Reviewer responses to chapter

Nataska AKA: Tash: Thanks, glad you like. Sorry for the wait for this chapter. Been busy.

Mornflower: LOL at the skit you wrote me...I was ROTFLMAO. Ugh...drooling on your book. Not good, mellon nin! Enjoy this chapter...and tell Estel that he will find out what happens to him now! And Legolas...tell him he's in for trouble.

SirNotAppearingInThisFilm: Hey there...glad you like this story. It's really unthought through. I will check out your story if I haven't already...I can never remember which I read...

Shadowfax2931: Yeh, bad situation. And yeh, I think the twins MIGHT have been a little OOC when they left Estel behind...but ah well...this is AU anyhow in a way. When Estel was 10 ish, it was the time of the Hobbit I believe, so this COULDn'T have happened.

Sielge: Oh no!! You liked it until now!? AHHHH...I must hurry and get Estel some help! Hehe.

Grumpy: Yeh, lost Estel. Glad you like the way the characters are written. This was really a bit of mindless drabble at work that turned into a story.

Marbienl: Yeh, good thing I write fast...cept I jinxed myself and this chappie took a while. I don't know where he got that insight, but I oughta figure that out soon to write it! Hehe...yeh Orcs and Men know each other. Dunno the reason for that yet either...someone oughta kick some sense into me...writing unplanned stories!

Beling: Sorry for the cliffie...kinda. Glad you like it. He is so mad at the twins! And yeh, he will feel guilty about it...you know him so well! LOL. enjoy.

SivanShemesh: Ohh...horror story when they are young? I wanna read, I wanna read! Glad you like this.

LegolasLover2003: Uh huh...poor kid. Bad feeling is justified, it's me writing it!! But Estel is a brave little fellow, you shall see!

Cookie: Thanks for reviewing...glad you like.

Tinnuial: Yeh, always have to ruin things those bad men and orcs! I will try to avoid harming your health and update this right now!!!

Chapter Three: Bedithon minui
(-I will go first-)

Legolas still couldn't believe they had lost Estel. What was Lord Elrond going to say when they told him they had run and left him alone in the darkening forest? All so they wouldn't lose sight of a white deer?

"Legolas! Wait for us!" Elladan called out, catching up with the Elf Prince.

"Why? You didn't wait for him!"

Legolas could be stubborn and hardheaded when he wanted to. And right now, he wanted to. He knew he was being unfair to the twins. To their credit, they did not retaliate with a battle of words.

"Fine, continue to noisily stomp through the forest, Legolas. We will split up. Cover more ground. Elrohir and I will go this way, you continue on your merry way by yourself." He hadn't meant to sound angry, he was really trying not to sink to that level, but it wasn't working. Fear for his little brother was overriding his usual calm demeanor.

The Prince didn't answer. Instead, he jerked his head in a quick nod of approval and never stopped to look back. I'll apologize later, the Prince thought to himself. Right now finding Estel is of the utmost importance.

Soon, he was far from the twins.

Estel whimpered when the men dragged him to his feet. He tightly clutched his head, reeling with pain. The blood had run down his cheek and was now crusted. His hair was matted on the one side and he looked ready to crumble to his knees at any moment.

"Ciydan. The whelp isn't going to make it far. He's too young and too hurt to keep up with us. Why bother taking him?"

Ciydan smirked and glanced back at the Orcs. "To give them something to keep busy with. Our Orc allies have not be able to enjoy themselves since aligning with us, perhaps this will appease their hunger for blood."

Estel's eyes widened and filled with tears. Orc toy? They are going to let those Orcs have me? They'll kill me! I don't want to die! 'Dan, 'Ro, Legolas, where are you guys?

He groaned as he was pushed backward toward the waiting Orcs. They clawed at his tunic and hair, pulling at the head wound and making Estel cry out sharply in pain.

Estel!?

Legolas had heard a cry, a painful, childlike cry. The likelihood of there being another child in these woods was virtually zero and Legolas inwardly knew that he had heard Estel cry out in pain.

Someone or something was hurting the boy. Legolas felt his ire rise and he quickened his pace. What he didn't realize was that Estel had been caught by expert woodsmen and even the quiet, though hurried, steps of an Elf were not above their detection.

He headed in the direction the cry had come from, now regretting his callous treatment of the twins. If he was outnumbered, he would have difficulty getting Estel out of whatever situation the boy was in.

Noticing the sounds of many footsteps, Legolas slowed his pace and looked around. Then, he made his decision, reached up, and swung himself into the nearest tree. Using the branches that overlapped, he jumped nimbly from one tree to the next until he saw his quarry.

A large band of Orcs and Men had gathered in the forest and right in their center was the small Rivendell child. Legolas' heart hammered in his chest and he was half surprised no one could hear it.

Thoughts of his mother's death came unbidden to his mind. Instead of a small Human child, he saw a raven haired Elf dressed in an emerald green riding cloak. She was cringing from the blows of the Orcs, stoically holding in her cries.

The young Elf watched as she was beaten and taunted. He watched from up in the tree, rooted to his perch, unable to move or go to her aide. He was a warrior, why couldn't he move?

Hearing a painful cry jolted Legolas. But it wasn't the sound of his dying mother, it was the high-pitched shriek of a petrified child. Legolas shook his head, dispelling his memories and focused on Estel again.

The boy's face was covered in blood, but Legolas didn't know for certain how hurt the child was. He knew he could not stand by in the trees and watch Estel killed. He couldn't do this again.

So he dropped to the ground.

Heads turned, weapons raised and murmurs erupted.

"An Elf? Dropping from the trees into our midst? What compelled you to do that, Master Elf? Do you have a death wish?"

It was Ciydan who had spoken. Estel looked up. "Legolas! No! They'll get you too!"

The child was bravely trying to coax the Elf to run away and save himself. Legolas' eyes misted at his little friend's bravery, but the emotion didn't have a chance to last long. The man approached him.

"Drop your weapons or the Orcs will tear the little one limb from limb."

Legolas scowled at the Man, but unslung his bow from his back, removed his quiver and set down his knives until he was no longer armed. He had no idea what he was doing or how he would help Estel by doing this.

But he wouldn't let history repeat itself.

Estel's eyes widened and he gulped. Legolas was quickly seized. Ciydan's eyes crinkled in pleasure. "Bring the boy."

The Orcs hissed and whined at that, but Ciydan fixed them with a ruthless glare and they did his bidding. The Man gestured to the child. "Pick him up."

Legolas only hesitated a moment. He lifted Estel into his arms and held the trembling child tightly. Then, Ciydan made his intents known. His men securely tied Estel to his would be savior.

Now, Legolas had no use of his arms and little chance of escape. If he fell, he'd land on poor Estel. He grumbled lightly and Estel whimpered. Legolas immediately stopped grumbling.

"It's ok, Estel. Everything will be fine, 'Dan and 'Ro will find us."

Estel nodded, his head tucked under Legolas' chin. He was still shaking, but not as violently now. Legolas felt the sticky blood from the head wound. He didn't have time to think on it. An Orc prodded him hard with its sword, drawing blood.

Legolas sucked in a breath, but when Estel looked up, he quickly grinned and shook his head. "Don't worry."

The child replaced his head into the crook of the Elf's neck.

They began to walk. And after a number of minutes, Legolas felt his arms grow heavy. Estel was dead weight and a lot of it for one so small. Legolas tried not to show his fatigue, but he had been going all day, running for much of it.

"Keep moving!" Cried an Orc as it viciously smacked the Elf forward.

Estel gasped and clung tighter. Legolas grimaced. If he continued to irk the Orcs or the Men, they might hurt Estel. Or he would luck out and they would only harm him. If you can call that luck, he laughed to himself.

Finally, the Men and Orcs stopped and prepared to camp for the night. Legolas hoped that the twins were near, watching and waiting for an opportunity to save them. He had no way of knowing, he had not perceived a sign from them as of yet.

Estel was sniffling lightly, but he was doing remarkably well for one so young in such a dire situation. He was untied from the Elf and set down on the ground. They did not feel the need to tie him up, he was too small to be of worry.

Legolas, on the other hand, was not.

"Make sure he physically can not escape, Murgor," Ciydan said to an Orc.

The creature flashed a black toothy grin and stepped forward, its crude blade clutched tightly in its hand. Ciydan looked away for a moment when another of his men called and missed the Orc's intent.

Before Legolas even knew what was happening, the Orc had thrust his blade into the Elf's side. The Prince grunted at the sudden pain and doubled over, stumbling. The Orc, who had run the blade clean through, laughed, drawing the attention of Ciydan.

"No you fool!" He shouted, hurrying forward and tearing the Orc backwards. The creature, who had a firm grip on the sword, took it with him, pulling the blade out of Legolas.

This time, the Elf screeched in pain and fell forward against Ciydan. The Man caught him and cursed. "Stupid Orc. I said prevent escape, not kill, don't they know the difference."

He non-to-gently set Legolas on the ground and thrust a bundle of rags at him. "Take care of yourself, Elf. Don't expect any help from me."

Legolas was breathing quickly, pain ripping through him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to even out his breathing. He heard crying.

"Estel?" He whispered, turning slightly toward the child.

Estel was standing, rooted to the spot, eyes fastened on the blood pouring through Legolas' hands. He was trembling, chewing on his lip until he drew blood. He looked like he was in shock.

"Come here, Estel."

The child tottered a little, then came forward in a sudden rush, flinging himself into Legolas. The Elf jolted and winced hard as Estel unwittingly jarred his new wound. But the child quickly backed away and glanced down again.

"You are bleeding badly."

"I know, mellon nin." Legolas looked down. Blood was everywhere and he was woozy already. He would not last long like this. He needed medical attention. But he had to stay strong for Estel.

"Can I help?" Estel whispered, coming a step closer again, new resolve in his eyes.

Legolas looked up at him, his own eyes full of pain and pity. "If you desire."

Estel nodded lightly and knelt beside the blonde Elf. "Ada taught me some. I need to help you stop the bleeding. I need athelas." He looked up again. Then stood.

Legolas stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"Athelas."

Before Legolas could stop him, Estel tugged on Ciydan's tunic. "He needs Athelas. I need to get them. And I need to fix him."

The man was dumbfounded. "Go...stay in sight or he dies."

Legolas closed his eyes, then watched Estel carefully gather herbs. He returned shortly, luck on their side in the form of a small patch of Athelas nearby. The boy made short work of applying the herbs and tightly bandaging the Elf.

Legolas was surprised at his efficiency. "You have the hands of a healer, Estel," he whispered, blood loss hindering his speech.

Estel nodded. "Yes. Ada said so." He frowned. "Why did you let them take you? Why did you do it? You did it for me, but why? You are a prince, you are important, I am nothing."

Legolas gripped Estel's hand. "You are everything. You are the future. You are my friend, Estel. If they mean to kill you...Bedithon minui, mellon nin." (-I will go first, my friend.-)

Estel nodded. Then erupted into tears. "I'm so scared!"

Legolas held the boy until unconsciousness took him. Then Estel cried harder.

TBC...