Disclaimer: Same as last chapter. Again some of the ideas from this chapter came from my best friend.

A/N: I meant to get this up sooner. I'm just so busy. Next chapter will be up when I can get it up. Also the next chapter will be the last. I'm working on a sequel though. Hope you continue to enjoy and review. Warning: If you know anything about the Pretender, note the chapter title.

Chapter 11

Wake Up

Elladan raced after his brother who was looking around desperately for Linriel. Panic was filling him, but he suppressed it. He ran through the trees, panting for breath. He was a fast runner, but he was having a very hard time keeping up with his twin. If it was not for the adrenaline that was flooding his veins there would have been no way for him to even keep the elf in sight. Suddenly he turned as he heard his twin screaming bloody murder.

"NOOOOOO!"

His heart froze as he realized the only thing that would make the elf scream so loudly was if someone had actually been murdered. That someone being Linriel. Elladan ran after his brother. Elrohir was running towards an orc that was in the process of stabbing an elf that lay on the ground. The elf was trying to fight, but she was weakened. All Elrohir's skill as a warrior left as he only thought about murdering the orc. He leapt at the orc, pulling him off of his love. He managed to roll on the orc and began pummeling him with his fist and strangling him.

For a moment, Elladan let him have his revenge as he looked at Linriel. She had an arrow wound in her leg and a knife wound in her stomach that was bleeding profusely. If they would have arrived by one minute prior…

"Elrohir!" He called.

Elrohir looked up and rushed to Linriel's side, fearing she was all ready dead. By some miracle of the Valar, she was yet alive, but barely. He pushed the hair from her pale face.

"Linriel?" He called.

She opened her eyes and smiled slightly at him. Her eyes were full of pain, but now relief lingered in them as her eyes fell on Elrohir.

His eyes, however, only held panic and fear. He looked quickly at her wound. It was deep and she was loosing blood quickly. He placed his cloak against her wound and quickly grabbed his pack to look for something to help her. He all ready knew, however, that it was futile. He didn't have anything that could save her now. She was too far gone.

Linriel began to cough and choke. Elrohir placed his hand on her. "Stay with me." He pleaded. He began focusing his energy on her, trying to pass her strength. For a moment she was able to breathe again, but it was taking all of Elrohir's strength to keep her from darkness. Tears were beginning to fall down his cheeks and his face was contorted into a tight grimace as he tried to save her.

Suddenly someone pulled his hands off of her. "What are you doing?" He yelled at Elladan.

"She's too far gone, El. You can't save her!"

Elrohir pushed his brother away and tried again to help his love. Elladan restrained him again. "You can't save her!" He repeated. "I'm sorry, El."

"No! I won't let her or my baby die. I won't give up." Elrohir whimpered.

"It's too late, El, for both of them. The baby is still too young. He cannot survive."

"No!" Elrohir gasped, not wanting to believe what he knew to be true.

"Just hold her, El. Let her know how much you love her."

Elrohir looked at his brother and sobs shook his body. He knew Elladan was right. He could do nothing but spend his last few moments with her. He looked down at her limp form and pulled her gently into his arms, sobbing unashamed.

"Saes, meleth nin. U-awartha si erui nin." (Please, my love. Do not leave me here alone.) Elrohir pleaded.

Linriel weakly placed her hand on Elrohir's cheek.

"Goror lim." (Hold on)

Linriel shook her head slightly, knowing that she was unable. She could feel her breath leaving her and knew she only had a few moments to tell Elrohir how much she loved him. "I'm sorry." She muttered in the quietest of whispers. "Amin mela le."

Another tear fell down Elrohir's face. He knew in his heart that this was it. "Amin mela lle vithel. Coramin niuve tenna' at elea lle au'." (I love you and I shall weep until I see thee again.)

Linriel swallowed hard. "No bell." She whispered. (Be strong) She drew in a breath forcing out her last words. "Kiss me, one more time."

Elrohir was shaking with uncontrolled tears, but he leaned down, bringing his lips near hers. As gently and yet as passionately as he could, he kissed her. He did his best to give to her all his love, all his heart, all his soul, in that one kiss. He felt her kiss him back with as much strength as she could. And then, he felt nothing. He broke the kiss, knowing what it meant. Her eyes were closed and would never open again. He screamed out as fresh tears fell down his cheeks.

Elladan who had been silently letting his own tears fall, laid a hand on his brother. He tried to draw Elrohir close to comfort him, but Elrohir pushed his brother away forcefully. He stood up, running his fingers through his hair. Through tear-blurred eyes he looked out to the forest.

"Curse Eru for taking my wife and unborn child from me." He yelled out. "Curse you Kalen for not looking out for her. Curse you Estel for ruining our lives." Sobs shook his body again. "Curse you all."

With that his legs collapsed underneath him and he fell to the ground. Elladan went back to him and placed his arms around him. Despite Elrohir's resistance, Elladan pulled him close and eventually Elrohir stopped fighting it. He buried his head in Elladan's tunic, wanting nothing more than death.

------

Legolas bit hard at his lip as Elrond dismounted near him. He didn't have to tell the elf lord that Kalen was dead. His face showed it all. Elrond closed his eyes tightly.

"May he find peace after death." He whispered.

Legolas nodded. He stood to his feet, though his legs trembled underneath him. "We have to find Linriel." He said. "The twins are all ready looking for her."

Elrond nodded.

Sweat was running down Legolas' face, but he suddenly felt very cold. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

"What is it, Legolas?" Elrond asked as he saw the horror on Legolas' face.

Legolas ignored him and took a few deep breaths. Linriel! Where was she? A terrible emptiness gave him his answer, but he refused to believe what his heart told him. He had felt this once before. He had thought Linriel to be killed by a man named Gerchen, but realized that he could still feel her spirit. She was fading fast and he knew he needed to help her. Now… now, he could not even feel that fading spirit. He could feel nothing.

In panic, he quickly charged into the woods, running in the direction the twins had traveled. Inside his heart he knew he would not find Linriel alive. He knew that she was already gone, but that did not stop him. Somehow he still wished to believe she was still alive. He did not want to accept the nightmare that his heart told him. As he got closer, however, he could hear a cry coming up through the woods. It was Elrohir.

His legs suddenly felt weak and he had to force himself to walk. Quickly, he took in everything he saw. Elrohir was on the ground sobbing uncontrollably. Elladan was next to him, trying to comfort him as tears were in his own eyes. He looked up at Legolas with a grieved horror expression. Legolas tore his eyes away and saw Linriel lying on the forest floor a few feet away. Elrohir's cloak was over her body and filled with blood.

His breath caught in his throat and his body began to shake. He wanted to go over to her, run to her, but he couldn't make himself move. His knees buckled underneath him and he collapsed to the forest floor. He covered his face with his hands, the tears suddenly springing from his eyes. He began to weep bitterly, muttering incoherent words.

He barely even felt Elrond put an arm around him and try to comfort him. He just sat there, feeling totally broken inside.

------

Other guards from Mirkwood arrived at the scene moments later. All were stunned and horrified at what they saw. None had expected when they woke this morning for the day to be any different than normal. They never expected to see the sweet, exuberant princess of Mirkwood covered in blood on the forest floor. Their princess had fallen. They was not a dry eye amongst them.

Finally one of the warriors known as Galabad regained his composure for a minute. He quickly ushered the elven warriors away, giving Elrohir and the others a moment to mourn. It was not the place of the guards to be there. They would stand back away, making sure the group was safe, but allowing them space and time. He knew they would soon have to travel back and give the word to the King and he winced.

King Thranduil had been out hunting with a few warriors. A messenger had been sent to him, but the messenger had not known how dire the circumstances were. No one had known until now. The news would devastate the strong king.

With a sigh, Galabad placed a hand on Elrond's shoulder. The elf lord was holding the heartbroken prince, while trying to stay strong himself. Elrond knew the king had been hunting and that a messenger had been sent to retrieve him so Galaband knew he didn't have to explain that to the elf lord. He just wanted to let Elrond know that they would be waiting to help carry the bodies back whenever he and the others were ready.

Elrond didn't even bother to nod in reply. His eyes turned to his son. Elrohir was back by Linriel's body. He was holding her body in his arms, one hand on her belly. It was clear that he was thinking of his child that had died inside Linriel's womb.

Elrond cringed and looked away. The impact of loosing his first grandchild was enough to send the elf lord into tears. Seeing the devastation that it put on Elrohir made Elrond's heart want to burst.

Galaband cringed, but walked away. This day would be the worst day in Mirkwood history since the departure of Isldiwen. In fact, Galaband believed it to be even worse than that fateful day.

------

"It has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy myself like this." Thranduil said to Haliem, his advisor and friend.

"It has been too long. We need to go hunting more often." The elf replied as he observed the hart the king had just shot down. It was an excellently aimed strike.

Suddenly the elven guards that were with them tensed and looked around. Hoof beats were heard coming towards them from the direction of the palace. One elf was riding towards them in haste. He pulled to a stop in front of them, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"My lord, orcs have been spotted near the borders of Mirkwood." The messenger said.

Thranduil's face held fear, but confidence at the same time. But the messenger's next words made his heart fall into his stomach.

"Princess Linriel is out there, sire!"

"What?" The King's voice was stern.

"She was walking with Kalen, your highness. Prince Legolas and few others left immediately when we heard the news of the orcs. I was sent to find you."

King Thranduil jumped on his horse. He noted that loyally Haliem followed suite. With great speed the king rode back to the palace. They were about seven miles away from the palace. Thranduil thanked the valar for a fast, stable horse that could run that distance without tiring. He spurred his to a fast gallop.

As soon as he arrived at the gates of Mirkwood, he pulled his horse to a stop and looked down at the guard. "Have they returned?"
"No, my lord. There is still no word on your daughter."

Thranduil turned his horse to the east determined to go into the forest himself and find her, when Haliem spoke.

"My lord!" He pointed a finger into the woods where a group of elves were riding towards them. Their gait was slow and forced.

A lump rose up in Thranduil's throat and he thought about what that could mean. Slowly, he dismounted from his horse and looked at the oncoming elves. They were close enough that he could make them out now.

Elrond rode in the front flanked by two elven guards. Their heads were low. Legolas was behind him leading a horse that bore no rider. Thranduil realized, however, that there was a rider draped across the back of the horse. His body was lifeless. He knew it was Kalen. Thranduil's knees felt weak and he wanted to turn away, but he couldn't. He had to know for sure.

He saw a few more elven guards, but he passed over them quickly. Then he saw Elrohir and Elladan. Elrohir was holding a limp figure in his arms. Thranduil's breath left his body as he recognized his only daughter.

A loud moan escaped his lips as he ran forward. "No, no. Don't let it be so." He muttered incoherently.

Elrohir saw him coming and he dismounted slowly from his horse. Then he took Linriel's limp body into his arms and turned to face the stricken father. He couldn't speak any words as Thranduil approached.

Tears fell from the King's eyes as he grasped for his daughter's body. "No, my baby." He took her into his arms and brought his head down near her body. His legs collapsed underneath him and he fell to the forest floor. Bitter tears spilled forth and sobs shook his body. Legolas knelt near his father. Fresh tears were staining the princes' cheeks.

No words were said. No words could be said. There was only bitter tears.