Present

Thranduil sighed softly, rubbing his tired eyes. Midnight had come and gone, and it was now nearing two in the morning.

Though Legolas had been told of his mother's death…Thranduil had never told him exactly what had happened. First, because the prince had been too young. Then, as the years went by, the Elvenking did not know if he could stand to repeat the tale.

But the time had come. No, more than come. Legolas should have known long ago. The fair king chafed at the delay, but decided against going to the healing wing immediately. His son was most likely asleep, and he needed his rest.

Tomorrow, he would tell him everything.

0-0-0-0

"Legolas, what are you doing?"

The fair prince did not even look up at the sound of his friend's voice, but continued his desperate search through the packs they had taken on their recent adventure. "I…can not…find it!" In frustration, he upended the bag and watched its' contents spill over the floor. "Where is it!"

Halden sat up in his bed, brushing raven hair out of his eyes. "Perhaps if I knew what you were looking for…"

"One of my knives!" Legolas stood and started to run his hands through his hair, but remembered the bandage wound around his head just in time. "I can not find it!" His blue eyes darted over the jumble of equipment, but did not see the object he searched for. "I must have dropped it somewhere on our way in…"

Halden could almost see the gears spinning in Legolas' head. "No," he snapped, swinging his feet over the side of his bed. His injured leg protested sharply, but he ignored it. "Do not even think of such a thing, Legolas!"

"I did not even say anything!"

"You did not have to." Halden glared at the prince. "I know what you are planning, and I am telling you now, if you set one foot outside this room…"

"Halden," the fair prince's voice was strained. "I need to find that knife!" His mother had given him those weapons…they had been her last gift… "Ada will kill me if he finds out that I have lost it." He needed it back! They were precious to him because of the one who had given them.

"Your ada will kill you if step out of the healing wing without his leave."

"If I am going to be dead either way I may as well have my knife." The young elf turned to leave.

Halden struggled to rise, biting his lip furiously to stop himself from crying out. "There are things in Mirkwood that will kill you much more permanently than the king!" Pain shot from his wound and he nearly fell. His hands clamped hard on his bed, keeping him upright.

Legolas turned and frowned at his friend. "Relax, Halden. I…that is…it is possible that I dropped it within the courtyard. I will not be in any danger within our own walls." The prince's blue eyes widened innocently, fixing a look of supreme sweetness on his fair face.

The raven haired youth scowled darkly. Many were the kitchen maids that were swayed by such a look when the prince swore he knew not where their tarts had gone to…but Halden knew better. "Do you swear you will not go outside the walls?"

A hurt expression passed across Legolas' features. "Halden…do you not trust me?"

"No."

"Smart elf." Without another word, Legolas slipped through the door, out of the healing wing. He smiled to himself as he heard his friend curse viciously behind him. True, he was taking advantage of Halden's injury. The dark haired elf could not follow him, nor fetch anyone who was able to do so.

The smile quickly faded, pushed away by worry. What if he could not find his weapon? The prince bit his lip. He could not lose it! They were all he had of his mother. Detirmination flared in his blue eyes. No matter where it was, he would find it. Even if he had to search all Mirkwood.

0-0-0-0

Halden pulled himself to the window by his bed, thanking the Valar it looked out over the courtyard. There. He could see Legolas clearly, obviously searching the ground for his weapon.

Halynder's son groaned in frustration as he saw the prince (just as clearly) head for their secret exit. He was going into the woods! At night! By himself! Without additional weaponry! Was he insane!

Actually, he already knew the answer to that question.

The raven haired youth cursed his friend roundly for putting him in such a situation. What should he do? Keep his silence, or search out help? Not much of a choice. Halden bit his lip fiercely. He did not want to get Legolas in trouble…

…but he knew better than most the perils of Mirkwood.

Stifling a cry of pain, Halden limped slowly from the room and went in search of help. Somehow, the halls of the palace had never before seemed so empty. Where were all the healers that were normally hanging around, just waiting for the chance to pounce on him or Legolas? Moving at an excruciatingly sloth like pace, the young elf headed in the direction of the king's study, desperately hoping he would meet someone before he reached his goal. He did not know if his leg would support him that long.

Halden leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Tongues of fire licked up the length of his thigh, and he found he had to grind his teeth together to stop from moaning. Sweat stood out on his pale forehead.

There was a dark stain soaking through the white bandage. Halden grimaced. He had opened his wound again. With an effort, he pushed himself away from the wall. He could make it to the king…he could make it…

Footsteps sounded around the corner and Halden almost cheered. Someone was coming! At last!

His feeling of joy lasted until the moment he saw his father's face appear. An odd desire to flee seized the young elf, but he could not act on it. As it was, his leg was trembling violently. "Ada!"

Halynder leapt forward with a very undignified oath. Halden's eyebrows soared to his hairline. He could not every remember hearing his father swear before. The elder elf caught his son's arms tightly, taking his weight even as he looked as though he would very much like to shake his offspring. "What are you doing!"

"Ada, I had to! There are no healers about and I…"

The expression on Halynder's face changed dramatically. Now it was his eyebrows that sailed upwards. "You went in search of a healer?" Immediately, concern flooded his features. "Halden, what is it? Is it your leg? Did they not give you something for the pain?"

"No! I mean, yes, they did, but that's not why I am out here! Legolas…"

"Legolas!" Halynder's grip tightened. "Where is Legolas?"

This was the moment. Halden felt his tongue suddenly cleave to the roof of his mouth. If he told his father what was happening, Legolas would get into trouble "He is…um, that is to say…"

"Do not," the councilor said sternly, "tell me that he is in the healing wing. If you are out, so is he."

The young elf wilted. "No Ada. He is not. Nor is he within the palace grounds any longer." Halden hesitated for a moment, then blurted out… "Legolas went in search of one of his knives! He could not find it and thought that he must have dropped it somewhere. I watched him search the courtyard from my window, but he…" Halden gulped anxiously. His father's dark eyes were slowly widening, growing to almost the size of saucers. "Ada, he went back into the woods!"

"Alone?" Halynder's voice was barely more than a harsh whisper. "At this time of night! Did he take any weapon with him?"

"None that I saw." Halden winced as his father's fingers tightened almost painfully on his arms. The elder elf realized with a start what he was doing and released his hold…only to catch his son as the raven haired youth fell forward with a cry. His leg would hold him no longer.

"Ion nin," the councilor murmured as he hastily lifted his son and strode towards the healing wing. "You are brave to come so far, but incredibly foolish at the same time. Why did you not call for one of the healers to come fetch me or the king?" He gazed down at his son with a mixture of admiration and frustration. "Any of them would have reached us sooner, and been in better condition when they did so!"

Halden tried to smile, but it was a shaky affair. "Ada, can you see me willingly calling for a healer?"

"Of course not. It would have been the logical thing to do," his father said dryly. The councilor grunted slightly as he adjusted his son's weight. "Not to mention easier for me. You are not as light as you were a hundred years ago."

The raven haired elf left his son in the capable, (though slightly annoyed) hands of the healer on duty and ran on swift feet to the king's study…

0-0-0-0

Thranduil's head jerked up at the sound of racing feet coming down the corridor. By the time someone was pounding on his door, he was already up out of his chair and halfway across the room.

The Elvenking swiftly twisted the knob and leapt backwards as Halynder all but charged into the room. Something in his councilor's eyes set off warning bells in the fair elf's mind. "Man na den, mellon nin?" His heart dropped suddenly, sickeningly, and without Halynder uttering a word, he knew that this had something to do with Legolas. "Na den ion nin?"

The raven haired elf nodded. "Thranduil…he has gone back into the woods."

With a cry, the fair king leapt for the door. He was gone before Halynder had time to draw breath.

"Thranduil!" the raven haired elf tried to pursue his friend, but it was no use. "Thranduil wait!" The Elvenking was running faster than he ever had before. Halynder could not keep up with him, no matter how hard he pushed himself.

0-0-0-0

Thranduil felt fear put wings on his feet. What if Legolas was attacked? What if he was too late to save his son…as he had been too late to save Elenlor? He winced at the memory of his harsh words, wondering in fear if indeed they might be the last he ever spoke to Legolas. The gates flew open before him. He could hear the guards cry out in surprise as they saw their king race into the night.

Right at the moment, he did not care. All that mattered was reaching his son in time. His right hand closed over the handle of one of his knives, drawing it forth even as he ran. He knew, of course, of his son and Halden's 'secret exit.' He had used it himself when he had been a young prince.

Racing along the wall, he came upon the small door, his green eyes desperately searching the ground for some clue to the direction his son had gone. There! Thanking the Valar that Legolas had not thought to hide his tracks, the Elvenking set off. His elven eyes pierced the darkness with ease. The light footprints leading into the depths of Mirkwood stood out like a signal flare to the blond king.

0-0-0-0

Legolas leaned against a tree, gasping for breath, his hand pressed to his wounded side. Pain was starting to lick outwards from the gash, like tongues of fire. His head ached as well, but he paid his hurts no mind. In truth, if one was not hampering his breathing, he would not have stopped at all. Where was his knife? The prince pushed himself up and staggered on, blue eyes darting left and right. It had to be here somewhere…it had to be! He could not have lost it for good! Chewing his lip in agitation, Legolas glanced over his shoulder nervously. He had not thought he would have to go this far into the woods before he found his weapon.

The fair elf halted, wavering between pushing on and turning back. He was alone, unarmed, and wounded. Mirkwood could be harsh to the weak. Halden had tried to warn him, and in truth, he knew very well that what he was doing was folly. What if he had lost his blade all the way back in the spider's colony? Would he fight the entire nest of arachnids with his bare hands?

The prince looked over his shoulder once more. He had half convinced himself to return.

"Legolas, do you like my knives?"

The image of his mother bending toward him, a smile on her lovely face burned across the young elf's memory. She had given him the weapons. They were precious to him…so precious. The last gift she had ever given him. He could not go back without his mother's gift.

Turning his back to the direction in which his home lay, Legolas pressed on into the night, hoping desperately that he came upon his blade soon.

0-0-0-0

A glint of gold hair.

The spider stretched luxuriously on its' branch, a satisfied sigh hissing through its' fangs. He had known that the elves would return. He knew their ways. They would not leave the nest undisturbed. That was why he had slipped away from the colony. He would not be there when the elves attacked, slaying all his kin.

But what was this? The elf was alone. There were no others with him. The spider tapped his legs in curiousity, wondering at this new development. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. He recognized this elf! This was the one who had attacked the spiders but yesterday! He had come with only one other then. A dark haired youth. Now, he appeared to be by himself. And he was unarmed.

The spider almost chuckled to himself. As always, his plans worked to his advantage. He would shortly have a meal that none would share…

0-0-0-0

Sweat dripped down Legolas' forehead, and his breath came in short gasps. An uneasiness was steadily growing in the back of his mind, strengthened by the whispered warnings of the trees. He could hear them strongly now. They sighed and moaned, and some had gone so far as to drop a branch in his way, trying to turn him back. Unfortunately, the more his pain grew, the less attention he could spare to listen to them. So focused was he on his goal, he eventually failed to hear them altogether.

A gleam caught the prince's eye. With a glad cry, he lunged forwards, his gaze fixed on the hilt of his weapon.

He did not hear the trees' scream…

0-0-0-0

The spider saw his soon to be meal rush forwards. With the experience of long years practice, he coldly timed the elf's speed, calculating when he should drop.

The fair head came to a halt directly beneath the spider's branch. He was stooping, bending for something… The spider did not know what the prince bent for, nor did he care. With a quiet hiss of triumph, he flung himself from his perch, baring his fangs for a bite…

0-0-0-0

He could see his son! Unable to spare breath for speaking, Thranduil charged forward. Legolas was moving slowly, allowing the king time to catch up.

The prince gave a cry and leapt forward.

The Elvenking saw his son stoop. He caught a gleam of white before Legolas' hand closed around the handle of his weapon.

He saw the spider drop from above.

"LEGOLAS!"

0-0-0-0

Legolas cried out as he felt something crash into him from behind. Pain flared from his head and side in agonizing waves. The force of the impact sent the young elf hurtling into a nearby tree. Blackness clawed at his vision for a few brief seconds, but he pushed it away. The prince dizzily pulled himself into a sitting position; clutching at the tree he had hit. He turned to look back at his assailant…

A scream from somewhere deep inside clawed its' way up and out of his throat.

Thranduil lay on the ground, an enormous, hideous spider crouched on his back. The creature was in the process of pulling its' fangs free of the king's neck. Already, Legolas could see the red, inflamed mark marring the Elvenking's fair skin.

"Ada!"

The spider turned its' disgusting head toward the young prince and hissed, baring teeth wet with the fair king's blood.

Rage seized the fair elf. He pulled himself to his feet, his knife held forward in an attack position. Blue eyes blazed in his pale face. "Get away from him!" Legolas stepped forward, ignoring the pain in his side.

The spider complied immediately, leaping from the prone form of the Elvenking and hurling his black, bristly body towards the prince.

Legolas let his knees go completely limp, falling to the ground with a thud. As the spider sailed over him with a raspy cry of surprise, he stabbed upwards, driving the elven blade deep into his foe's belly.

The spider fell to the forest floor, it's legs twitching horribly.

Legolas ignored it. He tried to rise, but could not. The pain shooting across his side prevented all but the smallest of moves. Slowly, the fair prince forced himself to crawl to his father's motionless form.

A sick feeling rose in his throat as he gently turned his father over and pulled the Elvenking's shoulders into his lap. He was frightened. There were different kinds of spiders and they had different kinds of poisons. Some were meant to quiet…and some were meant to kill. Legolas knew he had only the most rudimentary of healing skills. He could patch a knife wound, stop heavy bleeding, even stitch close deep cuts. Poisons were beyond him.

He could not help his father.

The prince slowly circled Thranduil's shoulders with his right arm, holding the Elvenking tightly against his own chest. If only he could stand…lift his injured parent…

He tried. Several times.

Tears burned in Legolas' blue eyes. He felt so helpless! What was more, he could feel his father's life flicker. Thranduil needed help! This was all his fault. His father had taken his place; pushed him to safety.

"Someone," the prince whispered. "Someone help me…"

Then louder.

"Help."

And louder still.

"Help!"

The trees' wailed in sympathy as a grief stricken cry rang through Mirkwood's shadows.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

0-0-0-0

The heartbroken sound drifted through the dark tree trunks, catching the attention of more than one elven ear.

Halynder raced through the woods, on the trail of his monarch. Members of the royal guard ran alongside the dark haired councilor, their fair faces grim. All had heard the prince's desperate call, and they were flying to answer it.

There! Halynder could see a flash of golden hair through the tree trunks. As he sped forwards, he felt his heart fall to the bottom of his boots. A new sound had reached his pointed ears, one that he knew, yet named with dread.

He could hear Legolas weeping.

Halynder could not remember seeing the young elf cry since the day his grandparents left for Valinor.

Now he could see him…

Steel bands contracted tightly around the raven haired elf's chest. He could not breathe. Legolas was kneeling on the ground, his father held tightly against him. The young prince wept as though his heart would break.

Thranduil's eyes were closed.

0-0-0-0

Man na den mellon nin? Na den ion nin?- What is it, my friend? Is it my son?