Disclaimer: I apologise once more, as the last few times I tried to post the last chapter, there was something wrong with the website and I could not post it properly. It seems to be working again and hopefully everything will be back to normal now.

Thanks for bearing with me; replies are at the bottom of this chapter. As always, I own Danuinel, Corriduil and Notilan but everyone else belongs to Tolkien. Thanks again and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 18

Legolas did not sleep much that night. His mind lingered on the fact that on his arrival to Mirkwood, he would become King. The young prince doubted his ability to rule over an entire kingdom. He worried about the people's reaction to this news and hoped that they would not put up much resistance. Most of all, Legolas worried about Corriduil's reaction. The two had never gotten on well and avoided one another at all costs.

But now was the time. It was either he became King now, or let the disturbed Advisor rule over his land. And the latter was just not an option. Legolas stood carefully, mindful of his stitches, and packed the few things he had arrived with. He preferred to travel light, as it did not hinder his riding if he was to be chased.

The prince stood on the balcony to watch the Sun rise. As it rose, it threw golden rays over Rivendell and the surrounding areas. The trees and animals began to come alive, as if the Sun gave them the energy to move.

"Legolas?" The Elf in question turned to meet the concerned eyes of a certain Elven Lord. He smiled, hoping it looked genuine. "You slept not a wink last night. It is obvious that your heart is troubled."

"Aye. I know not if I am ready to rule as King. What am I to do if the people do not accept me as their King? How can I prove to them that I am worthy if I was banished by my father? What am I to do about Corriduil?" The young prince asked. His eyes were turned back to the sunrise, drawing its strength.

"Do not think on these things now. It will only cause you to stress. You must wait until the moment arises and decide then, your heart will guide you down the right path. You must remember though, Legolas, that the best path is not always the easiest one." Elrond spoke quietly, not wishing anyone to be awakened by the conversation. "Come, we must get everything ready for the journey. Are you ready?"

"Yes. My things are packed." Legolas replied, turning away from the balcony and into the room. He picked up the small bag containing his clothing and possessions and left the room with Elrond. He did not look back, as he knew deep down that he would be back soon enough.

The two Elves met Estel, the twins, Danuinel and Notilan in the courtyard, ready and waiting. Elrond, Legolas and Estel were to ride in the carriage and the others would remain on horseback. As much as the prince hated being in a carriage, he did not complain for fear of being told that the journey would be delayed until he could safely ride a horse.

It did not take very long for everything to be ready. Food was gathered from the kitchens as well as bedrolls and blankets for when the company set up camp for the night. Elrond, as always, packed plenty of medicinal supplies, taking fewer of the herbs that could be found as they travelled.

The carriage set off just less than two hours after dawn. Legolas sat in the back with Elrond and Estel, wishing he were on horseback. The movement of the coach against the rocky ground was already aggravating his wounds and the prince soon realised that this would be a very long trip.

The archer focused his attention on the trees moving slowly past the window and the breeze pulling at his hair, anything to get his mind away from the pain. Legolas crossed his arms over his stomach, hoping to prevent any more irritation to his side, but he could do nothing about his chest. The Elf concealed his pain well, for neither of his companions seemed to notice that anything was amiss.

The road was quiet. None of the four Elves on horseback came across anything worth taking an interest in. The Sun continued to shine and little animals watched with curiosity as the carriage and horses passed slowly.

Back in side the coach, Legolas was feeling drowsy. After having no sleep the night before, it was beginning to catch up with him, and the movements were not helping in his side of the battle. After a little while, he lost the fight with sleep and his eyes closed by themselves. As an Elf, his eyes should have remained open during sleep, but this difference indicated the poor health of the prince.

Estel was suddenly aware of a pressure against his arm and startled. He looked towards the problem and saw his best friend leaning against his arm, his eyes closed. Estel's first instinct was to panic, but his father stopped him quickly.

"Be still. He did not receive any sleep last night, there is no need for panic." Elrond whispered, followed closely by a nod from the Ranger. They moved Legolas so that he was lying on his back, with his upper body on Estel's lap. The Ranger placed his hand on the prince's chest, mindful of the wound. He hoped that this would help with preventing any nightmares.

Legolas slept for a while, the nightmares staying away. His conscious rose to the surface every now and then when the carriage bumped violently, but drifted back into sleep again. During one quite violent movement in the coach, Estel felt something move under his hand and looked to find a crimson stain spreading across his friend's shirt.

"Ada!" He quickly alerted his father to his findings and the coach was stopped while the two worked. They removed the old, torn stitches, cleaned the deep wound and re-stitched it. Elrond voiced his worry over the slow rate in which the prince was healing. There was little improvement in the state of the wounds, if any at all. The Elven Lord wondered inwardly if this journey had been started too early in the prince's recovery…

TBC

Replies:

LanierShazar: Yes, back to Mirkwood already, and it is going to be quite a long journey for the prince. Will he be able to deal with the stress and how will Corriduil take it when he realises that Legolas is not dead? Can you wait to find out, I can't!

Moonyasha: Again, sorry for not being able to update. Hopefully this chapter will cheer you up. The guys say thanks for the blueprints.

Elf771: To be honest, I nearly forgot about Corriduil! And I'm supposed to be writing this thing! So, we're heading back to Mirkwood, will Legolas make it?

HarryEstel: Poor prince, having to ride in a carriage, but I wouldn't say anything. Elrond could easily take it back and make him stay in bed! Poor Leggy!

Fluffy's fangirls: Yeah, thanks again!

Nomad6: Gosh, I hope you are feeling a little less sore today! Poor you. My exams start in three days, but I'm not fazed and I will be updating as normal as long as this site does not give me any hassle. Thanks again for reviewing!

BitterLee: No, I have not heard of 'Cirque Du Soleil'. I shall have to check it out, if I can find a copy. Should be easy enough. I am glad that Leggy is heading back to Mirkwood, the fact that Corriduil ruled was getting on my nerves. Thanks for the review!

Wren Birgitte: Sorry if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've ever spoken to you before, not that this is a bad thing in any way! So thanks for that. I hope Leggy becomes King but we'll just have to wait and see if he survives the journey first. He's only been travelling for a couple of hours and he's bleeding already! Poor Elf. Thanks again!