Disclaimer: See Chapter One

A/N: Hey there people! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews. I would like to take the time to wish Mornflower all my best and my prayers that her brother is doing better. Many many thanks to my beta enb2004. Here is Chapter Nineteen. Enjoy!

Two, nearly three days had passed by with agonizing slowness in the house of Thranduil. Legolas had been drifting in and out of consciousness for some time but he was never coherent enough to talk to for very long.

The break in his leg had been very bad and he was in an awful amount of pain. Himband was keeping him on pain numbing herbs to dull the pain and send the elf into sleep. The problem was the side effects of the herbs made Legolas not all that aware even when he was awake.

"Himband, how much longer is Legolas going to have stay on these herbs?" Thranduil asked, running his hands through his hair tiredly. For the past two days he had been trying to have a conversation with his youngest son only to have Legolas look up at him and mutter a few words before falling back into a drugged sleep.

To make matters even worse, Estel had still not regained consciousness and was in fact slipping farther and farther away from life with each day that passed.

"It shall be a while more your majesty. The break in his leg was quite severe and is extremely painful, hence the medication," Himband said looking his King directly in the eye. "These types of things can not be hurried mellon nin. You know that."

"Aye, but it does not make the waiting any easier," Thranduil said with a mournful look at both his youngest son and Estel.

"We still know so little about Estel. If Legolas was coherent for more than five seconds he could tell us all we need to know. It may save Estel's life for all we know!" Iaurdil exclaimed suddenly.

"Shh, patience ion nin. I know that you're frustrated. I assure you that you're not the only one. We shall have our answers soon enough, I hope," Thranduil said shooting a dark look at Himband.

Himband only rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation. Honestly, the whole royal family was enough to drive any sane person to the brink of insanity. The way they were talking about him would make one think he was purposely keeping Legolas from being coherent!

Thranduil sighed when he saw Iaurdil's downcast expression. "Iaurdil, if you wish, you may ride out and see if Elrond or those insufferable twins of his have arrived yet. The sooner they get here the better and I would feel far better knowing that they had an escort."

For a brief moment, Iaurdil's eyes lit up with anticipation but then dimmed again.

"Ada, there is no possible way that they could be here already."

"Ion nin, if there is one thing that I have learned when it comes to Elrond and his children over the centuries is that they can and will achieve the most unexpected things, no matter what the odds. I think that it is safe to say that Elrond and the twins shall be arriving by tomorrow at the latest," Thranduil said.

"If you say do Ada," Iaurdil said, not truly believing his Adar's words.

"I do. Now get out there and bring them back here. They must be frantic with worry by now for Estel and Legolas."

Iaurdil gave his father a small smile before turning to his brother and Estel.

"All right Legolas, you had better listen up for I know that you can hear me even if you are drugged. You had better be up and awake once I come back with Elrond for I am sure he is going to want some answers that only you can provide. Or else you just may find yourself the victim of one of the twins various pranks. Besides, having you lying here in the healing wing is proving hazardous to everyone's health, particularly Himband's! We miss you, and I love you little Greenleaf."

Smiling slightly, he kissed his baby brother on his brow before walking over to the bed right next to his brothers.

"As for you tithen Estel, you as well had better be up by the time I come back. While I do not know much about you, I do know that your father will be highly displeased to see you in such a condition, as will I. Please get well soon Estel, for all our sakes." Leaning down, he kissed Estel on the brow as well.

"Valar please let him become well again," Iaurdil pleaded silently.

Turning to his father he gave another slight smile. "I shall be back with Elrond and the twins in tow, I promise," he swore.

"I know," Thranduil said heavily. "Just be careful ion nin. The orcs and wargs are becoming ever more viscous as of lately as we have already seen. I love you Iaurdil."

"As I love you Ada," Iaurdil said while embracing his father before leaving to fetch the twins and Elrond.

Thranduil and Himband watched with heavy hearts as Iaurdil left. Iaurdil had better find Elrond and the twins and soon, before it was too late. Secretly, both Himband and Thranduil feared that it may be too late already.

-----------------------------------------------------

Within the halls of Imladris, Erestor was pacing back and forth nervously in Elrond's study. Elrond and Glorfindel had left nearly three days ago and there had yet to be any word. A fact that was making him increasingly nervous.

When Elrond had told him that the twins had left, presumably in search of their little brother and Legolas, he had been all set to depart with Elrond and Glorfindel to aid in the search.

Elrond had forbade him from doing just that however. He had ordered him to stay in Imladris and run the valley during his and Glorfindel's absence. Erestor had argued that the more people they had out there looking, the far more likely they were to find Estel and Legolas as well as the twins.

Elrond had forbidden it however, so here he was, stuck running Imladris for only the Valar knew how long. Already the paperwork was beginning to resemble a small mountain on Elrond's desk but Erestor just couldn't bring himself to concentrate on it.

Every time he tried to do some of it, his imagination started to run away with him as he pictured all different sorts of atrocities that Elrond and Glorfindel could have found out in the daunting winter landscape.

Sighing, Erestor looked at the paperwork and sat down at the desk, vowing that he would get at least part of it done this time. Fate seemed to be against him however for as soon as he had taken out the first scroll, a harried looking messenger rushed into the study.

"Forgive the intrusion my Lord Erestor, but this message just came from Mirkwood via carrier bird," the harried servant said.

"Thank you, that will be all," Erestor said while trying to keep his heart from racing as he eyed the message. The servant nodded and quickly departed, sensing that this was not a good time to be around Erestor.

While he did not have Elrond's gift of foresight, Erestor knew that this letter would bring nothing but trouble. What if it was Thranduil asking about Legolas? What could he say?

"Oh I am sorry your highness but Legolas is not here currently. Where is he? Well, we don't exactly know. He along with Elrond's youngest disappeared a short time ago. Terribly sorry about the inconvenience," Erestor muttered aloud.

Oh yes, he could imagine just how well the King would take that!

Eyeing the message again, he figured that it was better to just get it over with. It was addressed to Elrond but as of right now, he was the Lord of Imladris and that left him with the unpleasant duty of reading the letter. What was the worst it could say? Aside from Thranduil wanting a reply from Legolas that was.

Dear Elrond,

Mellon nin, it would appear that we have much to talk about but that is not important right now. What is important is that Legolas and, apparently, your youngest (whom we shall have words about later mellon nin) are here in Mirkwood. Unfortunately, neither are in perfect health. Legolas has a severely broken leg but is expected to make a full recovery given some time. Estel on the other hand... I'm not sure how to say this mellon nin so I'll just be blunt. Himband has been unable to treat Estel successfully. We are unfamiliar with mortals and I'm afraid that Estel is failing fast. Please mellon nin, please get here as soon as you possibly can. I fear that Estel may not last much longer. My sincerest regrets.

Thranduil

After he had finished the letter, Erestor dropped it on to the desk. He had just had to ask how bad the letter could possibly be. He just had to tempt fate.

Estel, not dear, sweet, little Estel! He was only a mere babe! This could not be happening. It had to be a nightmare and the letter a figment of his overactive imagination. It wasn't however and Thranduil's letter was far to real.

Erestor sunk back in to his chair in shock as he realized that he had no way of contacting Elrond or Glorfindel. He couldn't send a messenger bird for he had no idea where in the wild they had gone. He also couldn't leave Imladris either to find them and tell them the message.

Numbly, he got up out of the chair and walked out on to the balcony. Looking up at the stars, he prayed to the Valar that Estel would survive and that Elrond would miraculously run into someone from Mirkwood.

"Valar help them," he whispered softly before going back inside. Sitting back down in Elrond's chair, Erestor could not but help think of all the loses Elrond and his family had already endured.

Erestor honestly didn't believe that the family could take another loss.

If Estel was lost, then so was all estel for not only Elrond and his family, but for everyone on Middle Earth as well.

-------------------------------------------------------

Within the wilds, Elladan and Elrohir scowled at the landscape which was all too familiar.

"Lets face it Elladan, we're lost," Elrohir said looking pointedly at a particular rock that he knew they had passed at least twice before.

"We are not lost Elrohir. Just, uncertain as to our exact position," Elladan said.

Elrohir snorted as he took in the white landscape around him. "I believe that is what I just said, except in smaller words. We are lost and you might as well admit it gwador."

Elladan sighed as he eyed the all to familiar landscape. Loathe though he was to admit it, his twin was right. They were lost.

"I can see how Legolas and Estel became lost in this," he said gesturing to the white snow all around them. "If this is what was falling all around them while they were trying to escape the orcs, I can understand why Glorfindel and Erestor have seen no sign of them."

"HA! So you finally admit that we are lost. Good. I had nearly given up hope," Elrohir exclaimed gleefully. "You are correct though. The snow probably covered their tracks only seconds after they had made them."

Elladan growled at his twin but forced himself to pay attention to the situation at hand. He could always murder Elrohir once they had found Estel and Legolas. Then he could have their help in killing his twin in a most painful manner.

Dragging his thoughts away from killing his twin, he turned to face Elrohir.

"Come on then. There is no point in just looking at the scenery. I for one do not wish to linger here for much longer. I feel as though someone is watching us," he said as an air of familiarity invaded his senses.

Elrohir started at his brothers words but now that he thought about it, it did feel as though someone or something was watching them. Whatever is was though, it didn't seem to have any malicious intent. In fact, it almost seemed familiar...

The twins looked up at each other, each thinking the same thing with the same look of horror of their faces.

"Ada," they whispered together in a dismayed whisper.

"Yes my sons?" Elrond said in a steely voice from behind them.

The twins audibly gulped and turned their horses around to face their obviously enraged father.

"You were saying how Ada wouldn't catch up to us Elladan," Elrohir hissed into his twin's ear.

Elladan smiled nervously and shrugged apologetically. The look his father was giving him was more than enough to make him hold his tongue. Add to the fact that his father had brought Glorfindel with him and the Balrog slayer was looking at him as though he were a balrog, he decided it was far more prudent to remain quiet. He would beg Elrohir's forgiveness later.

"You were saying something Elrohir," Elrond hissed at the younger twin as he and Glorfindel dismounted off their horses.

Elrohir gulped and tried to stare at the point between his father and Glorfindel.

"Nothing Ada, nothing at all," he said quietly while both he and Elladan dismounted as well.

"That's just what I thought. DO YOU TWO KNOW HOW INCREDIBLY LUCKY YOU ARE THAT WE FOUND YOU!" Elrond shouted suddenly.

Elladan and Elrohir winced as they unconsciously took a step backwards. Their father rarely lost his temper but when he did, it was truly something to behold. One did not mess around with the Lord of Imladris when he was angry. Even if the said Lord just happened to be your father.

"Your father is quite right. You two are incredibly fortunate that we happened upon you when we did. Judging by your conversation, you two have no clue as to where you are, is that not so?" Glorfindel stated more than asked in that same steely tone of voice.

The twins looked apprehensively at each other. For both Glorfindel and their father to be mad at them at the same time was not a good thing at all.

"Apparently they do not," Elrond said dryly. Turning to the twins, he continued speaking.

"We are all within the outer boundaries of Mirkwood. Need I say how dangerous the outer boundaries are? You have been here enough times to realize the danger of being injured and having only one other person with you, who is also injured, in these conditions and in this particular place!"

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged horror filled glances and quickly took in their surroundings once again. The snow had distorted everything but if one knew what to look for, one could tell that this was most certainly Mirkwood. Unfortunately for them, they had not been looking and had not been aware.

"Ada, Glorfindel, we are truly sorry. We did not realize how far we had gone nor that we were in Mirkwood's outer boundaries. Had we known, we never would have entered these parts," Elladan said looking imploringly at his father for his understanding.

Elrond's look softened as he stepped forward to embrace the twins. "I know that you did not realize where you were. I truly do believe that you would not have stepped into these parts had you known where you were. That, however, does not excuse you from leaving Imladris when I expressly forbade it!"

"We know Ada but we had to do something. We still have to do something! Estel and Legolas are out here somewhere. We could not just sit at home and do nothing while everyone else around us searched for them," Elrohir said.

"Besides Ada, we are already here. You can not send us back home now!" Elladan exclaimed.

Elrond sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. "What am I going to do with the two of you? I should have known that you wold not have listened to me and still won't."

"Indeed. Elladan, Elrohir, you are right though. We can not send you back home now. You will just have to search with us," Glorfindel said while ignoring Elrond's scathing look.

"At much as I hate to admit it, Glorfindel is right. We are all here and I will not risk separating again. Perhaps we shall be fortunate and come across Estel and Legolas somewhere in this... mess," Elrond said indicating the snow trodden forest.

The others all nodded and remounted their horses in order to continue their search. Although there had been no sign of Estel and Legolas yet, there was bound to be somewhere.

At the same time however, wasn't no sign a good sign? Only time would tell.

Little did they know that what little time Estel had left was quickly running out with every breathe he took.

-------------------------------------------------------

Translations:

Ada: Dad/Daddy

Ion nin: My son

Tithen: Little

Gwador: Brother

Mellon nin: My friend