Sielge: I have responded to your reviews here. To everyone: I really can't wait to post 11, because I was really quite proud of it. A new little mystery is uncovered, and I was quite happy. Enjoy!

A few minutes later, Legolas returned to the table. "You can come out. No one's looking."

"Legolas. . . if they don't know I'm here, maybe I can get out and warn Thranduil. . ."

Aragorn looked between the two, wild confusion dancing across his features. "What's going on?"

"It doesn't matter that they don't know you're here. The wall knows, and that's enough."

"Legolas?"

Telemnar turned on Aragorn. "Be quiet, Human!"

"Tell me what's happening and I can help!"

Telemnar and Legolas locked eyes. After what seemed like an eternity to Aragorn, Legolas nodded and Telemnar relayed everything he had heard.

Aragorn's mouth fell open. "Oh, Valar, Legolas, I'm so sorry."

"Do not be sorry, Estel. I don't need your pity. I don't need anybody's pity." He paused. Both of his companions could see several emotions boiling inside of him. He finally spoke again. "I am tired of being controlled."

"You're a free soul, Legolas. Nothing controls you."

"I am controlled by others, by fear, by my past, by what everybody else expects of me, and it's enough. Enough And this. . . This is my own, private rebellion. Yes. I may not be able to control what other people do to me, but I can at least be in control what I do to myself." He stood, but Telemnar rose to meet him. Aragorn stayed seated, unsure of what was taking place.

"Your father thinks you dead, Las. Prove him wrong."

Realization began to hit Aragorn. "Legolas, no. You are not deserting me after everything we've been through."

"I don't intend on killing myself, believe me."

"Then what are doing, Las?"

"I'm just leaving both of you. Tel, you go to the Lady, and ask her for permission to leave. Don't let her know that you're an elf. You get out of here. Take Strider with you, pull him through the wall with you. You cannot let him be seen."

"You are coming with us, Legolas," Aragorn said adamantly.

"No. I will only get you both killed. So I leave. Do not follow me."

Telemnar grabbed Legolas' shoulder as the elf made to leave. He saw Legolas grimace, but only tightened his grip until the prince was on his knees, begging him to let go.

"No! Not until you promise not to leave us!"

"Let me go! Please!" He was clawing at his friend.

"Promise us!" Realizing that they could cause a scene, he pulled Legolas into the storage room that they had been living in. Aragorn followed. Under the cover of the wooden door, he embraced the prince tightly.

"Tel, let him go. He's crying. He's not even coherent anymore."

"Grab him Estel. Hold on to him."

Aragorn was frightened by how calm Telemnar acted with the elf thrashing in his arms. "Tel, that might hurt him."

Telemnar moved his hand to cover Legolas' mouth. "Just trust me."

The human hesitantly did as he was told, grabbing Legolas' hand and holding it tightly. A muffled cry passed Telemnar's hand. Aragorn was certain the elf was going to hurt himself.

Legolas thought he was going to die. He wasn't sure where he was. There was night and day, and horrors. . . no, that wasn't right. He was watching a little elfling remember his father, and watched as the elfing's mother faded. That wasn't horrifying, but the overwhelming sadness that he felt was. It took his body in waves of physical pain.

Then, suddenly, at the same time, he saw a young Estel, crying at his parents' graves. The dirt was freshly mounded.

Legolas finally fell limp in Telemnar's arms. The elf let go of him immediately. "Strider, let go. He can still see your memory."

"I had forgotten. . . They had tried to get me inside. It was just after my parents had been buried, but I refused. And it was raining, but I wouldn't leave them."

"It's okay, Strider. It's over."

"Did you know he would lose consciousness?"

"I had a pretty good idea."

Elrond looked at the Mirkwood king with sympathy in his eyes. "Talk to me, Thranduil. It will not help you to keep this inside."

"I am sending word to Mithfalas."

"Saying what?"

Thranduil looked up. "I am asking him to come back for a memorial for Legolas."

"You do not believe my son, then?"

"Do you?"

Elrond shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I've seen pieces of the future that involve Legolas, but what I see does not always occur. I don't know if Estel really has a lead, or if he's just too sad to accept the truth. I do know that they share a bond. I believe Estel would know if Legolas was dead."

"But he could be in denial. I want to believe your son, Elrond. Legolas escaped death once. Would the Valar be so inclined to allow it again? Even so, his body is here. None of it makes sense. I do not want to carry myself with false hope. As it is, very few know that Legolas' body was returned here."

Elrond smiled to himself. If the king was keeping the news of the death of Mirkwood's crown prince a secret, that meant he had some hope that he was still alive. "I understand. It's easier not believe him, isn't it?"

"It is. If I believe him and he is incorrect, the pain will be so much worse."

Elrond nodded. He knew that his silence was comfort enough for the king.

"You've decided to join us again," Telemnar smiled at his friend as his eyelids fluttered open.

"Where are we?"

"In the tavern's storage room. I didn't want anyone to see us."

Legolas nodded. "Where's Strider?"

"I'm here, Legolas." The man had been silent since Legolas has passed out, suddenly wary of the prince's second-in-command. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Are you?"

"I'm fine."

The prince turned his attention back to Telemnar. "I didn't know you were half-elven."

The other elf narrowed his eyes. "How. . ."

"Saw a memory."

"Of course. I'm not very proud of the human in me. I try to forget that side ever existed." He turned. "No offense, Strider. What memory did you see, Las?"

"Your father left. And you mother. . . she died of sorrow. And you watched it."

"Yes. That was a couple years before we met."

Legolas smiled, trying to sit up. "I don't even remember a time when we didn't know each other."

"I do. Unfortunately. Your father made my life more bearable, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

Legolas nodded and shivered slightly. "It's so cold. . ."

The human and the other elf looked at each other. "Are you okay, Legolas?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at Telemnar. "I told you we'd hurt him."

"It wasn't anything we did."

Legolas watched them argue for a minute. "What did you do to me?"

"I was trying to get you to think clearly, so I touched you, and you were fighting me, so I thought-"

"He made me touch you, too."

Telemnar narrowed his eyes. Legolas groaned. "That wasn't a good idea, Estel."

"What? Legolas, it wasn't my idea!"

"Why, Legolas? Why was that a bad idea?"

"I just don't think my body can handle it. Or my mind. It's hard enough decipher my own thoughts from someone else's, but to have a third set of memories is too much for any mind."

Aragorn looked at Telemnar. They were slowly losing Legolas. "We have to get out of here."

Mithfalas looked at the gates that guarded the palace of Mirkwood. There was a time in his life when he loved coming upon these gates; they always meant home. Now, he wasn't so sure. Although, the fact that his father had sent for him was a good sign.

He announced himself.

He heard whispers behind the stone gates.

"He isn't allowed here."

"No, Thranduil said to let him in. Open the gates. Go on."

As the exiled elf walked through what once had been his home, he felt almost no emotion. Home. That was a word he hadn't used in a long time.

"Mithfalas," Minastir greeted the elf at the steps to the palace.

"Tir, it's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit!"

Minastir ignored the joke. "The king requests your presence in the Great Hall immediately."

Mithfalas laughed. "Not one bit."

When he reached the Great Hall, he paused. Why was he so apprehensive? The odds that he was being welcomed back to the palace were slim to none. There had to be a reason. He shoved the doors open.

Thranduil and Elrond turned to look at the door. The king had an almost humorous expression of "what now?" while Elrond rose immediately and greeted the younger elf. The elf lord looked back to Thranduil. "Should I leave you?"

Thranduil didn't know what to say. It was better if this was done alone, but then, the half-elf's support would be welcomed. "Yes, please."

Elrond nodded. To Mithfalas, he whispered, "Be patient with him. This is hard for him."

Mithfalas nodded and approached the king. "My lord?"

"Please, Mithfalas, take a seat."

He did as he was told. As he watched the king agonize over his thoughts, his stomach dropped. "I am to assume that I was not invited for a glass of wine. Why have you sent for me?"

"I have told Legolas and I find no shame. . . all the shame. . . in telling you that your exile was a poor decision on my behalf."

"Lord Thranduil-"

"I do not want you to speak until I have finished. You were always a good brother to my son, and. . . and it was wrong of me to deny him of that, after losing his mother in such a fashion. It was wrong of me to deny you of that. However, what's done is done, and we cannot change that past, now can we? It is because of your relationship with Legolas that I have asked you to come. Legolas, the Crown Prince of Mirkwood, has died."

Mithfalas made no outward reaction, but inside, he was screaming.

"Perhaps I could have done things to change it. . . I know I could have, and I hate for you to know like this. I thought you would want to be here for the ceremony."

He knew the king was finished. "How did he die? When?"

Thranduil explained everything that he knew, as well as a few theories that he couldn't momentarily prove.

"Where is Telemnar?"

Thranduil sighed. "Elrond's son, Strider, has taken him to find Legolas. He thinks that my son may still be alive and is looking for him in a city that doesn't exist."

"Just south of Rivendell?"

"Yes. You know of it?"

"Goodness, yes. Strider may be right. The people in that city have magic far more advanced than most of the elves. It's possible."

Thranduil held his head in his hands. "Why will no one come to terms with Legolas' death? Do you want to see his body, Mithfalas? Will that prove it to you?"

"Why won't you believe that your son is alive? Wouldn't you like that hope to live on?"

Thranduil sighed. Why was he the only one that took his faith from facts?

The Great Hall doors were thrown open. "My lord Thranduil!"

Both Mithfalas and Thranduil rose, startled by the alarm showing on the other's elf's face.

"There is a vast army headed our way. They are a day's ride from our Western borders, and then at most another day until they reach the walls!"

"Thank you. Please, go rest."

"Aye, my lord," the elf bowed and turned from the room.

Thranduil stood still for a moment. "Telemnar's gone." He turned and regarded his exiled son. "Do you suppose you could lead a contingent for me?"

"Whatever you ask of me now, I will do it."

"It will be large. I will have to combine Telemnar's contingent with Legolas'."

"It is fine, my lord, I will do it."

"This isn't an invitation back into the city. You have no obligation to help us."

"I know, my lord. But I will, just the same."

To my reviewers:

Aranel of Mirkwood: Thank you for the compliment.

Deana: Thank you! I'm sorry the wait was so long!

Sky 14: Bingo. I wanted to make this one kind of different, and it actually is based a little on the Matrix, and a little on a movie called Brigadoon. Good job! Chapter 9: Thanks. I've gotten a couple of "interesting" comments. Not sure if that's good or not. Enjoy!

Mellaithwen: Well, it's interesting how close you actually were with both of your guesses. If you don't remember them, you'll have to look them up, I certainly won't remind you ;-) Anyway, thank you. And to your review of chapter 9, thank you thank you!

Solo 23: I'm so sorry I didn't update very soon- I swear, I'm usually a lot better at updating! And. . . you're kind of close with one of your guesses, but still a little off the mark ;-)

Jass: Good, I like to keep you on your toes  Next update will be sooner! (I hope. . . lol.)

Kukumalu: Sorry for the delay- I really can't apologize enough! Don't worry, all will be answered! Chapter 9 review: Hahahah. . . thanks for the compliments. I am really proud of chapter 11, so I hope you will like that too when I post it.

Manwathiel: Thanks!

Arrana Undomiel: You should still be a little confused, probably not a lot though, after this chapter. Oh, well, hm, yeah, maybe you should be. . . don't worry, everything will be answered! To the chapter 9 review: Chapter 12 explains things a bit more. Yeah, I get really bad about updating sometimes. ;-)

Faerlain: Hahaha, the last like, five reviews have all been about confusion- I LOVE IT! Chapter 9: Chapter 12 answers some questions. . . but chapter 11 just brings up a lot more. . . I will answer it all, I promise!

Katquest2000: First, thank you for the compliment. Second, yes, I was definitely planning on at least finishing this story, and I few more I have lined up, but things got crazy. I probably shouldn't have started the story when I did, just because of things that were going on and all, but I should be back in the game now!

Lindele: Hm, yes, very good, Detective. I actually did base part of this on the Matrix. 

Kateydidn't: Okay, I'll be honest. I completely made the town up. When I first started writing these, I didn't pay too much attention to geography and whatnot. Mind you, I do now, but I still have this town that is still a major part of the story. Sorry about that. Thanks for the reviews. I am incredibly impressed, by the way, with your knowledge. In your second review, they are in a different place, but a time lapse has occurred as well. The woman in charge is related to the king previously talked about.

Sielge: Much thanks! I really appreciated that reviews for HotM. Both were very nice. I hope you like this story as well.

Jazi: I am fine, I'm sorry you're not doing so well. I understand the absence, I had quite a long one too. I just got back into the swing of updating again, and it seems so have you, so we're even. I hope you start feeling better and that all turns out well! Best wishes!

Lindahoyland: Thank you. . .?