Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Hey there folks! Sorry about the long wait but my beta has been on vacation and has only just gotten back. Thank you all so much for your reviews! Hugs to all of you! Many many huge thanks to my beta enb2004 who has the most fantastic HP story that is a must read. As promised, here is Chapter 3. Enjoy! Also, Happy Holidays!

It was three days into the journey to Mirkwood and Legolas was beginning to think that the twins and Elrond had been right and that Estel should have waited a few more days before leaving.

Currently, the young man was drooped over his horse with obvious exhaustion. His normally straight and proud posture was all but gone and he his pallor was unnaturally pale. There were dark rings under his eyes, a sure testament of his exhaustion and illness.

Not that Estel would have termed it illness. These past few days he had snapped at anyone who even suggested that he was ill and suggested that he allow them to examine him. Estel continuously claimed that he was only a bit tired and nothing more.

Legolas frowned when he realized that Estel didn't notice his scrutiny. Such things usually never got past Estel. Either Estel was too exhausted to care or he truly had not noticed. Whichever case it was, it was concerning.

Estel was most certainly ill, he was sure of it. He had probably been ill even before he had left Imladris and had failed to tell anyone. Typical.

Legolas snorted at that thought. That human was the most, stubborn, reckless, and defiant being he had ever known in his long life, and that was saying quite a lot. He was positive that Estel would be the death of him yet.

Looking at Estel again, Legolas made a quick decision. With a soft command to his steed, Legolas increased his pace so that he could catch up with his father who was in the lead.

Thranduil looked up with concern when he noticed that Legolas was now riding besides him instead of Estel.

"What is it ion nin?"

"Ada, do you think that perhaps we could stop here for a bit? I am worried about Estel," Legolas said.

Thranduil sighed. He too was concerned for Estel. Like Legolas he had noticed Estel's deteriorating health.

Looking back at the young man, Thranduil could not help but wonder what was keeping Estel on the horse. Estel's head was practically in his horses neck and was almost totally slumped over. With a start, Thranduil realized that he had gotten worse in a very short period of time.

"You are right to be concerned Legolas. He does look worse. Perhaps Elrond was right; we should have waited," Thranduil said more to himself than to Legolas. He should have known better then not to listen to his friend.

"Then are we going to stop?" Legolas asked, hoping that was to be the case.

Thranduil sighed. He hated to disappoint his son but they really couldn't stop here. He could only hope that Estel would make it until the reached a more secure place. "I truly wish that we could stop Legolas, but I don't believe we should. This is not a secure place to camp in, even for a short while let alone the whole night."

Legolas nodded in understanding. He had noticed that their surrounding were not what one would call secure. Still, he hoped that they could stop, even if only for a few minutes.

Legolas turned around to check on Estel, only to cry out in dismay as he saw Estel fall of his horse.

"Ada!" "Estel!" Delelen, Legolas and Thilloth cried out together.

Thranduil whipped around only on see Estel lying motionless on the ground and his three sons bending over his prone form.

"All of you, stay back!" Thranduil said sharply, his concern getting the better of him.

Reluctantly, Legolas, Delelen, and Thilloth back off. They knew better than to disobey their father when he used that tone of voice. It was the same tone of voice that Elrond used whenever he wanted room to treat one of his patients.

Jumping off his horse, Thranduil made his way over to Estel's side. He knelt down besides Estel and gingerly turned Estel over and onto his back. He winced when he saw the large cut on the side of his forehead.

"Estel, ion, waken now. Come Estel, open your eyes for me," Thranduil said while checking his pulse.
Estel didn't respond though. Thranduil pursed his lips worriedly and felt Estel's brown.

He sighed when he felt the heat emanating from the young man. It was as he feared, Estel had a fever and was most certainly ill with some sort of sickness.

"Ada?" Legolas questioned, his voice full of worry for his best friend.

Sighing once more, Thranduil looked up at his anxious sons. "I believe that Elrond was right and we should have waited a few more days before leaving. He has a high fever and is unconscious. Whether he is unconscious from the fall or from the illness I am unsure."

"He will be all right though, won't he?" Delelen asked. This was bringing back the unpleasant memories from a month ago when Estel had nearly died.

"He should be but I am no healer Delelen. The sooner we get back to Mirkwood that happier I will be," Thranduil said.

"Ai, Elrond and the twins are going to flay us alive for this," Thilloth muttered.

"Aye, they probably will. Legolas, hand me some of those bandages, we need to stop the bleeding," Thranduil said.

Upon receiving them, he quickly and efficiently tried to staunch the flow of blood and wrapped the bandage around Estel's head. He wanted to do more but they could not afford to linger in such an unsecure location much longer.

"Get the horses ready, we must leave," Thranduil said eyeing their surroundings warily. Danger was approaching, the tree's warned of it.

"But what about Estel?" Delelen protested.

"Aye I know. I do not like it any better than any of you but we are vulnerable here. The trees speak of danger," Thranduil said while gently scooping Estel into his arms.

"Here Ada, I will take him," Legolas said, holding his arms out.

"Nay Legolas, you heard what Elrond said about straining your arm. I shall take him," Thranduil said while carefully placing Estel's limp form upon his horse. After mounting the horse himself, he carefully positioned Estel's head against his chest and wrapped one of his arms around Estel's narrow waist in order to keep him from falling.

Legolas, Delelen, and Thilloth exchanged concerned glances but did not protest further. They knew that their father was more than likely feeling guilty about Estel's condition. He had after all promised Elrond that nothing would happen while he could prevent it.

Estel's condition was not his fault though. There was nothing their father could have done to prevent it. Try telling that to him though. Their was father was immensely stubborn and would not see things their way.

"Come, we should leave now. I dare not linger any longer than we have," Thranduil said. His three sons nodded in agreement and quickly mounted their horses. Without looking back, they hastened out of the clearing and into the dark forest that loomed ahead.

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The dark elf watched with a frown as Thranduil's party departed all to quickly for his liking. He had almost had the little urchin, but no, the King had to get in the way of his perfect shot.

He was angry, very angry. Not only had his original plan of shooting the urchin failed, but his back up plan had failed as well. The wargs he had released wouldn't catch up with the group of travelers. Not at the pace that they were going. Somehow they had sensed his presence.

He would have to bide his time. Still, he was patient. He had waited sixteen years to kill the urchin. A few more days wouldn't matter in the slightest.

Besides, the urchin didn't look well to begin with. It looked as though the little brat was still suffering the effects of the poison that had been on the orc weapon. With any luck, the side effects would keep the brat weak until he could strike.

Yes, that was the key. He would wait, and the moment that the creature's elvish body guards left him for a second, he would strike.

This time though, he did not have any plans to kill the brat quickly. Oh no, not at all. It would be a long, a very long and painful death.

Gorothdil grinned at the thought of the urchins painful death as he cautiously continued to track his unwary prey.

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Elladan and Elrohir had been on the path to Mirkwood for nearly two days now and they were both beginning to feel uneasy.

"Elladan, should we have not caught up with them by now?" Elrohir questioned.

"I would have thought so but the tracks we are seeing would seem to indicate otherwise. From what I've seen, they have increased their pace," Elladan answered, his voice holding a trace of worry in it.

He knew that Thranduil was more than likely quite anxious to return to his woodland home but he knew that he would never travel so quickly without a very good reason.

Elrohir nodded in silent agreement. He had seen the same exact thing. "They must have sensed the same presence that we do."

"Aye, we should be wary. Valar only knows what evil creatures are out there," Elladan muttered.

"Perhaps we should increase our pace as well," Elrohir said, his eyes wide as his senses screamed that danger was coming ever closer to him and his twin.

It was too late though. The wargs that Gorothdil had originally planned for Thranduil's party and found the twins instead. They broke thought the underbrush and quickly surrounded the two elves.

"You were saying Elrohir?" Elladan muttered while drawing his sword.

Elrohir made a face but didn't get a chance to say anything as the wargs decided to attack at precisely that moment.

While the twins had the advantage of being on horses, they were still in a decidedly bad position. There were six wargs while there was only two of them. Not very good odds, not even for the most veteran warriors.

When the first warg attacked, Elladan and Elrohir were forced to separate or become the wargs next meal.

"Elladan! Behind you!" Elrohir warned while thrusting his sword thought the nearest wargs neck.

Elladan swore and hastily turned his horse around only to be knocked off by one of the largest wargs he had even seen.

He had to bite his lip to keep from crying out as the warg bit and clawed his leg. It felt as though his leg was on fire. Hissing in pain, he thrust his sword through the wargs chest, only to have the dead warg collapse on top of him.

Elrohir saw the warg pin his brother but he could do nothing about it at the moment as four of the other wargs were currently heading right for him.

Urging his horse into a fast gallop, Elrohir threw one dagger into a wargs throat while running swore thought another's mouth.

Despite his speed, his wasn't able to kill the other two as well. They both went after Elrond and his horse, trying to bring them down.

Seeing the incoming wargs, Elrohir's horse suddenly reared and kicked one of the wargs directly in the head while Elrohir held on for dear life. While struggling to stay on his panicking horse, he threw his one remaining dagger at the last warg.

Thankfully, his aim was true and the dagger buried itself in the wargs chest, killing it instantly.

Sighing in relief that the battle was over, Elrohir quickly dismounted and rush to his brothers side.

"Elladan, are you all right?" he asked as he pushed the warg carcass off his twin.

"Fine, what about you?" Elladan grunted as the heavy weight was lifted off of him.

Elrohir gasped as Elladan's leg was revealed and quickly rounded on his twin. "I am fine Elladan, you however are not," he said pointing to the bloody mass that was Elladan's leg.

"Tis but a scratch Elrohir. There is no need to worry, I'm fine," Elladan said, trying to sound as normal as possible. He knew that his leg was badly injured but there was no reason to worry his twin by admitting that fact.

Elrohir started at his brother in disbelief. "Gwador, you can not seriously be calling all those gashes and bite mark a scratch! You say you are fine? I think not. By the Valar Elladan, you are beginning to sound like Estel and Legolas!"

Elladan scowled at that remark. "I resent that comment. I am not nearly as bad as those two are."

"So you say. Stay still, I have to clean and bandage your leg before we go anywhere," Elrohir said.

Elladan groaned but motioned for his brother to proceed. The sooner this was done the sooner they could catch up with Legolas and Estel. Valar only knew what trouble they had probably already found.

Translations:

Ada: Dad/Daddy

Ion nin: My son

Ion: Son

Gwador: Brother

A/N 2: Hehe, did I mention that I'll be on vacation until the 29th? I didn't? Oops! Sorry folks, you're going to have to wait until I get back for Chapter Four! Ta ta! Once again, Happy Holidays!