HyperSquishy: thanks for the opinion and the review!

Alezandrane: hehehe, I'm evil I know, thank!

Poetess78: sorry, I'm notorious for cliffhangers. thanks!

love me, hate me: ooh, I wuz kinda thinking that too, but I don't know. still working on it. thanks!

Stacey: thank you! I gotta get more to answer that question. peeps keep saying whatever you want…but I dunno what I want! oh well. thanks again.

EresseElrondiell: okie. thanks for the opinion. I'll see if I can work the twins in somehow. either a trip to rivendell, or a trip from rivendell to Mirkwood. hmm, I have an idea coming… thanks!

neo: hehehe, yeah, I know. thank you. and I did read your really long review, thank you (but it wasn't really too long! perfect length!) that's what I was kind of leaning toward and thinking about, because so far, the votes are pretty even. and it does make sense. I'm a romantic too, so it's okie. thanks a bunch for the fantastic review!

disclaimer – don't own it (wish I did), don't sue please, and keep away from my marshmallows!

Chapter 15

Elenayave wandered up and down the long corridors of the Mirkwood palace, attempting to find someone who knew what was going on. Legolas had left over three hours ago, and she hadn't heard anything since. Starting to get nervous, she'd struck out of their bedroom and moved out into the halls to search for any news. Moving into the library, she finally settled in an overstuffed armchair by the hearth. She opened a book and set it in her lap, pulled her curls back into a ponytail, and began to try and concentrate on reading the Elvish lettering. It had just started to come back to her not long ago about how to read and pronounce the Elvish words, and she had earlier decided she desperately needed to brush up. Soon, she was completed absorbed in her reading and didn't notice when the door opened.

"You must be deep in thought if an old Elf like me can still sneak up on you."

Elenayave nearly jumped out of her chair in surprise when the voice came from behind her chair. Turing, she saw Thranduil move beside her, looking slightly worse for wear. His robes were rumpled from sitting so long in his study waiting for news, and his flaxen locks were coming loose from their ties, no doubt from him raking his fingers nervously through his hair. The same crystalline blue eyes Legolas possessed gazed calmly back at her, but at the moment, small lines marred his worried face. He offered her a warm smile, revealing the dimple that he had passed on to his son.

She let out a soft laugh and returned his smile, and after studying his face for a moment, she said, "You're worried about something."

The king nodded and pulled up a seat next to her. "Something is not quite right. I could feel it as soon as he left my study."

"Then send for him to come back!" she exclaimed, realizing his implication.

"And leave the others to fight with those beasts while my son stays safely inside the gates. No, I cannot, even if I wish it so."

Elenayave looked down at her lap and felt suddenly selfish for only wishing Legolas's safety when others were also risking their lives to help defend their home. "Right," she replied softly. "I knew that, I suppose I just didn't think of it."

"Either way," he said, sighing, "I assume we will hear something soon. It is almost time for a report to come in."

"There should have been a report two hours ago," she corrected as she looked him square in the eye, suddenly feeling brave and comfortable in the king's presence. "I don't like this at all."

Thranduil watched as his daughter-in-law slouched down into the chair and tucked her feet underneath her body. At that moment, she looked so small and delicate, much unlike the Elena he remembered. Obviously, her injuries had affected her more than he had originally thought. She wasn't as fiery and spirited as usual, and she had yet to get back into the guard. Perhaps the girl was still too frightened to patrol again and cared not to repeat the incident. He leaned closer to her.

"What do you feel? Tell me what you can feel of Legolas."

Elenayave wrinkled her nose and snorted indignantly. "Your bond to him is probably stronger than mine is right now."

"You have not renewed your bond?" he inquired with a quirked brow (yet another trait inherited by his son).

"Oh, believe me. We tried," she answered with a small grin, but it slowly faded. "But then he had to go…and…well, I don't know anymore."

Thranduil settled back into his chair and began to rub his temples. Despite his youthful appearance, it seemed he still bore the cares and grievances of the thousands of years he'd lived and seen the shadow fall over his home. And the fact that his only son was usually out in the middle of it especially worried him. He knew the risks involved, as did Legolas, yet he couldn't remove him from the ranks. Legolas was quite possibly the best archer and all around warrior the Greenwood had. Not to mention, he was the only one, besides the king himself and Lena, who commanded such authority and respect from the warriors. And Lena was certainly in no shape to be on the battlefield.

"He will be back, this I know, but I know not the manner of his return, and that is what bothers me," Thranduil stated.

Elenayave just shook her head. "I just have this horrible feeling in my gut, and it's telling me something is wrong about this attack."

"What do you mean?" the king asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Well, I remember watching Legolas write in the records about the recent attacks, and the last one was right after I was supposedly found. That was a while ago. Why are they attacking now, and so close to the borders?"

Thranduil thought for a moment and nodded. "You're right on both accounts. Orcs do not usually attack when they know they are outnumbered, unless they know something we don't. And I hate to think what that means."

"It means they actually have a plan," she said slowly, pondering on it while she spoke. "The only thing they could do to weaken us now…what would it be? They're outnumbered by far, they're far away from their normal attacking position and reinforcements…so they'd need to disable us, and quickly. But how?"

The king stared at her, taking in all she said. This sounded more like the Elenayave that he knew, the strategist and logical thinker. It was why she was the only female in the guard, and why she held so much respect from her fellow soldiers.

"The only things they could do to deliver such a blow would be to either wipe out a large number at one time, which they seem to disorganized to do, or to…" he trailed off, realization dawning on him.

"Legolas…oh God," she whispered. "They'd go straight for whoever seemed to be in command. It would not only slow down our organization, but it would be a devastating moral blow if they were able to bring him down."

Thranduil sighed. "I can only hope they didn't succeed."

Elenayave suddenly felt sick. She covered her face with her hands and rested her head on her knees. "Oh God, oh God," she breathed. "What do I do?"

"There isn't much you can do, Elenayave. You're not ready to be out there yourself," he stated matter-of-factly, patting her gently on the shoulder.

Her head shot up, red curls flying. "That's it!"

"What's it?" he asked slightly worried that he'd spoken and said the wrong thing.

"I have to go!"

Thranduil quickly stood up, now thoroughly worried. "Go where?" he inquired slowly, hoping he was wrong about her response.

"To help him, Thranduil."

"Oh no…you can't," he began.

"But I must. Something is wrong and you know it just as well as I do. He needs someone to tell him, and it's going to be me!"

And with that she rushed out of the library and back to their chambers to prepare.

oops, another cliffhanger! sorry. I wrote this in the middle of English and Religion (I go to a private Catholic school) class today. pretty much nothing to do there, but they're short bells, cuz there's 7 classes, so I didn't get too much done. oh well. at least I wrote some!

all right people! you need to tell me what to do for the sequel. Lena stays in Mirkwood to fight or goes with Leggy on the Fellowship to fight? kids or no kids, and if so, when? right now, the votes are pretty much tied for her going or not, but what about the kids? help me, I'm confused!