This chapter is early because my computer is acting up terribly--it doesn't want to do the simplist commands, so I'm contemplating starting it all over, which will necessitate slower updates, as I won't be on-line anymore.

Chapter 24 His pride or his life

A soft knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," she murmured, turning the page.

"Evening, Rin. Have you seen Legolas?"

She blinked at him. "No. Isn't he back yet?"

"Back?"

"He's been wandering through the woods recently."

Elleri frowned. "Since when?"

"It's been a while," she murmured softly, not about to admit what had preceded his sudden interest in wandering.

"But he's always back in time to clean up for dinner, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"He's not here…"

She glanced up at him. "You're sure?"

"I've been looking for him. I thought you would know." Elleri shrugged. "Oh well. I guess he'll turn up sometime. Maybe he took some food along."

"Maybe," she agreed with a faint frown. Elleri left and she tried to return to her reading, but a nagging feeling grabbed a hold of her and wouldn't let go. With a troubled sigh she put the book down and donned her circlet for the meal.

Elleri smiled faintly at her when she joined him at dinner. "Evening."

"So you said," she murmured. "Did you find him?"

He shook his head. "No. Ferien said he was supposed to meet him at the gate, but wasn't there when he arrived."

"He was probably late," she muttered. "But he was planning to go?"

"Apparently. If he hasn't come back by morning, we'll start looking for him."

She frowned faintly and toyed with her food before giving up on even that. Slowly she brought a hand to her chest, pressing against it. She shook her head. "No."

"No? No what?" Elleri asked, glancing over at her.

"No, we won't wait until morning. We can't."

"Why not?"

She bit her lip and pressed a little more firmly. "Because he needs to be found now."

"Silrinil, Legolas is quite capable of taking care of himself—"

"No one can take care of themselves all the time," she hissed, getting to her feet. "He needs help, Elleri. Are you coming?"

He gaped at her, but after a helpless glance around the hall got up and raced after her, after motioning at Terine and Jietere. They caught up with him as she appeared on Citron, her sword already at her side. "Silrinil, I—"

"Believe me or not, come or not. I don't care." She guided her horse out.

"Wait for us—a few minutes!" he called, knowing otherwise she would be out of sight before they were prepared.

"What's going on?"

"Legolas is missing, she thinks there's something wrong, and won't wait until morning."

They frowned faintly, then shrugged. "Doesn't hurt to look, does it?"

"Maybe his pride."

"His pride or possibly his life?" a familiar voice hissed. "Hurry up, or I leave without you."

With a roll of his eyes Elleri grabbed a spare bow, quiver, and sword from the weapons storeroom, then accepted his horse while the other captains did the same. The three rode out to find her horse pacing nervously just outside the gates.

She snorted and tore off into the wood as soon as she saw they were ready.

"Rin!" Elleri called a few minutes later when they finally caught up. "How do you know—" he stilled when she stopped, her eyes closing as she pressed a palm to her chest. "How do you know which way he went?" he asked, drawing up alongside her.

Her eyes snapped open, and she took off once more without answering. Suddenly she stopped once more, seeming to listen for something. Again she took off into the night, this time with more urgency than before.

Maybe it was the wild flight, maybe it was her certainty, but dread was slowly gripping the other elves, energy racing through them as she led them they knew not where. They drew their weapons when she suddenly paused, letting loose an arrow.

"Thank Eru," they heard a soft, familiar mutter. "Careful on the way down—that first step's a long one."

Silrinil snorted and dismounted, walking over to look down. "How did you manage that?" she asked, shooting another arrow.

The spider scurried back into the wood, hissing with pain.

"Please, don't ask," he muttered.

She chuckled softly and fastened her bow, judging the distances. With two careful jumps she was beside him, wincing. "How bad is it?"

"Don't know. Haven't felt my leg since I landed."

Biting her lip she circled the rock. "Can you shift it?"

"Not at this angle—my wrist is too hurt to be of much good."

She nodded slightly. "Alright, then let's—"

"Hello, Legolas," Terine murmured, as the horses finally found safe passage down. "We'll get you out in no time."

Jietere drew his sword to hack at the still twitching spider, ending its life quickly. Thus unconcerned with the spiders hissing from the wood a ways away, the four elves easily lifted the boulder and held it as Legolas wormed out from under it. "Much better, eh?"

"Sure," Legolas hissed, as feeling—entirely pain—was restored to his leg. "I think someone else is going to have to lead my patrol for a while."

"Obviously," Silrinil agreed, eyeing his leg.

"Just be glad we found you," Jietere murmured cheekily.

"I am," Legolas agreed.

"I… I don't know how she knew, Legolas, but it's Rin you need to thank," Elleri admitted, rather pale.

"Oh?" Legolas asked, lifted a brow at her as Terine tried to lift him to his feet.

Silrinil said nothing, just coaxed her horse down the bank to join her.

"Yes… she not only knew that you needed help, but where to find you… Valar only knows how."

Legolas noted a slight tension to her shoulders.

The world crashed in on him. "Linir?" he rasped.

She shuddered and reached up, tangling her fingers in Citron's mane…

There was only one way she could have known. One way she could have found him. His breath left him in a whoosh, dropping him to the ground despite Terine's best efforts. As everything came together it was at once perfectly clear and terribly disjointed. He groaned. "Linir?" he managed, trying to see her… but all he saw was her riding off as quickly as Citron could carry her.

"Rin?" Elleri called after her, concern and confusion warring within him as he turned to Legolas. "Legolas, what…?"

It took Legolas a long time before he was able to speak, "Get us back to the halls, now," he growled, all but climbing up Terine so he was able to get onto Elleri's horse.

Elleri mounted behind him, but didn't move. "Legolas, what—"

"If we don't get back very quickly, she's going to leave, Elleri. Is that clear enough for you?"

Elleri blinked and then spoke to his horse, sending him quickly after her. "You'll explain soon?"

"As soon as I have it straight in my own head," he groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "Ride into the wing—don't let her get a head start," he commanded when they made it back. When he started to get down, Elleri stopped him.

"You need to go to the healers, Legolas."

"No," he countered savagely, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I need to stop her."

"I'll stop her."

"You can't. You don't know why she's leaving!"

"So, tell me why."

Legolas shook his head, understanding why she had never wanted to explain… especially to his father. "I can't."

Elleri frowned, but helped him down. "Why?"

"Elleri, not now! Get the blasted key!"

Elleri narrowed his eyes and stared at him for a long moment. Then he crossed his arms over his chest. "Not until you tell me why she's going to run." When confronted with Legolas's furious silence, he made a guess. "Did you two do something?"

Legolas looked away.

Elleri groaned. "Legolas! It's Rin! How could you just—"

Legolas lifted a shaking hand to his head. "It's not Rin, Elleri, it's Linir. My Linir," he murmured the last softly, the hand falling to press against his chest as he closed his eyes. "Please, Elleri. Unless you want to lose us both, get the key before she's ready to leave!"

After a moment Elleri fetched the key, helping Legolas into the room.

Legolas sighed in relief to see her pack sitting as ever against the wall, and snatched the key sitting on the table. "Lock the door on your way out," he murmured, handing the key over.

"Legolas?" he asked quietly, glancing at the entrance to the bathing room where they could hear a flurry of movement. "I don't think this a wise idea."

"Perhaps it is the first wise command I have given. Please, my brother. Do this."

Elleri sighed, then finally nodded, moving to the mantle to pick up the key which was unaccounted for. "But you will explain this later."

"In all the detail you can stomach," Legolas sighed, accepting help into a chair. He grimaced at the pain and hoped that she would at least refrain from attacking him physically when she found out she couldn't leave.

"I'll open the door in the morning… you know it will only hurt more if you put off seeing the healers."

Legolas nodded, and heard the door behind him close, the soft sound of the lock clicking over loud and satisfying… as well as not a small bit frightening.

Hearing a soft noise before him, he opened his eyes, looking up into wide, dark eyes that were reddened with tears.

He took a deep breath as he studied her, and finally worked up the courage to say something. "What did I do to make you leave?"