Here it is, chapter 3. First of all I would like to thank everybody who was kind enough to leave a review. Muse10; freddie23; Alanic; ziggy3; SilverEars; muyany thank you so much, I really appreciate you giving up your time. I feel I must apologise for the way this story jumps around from one point of view to another. I intend to take ziggys suggestion on board and will make sure that it is clear whose POV it is. Having said that this chapter is actually all from Legolas' POV so hopefully should be easier to follow. Instead it jumps backwards in time. This chapter didn't want to behave the way it was supposed to at all. I hope it doesn't interfere with the flow of the story too much.

*''* is used to indicate Legolas talking to himself. Enjoy.

Chapter 3

Legolas felt... odd. After praying for weeks for the pain to stop, it had finally done so. Yet instead of feeling better for it he felt a dull sort of emptiness. He imagined he knew where that feeling had come from, but couldn't help but feel resentful that it had chosen now to show itself. Surely the matter of a battered heart had no place in his current state. His mind should be focused on healing his body, other healing could come later.

He tried to focus his thoughts, everything seemed to be a hazy shadow of what it should be. He looked around and was startled when he saw himself. Not as a reflection in a mirror. He looked upon himself as if from above. He watched the elves hurrying around him with a mild feeling of concern. This couldn't be good.

His heart, or rather the emptiness where his heart should be, gave a sharp twang. He pushed it aside with anger, later, he would grieve for what had been lost.

* 'Focus Legolas, you need to get back into that body or you will have all of eternity, in the Halls of Mandos, to brood.' * He thought to himself, trying to be firm.

Was it possible to feel so tired? Surely if he just took a moment to rest, to drift along... * 'No' * he thought sternly, * 'Don't be so weak and pathetic. How can you allow yourself to be beaten by a group of foolish humans! Don't let them win.' * He banished the notion that the humans alone were not responsible, * 'later, think on that later.' *

Why was he here again? Fragments seemed to be slipping away from him. Oh yes, the humans. He turned his thoughts to how he had come to be in this position in the first place.

3 weeks ago- Lothlorien

He had been in Lothlorien when he had received his fathers message. Elrond wanted him to come to Rivendell to speak to the council... great, that would end well. Despite the lack of appeal of the actual task, Legolas was glad for a reason to leave at any rate. So he went to collect his belongings and had set off before nightfall. He had the foresight to send a message to Elrohir, he hadn't wanted to tell him he was coming from Lorien, why he did not know. So he kept his location to himself and merely said when he could be expected, no more than 2 weeks. After all travelling alone in these times could be a dangerous business, if anything happened to him Elrohir could set out to find him.

He had been delayed for several hours when crossing the borders. When he had finally gotten away his mind had not been as it should have been. Anger had ruled him for a short time, swiftly followed by an overwhelming hurt. Still, he had a task to complete, there was no room in politics for personal problems. It was a lesson Thranduil had drilled into him long ago.

He had turned his thoughts stubbornly to the future then. His spirit felt lighter at the thought of being in Rivendell again. With his dear friends Elladan and Elrohir, yes there was much to look forward to. And he had kicked his horse on, eyes set resolutely ahead. Leaving the Golden Wood, and her inhabitants, far behind him. He didn't look back.