Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of the characters that are not of my own creation!

where tears fall: First off- thank you sooo very much to all who reviewed! You have no idea how much it means to me! Special thanks to all who reviewed all four chapters! You guys are great! Thranduil will make a stunning appearenece in this chapter- enjoy!


Chapter 5

King Thranduil sat in his room alone at his desk, reading specific papers about various issues. His face was lined with concentration, as he read each document thoroughly.

Suddenly, a frantic elf came bursting through the door to the study, panting slightly. "Your Majesty." the elf said as he quickly remembered his manners and bowed.

The King looked up from where he was reading, obviously not happy that he had been interrupted.

"A letter has just arrived for you labeled urgent." the messenger elf continued, backing up slightly at the face of the unhappy king.

He revealed a small letter hidden in his tunic and hesitantly placed it in the King's hand.

"Hannon le" The king said as he watched the elf bow slightly and briskly walk out of the room.

Thranduil held the letter in his hands for a moment before opening it, not at all prepared for what lay inside. The letter was short and Thranduil felt for the first time since his wife had died, fear and anger build up inside as he read it.

Thranduil could clearly feel his blood drain from his face.He placed the paper down at his desk and took a seat. The king raised a shaky had to his face trying to wish away what he had read. He closed his eyes and began to slow his heightened breathing.

Why would he do this. He had nothing to do with this.

Suddenly pure rage filled into him and he crushed the letter in his hand.

He will pay for this...

Despite Thranduil's rage, it was only a cover up for the fear he truly felt billowing up inside for his son. Legolas was a strong warrior, but did not stand a chance against this foe.

"Gadir!" he called, standing up suddenly.

"Yes sire?" a strong elf replied as he walked into the room, bowing once in front of his king.

"Where did this letter come from." the king gestured to the now crumpled paper in his hand. The elf must have noticed his kings now pale face, for his eyes glinted with worry.

"I believe it was carried by a bird that just left recently." Gadir replied.

The king strode out of the study at an alarming pace down the great halls his face like stone, with Gadir on his heels.

"Has my son returned yet?" the king asked Gadir, his voice not far from trembling, yet utterly commanding.

"No my Lord, was he due back early?" Gadir asked.

"No." the king said sternly, not looking at the worried elf.

"I want you to get your men and our fastest horses and search the forest for Legolas, be sure to check all of his favorite hunting areas." The King ordered.

"Sire, has something happened to the prince?" Gadir asked, concern written all over his face. Legolas was one of the gentlest elves in all of Mirkwood, if not the world, not to mention a prestigious warrior. Many a time the prince had brought home a wounded bird or cat, or in one case a frog. Th whole kingdom adored their prince and every one knew Thranduil would give anything for his son.

Every one also knew that if something were to happen to the prince, Thranduil would fade, leaving Mirkwood in a very susceptible situation. He was now nearly running to keep up with the king's strides as they passed the hallways.

"No, nothing has happened yet." the king replied, his words betraying his feelings.

"Now go." he said sternly

Gadir was hesitant to go, wanting to help the king who now looked completely torn apart on the inside, but he knew he must follow the king's orders, so he immediately went to the stables, left to contemplate the king's strange questions and behaviors himself.

Once Gadir had gone, Thranduil continued down a small hallway away from the main part of the castle. The King came to another room and began sifting through piles of papers at his desk. He stopped when he came to a tan piece of parchment. Thranduil sat down at the desk and let his face fall into his hands.

"Ai, what have I done." he murmured.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Legolas awoke with a start and found a painful reminder of where he was and what had happened. The elf looked over the camp at the barely lit fire, and caught a glimpse of the human on the other side of the camp. It was almost dawn, and the first of the sun's rays filtered down upon his face, causing him to smile at the peace of the forest. It seemed more magical than ever in this light.

The serene of the forest was broken suddenly as a huge snarling noise appeared and the fair elf jumped slightly, darting his eyes around for the source of the distribution.

The fair being did not have to look far as he saw the man move slightly and let out another horrendous wail.

Legolas could not help but laugh.

"Humans and their snoring" he said softly to himself.

The man must have woken him up with his horrible snoring.

But something did not feel right.

There was an uneasiness that churned the elf's stomach causing him to look over the camp again, searching for something out of the unordinary. Everything seemed normal and just the way it had appeared the night before.

Legolas relaxed and took calming breath, mentally reputing himself for his suspicions and feelings.

Then he heard it. The elf had heard the sound many times before and instantly knew what it was.

Legolas straightened himself and strained his acute elven ears for proof that he was wrong.

Alas! He wasn't; they were coming, and many of the creatures by the sound of it.

The elf knew he had to wake the human and find his weapons. They needed their combined strength to fend off the quickly approaching creatures.

"Human!" he hissed, trying to keep his voice down, harboring hope that the creatures may pass them over with out realizing their presence, though he was more than highly doubtful.

"Human!" he hissed again sensing the fast approach of the creatures.

What did the man call himself again? Legolas put a hand to his head and racked his brain for the name of the man.

"Trider, Lider, Rider, you must awaken!" he called again, voice stressed.

Legolas was overjoyed when the man began to shift, but it was short lived when he murmured

"ten more minuets ada..."

A scowl appeared in the elf's face and it took very once of self control not to ignore his hurting body and strangle the human.

No, Legolas decided, he would strangle the human if he ever woke up!

The sound of the creatures steady approach caused the elf to snap out of his mental picture of the human gasping for breath.

Legolas growled under his breath. He placed his hand on the trunk of the tree and tried for the second time since his injury to stand up. The elf braced himself as his hesitantly put his injured leg down to support some of his weight.

Surprisingly enough, his leg did not feel half as bad as it had previously. The searing pain was down to a dull throb. Legolas knew that elven healing caused him to heal faster than most other creatures, but never had he experienced such a dramatic change. It was then that he noticed his other injuries were feeling immensely better also. His head did not hurt at all except for a small tinge and he could breath with out his ribs hurting. The human must have used some advanced healing herbs on me Legolas thought

The elf's gaze landed on the human and compassion shone in his eyes. A noise caused the fair being's head to dart to the side.

They were nearing.

Legolas grabbed a hand full of acorns from a tree branch. He silently thanked the tree and promised it that they would be put to good use.

The elf turned his attention back to waking the human.

"Wake. Up. You. Stubborn. Human." Legolas hissed between clenched teeth, expressing each word with a sharp throw of an acorn at the human.

The man continued to sleep seemingly unfazed by the rain of acorns near his body.

They had no more time.

The elf could almost picture the monsters crawling through the trees, headed towards their prey. Legolas clenched two last acorn in his hand and with all the power and strength his hurting body would allow pelted them at the man.

The acorns sailed though the air and hit the man square in the forehead, causing him to jump up with alarm. The elf nearly cried with glee that the man was awake. Finally.

"What was..." yawn "that..." yawn "for..?" The man asked sitting up slowly. Aragorn's dark hair was tousled about his head in structure that only a human could posses.

The elf had to suppress a laugh at the two red spots that the human sported on his forehead. Legolas clenched his teeth and became serious again.

"Danger approaches. Where are my weapons?" the elf asked sternly looking back at the trees behind him for any sound of the creatures.

The man was snapped out of his dream state by the urgent sound of the elves voice. The blond elf was currently propped up against the tree, not the most comfortable position for him Aragorn supposed. Urgency shone clearly in his eyes.

Aragorn stood up quickly, wincing slightly at the pain the sudden movement had caused his ribs.

He went to a nearby bush and pulled out an elegantly crafted elven bow with arrows and two equally crafted elven knives. Relief clearly shone in Legolas's eyes at the sight of his weapons. The elf no doubt worried that the human had lost the tools or left them behind.

Aragorn wasted no time in retrieving his own sword and joining the elf on the other side of the camp. He handed the blond being the bow as the elf tried to find a comfortable way to shoot it.

The elf's keen eyes darted from tree to tree along the lightening sky. Aragorn did not have to be told to stay on guard as he uselessly tried to spot what the elf had. He held his sword in his hand, waiting for the attack, depending on the elf's eyes to see their enemy's approach.

An unmistakable screech was heard from the tops of the trees. Legolas had heard it numerous times before. The elf felt the man tighten at the sound. They were here. Legolas saw them advancing in the trees, circling their prey.

"What do you see?" the man whispered, distress coating his voice as he subconsciously took a step closer to the elf, observing how the blonde's eyes darted along the trees seeing something he could not see in this light.

Legolas strung his bow leaning upon the tree slightly for support trying his best not to wince from the pain it caused. His eyes lit up as he spotted a creature crawling unprotected on a tree.

"Spiders" he barley whispered as he let his arrow go, sailing dead on for its target.


where tears fall: the plot thickens...

sorry, another cliffie-sort of- Do you hate it? Love it? Don't care?- REVIEW anyways- I love everyone's input and any suggestions or critisizims (they don't even have to be constructive)at all are always loved!

There is more action to come in a week so those who love Legolas and Aragorn- keep on reading!

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