dead. (Nor will he die.)

SirNotAppearingInThisFilm: Interesting name you got there! Thanks for reading..I won't tell anyone you weren't asleep all night! -grins-


Chapter Thirteen: Taking it down

Legolas shivered. His whole body was consumed with tremors and it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe properly. Must be the poison, the Prince thought. If the poison doesn't kill me, this darned cave will!

The Elf hated caves.

Too often, he and Estel had become trapped in a cave-in, or ambushed by Orcs, or just plain lost in a labyrinth of tunnels. This time, though, he was feeling not just the toxins running through his body, but the weight of the recent memories of torture.

"Legolas? Are you still with me, mellon nin?"

Celronen appeared at the Prince's side. He had been scouting ahead a few feet, making sure that no Orc had returned to the cave and survived the attack of the Mirkwood Elves. So far, he had heard nothing but the chattering of his friend's teeth.

"F...fine."

"Fine...yeah, and my name is King Thranduil," Celronen muttered. Legolas, despite the gravity of his situation, looked at Celronen with wide eyes. He had never heard that one before.

"You...d...do not look li...like my f...father," he stuttered, shaking even more now. He hugged his arms to his chest. "Why'sitsocold..." he said in a slur.

Celronen frowned. "You do not sound good, Legolas. You are slurring words and you are shaking like a leaf. Perhaps this really was more unwise then we anticipated. We should turn right around and go home." He moved to take the Prince's shoulder.

"No!" Legolas said, moving quickly for one in such a condition, scooting past Celronen and striking off further into the cave. "E...Estel needs me."

"Yes, needs you alive, Legolas."

The Prince slowed. He has a point there. But we are so close. "Cel, the cavern is near, I can feel it. Please, let's just get the dagger and go!"

Sighing, the warrior followed him. "Legolas, are we even sure the dagger is here? How do we know that Orc didn't have it on him when he was killed?"

"We don't," Legolas said quietly. "B...but we m...must look...f...for Estel."

"And for you..." Celronen added in exasperation. "You always forget you."

Smiling lightly, Legolas answered quietly. "I know, Cel. I know."


"Hir nin? Do you know how to take down a cave? Because, we don't..." Elrohir was riding beside the King and the question had been burning in his mind.

Chuckling, Thranduil turned to glance at the twins. "Do not repeat this to anyone or I will personally see to it that those tongues of yours disappear forever." Elladan and Elrohir nodded. "I once dined with a dwarf of the Lonely Mountain who told me the way to take down a cave."

"You? Dined with a dwarf?" Elladan blurted, than quickly covered his mouth. "Pardon me, King Thranduil. But I never in a million years would have thought you would dine with a dwarf!"

The king frowned. "Yes, well, it was not the most pleasant of meals, but I did survive it. And the knowledge shall come in handy now."

He gestured forward. There, in a clearing, stood a cave entrance. Elladan and Elrohir eyed it with disdain. They were even less accustomed to caves then the Mirkwood elves whose homes were carved into rock.

Elrohir shivered, thoughts of his mother's captivity invading his mind. Elladan's hand on his arm brought him back quickly. The elder twin had read the look in Elrohir's eyes. Smiling lightly, he dismounted.

Thranduil was already examining some large trees beside the cave entrance. He knew that the only way he could take this down was to fell a tree or two, but the trees had to be big enough.

Elladan and Elrohir snooped around the entrance to the cavern. Then, Elladan went to help Thranduil as the King decided which trees would serve their purpose, then proceeded to get their blessings before cutting them down. He was, after all, a wood-Elf.

Elrohir, meantime, continued to look around the mouth of the cave, idly examining it.

"'Ro! We are about to let this one fall, it will take down the entrance! Get out of there please!" Elladan called.

Elrohir looked up, seeing the tree nearly cut through and Thranduil and Elladan looking expectantly at him. Sighing, he nodded and started to move away.

Thranduil and Elladan pushed the tree with all their strength, toppling it toward the cave. It seemed to fall in slow motion and the three Elves watched it go down. Then, Elrohir shouted. "NO!"

And he ran, full tilt, into the cavern entrance just before the tree hit and the rocks crumbled.

"NO! 'RO!" Elladan called, scrambling forward. Thranduil tackled him, dropping them both to the ground as the rocks continued to rumble and fall. The elder twin struggled, but Thranduil had him in an iron grip.

"No, do not move yet. He is all right...he will be fine!"

Elladan stopped struggling, but continued to shake in fear.

Then, the crumbling stopped and the roar dissipated. Thranduil and Elladan rose and hurried to the cave entrance, or what was left of it. A pile of boulders, too large to move, lay between them and Elrohir.

"EL! Are you all right! Can you hear me!" Elladan called out, pulling on the rocks.

A disembodied voice replied, "Yes...I am all right. They are in here! I don't believe it!"

"WHO!" Thranduil shouted.

"Legolas and Celronen!"

"What!" Elladan and Thranduil shouted in unison. "How did you know?" Thranduil asked.

There was a pause. "I saw the Prince's horse and I knew that Cel would be with him. I must find them. Legolas must be deathly ill by now. Cel will need another knowledgable healer. I have learned a lot from adar and can help him."

Thranduil breathed in relief. "You have a point. But next time, do NOT scare us like that, Elrondion."

Elladan muttered. "Or I'll kill you myself."


Elrond was exhausted. So was Bardon. But the latter was even more so. He not only had to take care of Estel, but he had to force the elder Elf Healer to rest occasionally, to eat, to drink...heck even to use the restroom.

Estel's condition, for the moment, was stable. His fever was actually a little lower, but something told Bardon that was just the calm before the storm. And from the way that Elrond was now hovering over the man, he was almost certain he was right in that assumption.

"Estel...please, ion nin, fight this. Wake up! Return to us!"

Bardon wavered, his hands nearly dropping the bowl he was carrying. It was heart-wrenching to hear one of the greatest healers in Middle-Earth begging his son to return to him when there was nothing he could do but wait.

To his immense surprise, however, Estel responded.

"Ada?" The voice was weak and croaky, but there.

Elrond's head snapped up. He hadn't been expecting an answer. As a matter of fact, he was not sure how in the world Estel was even conscious. He had been unable to breathe a little while ago. Now he was talking?

"Estel? Tell me how you are feeling?"

The man took a moment to collect himself. "Thirsty. Sore. Hungry. Tired. Like the whole roof caved in on me."

Bardon and Elrond laughed, while the later helped Estel sip some tea he had had prepared. Nothing that would induce sleep, they wanted to keep Estel awake. After drinking as much as his body would allow, Estel settled back down.

"Legolas? Cel? The twins? Thranduil?"

"None have returned yet. But it should be soon," Elrond said, checking Estel's wounds. They were still seeping blood. He frowned. "I must rebandage this. I will try to be gentle, ion nin."

Estel nodded wearily. There was really no use arguing, though he didn't personally feel like getting hurt so soon after waking. Then again, they had to control his bleeding. He didn't want to die.

Despite all the caution in the world, Elrond still caused him pain. It tore at the Elf lord's heart each time Estel cringed or cried out. But the wounds needed to be treated and he could not afford to put the man to sleep.

When it was all finished, Estel breathed a sigh of somewhat relief and his eyes began to flutter. "Ada? I am so tired, Ada. Can you tell me a story? To keep me awake? Please?"

Elrond nodded, his eyes about ready to start leaking tears at the sight of the normally stoic and strong Estel asking to be told a story like a little child. He must be in such pain...so weak, Elrond thought.

"Yes, Estel. I will tell you the story of the mightly Balrog-slayer, Glorfindel."

"But I've heard that one."

"You haven't heard the time that Elladan and Elrohir glued him to the saddle, have you?"

Awestruck gasp... "NO!"

"Right then...it was a gorgeous autumn day..."


A/N: I wish this was longer and there was more Legolas and Cel, but right now I don't have time and I want to make that scene in the cave a good one. I am THINKING about having there be ORCS there...perhaps a little trouble ensues...What do you all think? Should I? Then perhaps Cel will take the brunt of the fight...

-Gwenneth