"Estel!" she whispered horrified. Her hands shaking she reached out and touched the human warily. He shifted slightly under her touch and took a gasping breath. Bridget sighed in relief and ran a hand through her hair. "Thank the Valar…"

-oOo-

Elladan and Elrohir weeded through the basket, random things that had belonged to their mother were spread throughout. And the twins smiled as they removed a necklace. It made them smile to see it. Elladan tucked it in his pocket so he would be able to find it later.

"My Lord?"

"Yes, Nengel?"

"A letter from Mirkwood, Lord Elladan."

"Thank you Nengel," he replied, taking it from her and sitting back down next Elrohir.

Twins

Mirkwood

Hello, my dear, dear twins,

You do not know who I am, I expect. But I however know you. My name is Linnor, I am an old…friend of your mothers. And I have a proposition for you. You failed to save your mother, my dear Lordlings, so can you save this…girl? You do not have to save her, twould be interesting to see the endurance of a mortal. But I don't have one to waste…well, your brother shall do. My dear twins, the past is to be redone, what now shall you do? Can you save those you love, I think you can't, they will die. Just like your mother, you didn't deserve her! She loved your weak father! But he didn't deserve her. She was too good for you! Too good! You are…never mind. They are at my mercy. Look out the window. A red sun rises, whose blood has been spilt this day?

Linnor, rightful Prince of Mirkwood.

Elladan stared frozen at the letter.

"Mother…." He murmured.

"Bridget…" Elrohir finished.

"Estel," they both whispered in fear. Hands shaking Elladan pulled Elrohir against him. He needed to know that his twin was safe, because his little brother and Bridget clearly weren't.

"Elladan, I am all right, please, we need to find them, we can't abandon them, not like…not like…naneth…" Elrohir said, bordering on hysteria.

"Elrohir, we didn't abandon Naneth, it wasn't our fault, do you here me? Please…hear me…"

"I-If we lose Estel…I won't be able to stop again…I shall kill them…kill them all…" Elrohir's voice was panicked and he hid his face in his brother's tunic with a sigh.

"We will not lose them, I promise Elrohir, I promise."

-oOo-

Bridget's head spun and her vision swam dangerously. She seemed to have no control over her body and her emotions and her hands shook.

"Est-Estel…" she begged helplessly. Through blurry images and smudged colors she could see the dark haired human against the wall. His eyes closed in pain, or to hide it.

"Strider! Strider! Linnor you aren't even brave enough to take on an elf! You rely on weak humans; you are weak Linnor, weak!" Legolas tried valiantly to distract the violent elf from his best friend and Bridget, but he had been trying for nearly an hour, and it wasn't working. Randir sat on the ground next to Bridget, a slightly nervous expression on his face as the weakened girl sagged against him.

"Oh my Prince, why are you trying so hard? Linnor shall get what he wants and I…well, I shall get that which was pledged to me."

Flashback

"I am sorry Thiad, truly sorry for the loss."

"I am sure you are, my queen, but there is naught you could do to bring her back!" Thiad snapped, his eyes clouding over in grief.

"Oh Thiad, my friend, you have been as a brother to me. You came with me from Lorien, surely there is something I could do, Thiad…"

"Stop trying, please, Norvíriel, I can not take false promises…"

"Thiad, one day, one of my children shall marry one of yours. It is a small consolation, but this I promise, this I promise."

"Thank you…thank you Norvíriel."

"I have not heard you speak my name since we left Lorien, thank you, hannon le, gwador nin, hannon le…"

"You are a disgrace to your sire, he was good!" Legolas breathed. Remembering the light that was his mother as she sailed away, her heart broken by the loss of Thiad's wife…

"But your mother promised."

"You deserve nothing my mother promised you!" the elf prince snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Legolas, hold your tongue!" Aragorn snapped as the whip struck his back. "I don't need you getting hurt as well!" Legolas met the human's grey eyes and whispered.

"I won't let you be hurt, goheno nîn Aragorn…goheno nîn…" he smiled at the human and smiled and Bridget.

"Legolas…" she said softly.

"You are a coward, Linnor, and you always have been. That is why Celebrían never loved you; you weren't as strong as Elrond. Oh yes, you know it to be true, you were a coward. You say Elrond didn't try to save Celebrían, but neither did you."

"Silence!" Linnor cried in hate. Glaring daggers at the Prince. "I will not listen to you! The strongbow dies anyways; he can do his part while weak!" He pulled something out of his pocket and watched Bridget's eyes widen.

"Ah yes. So you know what this is. I figured it out too, but I do not think I shall tell you how…yes. Silicon, it is called. You shouldn't ingest it. Do you know why?"

"Linnor, do not give that to him…please…don't…" she realized she was begging but she did not particularly care.

"Poor Palanél…" he whispered. He shoved Miniel to the side and grabbed Legolas' mouth, forcing it open. Legolas tried to move away but Linnor shoved the contents in the packet down his throat. The elf Prince gagged and shuddered. Bridget hated her inability to move. The drug was too good, Bridget couldn't move, she could barely think. Linnor turned away disgusted after he had finished.

"Linnor…how could you…" was all she could say. He glanced at her, then smiled mercilessly.

"Bring the human, return the elf to his cell. I am bored with him," Linnor ordered sharply. One of them men yanked Bridget away from Randir and she cried out, struggling to get away, she reached out to grab Legolas' hand but their fingers only brushed. And Bridget was forced, kicking and screaming as much as the drug would allow, from the room.

-oOo-

Elladan looked worriedly at his brother as they cantered through the trees. They had reached a silent agreement to risk traveling through the wastelands. But it would not due to get there tired; they would be unable to fight orcs. Elladan stopped and called out for Elrohir to follow his lead.

"We must camp, we are tired, brother," he said as he patted his horse's neck in silent thanks.

"No, not while Estel-"

"Elrohir no, we are tired, we can not keep going. The wastelands may be faster, but they are more dangerous. Listen to me for once, come," he began making a fire; he knew Elrohir would not keep going. And sure enough once a fire was started Elrohir and curled up at his side, his head resting on the older twin's shoulder."

"We can't lose him Elladan, we can't…"

"We won't, El, I promise you, we will not lose our brother or Legolas or Bridget," Elladan responded gently. Elrohir nodded against his shoulder.

"I hope so, I really do." Elladan smiled and sighed, resting his head against his brother's hair. It was comforting to have his twin there, it was always better to have his twin there. They could do anything together it made him feel…safer. With a sigh he watched his brother curl closer against him.

"Go to sleep, Elrohir, I will take first watch," Elladan said softly. Elrohir nodded in reply and his eyes glazed over in sleep. He was exhausted. Elladan didn't feel bad about not waking him, he would stay up all night if it meant his brother got rest.

"Estel, wherever you are, whatever is happening, hold on. We are coming for you."

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End chapter. I plan on getting one more in before I go to Arizona next week. No promises however, my cat is missing, so I shall be doing a lot of searching.