Author's Note

Wow it's been a while! So a bit of a disclaimer for this next chapter...my story is AU and I am NOT a Tolkien expert so if my timeline/detailsare a bit off etc please let me know in a constructive way. :) Things are about to get interesting and I am excited to see what you think! Also, I really wanted to get this up so it hasn't been properly Beta'd ( there shouldn't be any glaring mistakes, but in case there are go easy on me- I just finished finals:) ) Thanks to all who reviewed last time! Thank you thank you thank you!

PLEASE review and let me know what you think! I am not going to beg...I am just asking very nicely.

Finally, I leave you with this...

Tolkien tells us 'What success they Alatar and Pallando had I do not know; but I fear they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were the founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron' (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No. 211).

Enjoy! Oh, and Merry Christmas!

-Athena

Ten

They rode in silence. Owen took the lead and Elladan was behind, nudging his steed to follow as closely as he dared.

When they arrived at the banks of the unnamed river, the two dismounted in silence. Owen took three of the empty water skins and walked to the water's edge. Elladan followed behind, but did not fill his skin; instead he stood there, as if waiting for some inexplicable thing.

Owen finished and rose, turning to meet his intense stare. He glanced back at the glassy surface of the water and felt his heart clench in his chest. A small smile suddenly played on his lips, as though some inner conviction of his own had been validated. "So, it is you then." He spoke, more to himself. " I have been searching for you and here you are, standing before me." While he may have appeared to be cool and composed, inwardly the ranger chided himself for his negligence. Why did I not trust my instincts and see it sooner? The two were still, frozen in the dim moonlight which remained hazy from the heavy smoke that still lingered in the night air.

Suddenly, Elladan's serious expression gave way to a broad, almost sinister smile. It seemed only to add to the mounting tension of that moment. "You are cleverer than I had originally given you credit for, ranger. I was warned of your mission, but had not anticipated your resourcefulness in tracking them in order to get to me,"

"What have you done with him?" Owen demanded, calmly yet firmly. He was, of course, referring to the noble elf whose handsome form this demon had stolen. Owen dropped the skins now, his muscles tensing with anticipation.

He was met with stony silence. He took a small step closer to the water and gazed at its silvery surface. Owen struggled to reign in the adrenaline pumping through his veins. In this eerie light, the elf looked menacing indeed, perhaps more so than even a Nazghul. His pale skin, dark features and sinister smile were of no consequence when compared to the glint of frenzied insanity, which was now evident in his eyes. But all this paled in comparison to the ranger's initial observation that though the moon did shine enough to cast their reflections upon the water, the elf did not have one. His reflection could not be cast.

And suddenly, in a voice not his own, 'Elladan' growled, "You are about to find out, young mortal," and with no further warning, his sword was unsheathed and sailing towards the momentarily shocked ranger. Owen raised his armored forearm in sheer reflex, deflecting the strike that was meant for his head. He unsheathed his own sword and staggered back, knowing full well that he was not a match for superhuman speed and accuracy. This could get very bad, very quickly.

Elladan did not pause, but instead used the momentum of his failed strike, swinging his blade around to catch the ranger across the arm. The wound was superficial but stinging. Owen parried and blocked, dodged and ducked as the blows rained down upon him. He jumped back, managing to put some space between them.

"You are more trouble than either I or my master had anticipated, false ranger. You were better off before that pathetic gray wizard whipped you into his servant," the supposed elf snarled, cleaning his barely soiled blade.

"Better to be his servant than your master's slave!" Owen retorted, taking the precious moment to apply pressure to the wound. The moment was, needless to say, short lived. Owen's response sparked a renewed indignation in the demon before him, and before Owen could even lift his sword, the elf lunged forward. This continued for what felt like hours. He could feel his muscles tiring, his stamina draining while the elf showed no signs of fatigue. The ranger stumbled, parrying another blow before being slammed against a nearby tree. Sliding to the ground, Owen was not even afforded that momentary pause as strong arms pulled him to his feet and slammed him again against the tree. He felt Elladan's fist connect with his chin, reeling from the powerful blow. Somehow he kept his senses about him, though the same could not be said for his sword. It was my folly- I should have suspected the elf and now… Another blow to the face split his lip and sent the world tilting around him.

"Where is the ring, slave?" The elf growled, slamming him again against the tree. His head hit soundly and black splotches seemed to cloud his vision. Yet he said nothing. This time the hilt of Elladan's sword connected with his temple, resulting in an explosion of pain. Warm blood flowed down his arm, down his face, from his nose, from his lip. He could not suppress a moan.

"The ring! Where is it hidden?"

Owen could feel himself slipping away, his consciousness failing. The roar of the rushing river seemed intolerable. The river… In a desperate attempt to break free of 'Elladan's' grip, the ranger dropped to the ground, while at the same time sweeping out with his legs. He succeeded in catching the elf off guard who, as a result, momentarily loosened his grip on the young mortal. Somehow, through the pain and confusion muddling his thoughts, Owen managed to seize the opportunity, stumbling towards the riverbank and throwing himself into the river. He felt the freezing current take him, and felt himself fall against the sharps rocks of the riverbed. And then he knew no more.

"Welcome back gwador nin"

It was such a sweet voice, so familiar. He blinked, willing the world to come into focus. A beautiful being swam into view, glowing in radiance. "Arwen…" he breathed, his throat dry from lack of use. "Arwen?" She was there, before him, stroking his hair and holding his hand. "Where-" he instinctively move to sit up but was stopped by the gentle ministrations of another. They were not alone.

"Slowly, my son. Just try to relax," another familiar voice arose form somewhere to his left, though his neck was so tight and his head so heavy that he dared not move. He did not have to.

"Adar.."

Lord Elrond could not contain his relief. He smiled warmly, walking around the bed and coming into view beside Arwen. " It is good to see you awake, Elladan."

The younger elf allowed his gaze to wonder for a moment. He allowed his senses to gather information. A bed, he was lying on a soft bed in a brightly lit room. The white window dressings blew in a cool breeze form the open window and he welcomed the feeling of life it seemed to carry. He felt warm and safe here. But where was here? This was not his room in Imladris. The questions troubled him as he could not seem to piece the moments leading to this point together in any meaningful sequence.

Elrond frowned at his son's apparent distress. "Worry not, Elladan, you are safe now. You are in the realm of Lothlorien and are attended by your kin. You gave us quite a scare."

Elladan's mind was racing to comprehend what his father was telling him, though the process seemed unnaturally slow. If Elrond had been summoned from Imladris, he must have been here for some time, yet he did not remember even entering the Golden Wood. "I- I don't remember…what has happened to me? How did I come to be here? How long?"

"We were hoping you could tell us, gwador," Arwen whispered, clearly concerned. She continued to stroke his hair lovingly. "What do you last recall?"

Elladan thought about this for a minute. He remembered parting ways with Elrohir and Estel, the mission…yes! He was to take a message to Galadriel, Mithrandir was missing-and the ring…it was all so hazy in his mind. "I, I remember setting off for Lorien, but not reaching it. I remember the morning I left Imladris, and then the rest is all jumbled images in my head, it pains me greatly when I try to sort them…" he cleared his scratchy throat, wincing subconsciously at the discomfort.

Arwen turned and fetched a small cup of water from the table beside his bed. "Here, try to drink," she soothed, very gently helping to support his neck as he thirstily took in the cool liquid. Valar his head hurt!

"What other images come to you, Elladan. I know it is painful, but you must try."

He hesitated for a few tense moments, then continued though with some difficulty. "Voices shouting at me and at each other, though I cannot recall what they say. It is as though I have had a nightmare that now, as I wake, is slipping from my memory even as I speak of it. I cannot grasp it as it fades farther from my reach. There is darkness, and pain and an eagle…bound…and in the darkness an Istar robed in blue, like the sea…and an eagle…it is no use," he mumbled, becoming frustrated with his inability to remember. "What has happened to me Adar? How long have I been here?"

Elrond's brow creased in thought. An Istar and eagle, but surely not Mithrandir…what has happened to you, my son… "It has been one week since Haldir found you in the Golden Wood. He found you with naught but the torn garments you wore and a bloodied dagger in hand. They summoned me immediately when you did not wake," his voice was heavy with sorrow as Elrond recalled the fear he had felt upon receiving work from Galadriel of Elladan's plight. "You had us very worried, penneth."

It was then that Elladan became aware of the thick bandages covering his body, especially the one wrapped tightly around his head. Without thinking, he raised his left hand to his temple.

"The head wound was the most troublesome. We feared that you would not wake. I suspect that it is the cause of your memory loss," Elrond explained, sensing his son's confusion.

"One week," he mumbled. And then another memory came to him. "But I was supposed to meet Elrohir and Estel more than a week ago in Mirkwood! What has become of them?"

His question hung in the air, met with an uncomfortable silence. It was clear that Elrond was contemplating how best to answer, without causing his son to further exert himself. Finally, he determined that the truth was always the best choice in situations of such dire circumstance.

Elladan, for his part, knew that all was not well simply by the tears which shone brightly in his sister's eyes, tears that she dare not shed for fear that they would not cease. "Ada, tell me.." he pleaded, meeting the elf lord's gaze.

"We don't know what has become of them. I have spoken with King Thranduil. He says that Estel-" he stopped for a split second, " Aragorn waited for your arrival and Elrohir's in Mirkwood, when he received no word he became concerned. He and Legolas set out in search of Elrohir because of our unfamiliarity with the Firien Wood. He sent word to me and I in turn alerted Galadriel and Celeborn. We began to search for you. That was nearly two weeks ago. We have heard nothing from Aragorn, Legolas or Elrohir since. Haldir found you one week ago, as I explained earlier. Where you have been for the time before remains a mystery, but I suspect something sinister is at hand and I do not like it."

Elladan listened in silence. He wanted to leap out of bed, mount is horse and go in search of them. He wanted to comfort his sister and father and be strong in their time of need. He wanted to remember where he had been for the past two weeks. But his body refused to comply with any of these desires. His eyelids were heavy and though it is not common for elves to close their eyes in sleep, he could not resist the urge. "Father, we must…find them. We must," he mumbled, struggling to keep his senses against the sudden onslaught of exhaustion brought about by overexertion. What Elladan didn't realize was that his head wound was, indeed, very severe. Even with elven healing abilities, this injury was not to be taken lightly.

"Rest now, my son. Haldir has joined with Glorfindel and they are searching as we speak. You must recover your strength now, we will speak later." Elrond soothed. Unable to resist anymore, Elladan sighed, his eyes sliding shut.

Arwen cast a glance of panic towards her father. He gently laid his cool hand atop Elladan's brow, checking the dilation of his pupils and then temperature of his skin. Seemingly satisfied, he turned to Arwen. "Worry not, Arwen. He will recover, what he needs now is sleep and care. I believe in time he will remember," I just pray that it is not too late

Though this seemed to pacify her for the moment, Elrond did not miss the perfidious creases in her brow. He sighed in frustration, and allowed his gaze to shift to the doorway, noticing Galadriel standing at the entrance, in all her splendor. How long she had been standing there, he did not know, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that he was being summoned and the news was not good. Standing in one smooth and graceful motion, he gently kissed her hand before joining Galadriel at the door.

He looked at her for a moment, eyes meeting eyes. Words seemed a formality. " You have seen something, a vision of my sons."

She nodded, golden hair spilling over her shoulders. Her gaze shifted to Arwen who tenderly soothed a slumbering Elladan. "Yes." For a fraction of a moment more there was silence, and then she turned to him with her full attention. " Walk with me, Elrond."

They found themselves a few moments later walking beneath the bows of Lorien, moonlight streaming down through the dense foliage. Had it not been for the dire circumstances surrounding this visit, Elrond would have been quite content to sit and enjoy the beautiful evening. At present, he could scarcely acknowledge its splendor, his mind was so troubled by what Galadriel had yet to vocalize.

"I have seen Elrohir, Estel and the Prince of Mirkwood."

The elf lord sighed in relief. " Then they are alive-"

"Yes, though they are in grave danger. There are many things I have seen, and I cannot yet make sense of them. But I can sense a stirring of evil, a terrible force to rival Sauron's Ring. I fear that Elimerel has been corrupted. Mithrandir is missing, held captive though by whom I am not certain. It is no coincidence that the Lamias has suddenly rejoined the circles of this world. They were summoned, supported by a forgotten evil that has now returned." Until this moment, she had not met his gaze. Elrond realized that they had stopped walking and were now standing in isolation at the center of one of the main bridges in the settlement. She turned to him now, eyes blazing with intense blue flame. " They have returned."

His eyes narrowed in confusion. Who had returned? He was aware of Sauron's growing threat and now of Elimerel's corruption. But who else could be so terrible…and then he understood, his revelation whispered into the night air,

" Ithryn Luin…"

She turned away, confirming his answer. " But how and to what purpose? They were never to return to the west. What is there plan?"

" I do not know, but they want Aragorn and they want the Ring."

Hours had passed and the darkness of night began to fade into a hazy morning. Aragorn woke with a start. He didn't remember falling asleep. He moaned as his back once again flared to life. It was not as intense as it had been, but the ointment was wearing off and quickly. He could feel the pain increasing with each breath. Pushing the pain aside, he glanced at Legolas, who slept soundly to his right. Praise the Valar Aragorn could not help but smile, despite himself, in relief. It had been a long and torturous night for Legolas, but it seemed the worst was indeed over and he would recover.

"Well done, Estel," a voice whispered.

Startled, Aragorn met Elrohir's beaming eyes. He felt groggy and disoriented, the after effects of blood loss and exhaustion. "How long have I been out?"

"Not long, less than an hour," Elrohir replied casually. He sat at Legolas' other side.

"Have you slept?" Aragorn replied, unable to suppress a yawn. He closed his eyes again, fighting to keep his breathing under control as not to alarm Elrohir. When Elladan returned, he would ask for the ointment. He could wait until then- he would have to.

"I am worried about Elladan. I don't know if I trust that ranger and they have been gone for many hours," Elrohir explained, expertly changing the subject and drawing attention away from the fact that he did not sleep a wink.

Aragorn nodded in agreement. "Now that Legolas is out of the woods, so to speak, we should go after them." He paused, then sighed gazing listlessly at the brightening sky. "It is a pity, ' he spoke, his voice low with regret. "I would have liked to visit the Mound of Elendil. We are so close, now I fear that I will never desire to see these woods again," he whispered, more to himself. "Funny that with all of the misfortunes we are facing, as of late, I would think of that."

"Not so strange, Estel. He is your ancestor and it is natural that you would feel the urge to pay him homage. I wish the time could be afforded to you. It seems the whole of middle-earth is bursting into flames. Mithrandir is gone, Mordor is awakened, the ring is found, Lamias is ruined and now Elladan has gone missing yet again. Thank the Valar that Legolas will recover," Elrohir mused, motioning to the still form resting peacefully beside them. "Though leave it to Legolas to come near death and make a grand show of it-"

"Because that was, of course, my intention," came a shaky voice, muffled by numerous cloaks which cocooned the elf within.

Elrohir's smile broadened. "Well, if it's not the elf himself," he chided, and then softened his tone. "How fair you Legolas?"

"In truth, I have been better," he whispered, his voice painfully hoarse. "But, thanks to the care of my brothers I will soon be well." His eyes shone with tears unshed.

"It is good to have you back, gwador nin," Aragorn managed, choked with emotion. They helped Legolas to sit up and apprised him of the situation concerning Elladan and the ranger. Just as they had finished explaining, the sound of crunching leaves and rustling branches drew their attention to the edge of their campsite.

There before them stood the elf they took to be Elladan, alone.

tbc...do you think we can make it to 50 reviews? That would be so cool...