Well, no one reviewed the last chapter… so there's nothing much to say here. Except that a while has passed since the previous chapter… which was a while since the one before that. I think that one actually had a time line in it—like three years since they had met again.

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Thranduil stopped speaking when he saw Legolas's eyes stop focusing. "Legolas, are you awake?"

Legolas held up a hand for silence, his head tilting slightly to one side, angling his ear towards the window which overlooked the courtyard.

Faintly they could hear a commotion. Legolas's name was mentioned over and over in a desperate female voice, along with the word message. The rest was lost in the noise of the guards. Legolas blinked and looked up at his father, who instantly ordered the messenger and message be brought in.

Legolas settled back in his seat beside his father as the doors opened and the guards came in, their weapons to the messenger's back. He heard his father berate them for their conduct in treating her so, but Legolas was having trouble breathing, much less hearing his father.

"Lunian?" he asked, his voice bringing the dark golden head up, dirt and blood mingling on her cheeks with her tears.

"Egola," she croaked, jerking free of her captors and racing to him. He held up a hand to the guards and opened his arms a split second before she was in them, hers thrown around his neck, holding on for dear life. Her tears wet his shoulder as she buried her face against his neck.

"Shh, Milady," he soothed softly, before giving in to the desire to have her to himself, alone, away from all others. He bent carefully and scooped her up, carrying her quickly from the throne room to the library, which was just down the main corridor. He sat down in a chair, still holding her, and waited for her to calm down enough to speak.

What had happened? Her face had been red, ravaged by her tears and whatever had put the small cuts all over her normally pale skin. Her arms were covered in the same marks, but only on the outsides. She was wearing leggings, something Elrohir had often said she did but which he had never before seen, once she was taller than his knees, anyway. There were small rips and snags along them. He blinked as he recognized the pattern of marks. It looked like she'd ridden hard through a dense network of brambles or other brush.

She was still clutching something in each hand. One held a somewhat mangled and dirty piece of paper, with a slightly crumpled wax seal on it. He would venture to guess that a small stone rested in her other palm, covered in sweat and worry.

Finally she took a shuddering sigh and leaned back a little. "They wouldn't tell me why I was to come, but I think it's Estel or Arwen, or one of their children. Why else would Galadriel come to see Elrond? They wouldn't tell me what happened, what was going on. They said I had to come and give you the letter, that you would know what to do, but that I had to come to you quickly. They put me on my horse after so solemnly saying goodbye, and told me to hurry. They wouldn't tell me why…" She ran out of words, and perhaps realized she was making little sense.

"Can I see the letter?" he asked, a little humor creeping up on him with the relief that she wasn't fleeing for her life. Galadriel in Imladris, hmm? He could venture a guess as to why, but he really hoped it wasn't so, for her sake.

When she handed him the crumpled, sweaty, muddy paper, he quickly broke the seal and began reading when he was finally able to flatten it out enough it would unfold. Legolas of Mirkwood: Greetings from Imladris. Already he knew Elrohir had penned the note, which made his heart sink for Lunian. As you no doubt have guessed by now, the time has come for us to pass to the havens. Galadriel, Gandalf and Bilbo are to travel with us, as will Frodo, when we reach the Shire. Father argued we should send Lunian to Gondor to be with Arwen, for she has known Arwen for most of her life. As you can see, I won that 'discussion.' I have sent her to you, because I know you could not see her in Gondor as often as you have in Imladris, and because I saw the way she looked around her in disgust whenever we visited that dwelling of man. She will not be happy if she is not among the elves. As Lothlorien and Imladris pass with us or travel to Mirkwood, I felt it best to send her to you.

I hope you can forgive us for deceiving her in this way, but we could not bear to say farewell to our dear little one. As I am at the top of that list, I hope you can find a way to assure her we all love her deeply, and hope the time will come when we can see her once more. If I could remain for her, I would.

Elrohir

"Well? What's it say?"

He smiled faintly at her impatience, and kissed her temple. "They are well."

"Then why did they send me here?"

"Elrohir thought you would rather be here than in Gondor."

"Of course, but why couldn't I stay…" she trailed off and paled, the blood and dirt on her cheeks standing out in relief. "They've gone, haven't they? They travel to the havens."

"Yes, my love. That is why Galadriel was there, why they all said their goodbyes. It is also why they have sent you here. As the last elven realm, Elrohir thought you would be happiest here."

She stared at him in shock, her eyes still wide, her skin too pale. Slowly though, a faint smile spread over her lips. "I finally get to see Mirkwood," she whispered, before leaning against him again, falling asleep with her head on his shoulder.

Thranduil entered without warning. His brows rose when he saw Lunian curled in Legolas's lap, her breaths long and relaxed. "What is going on, Legolas?"

Without a word he passed the letter over, waiting silently as his father read the letter carefully twice. Then the King of Mirkwood looked again at the woman curled in his son's arms, slowly reaching out to turn her head so her face was in the light.

"You should get her to bed. Tend to her cuts and then have Forsetan see about some decent clothing for her."

Legolas smiled as he got to his feet, bowing his head. "Thank you, Father." Without wasting any more time talking he strode quickly to the room connected to his, laying her upon the covers while he sent Forsetan to fetch some herbs for her scraps. He washed her face carefully, removing dirt, blood, sweat and tears, leaving her face pale once more, though without the normal if faint hint of color in her cheeks. After finishing her face and neck he moved to her arms and hands, gently prying the worry stone from her fingers before washing her skin clean.

As Forsetan treated the small cuts and scrapes, he slowly worked a comb through her hair, removing bits of brush and leaves as he removed the tangles. When they had both finished, he was shooed from the room.

When he was allowed to reenter, Forsetan had dressed Lunian in a simple gown. He picked Lunian up, and Forsetan removed the soiled top cover before pushing the others out of the way so he could place her under them. He went through the connecting bath room to his own chamber and found paper and a quill, writing quickly where essential items were in case he was called away at the moment she woke up. He folded the paper over and placed it on the stand beside her bed with her worry stone on top, holding it in place and assuring she would notice it.