Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, everything in Tolkien's, except for the characters that I made up, that do not even compare to what Tolkien created.

Summary: AU When treason is suspected in the kingdom of Mirkwood, it is up to Aragorn to save the life of Legolas and the other royals.

The Scam

Chapter 4

What Happened?

"Estel….Estel…wake up. Estel…"

I could hear the voice of Elrohir trying to call me out of the slumber that I had been forced to. I tried to run to him, but I couldn't. In a world of darkness is where I was trapped and I couldn't even muster the energy to open my eyes. Though in my mind, I was running through a dark forest away from a foe that I couldn't see. Their face was covered by a red vale that seemed to shine through the obscurity and shadows. I can't believe that I actually thought what I was seeing was real, but I guess at the time I couldn't have known it wasn't.

"Leave me alone" I cried as I tried to sit up, but I felt myself being pushed down. Only then did I open my eyes.

"You've been doing that for the past two days. The other few you made no movements at all" Elrohir said as he sat back down in a chair that was right beside that bed that I was lying in. He looked tired, as if he had been there for a while. "Adar was here the whole time until last night. He wouldn't leave your side. I finally convinced him that he needed to get some sleep. The only way he would agree to it is if I took his place."

"How long have I been out?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

"Five. You were attacked by orcs in the woods while you were taking a walk after the funeral. Carek and Kindry brought you back, they found out while they were scanning the area. You got a nasty gash on the back of your leg. You also got shot on your arm" he responded.

I began to get out of the bed only to be shoved down again. "What? I have been asleep for a week and you still expect me to stay in bed?" I demanded.

"You need your rest Estel."

"All right, fine. I will stay in this confounded bed. But at least let me rest in peace. I can't stand it when you, Elladan or Ada fusses over everything. Come on, you know how that feels, I just need to be alone" I said in a softer tone.

"Okay, I will come and get you when Thranduil plans to have dinner. You will probably feel better by then" Elrohir said as he turned around and left the quarters.

I started to massage my temples. I knew there was something that was missing from the puzzle. I could feel it. There was something wrong with the picture. "I know I am forgetting something" I mumbled as I climbed out of the bed. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of pain and I could walk around quite easily. It felt good to stretch out my cramped muscles. "I need to go on a walk" I said as I threw on a blue tunic that was sitting on a table at the corner of the room. I quickly peered out the door to make sure nobody was there and out of sight I made my way outside.

Have you ever experienced a time when you knew there was something that you should know, but you just couldn't recall what it was? That was how I felt right then. I had no clue how to recharge me memory. I didn't even know the extent to what I had forgotten, nor how important or unimportant it was. All I knew is that I wouldn't be able to settle until I found out what it was exactly that my brain had decided to misplace.

I walked through the woods trying to see if I could remember anything. After all, that is where Elrohir said I was found. As I covered some more area, I came across something that immediately caught my eye. I knelt down beside it and licked it up in my hand. It was the back end of an arrow. It was all there except for the arrow head. I recognized it, it was an arrow from Rivendell. Not only that, but it was what Kindry used. I remembered that because a while before this I helped him make his arrows. "It was probably when they saved me from the orcs" I told myself.

I continued to walk and that is when something else came into my line of vision. I don't think anybody would have noticed unless they were actually looking closely for something, which is exactly what I was doing at the time. I ran over to the stump of the tree to look more closely that the pattern of blood decorating it. It turns out it was no pattern at all. Just a name…Rydel's name. I fell to the floor and held my head. Suddenly I had a terrible headache. I don't know how or why, but everything came back to me at that moment. I remembered everything. "I have to tell them" I said out loud as I began to stand up, but I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped and hit my new companion in the stomach, sending them to the ground.

"Aragorn, it is only me" Thianna said as she put a hand on her midsection.

"You…it's you" I stuttered as I struggled to get to my feet. "You have him captive…you're…g…going to kill him. And you are going to kill Rydel. You already had Thandarion murdered" I declared as I finally got my wits about me again.

"No, don't you understand? They are setting me up. You know me Estel, you know I love my family. I would never want to hurt them" she replied as she moved closer to them. "Please tell me that you believe me."

"Kindry, he said it was you. He and Carek attacked me and he said it was you." I could feel the anger filling up inside me and I was slightly afraid of what I might be tempted to do.

"Of course he said it was me" Thianna professed. "He's from Imladris. He is going to say that it was me, everyone from Rivendell who knows is going to say it was me, or they are going to act like they don't know anything at all. They want to blame me for my mother's death, for Thandarion's death and for Legolas' supposed death. I am the only other one who knows that he is still alive. We have to save him Estel, before they kill him and Rydel too. If we don't they will win and I will burn for what they did."

I had no clue what to think as she was going on. She looked so genuine. I was naïve. I know now that I never should have trusted or believed a word that came out of her mouth or a thing that she did. "Who is setting you up?"

"I didn't want to have to tell you this Estel. I didn't want you to have to become involved. You are too young to have to deal with this. I wanted to fix this all by myself, but I know now that I cannot. I need your help. How do I even tell you this?" she asked as she turned her back to me.

"Just come right out and say it."

"Aragorn" she started as she walked over to me and took my hand in her own. "This is going to be hard for you to hear, but it is probably for your own good. I am afraid that the ones trying to take Mirkwood are those you consider your family. Elrond set it up along with the twins. I know it's hard to believe and I wouldn't trust what I am saying either. The only reason I know it is true is because I heard a conversation between Elrond and Kindry. Why do you think they didn't kill you Aragorn? Elrond may have made a turn for the worse, but he still loves you like a son. He just doesn't care about my family anymore."

"No, it's not true. Adar and the twins…they wouldn't set up something like this" I exclaimed as I pulled away from her.

"But they have. Please, you must trust me. It is out only hope to save Rydel and to rescue Legolas. I can't lose anyone else in my family. You have to believe me" she begged as she fell to her knees in front of me.

I saw sparkling tears in her eyes and she appeared so real. She was really smart, I do have to give her that. Everything that she had said to me, it made sense. Why wouldn't have Carek and Kindry killed me. If it was indeed Thianna, she had no problem killing her mother and brother, why would she have a problem killing me. Now I have to kick myself for what I said next.

"What do you need me to do?"