Woo, another chapter.

I'm not hyper at the moment; cos I got fired at the weekend…goes around hitting things. So I'm just a teeny bit annoyed, cos now I have no job, which obviously means no money.

Ah crap.

So to cheer myself up, I have been writing like a maniac, and here is another chapter for you all to enjoy. Well, I hope you enjoy it anyways…

Faerlain

Tiara Shin – They are just the best, most lovable characters you could ever meet! I love my little Mirkwood siblings Group hug!

Ah hem…

Hope you've been ok. It's our anniversary soon! 9th September remember? Snuggles closer to Leggy. We should hold a biiiiig party. Where though?

I bet the Black Forest was nice! If we ever get chance to talk online, we'll have to swap holiday stories.

Hope everything goes cool at uni! Wow, makes me feel a lot younger than you all of a sudden. That wasn't meant to be an insult by the way…I was just stating…

Yeah I'll shut up now.

Speak to you soon hunni! Yes, and you too Haldir! Thanks for reviewing.

Elerrina – Hmm, suffering over soon…maybe. Heh heh…

That is A LOT of updates gal! And Italy was INCREDIBLE! If you're ever online, and I'm online at the same time (miracle), I'll show you some snaps if you like. Namely of moi getting sunburnt up a mountain. Teehee! I'd like to go to Australia. Would be well good. Stuck in LA? Oops…lol. And you're back in school already! I go back on the 6th – meh. Thanks for reviewing.

Rayame325 – Of course you gotta feel sorry for them! But that's how I like it lol. My poor boys! Huggles. Yeah, Italy was fab and I wanna go back! Pout. I added the whole ages and names bit etc to add a tad of humour and keep Legolas' poison-addled brain active. Thanks for reviewing.

astalder27 – I'm glad! Woo, new reader! Dances. That's cheered me up somewhat. I like making Legolas act like an idiot, even if it is a bit OOC. Thanks for reviewing.

Gemini969 – Good, glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing.

Chapter 4: Prepare Yourselves

Ladrenîl didn't know he had fallen asleep until the sound of the door opening jerked him awake. He looked blearily up at the night gown-clad figure standing there, one hand on the handle. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and blinked.

"Sîladiel?"

She came in and sat beside him. "How is he?" she asked softly.

Ladrenîl struggled to his feet, and then realised he was still holding Legolas' hand. He looked down at his brother.

The younger Prince lay as if asleep. He was still very pale and cold to the touch, but Ladrenîl could tell he was fighting. His chest rose and fell as normal.

"Still very ill," he answered. "But he's holding on for us." He lay the hand down and flexed his own stiff fingers.

Sîladiel leant over and kissed her comatose brother's cheek. "He's so cold," she gasped, grabbing hold of Ladrenîl's hand. Looking up at him, she asked: "Is he poisoned?"

He nodded, stifling a yawn. "Yes. How are you though?"

"Fine now. You know how it goes." She laid her hand over her stomach. "I can't feel any pain now. It's all gone."

"Well then hopefully Legolas' can't either." He looked around. "Where is Nauralad?"

"Sleeping. She needs the rest. And so do you."

"I'm not leaving his side."

She sighed and pulled up a chair for him. "Here you go then. At least sit in something meant for sitting, and not on the floor."

He smiled lightly and lowered himself into the chair. "Hannon lle Sîl," he said. "Where are adar and naneth?"

"I left them sleeping in my room. I don't think they know you're back."

"Go and fetch them then. They need to see their sons." She nodded and scurried off.

Ladrenîl sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. He moved the chair forward so he was closer to Legolas and took a hold of his hand again. Lifting it to his lips, he kissed it and rubbed it between his own, trying to get it warm again. "Come on Legs," he murmured. "Wake up for adar and naneth."

But there was no response, as he had suspected there wouldn't be. But he kept talking anyway, in case Legolas could hear him in whatever darkness he was in.

"You held on Legs," he congratulated. "I knew you would. We're going to go and see the twins very soon. They'll be pleased to see you I expect. You have always gotten on well with them. And Arwen too. You know she likes you. We'll have to watch out that she doesn't get as bad as Lothriel's friends." He chuckled. "They won't be very pleased to see you in this state. Come on Legs, wake up for me. Come on little brother. I can't bear to see you like this. It isn't right. Now remember what I said last night. You held on for me, and now I'm returning the favour. But you need to hold on for yourself as well. I can't fight all your own battles. You need to be strong. I know it's hard; I've been there. But come back to us. We love you Legs, don't leave us behind."

As he pondered over his words, the door opened again and his parents walked in. He smiled faintly at them. "Morning."

Aurêl walked over and embraced her son from behind. Thranduil looked down at his second eldest child, the fear in him growing. Legolas looked so ill, so vulnerable. He sat on the end of the bed and took a few deep breaths, willing himself to be strong for his family.

"The blade was poisoned adar," Ladrenîl told him. "He's really ill."

"I know 'Ren."

"I tried everything I could. I got back here as fast as possible…"

"Shh 'Ren, its ok, I know." He smiled reassuringly at him. "Now go and get some rest before you keel over. We'll stay with your brother."

"I don't want to leave his side."

"Just for a few hours," his mother agreed. "You're no good to him exhausted." She pulled him up out of the chair. "Come on, back to your room with you."

Thranduil was left alone with his son. He took the empty chair and held Legolas' limp hand. Kissing it he sat there in silence, fearing a future without his son.

----

Thranduil's seven other children gathered themselves in the library, that room being the only one where they could talk in private. Sîladiel was now well enough to get out of bed, and was sat beside Nauralad, once again holding her sister's hand.

Lothriel was curled up in a chair with a doll Legolas had given her years ago. She held it tightly, as if it gave her some hope that her brother would wake up and just waltz into the room as if nothing had ever happened. She missed his cheeky grin, his light laughter, his comforting embraces and warm words. She had hardly spoken since he had been brought back.

Ladrenîl was sat in between his other two brothers, Hithaer and Gîlorn. All wore grave expressions as they discussed with their sisters what was to happen next. Esgalloth was next to Gîlorn, also keeping quiet.

Sat in this small circle, Ladrenîl told them what had happened in the forest. His group had been overcome by the Orcs, and Legolas had been fatally wounded in the abdomen. He had kept awake until they had reached the palace, but even now, Ladrenîl still feared for his younger brother's life.

"The blade was poisoned, as I'm sure you all know," he told them in a measured tone. "And he has still not regained consciousness. I do not when he will."

"Or if he will," Esgalloth murmured.

He turned to her. "He will," he assured her. "Legolas is stronger than we all realise. He never gave up on me when I was captured. He has some inner strength which I do not. He would not leave us so easily." He looked back at the youngest child. "Especially not you Loth," he told her.

She gave no answer, but the tears in her eyes said everything. She would not be able to bear the loss of her older brother, and she knew that if Legolas died, her world would just crash down around her. She could not imagine life without him. He had always been there for her, always there to dry her tears and join in her laughter. Even if her friends did annoy her with their endless talk of him, she loved him too much to lose him totally. She needed him, alive and well, and not how he was at the moment.

"So what do we do?" Hithaer asked. "Whilst Legolas is ill, we have to perform his duties as second eldest. And how do we go about this?"

Ladrenîl straightened up. "Adar has told me," he answered. "That we are to share everything between us. He himself is barely going to leave Legs side, with good reason. Naneth has not moved from his side for several days, as I'm sure you all know. She will not leave that room until he awakens. Our people have been informed of what has happened, and we have received many well-wishes and messages to wish Legolas a speedy recovery. Now, I'm helping adar with the paperwork as always, but I shall do it alone for now. He needs to stay with naneth and Legs. Hithaer and Gîlorn, between you, I want you to take over Legolas' job of checking the weaponry. I'll leave it up to you on how to organise yourselves. Esgalloth, naneth has some things for you to do, as well as you Sîladiel. Nauralad, you're in the healing wards as usual, no change there." He paused, looking with a small smile at the parchment. "Little Lothriel," he murmured. He looked up at her. "And there are things for you to do as well."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

He nodded. "Help out in the stables if you wish," he started. "Check the horses over for injuries when they return from border guard. And you need to work on the gardens as well. Go and help out the gardeners so it's ready for Legolas when he wakes up. I take it you understand what this means."

Her face positively lit up. She nodded enthusiastically at him. "Yes I do," she whispered. "And it shall be done."

He smiled at her. "Good. I think that's about it." He sat back and looked round at them. "Does anyone have any qualms or problems with that?"

They all shook their heads. There were not many other people in the library, most being outside in the glorious sunshine. The weather had not changed a bit since Ladrenîl's mad race back to the palace, and the Sun was still shining brightly. It was baking hot, and the forest around Mirkwood Caves was alive with the sweet sound of Elven laughter as they swam in the lakes and picnicked under the shade of the tress. The time for summer festivals and dances was coming up, but with Legolas near dead, no one was in the mood. The Sun had lost her brilliance, the forest her splendour. The Royals just wanted their brother up and well again.

"How long?" Sîladiel suddenly asked quietly.

"How long what Sîl?" Ladrenîl replied.

"How long till he wakes up?"

"We don't know Sîl," Nauralad told her gently, squeezing her hand. "No one knows for sure. Hopefully in the next week or so." She sat back and looked at her siblings. "I hate having to say this," she started. "But adar has told me to be honest and firm with you all. What I am about to tell you may hurt and upset you."

"You're going to tell us the probability of Legolas waking up," Gîlorn said.

She nodded. "Along those lines, yes. As you all know, Legs is extremely ill, with that dratted poison running havoc through his system. We have counteracted it with several potions, but it is not yet all out of his body. It is still affecting him in ways we cannot see. There appears to be no outward changes, but I cannot say for certain." She paused. "What I'm saying, is don't get your hopes too high of him waking up."

There were several gasps from the company. Lothriel started crying silently and hugged her doll even tighter. Nauralad looked down, swallowed and then looked back up again. "It is a 60/40 chance," she told them.

"Which is the 60?" Hithaer asked. "Waking up or…not?"

She bit her lip. "Not," she answered in almost a whisper.

There was silence. The siblings looked at each other worriedly, several faces having fallen at Nauralad's news.

"But you can't know that for definite," Esgalloth said, clinging onto her last bit of hope.

"No, we do not know for sure, but that is the likely result. Now we all need to be strong, both for ourselves and for Legs. I'm not saying that he won't wake up at all; that idea is preposterous. I have faith in him, and so should you all." She took hold of Gîlorn's hand, who was sat on her other side. "Please," she begged. "Don't give up on him completely. I'll keep you up-to-date with any developments. But I'm just saying to prepare yourselves for the worst."

"For the worst may happen," Ladrenîl concluded. He got to his feet. "You all heard what your sister said," he told them firmly. "We have to grow up for a while. It's going to be a rough ride, but we'll get through this." He left.

Hithaer gave a small chuckle. "He gets more like adar every day."

Lothriel slid down from her chair. "I'm going outside," she whispered, and hurried out.

Esgalloth went to follow, but Nauralad stopped her. "Let her go," she said. "She needs time alone in the gardens."

"What is with this whole garden thing?" Gîlorn asked.

"Its something between her and Legolas," Nauralad told him. "I don't know all the details. But it's none of our business anyway. Now I need to get back to work. I'll see you all later." Sîladiel followed her as she too, left the library.

Esgalloth was left with her two other brothers. She smiled weakly at them and got to her feet. "I'll go and find out what naneth needs me to do," she told them, and left without another word.

The remaining two looked at each other. "To the weaponry?" Gîlorn suggested.

"To the weaponry," Hithaer agreed.

----

Inside the weaponry, it was cool and airy. Hithaer and Gîlorn both paused for a moment to let the peacefulness settle in. Hithaer had collected the checklist from Legolas' desk, and so they started on the task at hand.

They started with the long curved swords that were mostly taken out on border patrol. All were accounted for, and so they moved onto the smaller ones.

The checking took them just over an hour as they worked together. The last section was the bows, and as they moved along the rows, Gîlorn stopped, picking up a dark coloured bow, made of yew. It was an adult bow, hand-made and decorated with gold filigree. He looked at his brother. "It's Legolas'."

Hithaer looked up from his list and sighed. "It can't stay out here," he said.

"Then what do we do with it?"

"Take it inside. That's where it belongs – by his side. Where's his quiver?"

"'Ren probably hid what he could. I expect they are either in Legolas' room, or under his bed where he now sleeps."

Hithaer chuckled. "You're probably right. His knives are definitely in his room, I saw them when I picked this up." He slung the bow carefully over his shoulder. "Lets get this finished, and then we'll take this on in."

Aurêl smiled at her sons when they walked in and placed the bow by Legolas' bedside. "That's a pleasant thought," she told them affectionately, kissing each of them lovingly on the cheek. "He'd appreciate it."

"We thought he would," Gîlorn told her. "We know how much he treasures it."

"Arrows will fly from that string yet," Hithaer told him as they made their way back down the hallway.

"And only Legolas is allowed to use that bow," Gîlorn added. "So only Legolas can fire those arrows."

"Exactly. That bow has not sung its last song yet, not by a long shot."

That last sentence wasn't meant to be cheesy by the way. The "…not by a long shot" bit. It just…came out that way. Now I look at it, it looks real…cheesy.

So hoe you liked that, and I'll update again soon. In fact, I'll probs be back at school…Bursts into tears.

I WANT MY SUMMER BACK!

Ah hem…

See you soon!

Faerlain