Disclaimer: Still not much with the owning…though if wishes counted…

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers and the really great questions.

Darkness Overtakes

"Milady, you must have patience. We will arrive tomorrow. There is no need to hasten," Gwen insisted.

"Gwen, something is not right with him, I can sense it."

"Ah, yes, the strange gift you two have to sense the other's strong emotions. I still am curious about that, only married elves have been known to have such a gift."

"Not even Lady Galadriel knows why we share that gift, but that is not the point. I want to know what is wrong; I don't see the problem with that."

"Wait!" one of the guards stated. "There is something in the air. Lady Arianna, if there is anything amiss, we advise you to ride fast for Rivendell."

Nodding, Arianna waited for the scout to return. Her mare stirred restlessly beneath her. Suddenly a mangled black arrow whizzed past her face and a scream was heard. Turning quickly, she saw Gwen fall to the ground with the air protruding from her shoulder. "Gwen!" She hopped off her horse and knelt beside her friend.

"Milady, you must get out of here! Hurry!" Gwen gasped out.

"You're coming with me!" Arianna said stubbornly. She helped Gwen to her feet and back onto her horse. "Hurry! Take her to Rivendell with all speed!" she asked the animal before it darted off. She quickly ran to her horse and pulled out a long curved blade and turned to face a large beast she had never seen before.

"She-elf!" the creature spat out. "You will come with us!"

"Never!"

"Then we will take you by force," it said as the large group surrounded her. "You know the master's orders. We must bring her to him, unharmed and unspoiled at all costs." Smirking gruesomely, it continued, "Get her!"

As they closed in on her, Arianna whipped around with her blade and quickly cut the throat of her nearest attacker.

"He has been fretting over her arrival for two days now. Shouldn't she have arrived yesterday?" Aragorn asked Arwen, as they watched the normally calm elf, pacing in the courtyard. Arwen was about to reply when she was filled with a feeling of dread. "Something is not right," she said as Lord Elrond quickly walked towards them.

"Where is Legolas?" he asked urgently.

"He is there. Adar, what is wrong?"

"I know not, but it has to do with Arianna," he said as the area suddenly turned cloudy.

Legolas froze in place as he felt Arianna's fear wash over him. "Arianna?" he whispered.

After taking out two more creatures, Arianna went rigid as two large arms grabbed her and held her arms to her side. Seeing that another creature was about to knock her out, she did the only thing she could think of…scream. "Legolas!" her voice carried as the hit caused her mind to fall into darkness.

Legolas felt immense pain flow over him as he heard the scream. An ache in his heart caused him to fall over whimpering.

"Legolas!" Elrond said as he came up next to him. "What has happened?"

"Arianna…it hurts…we have to find her…" he rambled off.

"Adar!" Arwen called as she rushed forward to the newly arrived horse.

"Lady Arwen!" Gwen cried.

"Where is Arianna?" Arwen asked.

"There was an ambush…I was shot…she put me on my horse and…she stayed."

"Send out the guards!" Elrond ordered all nearby elves. "Aragorn! Help me get Legolas to his room," he asked.

Aragorn quickly picked the motionless elf up and followed Elrond down the pathway as Arwen helped Gwen to the healers.

Legolas awoke the next morning knowing what had occurred, but hoping that it was not true. Seeing Aragorn in the room, he said, "Tell me it isn't true."

"I would not lie to you, my friend," Aragorn answered sadly.

Fighting back tears, Legolas said, "I saw what happened, every moment of it. They took her!" He stood up and walked over to the balcony. "Why would they take her?"

"I do not know."

"I don't care what you don't know! What do you know? Which way did they go? I will find her!" Legolas growled.

"You cannot go. You have pledged to go with the Fellowship."

Letting out a cry, Legolas slammed his fist into the wall, hearing a few bones break. Gripping the balcony railing tightly, he asked quietly, "Why now? Without her, I have no reason to go on. I need her, Aragorn," he whispered as his body slumped to the floor.

Not knowing what to do Aragorn, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he heard the heart-broken sobs emitted from the elf. Hours later, Lord Elrond entered the room. "Legolas?" Not receiving a response, he walked further into the room to see the dispirited elf curled up on the floor, with Aragorn standing nearby for support. "Aragorn?"

"You should tend to his hand, the wall disagreed with him."

"Very well. Will you retrieve some bandages and herbs for me?" With a nod and one last glance toward Legolas, Aragorn somberly left the room. Kneeling beside Legolas, Elrond pulled the elf into a sitting position before he wrapped him in his arms, like he used to do when he was an elfling. "You will find her Legolas," he stated matter-of-factly. He was mildly surprised when the young elf hugged him tightly.

"Will I find her in time to save her though?" came a weak voice.

"Do not dwell on that which we cannot know. She is still alive and you will find her, that is all you need to know."

Legolas nodded as he pulled away and stood shakily. He winced as he used his injured hand to grab onto a nearby chair.

"Which reminds me, we will need to see to that hand if you are to go on this quest. This quest might just take you on the path needed to find Arianna and bring her back."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond. And I apologize for acting as an elfling would."

"You are still but an elfling to most elves, young Legolas. You and Arianna are the only elflings to be born for some time now. Furthermore, you are already as family to me. Not many would dare to play elflings games in my great hall and just smile sheepishly when caught," Elrond continued and smiled at the memory of walking into his hall to find Legolas and Arianna playing with the chairs and calling it a fort.

"Not many grew up with only one other elfling to play with I might add," Legolas stated.

Aragorn burst into the room, arms laden with supplies. "The hobbits decided to help."

Shaking his head amusedly, Elrond grabbed the supplies he needed and walked over to Legolas. "Sit down."

Cracking her eyes open, Arianna tried to figure out where she was. Not recognizing anything, she tried to move. That was when she realized her hands and feet were bound. She stopped moving when she heard the gruff voices behind her. "We should get back to the master in a few days. Then he will put her to work," it said, evoking laughter from the rest of the party.

Review please? Really, they do encourage us poor little writers to well….write more! And if you want to ask questions or give any odd plot twists that could be used….feel free to do so!

Sorry to those on my author alert list...the chapter just wouldn't cooperate correctly...so I had to repost it. It's feeling better now!