Merry Christmas, everyone! :) Here's the chapter that you've all been waiting for, lol! ;)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Legolas stared, surprised at the sudden appearance of their foe. Unfortunately, they'd both been so anxious to find the plant, that neither elf nor human realized the consequences of not keeping watch for their enemy. Legolas was used to relying on his exceptional elven hearing to warn them of approaching danger, and he inwardly berated himself for forgetting that he lacked it.

Aragorn slowly walked in front of Legolas, holding the plant behind his back. "Raenwe," he said, anger clearly lacing his voice. "I have heard much of you."

Legolas felt Aragorn shove the plant into his stomach, and he tried to take and hide it without drawing the other elf's attention.

Raenwe smiled. "I do not doubt it." He walked further into the room, never taking his eyes off them. "Give me your weapons."

Legolas and Aragorn had no choice but to comply, laying their bow and sword on a nearby table.

"The knives too, Legolas," said Raenwe, sarcastically.

Legolas obeyed, sighing inwardly.

"I am extremely surprised to find the two of you in my house," Raenwe said. "Might I ask what you are doing here?"

Aragorn said nothing, for he knew that Raenwe had seen him with the plant.

Raenwe shook his head as he walked further into the room. "Was stealing a plant your sole purpose? What benefit has it to you? Do you wish to make your own vanwacoi?"

Legolas literally felt his blood boil. "Never would we do as foul a thing as you have done!"

Raenwe looked at him, his expression changing to one of curiosity. "Ah, Legolas!" He walked closer, as if wanting to inspect a new belonging. "You are not looking as well as when I saw you last! Tell me, how have you been feeling lately?" he asked, with a laugh.

"Better than you shall feel by the time the day is through," Legolas answered.

Raenwe chuckled, raising his sword to point at the younger elf's throat.

Aragorn shifted his position, placing himself between his friend and the blade.

"Foolish human," said Raenwe. "Give me the plant, Legolas, or I will kill your friend."

Aragorn answered before Legolas had a chance. "No!"

"I imagined you would say that," said Raenwe. He stepped back, regarding them as he lowered the blade. "Why do you truly wish to take the plant? Does Elrond risk your lives to have a previously extinct plant in his possession?"

"He would never, and you know this," said Legolas.

"Then I am at a loss," said Raenwe, raising the sword again. "Explain."

"To prevent you from ever making the vanwacoi again," said Aragorn, keeping the true reason secret.

Raenwe nodded. "How obvious. Now, I ask this; has he found the cure?"

Legolas shook his head. "No."

Raenwe sighed. "Pity."

"Where is the antidote to your other poison?" Aragorn asked, bluntly, knowing that the vanwacoi antidote was useless if Legolas wasn't also cured of Raenwe's deadly mystery poison.

"There was no other poison!" said Raenwe, laughing. "Do you really think that I would destroy my chance of ever being cured? Suppose it took Elrond seven months to find the antidote? If the poison killed Legolas after six, then Elrond would cease his search. No…it was simply an incentive to force him into finding it sooner, and giving it to me!"

Legolas was angered by Raenwe's deception, but also relieved beyond words at the news. "And yet, my death could've happened even without your foul poison."

Raenwe frowned, confused.

"He almost died anyway," said Aragorn, evident anger lacing his voice. "An illness attacked his lungs, and he almost died, because of you!"

Raenwe shook his head. "That would indeed have been unfortunate…for me."

At that moment, Aragorn leaped forward, grabbing his sword nearly faster than the eye could see.

Raenwe met him head on, arcing his own sword to meet the blow.

"Get out of here, Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, as the blades clashed loudly.

Legolas frowned at his words. Backing away from the fight, he stayed where he was, not about to abandon his friend. He couldn't get to his bow, for Raenwe blocked his access to it, and so all that he could do was watch.

Raenwe was an excellent fighter, having had several millennia to perfect his technique. "You cannot hope to win, human!" he said.

"I do not expect to lose!" Aragorn replied, blocking a blow from the elf, feeling the vibration shoot up his arms.

Legolas tried to circle them, to get at his bow, but Raenwe saw and maneuvered Aragorn and himself even closer to the table. With a move that surprised even the Mirkwood Prince, Raenwe grabbed the bow with his left hand, and—while still trading blows with Aragorn—flipped it over his neck, so that he now wore it as he continued to fight. He flashed a grin at the shocked Legolas.

Legolas wasn't about to be undone, and he looked for anything that he could use as a weapon. Seeing a large vase on a nearby shelf, he grabbed and threw it.

Raenwe caught it just before it would've smashed into his face, and he hurled it back, putting as much strength as possible into the throw.

The vase came at Legolas so fast that he had no chance to move, and it struck him in the middle of his chest, connecting with bruising force.

Aragorn turned around at his friend's sudden pained cry.

Raenwe took the advantage to swipe at the human's neck, but Aragorn managed to duck in time. Raenwe quickly rushed over to Legolas, pointing his sword at the younger elf's neck once more. "Give me the plant," he demanded.

Legolas leaned against the table, a hand to his chest as he tried to force back the dull agony. He said nothing, staring at his enemy defiantly.

"Take another step and I'll kill him!" Raenwe said to Aragorn. He grinned, holding out his hand. "May I have that again?"

When Aragorn hesitated, Raenwe pressed the tip of his sword against Legolas' throat, drawing small drops of blood.

Aragorn tossed his sword to the elf with a growl, and Raenwe caught it with one hand and quickly stuck it into his belt. Chuckling, he looked at Legolas. "If I didn't need you in order to get the antidote from Elrond, Prince, you would already be dead."

Legolas gave him a lopsided grin. "You didn't kill me then, and you can't kill me now. If I do not make it back to Rivendell, Elrond will stop looking for the cure."

Raenwe's eyes flashed, as he knew Legolas' words to be true. "I cannot kill you, but I can maim you, and I can kill your friend," he said, stepping away from Legolas and pointing the sword at Aragorn. "Give me the plant and I will let you both return to Imladris."

Legolas shook his head. "I will not leave without it!"

"Why is it so important that you would risk your lives for it?!" Raenwe exclaimed, feeling that there was something that they weren't telling him.

"Because," said Legolas, making eye contact with Aragorn. "It is the last ingredient needed for the vanwacoi cure!"

The shock on Raenwe's face would've been humorous, had the situation been different. His surprise caused his sword-arm to slacken, and Aragorn immediately grabbed the sword and plunged it into Raenwe's chest.

The shocked elf looked down at his own sword protruding from his body, and slowly fell to his knees before collapsing to the floor.

Legolas stepped closer, sighing as a wave of pity filled him. "Go to your son, Raenwe."

Raenwe's pained expression suddenly changed to a smile. "Aye…my son…"

And with that, Raenwe died.

Legolas and Aragorn just stood there for a few minutes, unable to speak. The Mirkwood Prince found himself actually feeling sad. Raenwe loved his son so much that he was willing to kill for him…

Aragorn knew the thoughts that ran through his friend's mind, and he stepped over to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Saying nothing, Legolas reached inside his coat and withdrew the blackstalk plant.

"We succeeded, Legolas," said the human, overjoyed. "Now you will be cured!"

Legolas smiled slightly. "Aye, just in time for our fathers to kill us."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Legolas insisted that they bury Raenwe's body before Aragorn finished making the antidote, and so they did. Afterwards, he remained outside, sitting against a tree as the human did his work; taught so well by Elrond. Legolas was immensely grateful for his friend, and vowed to tell Aragorn so before the day was through.

Legolas must've fallen asleep, because suddenly he found Aragorn's excited face peering into his own. In the human's hands was a cup.

Legolas took it, noticing the liquid's now-black color thanks to the addition of Raenwe's plant. "Do I drink it all?" he asked.

Aragorn nodded, and Legolas took a deep breath to calm his suddenly racing heart before he drank. It didn't taste too bad, to Legolas' surprise, and he handed the empty cup back to his friend.

They stared at each other for a minute, nervously waiting for something to happen.

"Well?" said Aragorn, unable to contain himself. "Do you feel any different?"

Legolas hesitated for a minute, thoroughly assessing himself. His expression slowly changed to one of anxiety. "No…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Uh oh! (sees a herd of angry readers, and runs like a maniac) LOL