Decided to post early because the chapter is complete and we can.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

You Know Its Faith

You know its faith

It's all you've got left.

Hanging by a thread

You feel like you are dead.

You know its faith

When you can't feel a heart beat

But you believe you're alive.

And you know its faith

When you feel you are suffocating

But you believe you can still breathe.

It's all you've got left.

You can't live without it.

"All You've Got Left" Celebdil-Galad

It was about early morning when Legolas woke to hear shouting. It hurt his head that was acting overly sensitive and the Elf frowned as he raised his chin from it's place on his knees to watch as the door was flung open that lead to the mine shaft where he and Caranfëa were kept.

The more amused part of his mind saw light coming from the other side of the door and two figures coming through. But wait, no, that was the realistic part of his mind. He was becoming so weary it was hard to tell reality from unreality. But the light from beyond the door was most certainly real. Caranfëa, being shoved by King was returning and he could hear the Elf's shackles clinking and clanking. More than audible words were shaking and bouncing off the walls as King spat them at the little Elf he had thrust before him.

"You lost? Elf, you lost more than the match my little fool!" seethed the man astringently as he smacked the Elf strongly on the back of the head, lurching the redhead forward. Caranfëa scowled and Legolas could hear him cursing under his breath.

Legolas tilted his head and snorted in frustration. He was tired of being cramped and locked up in the dark. He would welcome just a sliver of true sunlight or a little chase by the orcs of the mountains. But neither of those unattainable goals were only causing him to brood more in the dark and that had to be anything but advantageous. And right now he needed all the advantage he could get.

Caranfëa looked at him as he was picked up by his tunic back and flung to the ground. He hissed as his knees scrapped on the floor and he felt blood rush to overflow the injured area. King was obviously drunk, beyond reason and he delivered a harsh and well placed blow to the poor Elf's skull, actually managing to tear a cry from this Elf that Legolas had thought to be made of iron or some hard rock.

The prince winced and even though he did not particularly like the young immortal he felt compelled to help him as best as he could. That, and he was bored and going insane. Getting up from his position, he nearly fell over as he felt his indolent limbs throb and tremble slightly. His injured leg nearly screamed at him and he bit down on his tongue for a moment to recover his wind from the cry clutching his throat.

The blonde prince then said, "King! Leave him be!" Legolas knew he had just stepped on a hornet's nest and was about ready to get stung, but he felt suddenly like he could withstand anything all. King snapped his head up from where he had been watching the pain flash before Caranfëa's face and his piercingly cruel gaze bit into Legolas, sending shivers down the Elf's spine.

It was then Legolas knew that he had made a horrible mistake. One that he might not live to regret. But he steadied his breath and heart beat.

King picked up Caranfëa by his tunic and flung him into the open cage that was the Elf's prison. The redhead cried out again and then rose to his feet, ready to make a run for the door. But King was one step ahead of the little Elf and slammed the door on the smaller being's face. It's clang shattered the air and made everyone within earshot jump. Caranfëa just scowled from behind the bars as the man laughed in his drunken voice, "you are too slow, you damn Elf!" He laughed all the more and tossed his mug against the bars. Caranfëa simply glared and raised his brows as he shrugged,

"No, you are too drunk to realize that I am half battered to death and still nearly escaped your proud grasp."

King paid this Elf no more mind and turned his befuddled insults upon the prince, "So you have got a mouth, eh?" he said with a crazed grin that made Legolas get a slight twinge of fear in his gut. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a chain that looked very much like a large necklace but stronger and it had a strange loop in the center where the chains were rougher, never filed smooth like the rest. Perhpas it was strange kind of horse bit.

As Legolas got a closer look he saw it was like a horse bit, but most definitely not one. It was exactly in looks like the chain ones that were like a necklace with chain links but strong as iron and bit into the skin. The chain had one difference now, reasoned Legolas gloomily as he looked at it closer. The torment device had a loop for his tongue to be placed in, locked in horrible agony. Chains like these would not break and were horribly painful at the slightest tug.

Legolas rubbed his tongue to the roof of his mouth and could already taste the metallic flavor of the horrible, biting and burning links sawing at his tongue and torturing his nerves. He could already taste his own blood. It was a sickening thought, but he had gone too far to back down and be thought craven by this man, who drunk or sober could deal out painful punishments.

King went and placed a hand on the cell door handle, a devilish grin on his face. He suddenly, with astonishing speed for his drunken stupor, unlocked the cell and slammed Legolas backwards with a powerful kick as he came in. This rocketed the immortal against the wall and Legolas hit his head sharply.

The prince was stunned and shook his head, but was not quick enough to evade the man's grip that was on his jaw, squeezing like a vice to hold his mouth open. Legolas tried to buck free, but the grip became extremely painful and he was already weak.

As the blonde prince writhed to be free, the chain was slipped into his mouth and shifted so that it was under and over his tongue his tongue. His tongue was in the center of the loop and then it cinched tight and pricked deeply all in a single adjustment of the chains. He felt it bite into the soft flesh and blood seep out in stinging bubbles and tiny crimson creeks. Legolas stopped moving as it bit deeper and he wanted to scream.

King was not satisfied and taking the Elf prince, he gripped the Elf by the neck and pulled him forwards so that Legolas was forced to have his head bowed. Then he drew the clasp and buckle of the chain and thin strapped harness around to the back of the prince's head and locked it there so painfully tight that Legolas felt his tongue go to the roof of his mouth as the chain links bit all around it and he could not breath with this device on. He could not swallow and he felt saliva trickling out of the corners of his mouth and he knew it was tainted red.

But he could not lick back the blood and it itched rather annoyingly as it ran down his chin. King looked into his captive's face, watching the sings on pain to see if it was tight enough. He could see Legolas writhing behind the defiant look. Yes, it was tight as was needed, but how much more fun could he have with one more notch tightened? He would show this Elf who seemed to think he was the boss under here.

So he drew it tighter and Legolas cringed as more saliva dribbled down his chin and his blood mingled with it. This simple contraption was far worse than any torment other than emotional torment than the son of Thranduil had ever seen the like of. He was ready to flail in agony and his breath was strange and hard to control as he tried to breathe through his nose.

King grinned so sinisterly that he was actually succeeding in frightening Legolas, ever so slightly it was enough to make Legolas feel ashamed. He shuddered as he drew a painful breath and looked at King with icy eyes and a white face that showed up clearly in the dim light. He tried to find heart to even attempt a defiant mutter towards the man that held him prisoner. But he felt the chain eat away at the flesh of his tongue and he just sparred with the Dark Dúnadan in a baleful scowl.

King did not have to say anything, it was written on his joyous features. Have a nice recovery now Elf. Not even your Valar can help you here. You are going under. You will be defiant to the last, but in the end, you shall fall.

He then left, leaving Legolas to his dark brooding. Legolas sat and tried to lean his head against the back wall of his cell. But that only caused more pain and agony to race through his jaw and to flood into his head, wracking it with formidable headaches and Legolas tried to rest his chin on his knees, but that too was totally out of the question. Legolas had to sit straight up.

It was oddly enough that now he actually wanted to eat, his stomach was cramping and his mind reeling. He felt so weak. It was impossible for him to hold on any longer, wasn't it? No, but he wished giving up was his only option, then it would be a whole lot easier and he would have possibly a whole lot less guilt about even considering it.

Caranfëa cocked his head and squinting in the dark he saw the cruel device of King, the Lord of the underground domain. It made his breath catch and his throat and mouth sore just looking at it. He could only imagine what pulsing suffering his liege was suffering through.

This wasn't fair. He should be the one with that mouthpiece on, with grueling agony blinding his senses. But no, his prince had taken the fall for him and Caranfëa watched his lord's feature's go paler in pain as he watched King exit the cell and not even look back as he slammed the door shut and left the prince sitting in the dim light.

Caranfëa called to his lord, "Prince Legolas, I am sorry. You really shouldn't have done that. I had everything…."

"…under control?" finished Legolas for the young Elf as he hissed and arched his back in pain and felt the blood thicken in his mouth. He writhed a minute longer and then struggled out a few more words, "yeah….right." He coughed as the blood slid down his throat in an obnoxious trickle and as he coughed, he jerked against the chain and it hurt him to the point where his mind threatened to go black and his senses blurred for a brief moment.And still the blood became more filling in his mouth.

Caranfëa said in a worried and near frightened voice resonance, "please, my prince, you have to rest. Just close your eyes and…."

And do what? Pretend all was well? Put a lie into his head and make up his own imaginary world that would fail him in the end and create a horrible let down.

"And just think of home…. The trees and how they whisper to you. And the gurgling brooks that giggle and coo as they babble through the grasses," continued Caranfëa with a sigh. He watched as Legolas closed his eyes, coughed on more saliva and shot them wide again.

Legolas wanted to think of that sort of thing, but even that was lost from his long memory, because Mirkwood had long ago lost that charm and had gone dark. He wanted to so much to help his people, but he was stuck here, get tortured by a drunken man…a Dark Dúnadan, who was going to kill his best friend and as far as he knew everybody else was dead but Aragorn.

It was enough to make his blood boil, but he could do nothing and as he looked at Caranfëa his eyes read, help will come.

Caranfëa shook his head and spoke softly, "I thought that long ago and no one came for me, Legolas. It is not going to happen. We have to play the cards we are dealt, my liege." The smaller Elf slid own the bars and he brushed his bright red hair aside from his sweaty face. "The only escape from here is to die."

Legolas willed himself to speak, "no…Strider will come…for me." The blood in his mouth thickened more and spilled over the corners and he resisted the urge to cough and cause more pain. Just because nobody was able to get Caranfëa out did not mean that they wouldn't come and free him.

A strange scratching sound could be heard along the stone wall behind the Elves and both tensed and listened. Caranfëa smiled grimly as he recognized the dreadful sound that he had not heard in a few weeks. But now that it was back, he knew that trouble was soon to follow. "Orcs," he said in response to Legolas' bewildered look. "They have been tunneling there for weeks now. I thought when it stopped they were done, but apparently not. If they break in here we are going to be dead, unless they want us for their dark purposes." Here he shivered and said, "but there is nothing we can do. It is only a matter of time."

Legolas looked over his shoulder at the sound and his eyes widened as he realized what all of this meant. It was a scary thought. He was already extremely vulnerable. If they got a hold of him he was a dead Elf and slowly at that. Perhaps the only escape was death. But he had to believe because his faith was all he had left. He had to believe he could breathe.

He felt weariness coming to claim him and he struggled naught against it, but let it drift over him like a warm and comforting blanket in this cold and dark place. But he had to believe he was not alone.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rothinzil woke with a pang running all over his body from his wound. He could not sleep, it hurt so badly and so he lay awake looking at the dark earthen ceiling and wondering how he had gotten this far. He could feel Elméra lying next to him, and her air coming in soft and deep breaths. He loved her so much, but he did not know if he was worthy of her. If ever she deserved someone, she deserved someone like Legolas or Aragorn. But he knew Aragorn was not an option and Legolas was in no ready ever even going to get married. His prince just did not seem to like that idea very much, even when he was flirted with by some of the most beautiful Elf-maidens in the kingdom, even in Arda. All of the m but Lady Arwen, which was fine.

Rothinzil had never given much thought of falling in love and now as he lay there musing all about it, he felt like fool.

He looked over at Elméra and saw her long and attractive serene face that was white, but not an unhealthy white. Her lips were parted in deep sleep and her long auburn hair graced her shoulders, overflowing onto her face. Roth gently reached a hand out and gingerly, as though he feared to hurt her, brushed her hair from her face. She shifted in her sleep and looked up at him with bright eyes that made him smile. "Rothinzil?" she asked softly and sat up. As she did, she felt the cold and pulled her cloak closer about herself.

She saw her breaths come out in frosty clouds and then she smiled. Rothinzil smiled back and said, "I think I might be dying."

She stopped smiling and said ethereally, "no, Rothinzil, you can't be." She looked so grave and Rothinzil nearly laughed, because he wasn't dying at the moment, or at least in the sense that mortal's thought of dying. No, in that sense, he was healing remarkably.

"Well it won't happen for another at least three hundred years if you will marry me when this is all over."

She looked at him in shock and murmured, "Rothinzil, I don't know what to say. I…." Her eyes tore away from his and stared at the pile of old furs that they both lay on. This was asking a lot. She could not do that. She just did not think she could. It was too great a commitment. She would feel tied down and she didn't want to go and live with the Elves.

"Rothinzil, you are the most charming Elf I have ever met and certainly very handsome and all I ever have wanted….but this I cannot do." She just could not be tied down.

Roth looked at her hair, for no real reason in particular, it just wasn't her face, he supposed. "Lady Elméra…"

"You know what?" she asked tearfully. "It was just a dream." She then rose and brushed her skirt off even though there was nothing on it. It was better than looking at Rothinzil's face that she knew would break what pieces of her heart she still had left. Pulling her hair back, she then began to walk to the door.

Rothinzil just looked at the wall and then said in a far away and sorrowful voice, "it as a dream…. Yes." With that he closed his eyes and she forced herself to look at him. His face was now drawn and the light seemed to have left it. And this time it was her fault. It was all her fault and she felt so angry towards herself. But she could not help it. She was not going to trapped in something she could not get out of.

But it seemed to her that Rothinzil was not fighting to survive anymore. "Roth, I am going to get some help. We can't do this on our own. Are you going to be well?"

The Elf did not even open his eyes before he muttered, "yes, I will be fine."

"Are you…"she began but was cut off sharply.

"Yes," he all but snapped at her.

She felt her throat constrict and a huge lump developing in her throat that she could not swallow. It was too painful. Then she began to feel angry and frowning, she flung the door open and walked out rather haughtily, nearly slamming the door shut behind her.

That stubborn, annoying, frustrating, stupid Elf! Why couldn't he just grow up? She growled inwardly. The only reason she was angry with him was really no other rationale other than the fact that he had made her uncomfortable. He had also made her hurt him, hadn't he? No, wait, that was all her own doing. She paced outside he door and her footsteps echoed off the walls and made eccentric noises through out the tunnels and caves that they were hiding in.

Pacing provided some comfort, but not enough, the maiden decided brusquely and began to just walk. She was going nowhere in particular, just walking. Her anger had not blinded her to her surroundings though and she was fully aware of where she was and the dangers that precariously loomed around ever corner and haunted every step. She just was beyond caring.

As a matter of fact, she was so wrathful with herself at this moment that if a troop of orcs came upon her, or even her brother, she would be more than able to rip their heads off and still have plenty of energy to go around. Well, this might be a slight exaggeration, but nothing that she did not think was relatively possible at this point in her anger and brooding.

Of course brooding had never helped anyone, but perhaps they had not just not been doing it right. Who knows? Maybe she would be one of the first to succeed, highly doubtful but worth a try, she assured herself mentally.

Maybe if she thought of all that she could be doing and not what she had done that had gotten her this far that would help things out. But no, that did not either.

Taking her slender hand, she ran it through her long hair unconsciously and fumbled with the ends. Her eyebrows knitted as she wondered if maybe brooding was not the answer to her difficulties right then.

She had gone to get help, but what help was there to get? She changed the subject now. There was none. If she left it would take too long and Rothinzil would die, so that was fools errand. And the fact that she had even considered getting help was stupid too. She had to figure this out on her own.

What had her mother always done? Been alone and somehow made most ends meet. Of course her mother had died when she was young and left her with the burden of looking after a crumbling farm and an insane brother with a father who was never home and she had never known why. Now she knew, or guessed she did.

Why could she not survive on her own now? She asked herself in her mind, turning answers over that were relatively possible. The most logical one was that she was growing soft. Her heart had finally been touched…. pierced. Without something to fill the void she would die. Figuratively speaking, she would bleed to death.

This Elf had pierced her, was he the cure? Perhaps, but she hoped that there was any other way. How odd would it be to marry and Elf? One part of Elméra was overjoyed that Rothinzil had asked for her hand. The other half felt a deep and sickening fear. She was still frightened of Elves. This one appeared to be so sweet and gentle. He seemed to be a child at heart, but was that really what she wanted?

She narrowly missed tripping over a large stone in her path as she continued to pace outside the door.

Could she live with an Elf forever? Well, not forever or at least she didn't think so. Sooner or later she would die. Would he live on? What would he go through if he lived on and was bowed under grief? Or would he even grieve if she were dead?

This was a rather foolish question but she could not help asking it. After she had to consider all things.

Supposing that he would, would he live forever in pain? How could she send him to that fate? Elves had sensitive hearts, or so she had been told, so she was sure that his pain from her death would kill him. For an Elf that was a cruel death. They would rather die from a slow wound than of a shattered heart that just as glass, could not be put together again.

Rothinzil was wounded now, Elméra told herself as she stopped and stared into the darkness. But he as pulling past the wound, because he thought he had something to live for. What if he gave up on life, because she had said no?

Elméra was the most stubborn maiden he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. He had had his share of maidens flirt with him, though he had paid them no heed. And now, Rothinzil found it weird that she could kiss him and rest by his side, then deny him for her husband. What was her dilemma?

Had he known that maidens were this finicky he would have never even considered falling in love and getting a family.

He wanted to be with her more than anything, except saving his prince and escaping from this horrible place. He wanted to go where ever she went. He knew this would mean a large sacrifice, but at the moment, that was not even a problem. There was none he would not make for her and her love.

Oh, yes, he still loved her, even if she loved him not. But he had the strangest sensation that she did and was hiding this fact. What was she so adamantly frightened about? He saw no reason for fear. They were going to get out of here alive. In his mind there was no question.

Sighing, the dark-haired Elf looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. He was so frustrated and hurt. He felt like someone had stabbed his heart and was slowly killing it.

Perhaps it was time to go ahead and forsake Middle Earth and go to Mandos' Halls. He did not know and as he turned this thought over in his head, he knew that either way, he was going to die someday. He was not never going to see Valinor. The tragic part was, he didn't mind and he was not afraid.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Aragorn's eyes fluttered open and he looked about the room to see Glorfindel and Erestor looking at him with worried faces. He blinked stupidly as he felt his vision blurring and everything went foggy. "Legolas…" he murmured. "He is fighting. But right now he is resting. All is growing dark for him, I think."

Aragorn looked at the bewildered Elves and said ethereally, as though he had no breath left, "I felt it." He knew that he and Legolas had a close bond, like that of brothers. But this was just bizarre, like the weird dancing shadows created from the flames in the fireplace that were leaping with an enthusiasm that was inspiring. He was glad he knew that Legolas was alive, but he knew not where his friend was. He wished to goodness that he did.

Erestor smiled thinly and said softly, "you need rest. Your courage is admirable and your ambition to save the young prince is a wonderful intention at the moment, but misplaced, I think, for now anyway." He was truly not comfortable with the situation, even though it all seemed well. He, of course, was not a healer, but he sensed something evil and twisted about that wound. Some great malice was concealed in it and he had a feeling this was not going to be the last time in their lives that they confronted it. But he did not know if they would be victorious.

Glorfindel just jumped up and grabbed Aragorn's upper arms gently as he said, "you are not fit to travel. I am not going to lose you again. I could not bear it and neither could your father, I think." He pulled the blankets closer around the shaking human and he put the back of his hand to the hot forehead. "You are burning up. I am going to make you some tea."

Erestor said in a growl, "no you are not! You could not make a decent tasting tea if your very life, or hat of young Estel here, relied on it! That is going to be my task for the next half hour." He gave Glorfindel such a glare that the Gondolin Elf shrugged and slid down into the chair that was by the human's bedside. The golden-haired Elf just watched as Erestor went to go and find a kettle to put some tea in and then he said to Aragorn in a whisper;

"It's not a wonder now why he can't use a sword." The man looked at his father's friend and actually laughed.

"So what adventures did you two have as you came to find me?" he asked with a snort as Glorfindel's scowl turned into a smile, recalling the warg and the mountains.

"Young one, the laugher would suffocate you," he answered with a wry chuckle. He hoped that his words were not audible to Erestor, who would be more than willing to bring up not so wonderful parts of his past in Rivendell. Like the time that he had gotten drunk somehow and actually managed to fall down the stairs and from there stumble to Erestor's study and rearrange all the books. That was embarrassing, though somewhat funny when he thought of the hours spent by Lord Erestor putting all the books back.

"All the more reason for you to tell me, " teased the human as he raised himself up onto his elbows without Glorfindel noticing. He chose to ignore the fiery pain in his shoulder.

"Do you go and give your enemies a reason to retaliate?" asked the golden-haired Elf, looking at Aragorn with a rather amused and smug look as he realized he had the man's interest peeked and he could keep the human awake long enough to drink the tea that Erestor was making, or trying to.

"That is really rather unfair," complained the ill ranger as he worked to rise further without being noticed.

"What is, young one?" asked Glorfindel with slight chuckle to his voice that made it nearly musical, even for an Elf.

"That you are using my interests, your secrets and position against me," whined the ranger with good humor in his voice as he watched Glorfindel's classic expression.

The Elf-lord actually laughed so hard he nearly choked and said, "Estel, is it my fault that I am in charge and you are not? It is not like I planned this." He got up to go and get the book Erestor had left abandoned and Glorfindel thought rather lonesome, on the hearth.

"Oh, I know you planned it somehow Lord Glorfindel."

"I am hurt Estel. What ever have I done to earn your distrust and ill will?" asked the addressed yellow-haired being in a wounded tone of voice as he went and sat back down, holding the book. He opened it and prepared to read. But the human's voice stopped him abruptly.

"Do you want the long or short of it?" he inquired as to Glorfindel's preference with a smirk on his face.

"Actually, I would prefer neither. I perceive both would be quite long lists." He opened the red book and flipped through the pages, searching for maps of the land and town. Anywhere that would be a good place to hold two Elves captive. But he found nothing except for the old mines that were now supposedly abandoned and most likely run over by orcs and Valar knew what else lived there. But his heart told him that was their best chance. Erestor even seemed to think so.

"Thank Manwë, I certainly don't want to say it all," spoke the human to the Elf wearily. He managed to slither up into a rough sitting position. But he watched Glorfindel with one eye, waiting for the moment when the other would say, 'Estel, lie down'.

Often just when you think you have gotten away with something you get caught. Aragorn's scheme was no exception to the rule of thumb and Glorfindel said without even looking up from the red leather bound book, "Estel, lie down. When are you going to learn that I see all and know all."

"Oh, yes, you know everything," sighed the young man as he slipped back under his blankets (which he had to admit felt ten times better). His tone was sarcastic, but so was Glorfindel's earlier response.

"So much that it is frightening," stated the Gondolin lord as he stopped reading and placed a map of the land that was conveniently in the book before the ranger. "Tell me where it was exactly that you were wounded…tell me all you know."

Aragorn looked at the map and said, "this is an old map. I do not think it is up to date. Hand me the book, if you will."

Glorfindel hesitated before surrendering the book into the frail and sickly looking hands of the ill human.

As Aragorn accepted the volume, but as he did, a piece of paper, folded and crinkled, fell out and drifted onto the quilt. Aragorn narrowed his eyes and stared at the crinkled object before reaching for it. Glorfindel merely watched and leaned back in his chair as the piece was unfolded and a map revealed.

It was not old, the page's edges were not even yellow. It was fairly new and as the young man glanced it over, he came to the realization that this was not a lay out of the land, but of the mines and it was not long out of use. He looked up at Glorfindel whose brows were creased with obvious interest in the new evidence. "What do you suppose it is?" he asked the Gondolin Elf incredulously.

Glorfindel said in a laugh like voice, "it would help if I could really see it." But really he was totally serious and as Aragorn apologized and the paper exchanged hands between the Elf and ranger Glorfindel said, "thank you. "

Studying the strange map before him he spoke after two minutes or so, "it is a map of the mines, I think." He said confusedly, "it is new, that is for certain." He handed it back to Aragorn.

The studied it once more and said, "perhaps Erestor will make sense of it."

"Perhaps I will make sense of what?" asked a curious voice from the door.

Erestor came in holding a kettle with water and a mug. He looked quizzically at Glorfindel and Aragorn. Did he really want to know what they were brooding over now? No, but he had to.

"This map," stated Aragorn as he handed it off to the head counselor, who looked at it with scrutinizing eyes.

Setting the kettle down, he leaned against the wall causally and he raised his brows as he read the signs and legend of this strange and absorbing map. It was not unlike other maps and not hard to understand as far as he could read.

But then as he read things further, he realized this might be a bit more difficult but he would tell them what he knew. "This map you have discovered is new." They gave him a yes-we-know-that look so he continued. "It is of some newer mines and I think that these may be ones that are supposedly most recently worked on and abandoned." He shrugged and set the map down on the hearth. "I will talk to Lord Ryxen about it." He looked at Aragorn pointedly and said, "you are not getting out of drinking your tea Master Estel."

Aragorn just snorted and said, "Lord Erestor, why would I?"

"The more appropriate question would be why would you not," said the adviser concisely as he picked up the kettle again and careful not to spill water, hung it over the fire to get hot.

A dark and unexplainable feeling suddenly came over the ranger's heart. Something horrible was transpiring to Legolas, but he knew not what and that was worse than knowing. It made him feel dizzy and he felt his stomach churning.

TBC………….Those reviews were so awesome. Okay...we know you like it now, but could you please do it again? LOL Those were awesome and you guys are so nice. We thought perhaps the "romance" between Elméra and Rothinzil was getting some of you guys' goats.

Chaos-x: Mean? And you reviewed because you were bored and further more, you admitted it? Now who is mean mellon nin? Huh? Huh? Thanks for the review. See you later.

Marie Delcore: Hey there friend! Yes, Caranfea is a total cutie. Hmmmm perhaps it is time he got a picture made of him by us or something. Of course she has a major crush onhim!Why else wouldn't she slap him for kissing her? LOL Yessssss a nice long sleep precioussssss...Thanks for the review!

Linuvial Greenleaf: Our dear Linuvial, thanks a lot. But we don't mean to interfere with school work. Sorry. Hope all goes well for you. Hehehehehehehehe. Taking notes either of our families would be a scary and just dangerous thing. SIBLING HAZARD! Glad the first re-write is complete. Oh, I got your e-mail, but my account is messed up and I couldnot respond now. Sorry about that! Thanks for taking time out of your hectic schedule to review!

Snow Glory: Yes, the new Elf is a problem that way. Legolas had to give up at some point and bawl and give that juicy drool worthy angst! Calmir hasn't exactly found him yet. Oh but when he does...well...can't say yet. Glad you wish him to pull through. Glorfindel and Erestor do very much resemble Legolas and Aragorn at times. But just you wait. Thanks for the reivew!

Nefhiriel: Hehehehehehe. Thanks. -insert bow- We try to make it fulfill the humor of the story. LOL We are working on the Aragorn angst which is scheduled to get particularily wicked in a few more chapters. Don't know what kind of surgery that is, but it sounds horrible. Best of luck to your family. Thanks for the review.

Deana: A heart attack? -Legolas pants for breath- apparently he shares your initial reaction! LOL We would have one too. Yuck! Thanks for the review!