The following day broke heavy and gray with a brisk wind that cut the warm temperatures of the previous days. The smell of the oncoming rain was strong and in the distance, the rumble of thunder could just be heard. By the second hour after sunrise, the rain had started to fall in a gentle shower, the full strength of the storm not yet upon the woodland realm.
Legolas had risen with the sun, not that he really needed to be awake, as he had nothing important to do that morning. But strange dreams had plagued him the whole night through, but if he tried to remember what they had been about, he simply could not remember. He laughed to himself as he pulled on a fresh tunic of pale blue. Obviously the dreams could not have been that important if he could not recall their subject matter.
The gentle rain had just begun when Alandor knocked at Legolas' door. He too had been awake for some time and said that he had felt rather lonely in the room that Thranduil had given him for his own. Legolas smiled as his brother entered the room.
"I had expected you to be completely exhausted from last night's celebration," the blue-eyed prince said. "But you handled it quite well." He laughed a little.
Alandor laughed as well. "It went smoother than I expected. Still, I am rather uncomfortable knowing that the man is still not caught by the guards."
Legolas' mouth hardened into a frown. "Never mind Aragorn. He will be caught. It is just a matter of time before our guards discover where he has disappeared to. Then he shall keep the dwarf company in our father's prison."
"Are they really to be executed?" Alandor asked.
Legolas nodded. "In two days hence."
"Why so long?"
"Father does not wish to mar your homecoming with bloodshed. True, they are traitors, but he feels that we should not celebrate life with death all at one time."
"And you?"
Legolas' eyes steeled with hatred. "If it were up to me, they would already be dead."
An uneasy silence fell between the brothers. At length, Legolas stood from his chair by the window and turned to Alandor, the smile having returned to his face.
"Well then, we must not worry ourselves with Mirkwoods' traitors just yet. There is time enough for that. The day is young and the rain merry. I feel like taking a run. What say you to accompanying me? I shall show you all the most beautiful places this close to the palace."
Alandor looked doubtful. "What of the spiders? We were attacked once already."
Legolas smiled. "Fear not. We shall remain within the city gates. Neither spiders nor goblins have ever breached them. We shall be quite safe."
"Let us go then!" Alandor exclaimed, leaping to his feet.
The rain continued to fall in gentle sheets while the two princes ran through the forest, Legolas greeting the trees as they ran. Less than a quarter of the hour was spent when the two came to a strong, proud old tree. Legolas slackened his pace and came to a stop just at the base of the impressive tree.
"Quel amrun mellon nin," he said. Good morning my friend.
The tree at once bent its' limbs to lightly pat the young prince on the head. When the tree had done so, Legolas deftly swung up into the boughs, bidding Alandor to do the same. The tree trembled a little, but Legolas patted the rough bark, reassuring the tree.
"This is my brother, Alandor, who was taken from this land many years ago," he said quietly. "All is well."
The tree ceased its shaking, allowing the two elves to relax against its truck and stretch their legs out upon the limbs. Here they stayed and conversed about this and that until the hour was nearly spent. Then Alandor wished to see more of Mirkwood, and Legolas complied with his request. He took the elder elf here and there within the city gates, all the time loathing the fact that there was even need for gates. But the forest outside them was perilous still, despite the tireless efforts of the wood elves to vanquish all traces of evil. But soon, Legolas had constantly vowed to himself, soon that time would be upon them and there would be no need to fear the deeper places of the woods.
When the sun reached the overhead noon mark, the full extent of the storm broke upon the forest. Thunder crashed and lightening streaked in the sky. Feeling hungry, the two brothers jogged back towards the palace and made their way, dripping, down the hallways, laughing all the way. At the door to Alandor's room, they parted ways. Alandor entered his room and Legolas continued down the hall heading to his own room. Inside, he stripped off his water-laden clothing and changed into drier raiment of silver. He brushed the wet golden locks of hair, leaving the warrior braids undone. Then he left the room and went in search of Alandor and some food.