Legolas approached the guards that stood watch outside Gollum's cell. They saluted him and the senior guard informed him, "The prisoner has been quiet since the attack, your Highness."

"Very good. Open the door, as I wish to speak with him."

"Yes, your Highness," answered the guard. He unlocked the cell door with a key that he had tucked in a small pocket inside his vest. With the door open, the guard stepped aside so that the prince could enter.

Legolas entered the cell and closed the door behind him. He stepped further into the darkened space, a mere cavity in the immenseness that was Thranduil's castle and found Gollum lying on his cot, as if asleep.

"I know you are not sleeping," he said loudly to the creature. "Sit up and face me! There are questions I need answers to."

Gollum immediately responded. "Why so angered Master Elf? What answers could my precious possibly know?" asked Gollum sitting up and looking innocently at the prince. "We knows nothing, Master elf. Nothing."

"What do you know of the man whose name you called?" asked Legolas, eyeing Gollum intensely.

Gollum turned his eyes away and muttered to himself. Though his ears were keen, Legolas could not make sense of what Gollum was saying.

The prince stepped forward with his hands clenched into fists and said forcefully, "I asked you a question and I expect you to answer. As I told you before, we do not mistreat our prisoners here unless we are provoked in some way. Make no mistake, Fell Creature, you have greatly provoked me, even if it was unbeknown to you!"

Gollum still did not answer the prince's question and instead smiled at him. "We've nothing to hide, Master elf. We will answers, if you wish, but first he gives us juicy fish," he said in a sing song voice.

Legolas immediately reached out and seized Gollum by the throat. "I have not the time for silly games! Answer my question or no fish nor fowl will be brought upon your plate again."

Gollum scratched and clawed wildly at the prince's hand. The very touch of the elf's hand upon his skin burned like an icy flame. He nodded his head franticly and Legolas released him. Gollum at once brought his hands up to his throat to rub the pain away. Gasping and coughing, he conceded, "Alright Master Elf, alright. We will tells you what we knows, Precious."

Legolas waited for Gollum's answer with his arms crossed over his chest. He hoped his show of physical strength was persuasive enough to elicit the truth from the creature, but what Legolas did not realize was that his very touch alone was pure torment to Gollum.

'We meets him on the road, we did," Gollum began hoarsely. "He threatened us, told us he would kill us." Gollum shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands. "What was my precious to do, we asks you? We did what he told us and that was all, good Master."

"What did he ask of you? Tell me everything."

Gollum was not about to tell the prince everything. Not about the precious or Qadir offering to help him find it. "He asks us if we've seen an elf maiden. He's looking for her, he said. Made us promise to call him if we sees her or he would kill us. My precious saw her outside when the horrible ranger broughts us here. We knows it was her Master Elf, for she was singing and some ghosties were dancing about. The man told us she would be different and she was. We did what he told us. We called to him when the nasty Orcses were near."

"Why the orcs?"

"He commands them, kind Master."

"Commands them? They are servants of The Dark Lord. How does he command them?"

"He said The Dark One was his Master and he had the command of some orcs."

"Out of Mordor?"

"No, good Master, he commands them from Dol Guldur."

Legolas looked away shocked. "He is so close," he thought to himself. To Gollum he said, "That is all for now. You made a wise choice by loosening your tongue. I will have a guard bring you fish for your evening meal." With that the prince turned to leave. Immediately Gollum hobbled over in step behind him. For a moment it looked as if he might reach out and tug on the prince's tunic, but he thought of the icy heat and changed his mind. Legolas noticed him and raising an eyebrow, turned once more to face him.

"Yes? Do you have something else you wish to tell me?"

"Makesss it raw, kind Master. The fish. We likes it wiggly and fresh."

Legolas looked at the pathetic creature with disgust, but said, "I'll see what I can do."

Before going to Linnah, Legolas first needed to return to the Throne Room. There were some things he needed to clear up between himself and his Father as well as reporting this new information regarding who was commanding the armies at Dol Guldur.

When he entered the room, Orlindel was still talking with his father. The king immediately stood from his seat at the table and started to speak, but Legolas waved him off, saying, "Before you say anything Father, I must apologize for my outburst earlier. I realize that Gollum's involvement in Linnah's affairs could not have been foreseen. And if anything, it was my fault for not closer guarding the creature. He was my responsibility and it is solely my failure."

"As you said Legolas, this could not have been foreseen. I understand you are grieving for your friend, and I do not wish for you to further burden yourself with guilt and regret. It will do you no good. Nor will it change what must be done, "said Thranduil looking at his son with deep concern. "But there is something I must know...Legolas, how could this happen?"

"What are you referring to, Sir?"

Before the king could respond, Orlindel stood and asked accusingly, "How could you allow yourself to fall in love with a common servant?"

"What?" asked Legolas taken aback. Then he straightened his posture and said firmly, "It happened and I am not questioning it." He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in question, "Why are you concerning yourself with my business, Orlindel?"

Thranduil eyed his son intensely and interjected in a concerned tone, "Are you willing to bind yourself to this servant, Legolas? To spend eternity with her? To let her take the throne by your side when the time comes? Would you have her bear your children? And would you have said children be lowered in class by her association?"

Legolas once again felt the anger rise in his chest; it was evident that this was what Orlindel and his father had been speaking about at length before he entered the room. He kept his voice level as he said, "First let me say this, to both of you," matching the king's intensity in stare, "Linnah has a name. Use it to refer to her in my presence or do not refer to her at all. Moreover, my future children, if I am to be so blessed, would be fortunate to have such a mother."

"They also would be half-blooded, dark-haired mongrels that share a bloodline with a servant of Sauron the Deceiver," said Orlindel smugly.

"Watch your words, Orlindel," ordered Legolas, starting to loose control of his temper. "You are treading on dangerous ground."

Orlindel ignored the warning. "You are very smitten with her, Legolas. She must be greatly skilled between the sheets. I wonder, how many lords did she practice with before she worked her way up to you?"

At this, Legolas leapt over the table at his cousin, knocking him to the ground. "You deserve to taste my blade for that!" shouted Legolas, as he pinned Orlindel down with one hand and pulled a hidden dagger from his boot with the other.

Thranduil immediately interceded and pulled his son off Orlindel. "Enough!" he shouted. Gillel came to the king's aid and stood between the prince and the Lord. He said nothing, though he felt the same anger as Legolas at the lord's words and given the chance, he would have reacted in a similar manner.

Orlindel now stood, brushing himself off and trying unsuccessfully to recover his composure. "This is not over, cousin," said Orlindel spitefully as he stormed out of the throne room.

The king watched him go, saying nothing. Then he turned his weary eyes to his son and choosing his words carefully, said, "It is apparent that you feel strongly about this...maiden. Unfortunately there is not enough time to discuss the matter further. If I am forced to accept this union based on your convictions alone, you must understand that I do not willfully approve."

"I do understand Father," replied Legolas, calming himself. "And though your approval would be welcomed, whom I choose to love is my own business and I will pursue a life with Linnah whether you do so or not."

Thranduil just stared at Legolas with great frustration. He was disappointed with his son's decision and said nothing. He was also embarrassed by his nephew's behavior. Though he shared the view of Linnah being ill-suited for his son, he did not share the opinion that Linnah was anything else but a kind and gentle servant. In truth, like the letter said, he had known Linnah's mother. She had lived under the rule of Gil-Galad until her apparent departure to Ithilien and though they had never been intimately acquainted, he knew her to be of the best character.

Gillel sighed and shook his head somberly as he walked to the rear of the room, to the small side table. He picked up a fresh pitcher of wine and brought it over to the large table. Thranduil sat down and waited for Gillel to fill his goblet, his eyes still on his son.

Soon after, Aragorn was allowed entry by the guards and bowed to the royals. Thranduil stopped staring at his son and motioned for Aragorn to sit. Legolas took the chair next to the ranger and decided he would continue his discussion about Linnah with his father later and in private.

Legolas took a cleansing breath and spoke. "I have new information about Dol Guldur."