Hi everyone! This is the last chapter before the epilogue! Thanks so much for your reviews!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Legolas' shout echoed through the house, and Elrond, his sons, and Heredil all startled before rushing in the direction that the two blond elves had gone in. They found Legolas frantically trying to open the door to his own room, which appeared to be locked.
"Legolas!" Aragorn cried, grabbing his friend by the arms before noticing the blood on his shirt. "What has happened!"
"A man!" Legolas exclaimed. "He attacked me and ada went after him!"
Heredil and the twins immediately turned and ran back down the hall, while Elrond took a key out of his robes and unlocked the door. With the threat on Legolas' life, he'd kept the key to the younger elf's room on his person at all times.
Entering the room, they found the balcony doors wide open.
Aragorn rushed to the balcony and Elrond tried to sit Legolas down so that he could take a look at his new injury.
"I am fine!" Legolas exclaimed, louder than he normally would have. "Leave it!"
Elrond shook his head, a hand on Legolas' uninjured shoulder to keep him in the chair, and his other hand on the side of the younger elf's face. "No, penneth, please, calm yourself. Thranduil is fine, I am sure. Heredil and my sons went after him, and I am sure that many Imladris guards were alerted."
Legolas looked towards Aragorn who still stood at the balcony. "Estel?"
"I do not see them," the human answered.
Legolas suddenly realized that he didn't see the man's knife on the floor. "The knife! The man had a knife, my father knocked it from his hand, but I do not see it!"
Elrond had grabbed bandages from the table beside the bed and pressed a cloth to Legolas' collarbone to try to stop the bleeding. "Mayhap your father has it," he said, though he knew that the assailant could have regained possession.
Legolas sighed.
Elrond removed the cloth from Legolas' wound before folding it and placing a dry portion against the injury. "If you do not want stitches, you need to lie down, penneth." It was only a slight exaggeration; the wound was not serious, but he could feel the elf shaking with fear for his father's life.
Aragorn turned around at those words and left the balcony, helping his friend up from the chair and helping him lie on the bed.
"I am fine," the elf protested, frustrated.
Elrond had moved to the table that contained herbs for pain that he still forced Legolas to take everyday. He quickly mixed them and added a mild sedative.
Legolas was so worried for his father that he didn't even ask what was in the cup when Elrond handed it to him. A few minutes after he drank it, his eyes slowly closed.
Aragorn hated the sight of Legolas' closed eyes. "Why did you drug him?" he whispered. "He will be very upset when he wakes."
Elrond shook his head. "I did not give him sleeping herbs; merely a sedative to calm his nerves. We will be able to wake him when Thranduil returns."
Aragorn nodded and went back to the balcony, still seeing no sign of the King…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Stop!" Thranduil exclaimed, chasing his son's assailant. "By the order of the King of Mirkwood, stop!"
The figure kept running, past some trees where he finally halted. He assumed that the King was unarmed, and so he was unafraid.
"Tanek, I assume?" said Thranduil. "How did you get into Imladris!"
The human threw back his hood, not surprised to hear his name come from the King's lips. "You learned much on your journey to Nangobel, killer of my brother!" he said. "I came in with the patrol! How do you enjoy knowing that you lead me to your own son?"
Thranduil took a step closer, livid. "We did not kill your brother! He lives!"
Tanek blinked. "You lie!"
"No Tanek, he does not!"
Thranduil was surprised at the sudden voice, but he kept his eyes on his enemy.
Radek ran up behind Thranduil, standing beside the King a distance away to show the elf that he was no threat to him. He was out of breath and had a hand covering his still-healing wound. "They did not kill me, Tanek!" he exclaimed, unnecessarily.
Tanek looked from Radek to Thranduil and back again. "Traitor!" he hissed at his brother.
The word was painful, but Radek didn't deny it. "You have been on a quest to hurt elves for too long, Tanek. It has to stop."
Tanek grew furious at his brother's words. "Yes, something indeed needs to stop!" he exclaimed.
With that, he pulled an unseen dagger out from his belt, but it never left his hand.
Thranduil quickly pulled out the knife that Tanek had tried to kill Legolas with, and threw it at the human so fast that Tanek never had a chance to raise his weapon.
The knife struck Tanek directly in his black heart, and he fell without a sound.
Radek gave a sobbed cry, dropping to his knees.
Thranduil sighed, glad to see that his son had received justice, but feeling sorry for Tanek's innocent brother.
Radek covered his face with his hands and knelt there quietly.
Thranduil wasn't sure what the human's next action would be. "I am sorry, Radek."
Radek shook his head, not moving his hands. "Do not be," he whispered.
Thranduil walked to Tanek and checked him for a pulse, ensuring that he was indeed dead. Then, he crossed to Radek and took his arm, helping him to his feet. "Let us return," he said.
Radek said nothing, his face pale and steps shaky.
As they walked back towards the house, Heredil, the twins, and some of Imladris' guards finally found them.
"Thranduil!" Heredil exclaimed. "What—"
Thranduil shook his head, motioning over his shoulder.
Heredil frowned, before realizing by the expression on Radek's face that Tanek must be dead. "Return with them," he told the twins, wanting the King to have an escort, just in case.
The twins nodded, and the four people returned to the house.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aragorn faithfully stayed at the balcony, waiting and praying for Thranduil and the twins' safe return. When he saw the King, Elladan, and Elrohir, he gave a great sigh of relief. "They come!" he said.
Elrond closed his eyes with his own relieved sigh. He made his way from the bed to the balcony, using his exceptional elvish sight to check them for injury. "They appear well," he said. "Including Radek…?"
"He must have heard the commotion and figured out what was happening," said Aragorn, going to the bed and gently touching his friend's shoulder. "Legolas?" he whispered.
The elf slowly opened his eyes, seeming a little groggy.
"Legolas," Aragorn repeated, smiling. "Your father returns."
Without making a sound, the elf bolted upright and started to jump off the bed.
Elrond ran over from the balcony and he and Aragorn grabbed the younger elf.
"Legolas!" the healer exclaimed. "Move slowly, or you will reopen your wound!"
"Where is he?" Legolas asked, forcing them to let him stand. "He is well? You do not lie?"
"Of course I do not lie, mellon-nin," said Aragorn, taking no offense. "Come."
Leaving the room, they quickly made their way to the nearest door.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As Thranduil, the twins, and Radek neared the house, they saw a door fly open, and Legolas come out with Aragorn and Elrond behind him.
"Ada!" Legolas exclaimed.
Thranduil smiled and quickened his pace, taking his son in his arms and holding him tightly.
Legolas smiled, sighing with relief.
"Justice has been served, my Greenleaf," Thranduil whispered.
Legolas was relieved to be free from danger, but he opened his eyes and looked towards Radek.
The human understood that his brother had evil ways that needed to end, and smiled at the Prince, to show that he had no hard feelings.
Legolas smiled back, and they went back into the house.