Legolas was carried to the infirmary, and Elrond and Estel joined the twins there.

"What happened?" Elrond asked, checking Legolas over.

"We believe he was poisoned," Elladan answered shortly. "We were brought a snack, and there were almond biscuits, which only Legolas likes. So he ate them. They must have been poisoned; that is the only conclusion we can draw."

Elrond looked up at him sharply. "Who made the food?"

"Cook," Elrohir answered. "But anyone could have put something in them."

Estel had grown paler as they spoke, and his father noticed his son's reaction. "Estel," he said gently, "why don't you go wait outside?"

Estel nodded distractedly and got out of their way.

After a few minutes of examination, Elrond sighed wearily. "He is stable, but will remain unconscious. Without knowing what the poison is, I cannot counteract it. There are a few things I can try, but I doubt their (expediency). Whoever is behind this is clever; they will have thought everything through."

The twins nodded sorrowfully. It was as they had expected. "We had better let Estel and Katie know," Elrohir said quietly.

Katie and Estel sat waiting for them on a bench in the corridor. Estel sat with his face in his hands, and Katie drummed her fingers on the seat, staring at the floor. As Elladan came out of the room, Estel jumped to his feet, and Katie slowly followed him over.

"How is he?" Estel asked tensely.

Elladan shook his head. "We do not know. He does not appear to be worsening, but we cannot seem to bring him around. Father is going to try a few more options, but as we do not know what the poison was, we cannot counteract it." He took a deep breath. "Come, let's go to the kitchen and see what we can discover about this malicious deed." Estel nodded and followed his brother down the corridor.

Elrohir turned to see if Katie was following. She had sunk back down onto the bench and was resting her forehead in her hand. "Katie?" Elrohir asked, coming back to her.

She looked up as if noticing him for the first time, then took his proffered hand and walked beside him toward the kitchen.

After a minute, Elrohir thought he heard a choked-off sob and glanced over at her. Her eyes were red and her lower lip trembled, and as he watched, a tear ran down her cheek. She reached up quickly to brush it away, as if she were embarrassed to be seen crying.

Elrohir stopped. "Are you alright?"

Katie half-covered her face with her hand. "I'm fine," she lied. She glanced up at Elrohir and saw that he was still looking at her in concern. "It's just…" she sniffed. "I teased Legolas, and I tried to make him mad, but… I didn't want him to be poisoned!" She wiped at her cheeks with both hands.

"Penneth," Elrohir said gently, handing her a handkerchief. "None of this is your fault."

Katie blew her nose. "Yes, it is," she said thickly. "I'm supposed to be saving somebody's life, and I've blown it already. I should've stopped him from eating those biscuits."

Elrohir put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Katie. No one could have known the food was poisoned. Ilúvatar would not expect you to have known that it was. You may yet save Legolas's life. Have hope, young one."

Katie nodded and gulped. He offered his arm and she took it. "Thanks, Ro," she said quietly.

000

When they entered the kitchen, Elladan was deep in conversation with the cook, while Estel searched the room for any sign of poison. "You are absolutely sure that you were in here the entire time they were baking, and that no one could have tampered with them?" Elladan asked.

"I am positive," the cook replied, looking grieved. "The only people that have entered the kitchen all day are myself, the two remaining members of my staff, Dorlarth, and yourselves."

"Your staff. Mebedir and Bargon?" Elrohir joined in the questioning.

"Yes. Both of whom I trust implicitly. Besides, I was in the kitchen with them the entire time they were here."

"Maybe someone put something in one of the ingredients," Katie suggested. "What all goes into almond biscuits?"

"Almond biscuits?" The cook frowned at her. "I made no almond biscuits."

"What?" Elladan exclaimed. "But they were on the tray! That is what Legolas ate that made him sick."

The cook shook his head. "There are no almonds in the house at the moment, otherwise I might very well have made the prince's favorite biscuits."

"Dorlarth!" Elrohir called to the butler as he was passing the door to the kitchen. "Did anyone come near that tray when you were carrying it to the hall?"

"Tray?" Dorlarth seemed confused. "Oh, the pastries? I do not know, my lord. Why?"

"Because someone sneaked poisoned biscuits onto it," Elladan said through his teeth.

Dorlarth looked startled. "Poisoned? Who would have done such a thing?"

"That is exactly what we are trying to discover."

The butler furrowed his brow in thought. "I seem to remember having set the tray down for a minute to help Lithorniel with some baskets. Perhaps something was put on the tray then, whilst I was out of the room. I did not notice anything different; but then, I did not look very hard at the tray when I left the kitchen."

"Which room did you leave them in?" Estel asked, having given up his fruitless search of the kitchen.

"I set the tray on the half-table in the southern corridor," Dorlarth answered promptly.

"We should see if anyone was seen in that vicinity at that time," Elrohir said, leading the group out the door.

000

Questioning the staff yielded not a single result. No one but Lithorniel and Dorlarth himself had been seen passing through the south-facing corridor.

"What I can't understand," Katie said in frustration, "is how anybody got into the house to put the cookies on the tray to begin with. The place is practically swarming with guards!"

Elrohir and Estel exchanged a look. "No one could have," Estel said. "It must have been one of the servants."

"What!"

"I think you may be right," Elladan said grimly. "Unless one or more of the guards is in league with someone."

"I do not even want to consider that option," Elrohir said. "But I do not want to believe that one or more of the servants are betraying us, either."

Elladan sighed. "Let's go talk to Lithorniel and see if she saw anything."

000

"There was no one in the southern corridor but Dorlarth and myself, my lords," Lithorniel said, dusting her hands off on her apron. "I met him there as I was carrying some baskets down to the entryway. There were not very many of them, but he laid down the tray to help me anyway—he is always so courteous."

"I don't suppose it's any use to ask if you saw almond biscuits on the tray?" Katie asked.

"I did not look at it very carefully, but I do not think so," Lithorniel answered. "Why do you ask?" she added in confusion.

"Someone put poisoned almond biscuits onto that tray at some point between the kitchen and the hall," Estel told the startled maid. "The only time it was unattended was when Dorlarth went with you to help you carry the baskets."

"Good heavens," Lithorniel said, her eyes widening. "Someone must have come into the corridor while we were not there, then."

Elladan nodded. "Thank you for your help, Lithorniel."

"You are very welcome to it," she answered.

000

Glorfindel entered the infirmary as silently as he could. The room was filled with the scent of athelas. Elrond sat by Legolas, with his hand on the prince's forehead, calling his name quietly. After a minute, he sat up.

"Is there no change?" Glorfindel asked, coming to stand on the prince's other side.

"None," Elrond said wearily. "Nothing I have tried has worked."

There was a soft tap at the door, and Glorfindel went to open it. Katie and Elrond's three sons stood outside.

"Come in," Elrond said, not bothering to rise from his chair. "What is wrong?" he asked when he saw the expression on everyone's faces.

"I found this when I went to collect the empty tray from the hall of fire," Elladan said, angrily brandishing a note. "I am beginning to be sick at the very sight of these things."

Elrond unfolded the poisoner's message.

I did warn you.

Each day, the prince's death grows nearer. Bring the ring to the place already named, and we will give you the antidote. This is the last warning we shall give you. The next victim will be one of your sons. Consider carefully before you ignore our demands a third time. When your sons are gone and you yourself are dead, who will bear Vilya then?

Elrond had not the heart to read it aloud. He passed it over to Glorfindel, who read it to the others. By the time he had finished reading, he had gone white to the lips.

"Fiends," he spat, tossing the note down on the table. "It seems they will stop at nothing."

"There is worse news," Elrohir said wretchedly. "It seems the poisoned biscuits were surreptitiously placed on the tray when it left Dorlarth's sight for only a minute. It could only have been done by a servant."

"Or, one or more of the guards is in league with someone on the outside," Elladan concluded.

Elrond put his forehead in his hand. These were evil days, indeed, when the sanctuary of Rivendell held no protection even for its lord's own family, and those he most trusted were willing to betray them to darkness.

AN: Yeah, this one's a bit short. But I'm halfway through the next already, so it won't be long. :) I just realized that on chapter 6, the note was supposed to give them two days' time, but I somehow dropped the "two". I just add that in case anyone was confused.

Cierah: Of COURSE the twins can come and protect you! They're free 24/7. Just good luck getting in contact with them…

werewolflemming: Yeah, my problem with playing bull is that I call people because I think they're lying, and they never are. I'm just a highly suspicious person, I guess… Thanks!

Hermione at Heart: Well, just don't eat the almond ones, and you should be alright…

Becky 24, Eresse Elrondiel, ThoseRainyDays: Thanks!

Saltwater: Hee hee! Yeah, I'm curious how much people are noticing in that chapter, as well… I just realized I'm ending every single reply with … . Bad Ashley. Second review (yay!): Yes, I love Macbeth, and I thought I'd have a bit of fun with it. Are you British? Just asked because of your spelling. I have an older brother. I don't know if that's better than a younger one or not. I want Elladan and Elrohir for my older brothers! pouts

Arami: Legolas is the only one who likes the almond cookies, and they're the only ones that were poisoned. Couldn't have EVERYONE falling down dead, now could we:)

Looking forward to see what everyone thinks of this chapter! (hint hint) Yes, that means review :)