Beechiki – LOL, here's more!

Softballgirl32 – You'll learn of a few things in this chapter.

Linilya Elf – Yes, poor Leggy. I was trying to convince myself not to hurt him in this story, but the evil "me" took control. Hehehe…

Brownie24 – LOL, you hope that the queen and wizard die a painful torturous death? I will do the best that I can to fulfill this request (evil thoughts start popping up). Oh, the horror!

Dark Elvish Angel of Shadow – Love your penname. Glad you liked the chapter.

Loz-179 – Thanks. I am to please.

Legolaslover – Hey there. Glad you still had fu on vacation. Thanks for reading "No Control". It was a quickie, but I thought it turned out pretty good.

SofiaB – Thanks and oops, hope you weren't late for school.

Laebeth – You're making me blush, kiddo! I'm glad you're enjoying my story.

Felicity – Wow, I'm amazed that you actually read the whole thing and all you had to comment on was that elves don't wear heavy armor and not liking the Blue Wizards? Did you not see the movies? Did you not see the elves at Helm's Deep wearing armor? Did you not read my comments in the Author's Notes in the first chapter about this not being 100 percent cannon? If you actually have the nerve to enter this chapter and read my response, you're obnoxious, so go away!

Dreams of Darkness – Thanks. You'll learn what happened to Aragorn in this chapter.

ElfPrincessLarien – Thanks for that wonderful review. I'm trying to stay as true to Tolkien as possible, but I know that some actions or dialogue may be out of character. I'm just trying to make it exciting. Eeeeek, you like my elvish? I agree, to the untrained eye, it doesn't matter and I just think it's soooo pretty. And thanks for catching my booboo in chapter 21. I must have had the twin towers in my head when I meant the Two Towers.

Tiffiany-45 – You crack me up! But I'm not done doing damage, so be on the lookout.

IMPORTANT Author's Note – I made a correction in Chapter 22 in the scene with Pallando and Gwinn riding away from the battle. Pallando has an interest only in Legolas and not Aleera. There is more dialogue in this chapter that explains a lot of things. Also, since there is absolutely no reference ANYWHERE as to the name of Legolas's mother, I have made one up for her.

Chapter 23 – Revelations

On the count of three, Elladan, Elrohir and Celegmin charged their horses toward the wall of flame that continued as strong as when it first started. The reluctant horses put their trust into their elf masters and jumped through the fire. Because of the rain, the flames did not singe their drenched hair and clothing. Unfortunately, it was doing nothing to douse out the fire. Elladan was the first to reach his adoptive brother. He slid off his horse and fell beside Aragorn.

Aragorn regained consciousness the moment he felt hands raising his head. He opened his eyes and looked up at one of the twins. Which one? Elladan. It was Elladan. He closed his eyes again and cringed at the pain in his right leg. But he was not about to let a minor thing such as a broken leg stop him from going after Legolas. He clenched his teeth and moved to stand up.

"Nay, remain where you are," insisted Elladan. "Your leg is broken."

Aragorn pushed Elladan out of his way as he stood up and hopped on his left leg. He spied his horse standing several feet away and when he called to him, the horse walked over. Aragorn studied his movements to make sure the horse was not lame after the fall they had been in. Then he mounted from the left side, swinging his broken right leg over to the other side with a stifled cry of pain. Since he could not put his right foot into the stirrup of his saddle, he kept his left foot out of the stirrup as well so he would remain balanced. When he was ready, he turned to the twins and Celegmin. "I follow the Kozari. Are you with me?"

"I will go," volunteered Celegmin. "They took my sister."

Aragorn nodded to Celegmin and turned to the twins. "Return to the caverns and inform Thranduil that we pursue the Kozari. It is my judgment that they return to the Lonely Mountain to hide within the caves." Aragorn knew not whether Legolas lived. He felt his lips tremble at the thought of his friend possibly already being dead. The image of the arrow slamming into Legolas's back would be something he would never forget as long as he lived. "I will bring him back, whether alive…or dead." He nudged his horse forward and Celegmin fell in beside him. A loud shrill sounded from the other side of the wall of flames. Aragorn drew his horse to a stop and turned him around.

Isilrö paced frantically on the other side of the fire, searching for his master. He knew his master's friend well and upon seeing him moving away, the stallion panicked. The fear of fire was strong in him, but his devotion for his master was stronger. Isilrö leapt through the flames and galloped up to Aragorn, stopping just short of him.

Aragorn reached out and removed the stallion's head armor, then caressed his forehead. "Of course you can come, Isilrö." Aragorn was amazed at the stallion's devotion to Legolas. As he turned back around with Celegmin and picked up the pace, Isilrö followed close behind them.

Thranduil paced along the side of the table in the Upper Halls. He knew Gandalf watched him from where he sat, smoking his pipeweed. The Istari had a way of making him feel inferior, even if he did not mean to. The fact that Gandalf had come to Mirkwood only confirmed what Celeborn had stated earlier. One of the Blue Wizards had indeed returned…from the dead, if Thranduil recalled the fate of the Istari in question. He turned to confront Gandalf. "I saw him die with my own eyes four millennia ago. It cannot be Pallando."

Gandalf removed the pipe from his mouth. "At first I thought it to be Alatar. But now I am of a mind to believe it is Pallando."

Glorfindel was seated beside Gandalf. The Rivendell elf had witnessed the entire incident from where he had sat perched on a branch in the woods. He had seen the battle between Legolas and the Kozari king. He had seen the arrow lodge into Legolas's upper back, the wall of flames rise from the ground, Aleera knocked from her horse and then Aragorn knocked from his. Glorfindel had immediately relayed the events to Celeborn and they both returned to the caverns with unrivaled speed to inform Thranduil. "The Blue Wizard is also responsible for the wall of flames that prevented pursuit."

"And he is responsible for the shadow over the sun, which has yet to be removed," added Gandalf.

Thranduil walked over to stand near Gandalf and took a deep breath before speaking. "Pallando came to Mirkwood four millennia ago. Back then it was called Greenwood, before the evils of Sauron entered the woods to make residence and drive the elves away. The Blue Wizards had departed company with Saruman in Orthanc and they came through Greenwood on their way east to the Iron Mountains. Pallando saw Alfirin and I knew immediately that he had an interest in my wife. Alatar was aware of Pallando's growing obsession with Alfirin and urged his companion that they move onward. Two days later Pallando returned unexpectedly, covered in blood. He said he and Alatar were attacked by Orcs and Alatar was killed."

Celeborn, Haldir and Arwen sat together on the other side of the table, listening intently to Thranduil's tale. Celeborn was only vaguely aware of the events that linked Thranduil and Pallando, but he listened intently in hopes of understanding what Aleera's role was in all this.

"Alfirin tended to Pallando's injuries, against my better judgment." Thranduil clenched his fists at his sides as he recalled the night he felt his wife's terror. "A strong bond existed between Alfirin and I. I felt her plight and charged into the healing chamber to find Pallando on top of her." He clenched his teeth in repressed anger. "If I had arrived a moment later…My rage blinded me and I took my dagger and repeatedly stabbed Pallando in the back. He was so engrossed in his attempt to rape my wife that he had not even known I was behind him until it was too late. I ordered my guards to toss his corpse into the river. It was the last I saw of him."

Gandalf could not imagine the anger Thranduil might have felt at the sight of someone trying to rape his wife. He could see the incident still affected him, even though his wife was long gone into the Halls of Mandos, where the souls of elves that died in Middle-Earth went. She had been killed by spiders when Legolas was just an elfling of only fourteen years. Gandalf stood up and faced Thranduil. "Pallando has returned to extract revenge on you, Thranduil. He will take his retribution out on your son."

"Then I will go to him and trade my life for Legolas."

Gandalf nodded. "I am certain it is what he expects you to do. But he will not release Legolas. He will want to end your line."

"I cannot sit idle while this madman tortures my son!"

"I will go with you, my friend," said Gandalf.

Galadron, who sat by himself at one end of the table, had listened in silence and spoke for the first time. "What of the fate of my daughter?"

Gandalf turned to Galadron who had walked up to Thranduil. "In a dream I was confronted by Oromë. He told me that the son of Thranduil would be going on a quest with a Dúnedain man. He told me to suggest the lands north of Forodwaith. Oromë gave no reason for this, but I assure you, he was quite angry and adamant."

"My wife had seen that the union of Legolas and Aleera came about by the influence of Oromë," announced Celeborn to Thranduil and Galadron. "But at the time it was not clear to Galadriel what evil threatened you or your son, only that Aleera had a vital part in its destruction."

"Am I to understand from all that I have heard that the reason Legolas and Aleera were brought together was so that Pallando could be vanquished?" asked Galadron in surprise.

"Everything seems to point to that," affirmed Celeborn.

"The blood of Alatar is in her veins," declared Gandalf. "She is the only one left in Middle-Earth that has his power. If Pallando discovers this, I fear he may have evil plans for her."

Thranduil held a hand up. "What is this I am hearing? Aleera has the blood of the Istari?"

"Alatar was my great-grandfather," replied Galadron. "The only other in my line that has Alatar's power is my father, Rýn and he sailed to Valinor five centuries ago."

"What powers does Aleera have?" asked Thranduil.

"The power of the Blue Wizards," interjected Gandalf. "They control the elements that surround us. The air, the earth, the sea…the skies."

Galadron held a hand up and shook his head. "She is not aware of these powers, my lords. We kept her sheltered from outside influences in hopes that she would never discover her Istari abilities. But now that she has left the sanctuary of Lothlorien I fear that things may take a turn for the worse."

All eyes turned to the doors as Elladan and Elrohir entered noisily, their clothing covered in Orc blood from the battle they had fought. The twin sons of Elrond stepped forward and Celeborn moved toward them, grateful to see his grandsons alive.

Arwen stood up from where she sat. "Where is Aragorn?"

Elladan spoke first. "He and Celegmin went in pursuit of the Kozari. He thinks they head for the caves in the Lonely Mountain."

Gandalf took a puff from his pipe. "That is where we must go."

Thranduil turned to the twins. "What of Dagnir and his troops?"

"They rode to get around the wall of flames," replied Elrohir. "We found that with the rains we were able to pass through the fire untouched. But the rains have ceased and passage will be impossible."

"Then Gandalf and I will follow Dagnir's path if the flames have not died." Thranduil turned to Haldir. "Was Emlin among the dead?"

Haldir shook his head. "Nay, my lord. The last I saw of him he pursued an Orc into the trees."

Thranduil imagined the Orc that Haldir spoke of was his old nemesis, Hurbag. Emlin would have returned by now if he lived. This meant that Hurbag must have gotten to him and now lurked close by. He turned to Celeborn. "While I am gone, be on the lookout for an Orc who will want to take control of the caverns. He will stop at nothing to claim them."

Celeborn nodded in understanding. "I will see to it that your caverns remain defended from any further attacks."

Galadron touched Thranduil's arm. "I will go with you, my lord."

Thranduil shook his head. "Nay, I cannot allow it. You have a wife and a daughter to see to when we send word that it is safe to return from the Mountains of Mirkwood."

"But you are a king," insisted Galadron. "You must not go. The people here need their sire."

Thranduil reached for Galadron's shoulder and squeezed it. "I will bring our children back safely...or I will not return at all."

Legolas awoke with a start as a bucket of cold water was thrown at him. The first thing he felt was severe pain in his upper back. He glanced around from where he was lying on his stomach. He was in a cave and from the darkness he knew it was not his father's caverns.

"It is about time you awake, elf."

Legolas clenched his teeth as he tried to turn toward the voice. When he finally managed it, he was confronted with the sight of an elderly man in black robes. His grey hair was tied in back and his grey beard nearly reached his chest. At first glance Legolas almost thought he was staring at Gandalf, but this man's eyes were dark orbs that held no compassion. Legolas remembered the black robes as those worn by the rider with Hurrnäd and Gwinn, although he did not remember whether he had seen a beard or not. "Who are you?" he asked, his face contorted in pain from the mere motion of speech.

"Who I am is of no concern to you," replied the other man.

"What is it…you want from me?"

"Oh, there are many things I will be wanting from you in time. But for the moment I simply want you to remain awake."

Legolas tried to reach behind him, to where the pain was coming from. He could feel that there was something lodged in his back, but was not sure what it was.

Pallando moved toward the elf. "Allow me," he said as he placed a foot on Legolas's lower back and gripping the arrow with both hands, he began to extract it slowly, intending to inflict as much pain as possible.

The second Legolas felt the object being extracted, he cried out in agonizing pain. By the feel of it, he knew it was an arrow and the old man was purposely twisting it as he extracted it. When it was out, the man crouched in front of Legolas and showed him the arrow. Blood dripped from it. Legolas clenched his eyes tightly shut from the pain that continued.

Pallando watched as the elf lost consciousness once again. He sighed heavily and tossed the arrow aside, hearing it clatter against the far wall. Then he reached down to grab a handful of Legolas's hair, lifting his head up. "You have not even begun to feel pain, son of Thranduil. I will see you beg for mercy and then I will kill you before the eyes of your father." He abruptly released Legolas's hair and the elf's face slammed hard into the cold stone ground.