Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Hey there people! Thank you all so much for your reviews, even if they were slightly on the violent side. Hehe, many many thanks to my beta enb2004! Hehe, okay so you're all about ready to kill me once again. Come on, raise your hand if you highly desire to kill or harm me in some way. Hmm, that's what I thought which is exactly why I come with a peace offering. What is it? Why, Chapter Sixteen of course! Enjoy!

For what seemed like hours, Iaurdil and his men sprinted across the forest solely intent on finding the lost soul who had screamed. It mattered not that the snow was falling heavily from the sky nor that the air was cold enough to make even an elf shiver.

Iaurdil had a very bad feeling about this. Something was not right, not right at all. The forest was still far to silent. Not even the trees were speaking to him which they almost always did. Something had happened and he was intent on finding out what.

He knew that whoever had screamed had something to do with it and was in desperate need of help. That had been no idle scream, and though he was loathe to admit it, it had frightened him somewhat.

As they progressed deeper into the forest from where the scream had come from, Iaurdil noticed with a sinking heart that orcs had been here. The scream they had probably heard had been some poor soul caught by the heartless bastards.

"Milord, there is an orc encampment up ahead," one of the scouts reported, his face grim.

"How many?" Iaurdil demanded.

"I'd day at least thirty, perhaps forty if they had some off scouting the surrounding woods," Angdor answered.

Iaurdil nodded thoughtfully. "We can easily take that many. Was there any sign of a prisoner?"

The scouts previously grave disposition changed to one of utter fury. "Unfortunately milord, there was. A young elfling of Noldor descent I would say. I was not able to stay long for fear of discovery, but it looked as though they were preparing to torture him."

Iaurdil blanched at this piece of unexpected news. "How far?" he growled. He could not believe that those monsters were going to torture a child?! Had they no heart?

But of course, he already knew the answer to that. No, orcs were completely heartless bastards and one of the most vile creatures to inhabit Middle Earth. He shuddered as he remembered what those creatures had done to Elladan and Elrohir's mother. He would not allow that to happen to this mysterious young elfling. He could not.

"We can be there within the hour," Angdor answered completely unfazed by Iaurdil's temper. After all, King Thranduil's temper was far worse.

Iaurdil was brought out of his thoughts right away by the scouts answer. "Then let us go," he said, his eyes hard and his face grim. By sunrise, the orcs would be dead. He would tolerate no less.

The scout had proven correct. They were at the orc encampment within the hour and it appeared that they had arrived just in time.

Iaurdil burned with fury as he watched an orc taunt the young elfling with a cruel looking whip. From his position in the tree's he heard the orc say: "Nobody's going to help you elf brat. You're all alone and there's nothin you can do about it. Now, let us have some fun and let the games begin."

Just as the orc was about to bring the whip down, Iaurdil and his men jumped down from their hiding spots.

"Guess again," Iaurdil hissed before stabbing the orc in the neck. Iaudril's soldiers took that as their cue and started to slaughter the orcs without mercy.

While his men took care of the orcs, Iaurdil quickly cut the bonds that were holding the elfling to the tree.

"Shh, it's all right, you're going to be just fine," Iaurdil whispered soothingly. Gently, he took the child's hands and rubbed them, trying to bring back circulation.

"Who are you?" Estel whispered hoarsely.

"Shhh, my names Iaurdil, what's your name," he asked while trying to get a good look at what injuries the child had.

Estel's eyes widened in shock. "You're Leggie's big brother!"

"Who's big brother?" Iaudril asked confused. He was positive that he had never heard someone with the name "Leggie," let alone have a brother named that.

"Please! You have to help him! He said that you were his big brother and would help us," Estel said while crying.

"Shh, it's all right, I'll help him but I'm afraid I don't know anyone with the name Leggie," Iaudril said holding the child tightly to his chest

"You have to help us! Legolas is trapped under those wolf things," Estel cried.

Iaurdil's eyes went wide. His baby brother was trapped under wargs! And why was he here in Mirkwood? He was supposed to be in Imladris!

Those were questions that could be answered later though. Right now he had to get this little one to safety and rescue his brother.

"All right, don't worry. I'll help Legolas. Where is he?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

"That way," Estel said holding on tightly to Iaurdil.

"Okay little one, my men will take you back to the palace while I go back for Legolas," Iaurdil said.

"No! I'm staying with you!" Estel said stubbornly.

"Tithen pen, you are shaking from cold! I can not in good conscience let you stay out here. Will you go back to the palace with the warriors?" Iaurdil begged.

"No!" Estel exclaimed.

"Somehow I didn't think so. What's your name tithen pen?" Iaurdil asked again.

"Estel," the child answered while sniffling.

Iaurdil raised an eyebrow at that. Hope, an odd name for sure but he would dwell on that later. Without even thinking about it, Iaurdil scooped Estel up into his arms, knowing the child could hardly stand let alone walk or run.

Finally feeling secure and knowing he was safe in Iaurdil's arms, Estel finally allowed himself to rest. He had been through to much in too short a time. He fell unconscious in Iaurdil's arms, content with the knowledge that he would help Legolas and himself.

Iaurdil felt Estel go limp in his arms and became more concerned. Valar only knew what the poor child had gone through in the past few days. It was a miracle he had survived. And Legolas.... Ai! What had his little brother gotten into this time and how did Estel fit into it all? That would have to wait however. Once he rescued Legolas and got him and Estel back to the palace, then he would question them.

"Hurry! My brother is trapped underneath wargs in that direction. I fear we have not much time, for either of them," he said to the assembled company.

They nodded in understanding and once more took off at a dead run.

They ran for what seemed like hours but could not have been more than one hour. Iaudril's heart beat wildly as he saw the dead wargs up ahead. Somewhere in that field of dead wargs was his little brother.

"Here, hold him for a minute Maldil," Iaurdil said, passing Estel to said elf.

Iaurdil quickly scanned the field and soon saw pale blonde hair that was matted with blood and dirt.

"Legolas! Can you hear me tithen gwador?" Iaudril asked as he shoved the warg carcasses off of him.

Legolas didn't respond though and once Iaurdil removed the carcasses he could see why. Legolas's torso was covered with deep scratches and his left leg was matted with blood and appeared to be broken severely.

Iaudril sighed in relief. While the injuries were severe and probably very painful, they were not life-threatening, which was what he had feared.

Taking note that the sun was rising, Iaudril quickly cleaned and bandaged his brothers wounds to the best of his ability before picking him up.

"Come, I highly desire to get these two back to the palace before any more harm can befall them."

"Aye milord, but I think you should take a look at Estel before we go. It may be my imagination but he seems warm to me," Maldil said.

Frowning, Iaudril put Legolas down for a second and walked over to his friend. Gently, he felt Estel's brow and saw that Maldil was quite correct. Estel did feel quite warm, too warm.

"Ai! This is not good, he may have been poisoned," Iaudril said, his soft gray eyes reflecting his concern.

"Aye, we need to get them back to the palace and soon. Estel's parents should be notified as well. Do you know who his parents are?" Maldil asked.

"Nay mellon nin, but I would hazard a guess that he is from Imladris judging by what's left of his clothes and his coloring," Iaudril said.

"Indeed. I wonder how it is that he and Legolas came to be in Mirkwood," Maldil said.

"Aye, well, that is a very good question but one that neither of them can answer at present. Come, we must get them home," Iaudril said handing Estel back to Maldil so that he could carry Legolas.

"Aye milord. You heard him, let's get moving and keep a sharp eye out! We don't want any more surprises," Maldil said to the other warriors while carefully cradling Estel in his arms.

The sooner they got back to the palace, the better he would feel. Having found the King's youngest child out in the wild severely wounded had shaken him more than he wanted to admit.

Just what was Legolas doing back in Mirkwood and with an elfling at that! Just what had happened to their youngest Prince?

Thinking about getting back to the palace brought a smile to his face despite the grim situation. He couldn't wait to see the look on Himband's face. Here the healer had thought that that he was rid of Legolas for the whole season.

"Just what are you chuckling about mellon nin?" Iaudril asked having suddenly popped up besides him.

Maldil grinned. "I was just thinking about the reaction that Himband is going to have. I do believe that he just might go insane."

Iaudril could not help but chuckle. Maldil was right. Legolas was quite the troublemaker and was forever getting injured somehow. At times it seemed as though he spent more time in the healing wing than he did on the archery fields.

"Indeed, but Himband is lucky. The rest of my siblings aren't nearly as accident prone as Legolas. It is Lord Elrond whom I truly feel sorry for. How he puts up with Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas on a regular basis is beyond me."

"Aye, is that not the truth. I can still remember the last time that all three of them were in Mirkwood. That was a disaster and a half," Maldil said with a shudder. He still had nightmares from that particular visit.

"Oh Valar, don't remind me," Iaudril said, shuddering in remembrance.

The light hearted moment ended suddenly when Estel moaned in Maldil's arms. Maldil frowned as he felt Estel's brow.

"His fever has increased," Iaudril said having noticed his friend's grim look.

"Aye, I am concerned that we may have missed something. Valar only knows how long he and Legolas were out here and exposed to the elements. We need to get them back and soon," Maldil said, his heart telling him that there was far more wrong than met the eye.

"I know, but I do not believe we can afford to increase our pace. The jostling might make them worse," Iaudril said looking down at his brother with sad, worried eyes.

"They shall be fine Iaudril, I only wish that we were somewhat closer to the palace than we are."

"I do hope that you are correct mellon nin. Something in my heart tells me though that this is only the beginning. I do not believe we have seen the worst yet," Iaudril said with a glance at the unconscious Estel.

Not much more was said after that. The contingent of elves continued to walk as fast as they dared towards the palace. As they continued to walk, the snow storm continued to increase while Estel's condition continued to deteriorate by the second.

Translations:

Tithen gwador: Little brother
Mellon nin: My friend

A/N 2: See? That wasn't so terrible now was it? See you in a few days!