A/N: Hi all, hope you're well! Real life has been a major pain for me this week! Well, to the story!

Chapter 18--Nightmares and Decisions

Alarion woke from a restless reverie with his heart pounding in fear. He had been having a foul dream. He had seen his father drink wine from a goblet then he had clutched his throat. The goblet fell from his hand spilling red wine across the floor, but it had looked more like blood.

The next image was of his father's corpse being placed in its final resting place next to his mother. The scariest image was himself. He watched both events with cold, lifeless eyes with Zion beside him. He could hear Zion's voice in his mind. "I control Mirkwood now, because I control you!"

Alarion shivered in disgust. He sat in his dark room for a long time and then he knew what he had to do. He got up and pulled on his robe and left his chambers. He would go to his father and tell him everything. He would accept any punishment he was given. Zion had to be stopped.

It was quiet and only the stars and moon lit his passage. Alarion had almost reached his father's chamber when it happened. A voice in his mind stopped him in his tracks though he did not wish too. "Come to me," it commanded. It was Zion! Alarion found himself turning and walking towards Zion's hidden laboratory no matter how hard he tried to resist. All to soon he was there with the door closed behind him.

Zion smiled coolly. "Good evening, Prince Alarion," he purred.

Alarion tried to answer, but found he couldn't. He glared at Zion in rage and hate.

"Ah if looks could kill," Zion sneered. "I warned you about betraying me, but I have chosen a different course for you." He held up a small vial. "Do you know what this is?" he asked. "Of course you do not. I made this useful little potion. It is a potion of mind control and of mind sharing. I am in your mind always and I have control over your body and voice. Do not worry, it will not kill you though you might wish it had. You may speak now."

Alarion found he indeed could. "You planned this since you murdered my mother. You always planned for her to die!" he said.

"Yes, I did, but I did not kill her, you did!" Zion retorted.

"NO! I would have never," Alarion began.

Zion didn't let him finish. "But you did. I have been giving you this little potion for years, waiting for my chance. I made you poison her then erased the memory for your mind, but you can have it back now," he laughed.

Alarion was horrified when the memory returned. It was true! He had poisoned his mother! "NO! Damn you!" he cried.

"Be silent, you bore me," Zion ordered. "Return to your room and sleep. Soon through you I will be King of Mirkwood."

Alarion helplessly obeyed and soon was deep in reverie.

Zion gestured and two cold-eyed Elves entered. He smiled at them and handed one an amulet with a lock of blonde hair in it. "Find the youngest Prince. This charm will lead you to him. Bring him back to me alive, my brothers!" he ordered.

One of the Elves took the amulet then they bowed and left the room.

Left alone, Zion laughed and gloated over the success of his plan. Soon he would indeed be all powerful and no one could stop him, not even the King! "Time for you to join your bride, Thranduil," he said softly. He went to the work bench and began mixing the potion that would end Thranduil's reign and begin his.

A/N: Zion's a sneaky bastard don't you think? R/R please and thank you!