Hey everyone! Well, here is the next chapter.

I do not own LOTR, ok? So, anyone who thinks I'm infringing on copy rights, grow up.

Overthrown

Chapter 16

Dark Forest

The rest of the camp, lead by Kelser in leave of the King, came upon the other men on the very edge of Mirkwood Forest, known to its inhabitants as Eryn Lasgalen, later that afternoon. The bloody ground was flecked with upturned dirt and rotting bodies, no worse then the camp they left behind.

"Where is that damn elf?" Came Gimli's roar. Legolas, the elf in question, looked up from his fifth or sixth inspection of Arod and smiled as his stumpy friend fell off the back of his mount. The guard who had been riding in front of him jumped off in alarm and helped the struggling creature to his feet.

"Hello, Gimli." Legolas calmly called, turning back to his horse. He could feel the dwarf's glare boring a hole into his back. "Glad of you to turn up."

"Glad of me to turn…" His voice fell silent and a tirade of curses was loosed from his mouth. Such would make a armored man of Gondor blush was their vehemence and Legolas shook his head, ignoring that which he was so used to.

Finally, after some stumping steps, Gimli was at his side. He glared up at the tall, fair being above him who was still so intent upon his horse it annoyed his friend. Gimli grabbed Legolas' wrist and pulled his hand away from Arod's hand. In surprise, the Elf turned to his friend and allowed himself to be pulled closer. Gimli grabbed him around the waist and hugged him, making Legolas laugh.

"I thought you were going to hit me." He laughed, patting Gimli on the head. The Dwarf simply shrugged and pulled away, obviously angered by himself. He began moving away before seeing Valdeglarion being gently lifted down from another horse, at the far end of the swelling mass of dismounting men. The elf looked a little healthier, now that his home was so close. Gimli smiled warmly and began pushing through the crowd toward him.

Aragorn had arrived moments before the Dwarf and now had the Elf resting comfortably against the trunk of a towering, gnarled tree. Valdeglarion smiled at him in thank you and reached out for the dwarf, who took his pale, thin hand.

"Thank you, dwarf." He said thickly, his injured face working hard to help his mouth form the words he so desperately craved to say. "I heard you were there to protect me, that night."

Gimli nodded and crouched down next to Valdeglarion. The elf nodded and closed his bruised eyes, resting against the tree with the sun beating down on his face. The warmth seemed to fill him full of some unknown warmth for now his pale skin glowed in that unearthly way. Legolas' didn't glow anymore.

"How long until we reach their city?" Gimli asked, staring into the dark trees before him. He'd been to Legolas' home many times now, even seen the dungeon room where his father had been locked so many years before, but the elf had always led him. He really had no idea how long it would take. The darkness had been lifted when the ring had been destroyed but it was still the darkest forest in Middle Earth.

"A few days. Legolas can lead us through the less fearful places in the forest, if he can keep his head clear, that is." Valdeglarion opened his eyes and watched them as they talked. He seemed to be listening for something in their words. "I wouldn't want to try this forest by myself."

"You haven't?" Gimli asked, surprised. He thought Aragorn had been here many more times then he himself. Aragorn shook his head.

"I have been here many times but I often met an elf or two on my travels and was never alone for long. I'm afraid we can look for one of two scenarios here. Either we will be met by elves the moment we step into the forest, or not at all."

"Why?" Gimli asked, staring into the dark trees behind him.

"Because their home was destroyed. We don't know if there'll be anyone left to fight. We don't know what we'll find in there." Aragorn's eyes shifted through the crowd and focused sad eyes on Legolas, who was still busy with Arod.

When Gimli turned back from watching his elf friend, he saw Valdeglarion was watching Legolas too.

That evening, they set up their camp and ate dinner around the crackling fires. Legolas had left Arod only at sunset and joined Gimli, Faramir and Pippin around a smaller fire. On a spit, over the crackling flames, two rabbits were speared, their fat dripping in sizzling globs into its heart. Legolas seemed mesmerized by the fire and stared for a few hours before Faramir called his attention.

"Legolas." Legolas looked up at the sound of his name and focused on the man before him with a strange glint in his eyes. "We found these on the side of Aragorn's ruined tent." He reached out his hand and placed the ginger hairs in the elf's palm. Legolas shifted them with the index finger of his other hand and examined them for a while before handing them back.

"They are the same hairs that the man who attacked me had." He said. Faramir raised his eyebrows and took them back with curiosity. Obviously reading correctly the look on Faramir's face, Legolas clarified. "The hair is the same texture, the same hue and the same length. I remember."

Faramir chuckled but soon his laugh turned into stony silence. He looked into the dark shadows around them with suspicion. "Then he's here, among these men." Legolas nodded and prodded one of the cooking rabbits with a stick from the ground at it his feet. "Aren't you worried?"

"I don't mean to sound conceited," Legolas said calmly, "But I took him down once already. What's to say I can't again?" Faramir nodded, deciding to drop that aspect of the distasteful subject. He turned his attention to other matters.

"What of finding him? Should we line up the men and search him out?" He asked, keeping his voice low. Legolas shook his head again.

"No, he's to smart for that. I know he's here, somewhere, and I know it's not just him after me. I'll bring him to me." Legolas got up and began pulling the spit off the fire. "I think it's time to eat, however."

The next day the party began making their way into the cool darkness of Mirkwood Forest. The gnarled trees were thick and darkness spread over them as soon as they hit the shade. Legolas led the way down the forest road, pushing Arod forward. Gimli was behind him, his pudgy hands clamped to his sides as Arod swayed happily, his obvious joy at being back with Legolas and going home was in the way he pranced forward, wanting to race through the trees. Legolas calmed him with soft words and began watching the trees.

"Aragorn said there will be elves everywhere." Gimli whispered. Legolas shook his head.

"No, he said there could be elves everywhere. That, or we'll see none until we reach my home." Legolas answered. Gimli was surprised.

"How did you know?" He bristled, angered that the elf had been eavesdropping on their conversation. "You were listening, weren't you?" Legolas shook his blond head.

"No, I told him that. Thus, anything he said on the subject to you, came from me and he never gets anything said to him wrong because he listens properly, Gimli. Unlike you." Gimli growled under his breath and stayed silent…for a time.

"Is this road safe?" Gimli whispered, after a shadow passed to their right. Legolas stayed silent for a time, watching the shadow hesitantly.

"Yes, and no." He answered finally. The elves had such an eloquent way of answering a question, with out answering it at all. Gimli grumbled. "We will follow the road for a while and exit onto the hidden Elf path a little way ahead. When we hit my people's main path, it will lead over the enchanted river and into my father's halls."

Gimli let his mind wander to the stories his father had told him, the stories of Bombur falling into a river and sleeping magically for days. He had laughed at the thought of his father helping to carry that heavy bulk through these treacherous trees. Then, when he'd woken, they'd gone to the fires of Legolas' people and been captured by spiders and…

A thought struck Gimli then. "Legolas, when my father and the other elves were captured, were you one of the ones around the fire?"

"I was the one who ordered them captured." Legolas said blankly, his mind obviously far away, in some distant clearing where his people should be now…Gimli decided it was now time to remain quiet.

The road led them on for a long time. Legolas seemed less and less satisfied with the forest around him. All day they traveled and soon they had to stop for the night, in the waning light.

Small flickering fires lined the dark road; tents were not set up for they wouldn't fit. Legolas was at the head, staring off into the darkness ahead as though he could see the forest for what it really was. Aragorn, worried, approached him cautiously and tried to penetrate the darkness with his human eyes as well.

"What do you see?" He asked quietly. Legolas shook his head, obviously telling him to remain quiet. It was then that Aragorn realized his friend had one of his bone handled blades in his hand.

From the darkness came the scurrying sound of large hairy legs, moving slowly and stealthily towards them. It was hard to catch over the sound of laughter and commotion behind them, the men no more worried then if they were in the safer woods near Rivendell…but this was not Rivendell, this was Mirkwood, home of Thranduil's people and giant spiders.

"Where is it?" Aragorn whispered, unsheathing his sword. Legolas' eyes were moving, he could barely see their blue flicker in the dim firelight. Right, left, then up half way to the forest canopy. He was tracking the creature, watching it come closer. By watching him, Aragorn could tell where the spider was but not how close it had yet come.

"Half way to us now." Legolas whispered back, frowning. "It's almost here. Brave, don't you think?"

"Are there any more?" Aragorn whispered back. Legolas shook his head, his eyes now traveling to the left hand side of the path, low to the ground. A clicking reached Aragorn's ears then, high a cruel. "What is that?"

"It's calling to others…but none are answering. He looks worried." Legolas sounded happier at this but didn't let up his guard. He was still watchful. And then Aragorn saw it too, the shimmer of dark movement in the trees ahead of them. The spider was now close enough for him to see.

"Come to me…" Legolas growled, so uncharacteristically, Aragorn blinked at him in surprise. The elf moved forward slightly, out of the pool of firelight, descending into the darkness down the path. Aragorn followed reluctantly. The spider halted and watched them, its many eyes flashing caution at them.

Legolas began swinging his knife in front of him, it's slightly arched blade making a twanging whoosh as it cut through the air, his advance slow and measured. The spider hissed at him and leapt onto the sides of the thick trees beside the path, scuttling sideways at them. Aragorn ducked low to the ground, just behind him friend, watching the creature moving eerily. As it neared, the spider leapt.
Legolas ducked at the last minute, raising his knife high into the air. Aragorn swung his sword and managed to cut off one of the beast's legs as Legolas' knife cut into the spider's stomach, slicing open the first layer of flesh. Nothing spilled out but the spider was more wounded then it had been before the attack. The other leg behind the one he'd just cut off clipped Aragorn in the chest. The human was flipped over backwards and hit a tree hard, knocking his head against the tree. Legolas faired better. He'd missed all the legs and now turned, still in a low crouching, watching as the spider began rolling, his body like a ball, through the fires all the way down the road. The lights all went out, the men crying out in shock and fear. The horses took off in one big group, knocking over men left and right.

Legolas' night vision kicked in, as did the twins. The three watched the spider, still sprawled on the ground, legs kicking, short black hair singed. It tried to get to it's feet but failed a few times.

Finally, it found its footing. Legolas rushed forward, ignoring Aragorn who was struggling himself to stand. With his blade outstretched, he spun as it made to pin him with one of its legs, and severed another with his blade. The creature let out a piercing scream that made the blind men on the ground cover their ears in fear. The severed limb fell to the ground and began twitching and flipping on the ground, right beside the leg of an Arnor soldier, who cried out in shock and shimmied away from the foreign thing in the dark.

The spider scuttled around, following Legolas but the twins were now upon it. The spider was slashed from behind twice, making it turn again. Legolas slashed at it's head but the spider seemed ready. It turned at the last moment and the prince found a stinger shooting for his chest. He managed to get out of the direct line of fire but the spider's sting ripped a shallow tear in his shoulder. Numbness spread down his arm quickly making his stumble back and drop his knife.

Sensing it's advantage, the offending creature advanced on him. Legolas back peddled and ran into someone behind him, sending them both sprawling on the ground. The moment their friend fell, the twins were upon the spider again, slashing and hacking at it. The spider turned away from the elf sprawled on the ground, giving Legolas time to turn and see the person he'd hit.

It was Valdeglarion, and he had a knife in his hand. The injured elf slashed at him wildly, making Legolas roll frantically away. The weapon hit the dirt and embedded itself to the hilt in the soft forest dirt.

"What are you doing?" Legolas hissed, rolling to his feet and crouching low. His knife was feet away behind his new attacker, out of his reach. Valdeglarion looked pained.

"I can't stop." He whispered, swiping at Legolas again. The knife sliced through the air above his head, wild and desperate. Legolas rolled forward and bowled Valdeglarion over.

The injured elf cried out in pain and surprise, his knife flying into the darkness. It hit the grass deep in the trees with a loud metel clang and then there was silence. The cries of the spider rang in his ears but he ignored them, his full attention was fixed on Valdeglarion.

"It's something I have to do." Valdeglarion said, his voice pleading for Legolas to understand. However, this elf was attacking the prince with a knife; there was no way he was backing down. "You can feel it, the pull of the poison."

Legolas lowered his knife just slightly but it was enough. The other elf changed, kicking out his foot. It caught Legolas in the chest and the prince rolled, entering the cool darkness of the trees. Without looking back he took off into the darkness, weaving between trunks and dashing over roots, trying to out run his assassin.

Ducking in a bush, Legolas watched the way he had come but it was deserted. "I don't want to hurt you!" Valdeglarion called out. Legolas huffed in disbelief and peered through some thick branches. He couldn't tell where the other's voice was coming from.

"Yes?" Legolas called back derisively. "Yet you come at me with a weapon."

"You beat me, you already know it's happening to you. The inability to control yourself. I went through the same thing, in Aron's dungeons."

"Aron?" Legolas called out. He could now see Valdeglarion; the other crouched lower and stared around in the dark. The bruises on his face made him look skeletal in the pale light. "Who is that? Where is he?"

"He has your father." Valdeglarion called out. Legolas inched backwards, still watching the other elf moving creepily through the trees.

"My father? For what?" Valdeglarion growled and hit himself on the head. This strange outburst made Legolas stop. He fell to his stomach and rolled beneath a strand of silver web. He'd maneuvered right into a spider nest without realizing it. So far he'd met no eight legged resistance but he wasn't sure how long that might last.

"I can't tell you. I wish to, my prince, but I can't." Valdeglarion spotted him. He looked at the Prince in anguish. "I am sorry."

He rushed forward, leaping and ducking, racing towards the one so long ago he had sworn to protect. Legolas got to his feet and ran too, weaving between the web strings, watching the darkness to make sure he wasn't about to fall into a trap.

Valdeglarion rushed on behind him, not bothering to cover his tracks. He crashed through undergrowth and crunched through leaves with out a care. Legolas found this dimly odd. "Tell me, what does this poison do?"

"You will turn out like me." He called from behind, catching up slowly. "I am not under my own control." Legolas peeled around a corner, a wall of rocks. It was an ancient site, long ago constructed and abandoned by his people. Pounding up the stairs, he skipped two at a time and came to the top of a crumbling rock pad. Ahead of him, towering pillars held up the night sky, the roof had long ago been replaced by nothing. He sprinted through the long hallway, crumbling rocks breaking beneath his feet, and peeled around yet another corner. A black shadow came at him from the side but he took no time to see what it was. In a flash he had rolled away and Valdeglarion had screamed.

Spinning to his feet, he turned and saw an injured Laren standing behind a pillar, her arm outstretched. In her clenched hand was a dagger, driven to the hilt between Valdeglarion's ribs. The elf's mouth was open in a silent scream, blood pooling from his lips. Legolas leapt forward, pushed Laren aside and pulled Valdeglarion into his arms.

"Her…" He whispered, a gurgling in his throat. Blood frothed pink from his lips and rolled down his cheeks, leaking down Legolas' arms. Legolas pulled the elf still closer to him and rocked him back and forth as a father would to an upset elfling. "She is…"

But what Laren was, the elf couldn't finish. With a dying gasp, his eyes went blank and his body went still. Legolas watched him for a while before turning his gaze on Laren who towered above him, holding onto the pillar beside them for support. She was ashen, her long hair crumpled and tangled. No elven beauty shone through the dirt and blood caked onto her face.

"Where have you been?" Legolas asked, his words falling into his native tongue. Laren seemed surprised by the vehemence in his voice and stepped back from him.

"I was a prisoner; in a black keep…Aron was his name. We were tortured, retrained, armored and poisoned." She pulled up the ripped brown shirt and showed him her side. Black tendrils snaked up her side and wound their way around her stomach. "I escaped."

Legolas let go of Valdeglarion and gently laid him on the hard floor. Standing, he approached the other elf slowly, staring at her. "You know the way?" Laren nodded. "Take me there."

TBC…

TO MY REVIEWERS:

Slayer3: I'm glad you want to know who the traitor is. I'll let you at them, worry not. I'll give you a piece.

Lyn: Yeah, my teachers get mad at me to about all the grammar stuff because I want to be a writer. LOL. I might be a lost cause. And sorry about the eyeball, if you want my take on comedy, I've written a few light hearted one-shots that you might enjoy. Thanks!

Elladan of Rivendell What happened? I decided to do it anyway. Stupid rules were made to be broken and if they get mad I'll just figure out a way to keep my stuff up. LOL, or get my own website. We'll see. Thanks for the review.

invisigoth3: LOL, thanks I'm almost fully recovered now but I have a dry socket so it's a little more to deal with. But I'm ignoring it. Okay, well now that your caught up, here is the next chapter and the one after this will be in about a week.

Kelsey Estel Pippin was mentioned a lot before, LOL. You will see what's up with Gariel but I won't say anything. And Laren, well…she's also a coming answer. Maybe you can figure it all out.

Elessar-Lover Thanks, I like little Lodrin. He's not a hero in most standards…yet, but he's got something. Anyway, I thought I'd died to so I'm back now in full force I hope. Thanks for the review.

Faerlas Legolas living in delusion? LOL, who doesn't? Anyway, this story has a long way to go I'm afraid so you'll have a long wait. LOL. Thanks.

AND TO ANYONE I MAY HAVE MISSED OR JUST ISN'T REVIEWING, THANK YOU.