Authors notes: - Thank you for the reviews. Sorry for the short chapter but I have been so busy. I will do better...I promise!!!

**

Sauron laughed as he watched King Elessar storm out of the tent, it was almost too easy to get a rise out of the man.

'Now time to leave' he thought. Testing the strength of the restraints he found that even though they were tight he could work them down to the wrists. He had little concern for any pain that the elf felt so it wasn't all that hard. With a grin and a little dark energy he dislocated both thumbs. A spike of pain flashed quickly through the body but Sauron ignored it. Just as he was about to pull out his hands he heard the tent open. Legolas's oldest brother walked in. The elf looked down at Legolas and the smirk on his face before sitting down at the chair Aragorn had vacated. He did not speak and looked to have no intention of doing so.

'If he does not speak he obviously thinks he can contain his emotions' Sauron thought with amusement. 'Fool'

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Aeolian remained silent and still. "Come to see your baby brother? I'm afraid he is not here right now maybe I could take a message?"

The barest hint of something flickered in Aeolian's eyes.

"I wonder are all of Thranduil's spawn alike? I imagine you all scream the same but what of begging? How much pain can you stand?"

A muscle in the side of Aeolian's face twitched.

"If I broke your ankles would you make the same noise? Legolas made a cry like a wounded animal..."

Aeolian was out of the chair and bent over the bed before anymore could be said.

"Mock all you want but we will defeat you and Legolas will beat you. I will make you wish you never laid eyes on him and then we will see if Sauron himself can scream." Aeolian snarled.

Sauron admired the pure malice that rolled off the elf.

"You would make an excellent addition to my forces except for one thing...Stupidity." Pulling free of the bonds Legolas sat up smashing into Aeolian's forehead knocking the elf into unconsciousness. He quickly got off the bed and knelt by Aeolian. Roughly he put the thumbs back into joint and pulled up the bottoms of Aeolian's leggings. Pulling free a knife from his boot he stood.

"Never get too close to prisoners and never be armed." Sauron said with a smirk. With a flash he was out of the tent, he slashed the throats of the two guards and disappeared into the trees before the first cries sounded.

*

King Thranduil was in a fool mood and it was only getting worse. His son possessed by Sauron had escaped custody, knocked out his brother, killed two guards and was now presumably well within Sauron's stronghold with no way to get to him. In addition to this, stood before him were the commands of all the forces present disagreeing with every strategy his advisors put forward.

"That strategy will place heavy strain on your own forces while barely using either the dwarfs or my own elves." Elrond stated calmly which only served to infuriate the elf king even more.

"Are you implying that Mirkwood elves are incapable of this?" Thranduil stated icily.

Elrond frowned. Thranduil was very hostile and the situation with Legolas only hastened the deteriorating situation.

"This has nothing to do with capability and you know it. We are allies, you are not the only ones involved in this."

"Nay we are not but we have most to lose, if Mirkwood falls you and I know that every wood elf stood here would be injured or dead."

"We would like to avoid that if we can." Gandalf stated. "Our aim is not to sacrifice everyone of you but the battle cannot be won with you in primary positions. The warriors of Mirkwood, as brave and valiant as they are, do not have the numbers and therefore the strength to take that burden. You asked for our aid and though it maybe late we are here, ready and willing. To help you we need to work together and use our combined strengths."

Thranduil blinked in surprise.

"As you wish but do not marginalise our warriors, they know the forest much better than any of you."

"Indeed so let us calmly discuss this, we do not have much time." Elrond stated.

** Legolas marched through the woods totally unconcerned with the orcs tracking him. The dark malice that Sauron's possession caused Legolas to emit was keeping even the bravest of them away. The elf was almost totally gone, he no longer struggled to try and regain control but slowly faded and Sauron had to admit that it was disappointed. He expected a fight but then he mused; the elf had given him that when he had tortured him a year ago.

"Urat!" Sauron's voice echoed surprising the following orcs who wondered how it had come out of the elf's mouth. The orc who had been summoned approached carefully, fearing some sort of deception or trap.

He watched the elf closely. He recognised the elf as the one that had been held captive and tortured. That elf had escaped and he wondered how it was now standing in front him speaking with Sauron's voice.

"I want all the remaining units to be ready to be deployed at nightfall. The attack is to be moved forward. Bring the elf king to me and kill everything else."

"How?" Urat questioned indicating the elf. Legolas grabbed the orcs neck and squeezed until he crushed the windpipe.

"Never question me... Ratak." Sauron summoned. Another orc stepped very wearily forward.

"Do as I commanded." The orc nodded and disappeared.

Legolas continued deeper into the darkness, every step taking him further away from safety.

* Deep within his own mind Legolas sat on a cold forest floor that he had created. All around were burned and crumbling trees that were slowly but surely turning to ash. As each one disintegrated a part of him faded. Legolas just sat and watched, calmly waiting for his death. He no longer cared. All the screaming and pacing in Middle Earth would not save him from death. He was alone and he no longer wanted to feel this. The saying that you felt most alone in a crowd was true to him. His friends all cared and tried to help him but they knew nothing about him any more. He knew nothing about him anymore and facing the truth that he was permanently scarred was too hard. No longer was he an elf and he knew that death would sooth his tortured soul. Sauron would win but he found he did not care. So he watched as another tree crumbled and a part of him faded without even flinching.

* Ratak crept slowly forward watching carefully the group of dwarfs building a pit. He and the other members of the orc group spread out and held their positions. The destruction of Mirkwood and Middle Earth was about to be begin. Spread throughout the forest were similar groups, each about to attack and start the hostilities. With a signal the orcs burst out of trees and attacked. Though the dwarfs fought fiercely they were soon overcome, surprise and numbers defeating them. This repeated throughout the forest and soon the sun seemed to glow blood red. Blood had been spilt and it was only the beginning as the ferocious battle that would devastate all began.

**