Narcissis quickly helped Haldir to his feet. She snapped the rope in half, freeing his feet. She moved enough to allow him to climb onto her back.

'This is really starting to get old,' she thought to herself.

She moved to her hands and feet before glancing back at Banside and Yancha. So far, they hadn't seen her.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Yes," Haldir replied.

He hung on as much as he could since his limbs were so sore from the beatings he suffered. Narcissis glanced over her shoulder back at the gargoyles before starting to head into the forest.

"Narcissis, how did you come to know the elves?" wondered Haldir.

"They captured me several years ago when Manlin, the rest of the gargoyles and I tried to take over the kingdom. The elves saved my life and I saw the light," she explained.

She hurried several feet into the forest before glancing back at the camp. She gave a sigh when she saw that no one had apparently seen them leave.

"We should hurry. Help is not far off," Narcissis told him.

Haldir gave a small nod as he felt himself begin to move further into the forest. He slightly closed his eyes, feeling freedom encase him once again as if he hadn't felt it for ages.

"So close," he whispered.

"Yes, we are. Once we find them, you will be able to heal," Narcissis quietly told him.

00000

Yancha walked over to the place where Haldir was kept prisoner. She saw that he was nowhere to be seen and Narcissis was also missing. She growled before hurrying back to Banside.

"The prisoner has escaped! Narcissis must have taken him!" she angrily told him.

Banside eyes narrowed in confusion as he glanced over to the area near the trees where the elf was last seen. He gave one deep breath before coming to a conclusion.

"Narcissis," he quietly said.

"But why would she want with him?" Yancha wondered.

"She wouldn't unless she's working with the elves to save him. She is not Narcissis but Nanaylia in disguise!" Banside growled.

He stood in the middle of the camp and no one took any attention.

"The prisoner is missing and so is Narcissis! We have to find them!" Banside cried out.

The gargoyles took notice of what he said and began to scramble around camp, some grabbing a few belongings, others grabbing weapons.

"Some should stay back and wait for her friends to show up. They're no doubt on their way or already here waiting for the right time," Banside called to the crowd.

A few nodded and stood behind as the others stepped up to Banside and Yancha.

"Narcissis is no longer a friend to us. If you should all remember how she came to be with us and how she abruptly left, you should know that she's helping her family get this elf to safety of the palace," Banside told the group.

Everyone nodded before starting to head off into the forest. Banside watched them leave for a moment before following them, an evil smile on his face for he knew he had her.

00000

Legolas glanced around the tree, bow in hand. The twins were not far off and neither were his father and their grandfather. The guards slowly followed as they inched their way towards the camp.

"Be careful everyone. We don't know if they're expecting us or not or how many there will be," Celeborn cautioned.

Everyone gave a nod in reply as they hurried towards the camp. Elladan glanced into the clearing to see the gargoyles. He motioned to the others and they all jumped into the clearing, weapons ready. A couple of gargoyles screeched and began to scatter. Arrows flew towards the ones with weapons, hitting them in the shoulders.

"I expected to see more of them by what we were told," Elrohir mused.

"That's because they're not all here!" Thranduil replied.

His entire face drained of colour as he walked over to one of the gargoyles lying on the ground.

"Where is the rest of your group?" he demanded.

"They're after your infiltrator. She's going to be dead soon enough along with her friend," the gargoyle snarled back.

Thranduil glanced towards the forest, fear overcoming him. He twirled his head around to stare at the surrounding trees.

"No," he barely said.

"We have to find them!" Celeborn said.

The lord began to head back into the forest when Elladan and Elrohir stopped him.

"What about the gargoyles here?" wondered Elladan.

"I say we forget about them for now. Right now, they're not the threat," he explained.

Everyone turned their focus to Thranduil, who glanced between everyone present.

"So, where do you want to start looking?" he wondered.

00000

Narcissis leaped over the branch standing in her way, hoping that Haldir would not fall off along the way.

"Hold on Haldir, we're almost there. Once we're with the elves, you will have no more worried about the other gargoyles," she reassured him.

Haldir heard her but didn't want to answer. He almost couldn't and he wanted to but he wasn't sure he was able. His only fear in the back of his mind was the gargoyles realizing that they were missing almost immediately and find them.

"You seem to know these woods well," he croaked.

"After being forced to live in here for centuries, one would get used to where every branch, every tree, every shadow is located," she replied.

She jumped over a rotting log into a small clearing. Haldir lifted his head to glance around the area. Narcissis was slowly shaking her head as she stepped further into the area.

"They were near here, I know it!" she sighed. "They must have headed towards the camp to get us out of there."

She paced back and forth a few times before hearing branches moving behind her. Narcissis turned around, hoping that it was the other elves.

"There you are! I was so worried…" she started.

Narcissis stopped when she saw Banside and Yancha walked out of the trees, followed by several others.

"You really thought you could get away with this Narcissis?" Banside asked her.

Narcissis growled as she watched Banside slowly walk towards her. She didn't say anything and she didn't want to.

"The elf belongs to us now. You are greatly outnumbered so you will not get out of the forest alive. Neither of you," Banside told her.

Yancha smiled smugly as she walked up to them and pulled Haldir off Narcissis' back. The paler gargoyle reached for Haldir and managed to grab his wrist. Narcissis punched Yancha in the face and she retaliated.

"You will pay for that you traitor!" she cried.

Haldir found himself landing hard on the ground. It took him a moment to catch his breath and for the pain to subside in his now aching shoulder. He watched as Narcissis stood between him and the other gargoyles. Banside moved towards Narcissis, who took a defensive position. He leaned in towards her ear and his eyes gave a smile as did his mouth.

"Don't forget that even though we allowed you to live with us, you're not one of us and you never will be," Banside quietly reminded her.

He stepped towards Haldir and lifted the club over the elf. Narcissis immediately took notice and jumped towards them.

00000

Thranduil ran through the trees, the others trying to keep up with him.

"Father, you do realize that they could be anywhere by now?" Legolas wondered.

Thranduil gritted his teeth, ignoring his son but knowing he was right. The king continued through the trees, despite this knowledge. Celeborn narrowed his eyes as he carefully watched Thranduil. He appeared almost desperate to find the two.

Elladan and Elrohir were hurrying beside Legolas and they were all concerned. All of them continued on until Legolas noticed a nearby clearing.

"Wait a moment!" he called to the others.

Everyone else stopped and turned to watch Legolas as he stepped through the trees into the clearing.

"By the Valar!" he cried out.

The other elves hurried up behind Legolas to see a startling sight: Narcissis was lying on top of an unconscious Haldir and she had a large bruise on her back.

TBC…