Chapter Three

"Luthin!" The prince grinned as he saw his brother abandon the wood carvings he had been working on with Saleas and come running towards him. Though, Luthin was upset to notice that his brother's face held only a half smile. There was no great joy behind it, but at least it was something.

Legolas ran to his brother and bound into his arms, quickly burying his face into his brother's chest. Luthin wrapped his arms around his brother and held him close, rubbing his face in Legolas' hair and taking in his scent. Oh how he had missed him.

The two stood still for a moment, content on just the friendly content. Finally, it was Luthin who pulled away and set his brother down to examine him. True to Idrial's word, Legolas looked thinner and paler. His face was taught with distress that had plastered itself in place. Luthin reached out to brush some hair away from Legolas' face.

"It's good to see you again, sprig," Luthin said, smiling and hoping it would rub off on his brother. But he got no such reward as Legolas nodded and took hold of Luthin's hand.

"Idrial said you are not a warrior yet but that you would be in a few years," Legolas promptly told him. Luthin cocked an eyebrow and looked at his sister, who stood emotionless next to them. Perhaps the conversation had been tender and was still fresh in both their minds. Luthin turned back to his brother. "And she said that you would kill orcs."

Luthin kneeled down so that he was eye level with his brother. "That I will, but you needn't worry about such things. The guards won't let me do that until they are sure that I can handle them." Luthin ran his hand over Legolas' fair hair, cupping his cheek. "You needn't worry," he repeated, looking the elfling in the eye.

The moment was quickly turned from such subjects when Saleas came up behind his charge and smiled at Luthin. "Mae govannen," he said to the middle prince. Luthin bowed his head slightly and returned the greeting. "I suspect your trip went well?" the older elf asked.

"Yes," Luthin agreed. "Meneldur said that the novices this year have progressed more than any novice he's worked with." Luthin beamed, for the truth of the matter was that he himself had seen many of his comrades grow and learn over the course of their training. Mirkwood had some excellent warriors rising in the ranks.

"That is well," Saleas said. "Meneldur needed to be reassured of his novice's skills." The older elf smiled and placed a hand on Legolas' back. "We were just carving some figurines…"

"I made an eagle," Legolas blurted, holding up his figurine for Luthin to see.

"That's very good, Legolas," Luthin admired, touching the wood and trying to find a resemblance to an eagle among the knife shavings. He looked up at Saleas and was happy to find the elder elf smiling.

Idrial came forward and took the piece of wood from her brothers. "Legolas, you should show Ada your carving."

The young elfling's face fell, which disheartened Luthin to no end. Legolas shook his blonde head and took the carving back, holding it to his chest. "He is too busy," he said in a voice which was apparent to Luthin he had used more often than not.

"Nonsense," Saleas admonished, turning up his nose and the proposal. "Your adar's meeting should be done soon. You can show him then."

Legolas looked at the piece of wood in his hands and then shook his head. "It's not good enough."

Luthin's heart constricted and he reached out to his brother, pulling his chin up so the elfling was looking into his eyes. "It is good enough for Adar," he whispered, seeing the hurt look in his brother's eyes. "He will like it." There was an awkward pause between them and Luthin sighed before standing up again. "Finish your carving, Legolas and I will see you at dinner."

The young elfling looked up at his brother and nodded, before turning and heading back to their work station. Luthin looked towards Saleas. "It is good to have you home, my lord," Saleas said, before bowing and following his young charge.

Idrial took her brother's arm and led him away. Luthin's eyes lingered on Legolas for a bit before he tore himself away and started towards the stables. "I did not realize it would be this bad," Luthin admitted, his head hanging.

Idrial rubbed his arm. "I have written Lord Elrond," she whispered, as though the words were treasonous.

"Oh?" Luthin asked, looking again at his sister. He wondered what she had been up to while he was away.

"Yes," she nodded. "I have asked him to come, and to bring his sons."

"You think they will help things return to the way they were?" Luthin asked, wondering at his sister's actions. Idrial merely nodded, but said no more as Kelderas came riding up to them. His face looked flushed, as though he had been pushing himself and the horse. But at the sight of his siblings, he quickly slowed his horse and dismounted.

"Luthin," Kelderas said, short of breath. "So the novices have returned home then?"

Luthin nodded, trying to not feel hurt that his brother did not seem overjoyed to see him home. Instead, he was more interested in the warriors and the novices than his own brother. Luthin quickly shook the thoughts out of his head. He would not let Kelderas' grief make him turn against his brother.

"Yes," Luthin said. "The trip went well. I think everyone was glad to be home again, if not a little anxious to find out who is moving on to the next part of their training."

Kelderas nodded and looked his brother up and down, sizing him up. Luthin felt awkward being scrutinized by his brother, but said nothing. "Have you seen Adar yet?" Kelderas asked.

"Not yet," Luthin answered. "I was waiting until his meeting is finished."

"Then you have not to wait long," Kelderas said, bitterness seeping into his voice. "They were men from Lake Town and I feel as though Adar did not want to deal with them today."

"So he would turn them away?" Luthin asked, surprised at Kelderas' bitter tone.

"He would turn us all away," Kelderas spat before sighing and looking back at his brother. "Welcome home."

Though the words were meant sincerely, they sounded to Luthin as though being home was not such a good thing.

Elrond looked towards the sky, marveling at the stars that were shining down upon the world that night. He closed his eyes for a moment and asked Elendil to share some of its light with the royalty of Mirkwood. When he opened his eyes again, he found Celebrian looking down at him from where she stood.

"Troubled?" her soft voice came to him and he couldn't help but smile.

"You were suppose to be resting," he countered, sitting up as Celebrian sat next to him. He looked over at his sons, both of whom were asleep, their eyes glazed over telling of elvish dreams that played in their heads. Glorfindel was no where to be seen, but Elrond knew that the elf lord had taken watch in a tree nearby. He would never leave the family alone while they slept.

"As were you, dear husband," Celebrian said, leaning into Elrond and placing her head on his shoulder. Their hands entwined and Elrond rested his heads atop his wife's head. "You worry for them all." Celebrian observed.

Elrond sighed again. "Mirkwood needs a strong leader, lest it fall to shadow. Thranduil is suffering as are his children. He abandons his duties to his people and forgets that he is not alone in his grief."

"He has lost something great to him," Celebrian whispered. "Something that cannot be replaced."

"But he still has much in this world," Elrond said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Long has Thranduil been my friend and long has he been strong and firm. I know not how to think now that he is weak and breaking."

"Think only that he needs someone to stand by him in this time of despair," Celebrian whispered back to her husband. "He is strong, but he may need guidance to get him through these troubled times. But trust me, he will get through this. Do you not see it as such?"

"Thranduil's future is hidden from me," Elrond admitted. "I can see him regaining control of his realm and I can see him fading from this world. I know not which one it will be."

The two sat quietly, each wondering what it would be like to deal with the death of a loved one at the cruel hands of orcs. The notion struck Elrond as difficult and he thought of the youngest of Thranduil's offspring. Legolas was there to witness it all, Elrond thought. I cannot imagine the pain he must feel. He will need our help the most I'm afraid.

"Try to get some rest," Celebrian said, breaking Elrond form his thoughts. She kissed his forehead and then laid down, one arm drapped over Elrond's lap. The elf lord still sat up, watching the forest around him. His thoughts were of a dark time which he knew was coming. He wondered how Middle Earth would cope if it lost one of the strongest elven realms.

Elrond's attention was lost when he saw Glorfindel emerge from the trees. He walked over to Elrond and squat down in front of him. "It should only take us a few more days to reach Lasgalen," Glorfindel said. "We should run into a patrol early tomorrow when we reach Mirkwood. They will ensure we don't run into trouble along the path."

"If Thranduil has not withdrawn his patrols from Mirkwood's borders," Elrond whispered.

"And you feel he has?" Glorfindel asked, looking a bit surprised.

"I would hope not," Elrond shrugged. "But I know not what goes on in the mind of the king."

The two elf lords sat quietly before Glorfindel rose again and smiled at Elrond. "Let us hope he has not. I would not want to run into those spiders again, this time I may have to dirty myself with their stink."

Elrond chuckled a bit, though the thought troubled him as he laid down and slowly let the elvish dreams take hold of his thoughts.

The orc's teeth ripped into the flesh of above her hip. She didn't scream out, but bit down on her lip until blood blossomed down her chin. He watched in horror, unable to move, unable to breathe, as the orcs had touched her in ways he couldn't understand.

Her breathing was shallow and her eyes started to glaze.

"No! Don't leave me!" He wanted to scream, but his voice caught in his throat. He had promised to not yell and he had never broken a promise. Noble elves don't break promises.

He tried to command her with his mind to make her stay, to not leave him. But as her eyes glazed over more, the scream that she had managed to hide for so long finally slipped out and it pierced his ears like daggers.

The orc on top of her cursed in his foul language. He opened his mouth, showing his bloodied teeth and prepared to bring them down to her throat. He would sink them into her and rip them out again. It would end her, and he knew it. He wanted to scream, but the tears choked him.

"Please!" he wanted to scream so badly. "Please! No!"

Legolas woke up to find his brother hovering above him, one hand on his chest, gently holding him down, the other stroking his sweat soaked blond hair. When the beating of his heart slowed down, he realized his brother was whispered quietly to him, trying to get him to calm down.

"Luthin?" Legolas asked, surprised that his voice sounded so small and trembled. Luthin looked Legolas in the eyes and the youngest prince was surprised to see such despair in his older brother. Then he remembered the dream. "Nana!" Legolas cried, tears bursting forth from his eyes and his sobs coming in torrents.

Luthin gathered Legolas in his arms and held him tightly to his chest. His brother trembled against him and the sobs were muffled in his nightshirt.

"Hush now, penneth," Luthin whispered, kissing the top of Legolas' head over and over again. "You are safe, hush now."

"The orcs…"

"They are gone," Luthin answered before Legolas could go on. "They will not hurt you."

"But Nana…"

"Hush now." Luthin rocked his brother back and forth, closing his eyes and humming a lullaby his naneth had taught him.

Luthin had met with Thranduil for only a little while and though his adar was happier to see him than Kelderas had been, it was still not the homecoming he had expecting. No one had cared really about the trip, none in his family had even asked how he did or what had happened on it. Luthin was a bit disappointed, but understood, though he didn't want to. He wanted his family back and had to force himself not to be angry with them.

But now that he was here with Legolas, alone while the young elfling cried in his arms, he wondered how many times Legolas woke from a nightmare to find himself alone. The anger he tried to dispel would not be turned away for this. He could not tolerate his youngest brother having to face such nightmares alone and he fully expected to have a talk with his family in the morning. But for now, he was content with cuddling his brother until the elfling fell back asleep, troubled still with nightmares.

Review Responses:

Thank you to all who read this and to those who review! It means a lot to know that people are enjoying this story.

Hearts Corruption: Thank you! I'm trying to keep up with it. The holidays sort of get in the way hehe.

EgyptMau: Thanks! Yes, I do love the banter between the twins. Hopefully I'll be creative enough to keep it up.

Daw the minstrel: Coming from you, that's a real compliment. You're one of my favorite authors on the site. I love your stories. I plan to work on the family connections for a couple of chapters as well. But there will be a few surprises along the way. ;-)