Chapter 3:
Run Away

Thranduil was confused, and he didn't like being so. What had he done? One moment he was questioning the young elf, and the next he had run out of the throne room like he had seen a monster. We'll let the boy cry himself out in his room, and he would speak to him later tonight. He planned on personally training him, beginning tomorrow.

Legolas, however, had not run to his room. He was now wandering away from the palace, having no clue where he was. When he finally stopped to think about what he was doing, he was completely lost and it was getting dark fast. He thought that he might have been traveling in circles, but that didn't help him.

Had his eyes not been filled with tears he would have seen the warning signs of danger. If he hadn't been sniffing constantly to clear his nose, he would have heard the soft hissing. But he didn't, until it was too late. Then he saw the almost invisible webs hanging off the trees, and heard the vicious hissing. When he did notice, he immediately regretted his earlier wish. He didn't want to get eaten by spiders. But there they were, hanging above him and getting closer.

Thranduil got up from the evening meal, noting, without surprise, that Legolas was not present. He left the main hall, nodding to those who wished him a good night. Making his way to the room given to Legolas, he came across Aradwen, the nurse he had ordered to watch after him. She stopped and bowed.

"Is Legolas asleep?" He asked.

"Legolas? I am not sure, my Lord. He has not returned to his room since this morning." She said, obviously confused. The King's eyes glanced sharply at the door to his room. It was open, and the room was vacant.

"He wouldn't have been foolish enough to…" He started, then striding quickly away. Aredwen was left behind to wonder. When he reached the gate, the guards snapped to attention. "Has Legolas left this way?" He asked quickly.

"Yes, my Lord. This morning." The guard answered.

"Has he returned?"

"No, my Lord."

Thranduil's eyes widened and he took off at a run to his own chambers. Once there he grabbed his quiver, bow, and knives, slinging them over his shoulder.

"Open!" He bellowed at the gate and it swung open magically. Without an explanation to the confused guards, he immediately picked up the light trail of his fleeing son and followed it at a swift run.

Legolas tried to turn around and run, but there where suddenly many other spiders to block his path. The one above him was getting dangerously close, so he did the only thing he could think of. He leapt over the spiders blocking his path. They weren't expecting this, but one of them managed to bite into his leg as it flew over their heads. Legolas gave a cry of pain as he felt the fangs sink into his leg.

He managed to keep his footing, but could not run very fast. The creatures behind him were gaining, quickly. He pushed himself for as long as he could, but soon collapsed on the ground. His leg had gone numb and the poison was quickly spreading with his heart pounding from the run. He yelled as loud as he could, hoping that someone would hear him.

Thranduil's legs carried him swiftly across the forest, faster then many others could hope to. Just when he was beginning to wonder if he was following the right trail, he heard a cry from up ahead. He recognized it as Legolas'. He ran even faster when he picked up the pain and panic in his voice.

"Legolas!" He yelled, his voice carrying over the trees.

"Help!" An answering call echoed.

Legolas felt the spiders overtake him as soon as he hit the ground. They nipped and bit at him, injecting more poison in an attempt to subdue their thrashing pray. Just when he thought that he was going to die, he heard a cry not his own.

"Legolas!" It called.

The young elf immediately recognized the voice.

"Ada!" He called back.

Then he saw a much larger spider, seemingly their leader, stalk over to him, its fangs snapping and coming ever closer to his neck. A sob escaped his throat, thinking his life was about the end. The last thing he heard before he passed out from the poison was a deep voice yelling "Legolas!"

A/N: A few slight revisions, but nothing really big.