Greetings, my friends. I have returned with a new chapter for you. I feel this story is going along at a good pace. Running out of things that I have typed up already but it is all good. I hope you enjoy this.

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Chapter 5- Meeting a Friend

"Lord Curufinwë, I really do not have the time for this." Thranduil, Elvenking of Mirkwood, sighed as he massaged his temples.

"But Sire, this is very important." The elf lord protested, "Winter is drawing near and the men of Dale need our help."

"How are we supposed to help them when we are short in our gatherings as well? Food grows scarce and with all this rain we have been having lately, the wood is too saturated for our fires."

"My Lord Thranduil, I strongly urge you to at least look over these offerings." He said. Thranduil sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes.

"What are they offering?"

"They will provide us with clothing of fur and suede in return for thirty barrels of berries, nuts and venison, my lord." Curufinwë read from the parchment he held in his hands. The king looked up at him in disbelief.

"Thirty barrels? We do not have that ourselves!" He exclaimed. With a growl, Thranduil stood from his chair and stalked over to the window. He leaned heavily on the railing and sighed. He heard his advisor walk lightly over to him and he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, my lord," He said, "But you must consider it. We can live off of what we have this winter but we desperately need those clothes. We elves are very resourceful, you know." When Thranduil didn't reply, he swallowed, "Just think about your wife, my lord. I know it is not my place but she will need all the warmth she can get, considering the baby she is carrying."

The king heaved a heavy sigh and looked up to Curufinwë.

"You are right. Though she is only a few months pregnant, she does need that." He said quietly.

"Shall I report this to Dale?" Thranduil opened his mouth to reply but the large doors suddenly swung open to reveal a much disheveled Prince Norui. He stumbled into the room, breathing heavily, and he slumped against the wall.

"Father!" He breathed, "Come quickly!" The elf pushed himself from the railing and watched his son with worried eyes.

"What is it, Norui? What is wrong?" The prince shook his head.

"No time to explain, just come!" And with that, Norui sprinted back out of the office and down the corridor. The two lords exchanged worried glances and dashed after the prince.

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Regaining his composure, Nendir picked up his brother's body and stood up to face the other lords and nobles. Wet tracks stained his pale skin and unshed tears shimmered at his eyes. Tears were in the eyes of the other elves as well.

"Send word to the healers!" He ordered and a pair of elves bowed deeply and ran off, their robes and auburn hair billowing wildly out behind them.

The Crown Prince glanced between the lords and nobles and he glared.

"Well, what are you staring at! Go back to your business!" He ordered hotly. With wide eyes, they bowed their heads quickly and went off at a fast walk. Nendir took one last glance at his brother's unseeing eyes and choked back a sob, then started off towards the Healing Wing.

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Thranduil's heart raced as his legs carried him faster and faster down the hallway. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears and he could not ever hear the light foot falls of Curufinwë behind him. He saw a blue and mahogany blur that was his son, Norui, pass through the doors of the Healing Wing. The great, golden doors swung open and crashed against the wall but the King did not care. The prince was moving so quickly, Thranduil was struggling to keep up with him as he flew through the halls, rooms, and passages of the Wing.

Norui then burst through a silver door away from all of the others. Thranduil recognized it at the private healing room of the royal family. The king groaned.

'What have they done now?' He thought.

He passed through the door but quickly jumped out of the way as maidens crossed in front of him, rushing from one end of the room to another searching for potions and herbs. Curufinwë nearly knocked him over as he skidded to a halt. The king gazed around. He saw his eldest son, Nendir, standing in a corner alone. His eyes then locked on one chocolate haired elleth. His oldest daughter, Lothron.

She was at a cabinet putting various vials of liquid on a silver tray and then she glided back over to the bedside and immediately began to work on the patient with an emotionless face. Thranduil crossed over to her side and looked down at the one in the bed. He felt his heart skip a beat and he would have fainted right then if there was no one else and it wasn't as serious as it seemed.

His youngest son's once bright, blue eyes stared up at him, half opened. The sharp glimmer had disappeared and left behind only a dull haze. His usually well-kept, golden hair was stained red and was matted against his scalp. Lothron's skillful hands cleaned away blood from around his neck to reveal a long gash but the crimson liquid spilled out again. She gritted her teeth and growled, turning to look at her father.

"Ada, I am sorry but I have to ask you to leave." She replied, trying to take away the bitterness in her tone, "Standing there will not help Legolas."

He locked gazes with her and his lips moved to speak but nothing came out. Finally, he nodded and motioned for the other three ellons to come, then left the room in search of his wife. Sighing, the princess turned to one of the other maidens.

"Aratariel, I need some water, athelas, and bandages!" She shouted and the maiden nodded and began rummaging quickly through the cabinets. She dabbed her brother's wound with a blood-stained cloth again and then wiped her wet forehead. She glanced down at her hands and noticed that they were covered in blood as well. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

'Please, Legolas, do not give up.' She thought sadly.

Before she even realized it, the items she had requested were sitting beside her and she went to work with them. She dropped the plant in the water and a sweet smell erupted from the bowl. They would have all stopped to inhale it but there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Lothron placed the drenched leaves on the gash and reached for the bandages but a grip on her wrist stopped. She glared at the person.

"Lady Lothron," One of the maidens began, "Your hands. They are quivering. Let me take care of him." She said and a lone tear trailed down the princess's cheek. The maiden smiled sadly and Lothron turned and left the room as her tears fell more freely from her misted eyes.

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Ithilwen, the Queen of Mirkwood, sat at her vanity staring at her reflection with a frown. Her heart was troubled. She knew something had gone terribly wrong but she had not the heart to find out what.

She stood with a sigh and placed a hand on her belly and managed a weak smile, closing her eyes. She could feel the baby in her though she was not too heavily pregnant. She already had a strong connection with it and she knew that it would be a beautiful girl. Her smile widened when she thought of how happy Legolas would be. Not only for the fact that he would no longer be the youngest but the fact that he had always said he wanted a younger sister. Her mind would have continued to stray until she felt her husband's presence. She frowned again. He was distressed. She opened her eyes and turned to him.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes red from tears. Ithilwen immediately strode over to him and placed a hand on his cheek.

"My love, what is it?" She asked, distressed by his own grief. He did not respond but looked deep into her eyes. Tears spilled over them and she inhaled sharply. "Is it one of the hîni?" children Thranduil nodded once and she looked away in disbelief. The king pulled her into an embrace. The queen let her emotions take hold and her shoulders racked heavily as she cried. The Elvenking rested his cheek on her head as silent tears rolled down his cheek and stained the red carpet. Amidst the queen's tears, Thranduil could make out one word she said:

"Legolas…"

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Day had passed and night was upon them again. The stars and moon were absent from the sky. The wind blew through the leaves of the trees who whined and creaked in mourning for their beloved prince. No call of creature drifted out in the darkness like it normally did. All of Mirkwood, elves and nature alike, knew of the happenings of late.

The whole royal family, Ethiriel and Glithiel were gathered in the King and Queen's room. Only the youngest child was absent. The elleths sought solace in their arms of their lovers. The ellons did not speak but gazed around, meeting each other's eyes.

There was a sudden knock at the door and the heads of the elves perked up. Thranduil stood from the bed and went to open the door. He revealed to them all an elleth with long, silver hair and eyes of blue. She looked up at the king timidly and swallowed.

"The healers request your presence." She said quietly as if hiding something of great importance. Thranduil nodded.

"Thank you, lady-" He began and looked down to her. She bowed.

"Silmarwen, my lord." She answered, "I am new here." He nodded.

"Alright, Silmarwen, we shall be there shortly." He said. The elleth nodded and bowed low, then turned off down the hallway. Thranduil closed the door slowly and faced his family. "We are requested in the Healing Wing." He said simply. They nodded and left as group towards the ailing prince.

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Ithilwen stepped into the private room first. Her eyes immediately landed on her child and she swept towards him silently. The maidens around stopped what they were doing and left to give the family their time.

The queen sat at the edge of Legolas's bed and reached over to stroke his brow. His hair had been cleaned as well as it could and was left only with a hint of red. There was a tight bandage around his neck but not too tight. His chest lay naked before them, marred with cuts and other blemishes. His eyes still stayed half open and still unfocused.

The rest of the family filed in slowly. He looked better but their hearts were still low. Ithilwen smiled sadly at her son and leaned down to kiss his forehead. He sighed, barely audible and it lifted their spirits.

A door clicked behind them and they all turned to see. One of the maidens that were in there before glanced at them all, then turned to Thranduil.

"My lord, may I speak with you a moment?" She asked quietly and he nodded.

"Yes, of course." She smiled slightly and left, shortly followed by the king and the others continued to gaze at their friend, their brother, their child.

Once out of hearing range from the others, the elleth spoke.

"It is about your son," She began, "Prince Legolas." He motioned for her to continue. "This is difficult to tell you."

"Go on, my dear." He said softly.

"We do not know what has happened to him. All that we are sure of is that he has lost much of his blood."

"But he will be fine, correct? Just give him time and he will recover?" Tears welled up in her gray eyes. Thranduil's face fell at this.

"We cannot stop the bleeding, my lord. At the rate that he is loosing it…" She inhaled sharply and unwillingly locked her gaze with the king's, "He will not last the night."

He will not last the night.

Those words kept running through Thranduil's head. The maiden stood in her place and stared sadly up at her king.

He has lost much blood…he will not last the night.

His head swam and he backed away from the one in front of him. His shaking hand braced himself against a nightstand and he leaned heavily on it. A cloud formed over his eyes and he swallowed deeply.

"A-Are you sure of this?" He breathed. The elleth bit her bottom lip and nodded once.

"Yes, my lord." She whispered. Thranduil breathed heavily and placed his hand on his forehead in disbelief. This is not possible. Legolas is so young and would not be affected by this…

Would he?

His knees buckled and he fell to the ground. The maiden rushed forward and knelt before him. His shoulders racked with sobs and crystalline tears streamed down his white face. The elleth put her arms around his shoulders and hushed him softly as she battled with her own tears. He placed his hand over his eyes as the crying intensified but he willed himself to stop. He was a king and it was not proper for him to break down in such a way. Gathering his composure, he leaned back on his heels and wiped away the tears. The healer stepped away, leaving a hand on his shoulder. He looked up into her eyes.

"We will do everything and anything we can, my lord," She said, "But do not gather your hopes too high." Thranduil choked back another sob and nodded.

"Legolas is a strong elf. He always has been." He said with a sad smile. She nodded.

"Indeed he is."

Unbeknownst to the two elves, Ithilwen had her ear pressed firmly to the door while her children had gathered around Legolas's bed. She felt her own heart breaking at the news but she contained herself. With a quivering breath, she turned back to her children. Her two daughters sat at his sides with his hands in theirs. Norui sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed, frowning deeply at his brother. Nendir sat motionless on the headboard, staring unseeingly at the golden haired elf. Without a noise, Ithilwen passed them by and exited the chamber.

She skirts billowed out behind her as she glided soundlessly down the halls. Her golden hair bounced slightly at each step she took and her piercing, cerulean eyes stared straight ahead of her. She took a corner and stopped at a towering door. On the doors were strange letterings that was not in elvish, dwarvish or any other tongue but one very odd and known only to one culture of people. The Queen could not read it but she knew what it said anyway. Glancing around to be sure no one was watching, she whispered in the slightest voice.

"Auir m'tenla suilomen." There was a click and the doors parted slightly. Only she knew of this incantation for she and her grandmother had made it themselves, never to reveal its secret.

She pushed open the doors and glanced up a long, spiraling staircase. As quickly as she could, she made her way around the flight of stairs. She heard the door close and lock behind her.

She came to yet another set of doors and she easily pushed these open. She glanced around. A large, four-poster bed sat to the far side of the spacious room. A vanity sat at the opposite wall and a large mirror sat in front of it. Various pictures hung all along the teal colored walls as well as a crackling hearth. 'Twas a remarkable room.

From a side door, Ithilwen heard the sound of water running and a light singing. She smiled slightly and approached the door.

"My lord? My lady?" She called out and the singing stopped immediately. There was a sloshing of water and some scrambling among some racks. The Queen smiled and the door suddenly burst open.

A male with long, silver hair stepped out of the room. His eyes were a glowing navy blue that reflected within them images of old memories past. His body was well toned and he was tall and lithe. His ears were pointed but sharper at the end. On his left ear, a knick was cut into it but it did not take away from his pleasing appearance. He had only a towel wrapped around his thin waist and his face showed the uttermost shock and annoyance. He laid eyes upon the Lady before him and immediately blushed, lowering his head.

"I, uh…" He stuttered, "Well, um, what can I do for you, my lady?" Ithilwen chuckled but quickly silenced her self.

"Good evening, Daeron, I see you are enjoying your night." She said, eyes sparkling with mirth. The male blushed deeper.

"Uh, yes…how can I be of service to you?" He asked again, trying desperately trying to stay away from that subject. Ithilwen's eyes hardened suddenly and she frowned. Daeron noticed this and stared at her hard. "Lady Ithilwen?"

"It is Legolas." She said. He rolled his eyes.

"What has he gotten into this time?" The Queen shook her head.

"This is serious, Lord Daeron. I am in need of your assistance." He gave her a quizzical look. When she narrowed her eyes, he understood and nodded.

"Ah, I see. One moment." He said, "Just make yourself comfortable." Then Queen nodded and he went back in the smaller chamber, closing the door behind him.

Ithilwen sat down on the large bed and gripped the quilt beneath her. She heard some more scrambling in the other chamber and she smiled slightly. Within moments, Daeron appeared in the larger room with a bundle of towels in his arms. The she-elf stood and approached him, taking the bundle in her arms. She smiled at him and bowed.

"Thank you, my lord." He smiled.

"No problem. I hope Legolas is alright." The Queen's smile faltered and she nodded once.

"So do I." She said softly and left the room.

No longer caring for elven grace or her reputation as a composed ruler, she sprinted down the halls towards the Healing Wing. Luckily, no one was in the halls to stop or question her.

She slowly went into the chamber where her youngest son laid. No one was in there anymore and all lights were out. Only the moon and stars could shed their light upon the pale face of the prince. Ithilwen approached the bed and gazed down at Legolas. His face was relaxed and his chest rose ever so slightly. Balancing the bundle in the crook of her arm, she carefully rolled down the blankets and unbuttoned his tunic. A tight bandage was wrapped around his entire midsection. She unrolled this and winced at his many wounds. She glanced at the bundle when it began to stir and she hurriedly unwrapped it.

Out of the center of the soft blankets hopped a falcon about the size of wine goblet. It landed on a post of the bed and peered around the room. Her back and wings were of a grey color, not quite black, and her belly was golden. She stretched her long, slender wings out and she yawned. Its bright, gold eyes shifted every which way until they landed on the elf in the bed. She stared at him for a long while until she snapped her head up to the Queen.

"Hello, Espenshade." Ithilwen said softly. The falcon whistled quietly and pranced upon the headboard. The she-elf smiled. "You know what to do, honey. I know you do." Espenshade squawked once and Ithilwen laughed slightly, "Go on. I will make it up to you later." Finally, the bird sighed and hopped down onto Legolas.

A bright light formed at her chest and grew slowly. It seemed to capture the light of the stars and sucked all other lights out of the room. It then shot down to the prince's torso and covered it entirely. A thin mist rose up from his body and when the light disappeared, thin, white scars had replaced the enflamed wounds. She began to hop away.

"No, you are not done." Ithilwen scolded playfully and Espenshade hissed, then went up to Legolas's face.

A ball of red light formed in her mouth and with a thrust of her wings, it hurtled towards the ellon's lips. It splashed upon his mouth like water upon rock. Almost immediately, Legolas took a sharp inhale of breath and the falcon hopped away.

"Good job, Espenshade." Ithilwen said and the bird sighed. She then hopped into the towels again and buried her body in the mess.

The Queen sat down by her son's side and placed her hand on his heaving chest. His eyes shot open and darted around wildly. A desperate whimper escaped his lips and Ithilwen took his hand.

"Easy, Legolas, take deep breaths," She instructed. He did not respond but seemed to hear her as his breathing slowly returned to normal and his eyes drooped. Slowly, his gaze settled on his mother.

"Na…nan…" He breathed but the Queen silenced him with her fingers. He stared up at her, frightened, and she leaned down and softly placed her lips upon his forehead.

"Shh, be still, my beautiful Greenleaf. Take rest." His grip tightened on her hand.

"You…you stay with me?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes, Legolas, I shall." She stood from his side and went to the other side of the bed. As gently as she could, she lay down beside her son and kissed his temple. He turned his head towards her.

"Naneth, what happened? All I can remember is walking in the hallway…and then feeling as if something was punching my spine over and over like a thousand knives."

"Do not think of such things. Sleep and rest your mind. All will be explained in the morning." She cooed and Legolas sighed contentedly. He rolled over onto his side carefully and rested his head on his mother's bosom. She wrapped her arms protectively around his head and began to sing softly. He placed his hand on her belly and after a moment, gasped.

"Naneth! You are with child!" He exclaimed. Ithilwen chuckled.

"Yes, Legolas, your sister has been growing for many months now." She said. She couldn't see it but she knew his lips were turning into a grin.

"I won't be the youngest anymore and I will have what I wanted." He breathed and she nodded.

"Yes, Legolas. You are correct." He sighed happily as he patted her belly.

"Le melon." He said. (I love you.)

"Le melon." She replied, smiling. Within moments, she heard him taking soft breaths and she knew he was asleep. She kissed his forehead and looked up at Espenshade who was sitting up in the blankets, staring at the two. Ithilwen nodded and with a soft coo, the falcon took flight and glided silently out of the chambers.

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Well, I don't know about you but I am happy with the interaction between Ithilwen and Legolas. I think it is cute.

oliverlover- Well, uh, lol. I freaked out when I saw that. I thought it was a flame at first! Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope to hear from you again!

Swasti- Hehe. The strange message will make its appearance many times but I can not reveal why until the end. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I hope to hear from you again!

Well, that is all. See ya next Saturday! Yea, if you didn't notice, I am trying to update every Saturday. Also, that little bit of weird language was not elvish. It was just something that I thought up on the spot, lol. Namarie!

Until Next Time,

Manwathiel