Authors notes: - Thank you again for the reviews, it really means a lot to me especially as I am worried that this is not as good as my others. I have so much work that it makes it hard to spend as much time as I would like on it. I know its had a slow start but I promise the action is coming!!

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"What about my son?" Thranduil questioned, knowing exactly which son he was talking about.

"Do not pretend to be ignorant on the matter. Legolas is ill and while he is, he remains a threat to the security of this realm. I have tried to talk to him on the matter but he refuses to listen and becomes confrontational. I now appeal to you to talk some sense into the prince."

Legolas looked furious and opened his mouth to retort but Aeolian pulled him back.

"Listen to them Legolas. They only want to help you. We know what happened to you was terrible and has left you scarred but you need this help; under no circumstances will we let anything happen to you again, so please little brother." Aeolian pleaded.

Legolas reacted violently and pulled back.

"Do not touch me!" he snarled and Aeolian stepped back, Legolas had never spoken to him like that, ever.

Legolas backed away from the group. "You want to help me? Then leave me alone. You had your chance to help me and you failed. You have no idea what I went through!"

"FOOL!" Gandalf roared. "Stop being stubborn and listen."

"No!" Legolas snapped and began to leave.

"Legolas Thranduilion!" Thranduil shouted and Legolas froze. "Do not turn your back on me."

Legolas turned, his eyes full of anger, challenging.

"This meeting is over. You will be told by messenger further such meetings." Thranduil stated coldly his eyes not leaving Legolas.

Quickly the others left unwilling to be in the tense atmosphere or face the anger of Thranduil.

"That includes you Mithrandir." Thranduil said turning to see the wizard remaining. After a few seconds Gandalf left.

"How dare you talk to your brother like that! You forget your place." Thranduil said incensed. Legolas visibly calmed down.

"I am sorry Aeolian." Legolas apologised. Aeolian nodded.

"Come and sit down." Thranduil said indicating the ground next to him. Aeolian and Azian also sat down.

"Why are you so adverse to us helping you my son?" Thranduil asked softly.

Legolas bowed his head and studied his hands. "Legolas?" Thranduil prompted.

"Because you can't." Legolas whispered.

"Why do you say that?" Aeolian asked.

"I am changed. As much as I want to go back to how I was I can't. It haunts me he haunts me. In my dreams I see it, I can almost feel the pain, the darkness and fear. I am afraid that I am so weak and he will get me again, that I will be unable to resist and will betray you." Legolas's voice was muffled as Aeolian wrapped him in a huge hug and Legolas sobbed desperately. Azian rubbed his back in soothing circles.

Thranduil rose to his feet and exited without being noticed. His surviving sons would consol each other and talk some sense into Legolas. As he entered the tree line he noticed that Gandalf was still watching.

"If you cause him any further hurt then I will not be responsible for actions. Use a lot more tact next time." Thranduil warned and left Gandalf alone.

* Eventually Legolas sat back and blushed slightly. "I am sorry." He said embarrassed.

Aeolian laughed. "I have held you when you spent the whole of Azian's birthday throwing up after you drank two bottles of the strongest elven wine Kahari could find as part of a dare. That was pretty bad."

Legolas grimaced at the memory. He saw he was going to die at the time; alcohol never had the same appeal again.

"I thought you had been poisoned by too much wine. I was on the urge of calling for father." Aeolian continued. Both Legolas and Azian glanced at him in shock.

"Father?" Azian exclaimed. "Praise Valor you didn't. We would still be locked in the cellar."

The three sat silently for a minute contemplating the near miss. "I wonder how long before he found out?" Legolas pondered.

"Oh probably the next morning. Father always knew everything about us."

"Even if we didn't know it," Azian said.

"Legolas we are only trying to help you, you know that. Why is that so hard for you to accept?" Aeolian asked turning the tide of conversation back to the topic at hand.

"Because accepting that something is wrong with me scares me. I am so frightened that within me there is a trigger that as soon as Gandalf does anything I will turn on you all."

"You would never do that!" Azian said resolutely but Legolas shook his head.

"You have no idea Azian and I hope never will." He whispered.

"What haven't you told us?" Aeolian asked. That was it. He had found out the underlying problem that Legolas was afraid to reveal and Aeolian was going to make him say it. He knew what it was and knew the levels of guilt Legolas harboured.

Legolas looked at Aeolian wearily. "What?"

"You are holding something back Legolas and I want to know what it is!"

"Aeolian!" Azian exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"Legolas is hiding something and he is not leaving this clearing until he tells us." Aeolian said gruffly. He knew he was being harsh but Legolas needed to get it out of his system.

Legolas quickly rose to his feet and backed away. Aeolian stood as well.

"Why are you doing this?" Legolas exclaimed.

"Because I want to know."

Legolas's eyes widened in fear. "No!" he protested.

"Yes. You were going to betray us!" Aeolian said.

Legolas stumbled backwards his face paling in horror. "How?"

Aeolian stepped towards his stricken brother. "Because I would have done. After a year I would have told or done anything to get away, to make it stop. I would have begged for release."

Legolas looked at him desperately. "How could I have done that? I betrayed you and the others."

Aeolian knelt next to Legolas. "No. You were going to but you didn't. A lot of elves would have. You survived a year of what we couldn't even dare to imagine and you never betrayed us. Even if you had we wouldn't have blamed you. They didn't capture you to gain information Las; it was a show of superiority. He wanted to destroy Aragorn and the other leaders by capturing you and keeping you alive. By surviving you defeated them. You have nothing to feel guilty for."

Legolas's eyes sparked in hope.

"You survived Legolas and we want to help you get better. Will you let us help you?"

Legolas closed his eyes and sighed. "Fine. Let us find Mithrandir before I change my mind."

The three brothers smiled and made their way to the tent of Mithrandir.

** The dark lord smiled as he watched the scene in his palantír.

"That's right Legolas go seek the meddling wizards help, for it will be the last independent move you make. Then you will be mine... pet."

**