Author's note: I hope the wait was not too unbearable. Enjoy the Friday update!

Thank you to all the fantabulous people who reviewed the last chapter: AraneltheSilvan, MariaJulietBituin, Nina, leelee202, TeenMuggle, and last but not least.. Nurayy.(I'm going to be bolding your names from now on. It's easier to see, despite what I thought) Also, a huge thank you to all those who have favorited and followed this story. You matter to me just as much! I am so happy you all are enjoying this story and I hope to always be providing you with quality work. Now... on with the chapter!

Chapter Seven: Close Encounter

~LOTRLOTRLOTR~

A flash of burgundy streaked past him and the pressure pinning his body disappeared, followed with a grunt. Legolas did not take the time to wipe his eyes, for the voice he heard had been Elrond's. He also did not see his father running toward him at breakneck speed, because of his blurry vision. Instead, all he saw was a clear path ahead and jumped to his feet, running full throttle out of the ravine. He did not look back.

Thranduil helplessly watched Legolas flee, his arms aching to hold and comfort him. But he knew his limited strength would not allow him to follow at such a pace. In fact, the only thing keeping his body upright was the adrenaline still pumping strongly through his veins, and that would soon be depleted now that his son was free.

Elrond pushed against the ground and rose to his feet, fixing his children with a murderous glare, almost mirroring the Elvenking's expression as he stared down in disgust at the two elves(too ashamed to even think of them as elves anymore or even as his children), one sprawled out on his side and the other lying flat on his back, either ashamed or afraid(Elrond did not know which) to look him in the eye. Good. Let them be afraid, he thought. They deserve it. His children would know the level of fear Legolas experienced.

And what better way of ensuring it than giving the task to an impartial King. It was, after all, only right for the father of the one who was wronged to enact judgment upon those who wronged him.

The elf lord came up to Thranduil, staring him in the eye even as he steadied the Elvenking with a hand.

"Thranduil, I know my actions in the past were not pleasing to you, but you must believe that I only did what I believed was right." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "I know not why your son harbors such fear of me, but he is surely in a state of panic now and without protection. Please allow me to go after your son and bring him safely to you. I am certain I can earn back his trust if given time."

It was a simply worded petition, but the Elvenking heard the desperation in the peredhel's tone. He knew that Elrond sought redemption for his actions against his own sons, and even with Legolas. Elrond was not as good at hiding those abyssal emotions as he thought. Though Thranduil was still in the dark as to how Elrond played a part in that or if he had a part at all, and he needed to know as soon as possible. But more than anything, his son needed to be found and brought to the safety of the stronghold. Only then would Legolas be truly safe.

Thranduil gave a curt nod, but before Elrond left he said one final thing to him. "My children are now in your hands, deal with them however you wish."

"They will receive a just punishment at my hand, you can be sure of that."

Elrond thought of something more. "All I ask is that you do not have them lashed. I fear they are too young to withstand the level of pain such a punishment would bring."

Thranduil saw the flash of fear in the twins' eyes and knew that Elrond spoke the truth. "I promise I will not send them to the stake but had you not asked me, I might have done so." Thranduil said this in both, a warning to the twins and to give Elrond a way to gauge the level of his anger.

Elrond nodded in assent, and no more time to waste, ran off to find Legolas.

~LOTRLOTRLOTRLOTRLOTRLOTRLOTRLOTRLOTR~

The garden path was nothing less than breathtaking. Rose covered archways lined a circular path under oak and birch trees, and at a certain time of day, the sun would be moving behind them, its light pulsing as someone moved down the path. Now it hovered above, bathing the path in golden light and a brilliant glittering of colors from the inlaid gem fragments. Visiting elves had said that it's a little piece of Lothlórien. Perhaps that was the design's purpose, but Legolas wasn't really interested in why it was there. He was too young to find such details important. All Legolas saw was the beauty before him. Being close to nature gave Legolas a sense of peace that nothing could and brightened even his most sour moods.

However, all the peace and warmth couldn't take away the memories of what happened. Legolas had gone over and over again in his mind if the twins would have stopped themselves in time, but there was never one answer. Their cold-hearted actions hurt him deeply and frightened him equally as much. Could he ever trust them again? Why did they try to hurt him? Would they do it again if they could? Perhaps, but if his ada banished them forever from their realm, they would never harm him again.

Legolas shook himself. It did little good to speculate on the actions of adults. They were often surprising. Besides, Legolas didn't really want that to happen because, despite their actions, he had so many fond memories of them and would miss the twins terribly if he never got to see them again. His ada always said that he was too forgiving.

Legolas could not forget what he'd felt when he was fighting them. The second he elbowed Elladan in the face, a terrible sensation overtook him and something seemed to latch onto his spirit. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, as if something was trying to suck the life out of him, and for a second, Legolas could not draw breath. Then it let go. At the time, Legolas did not care why it did so, but now he questioned it. Could it be that something inside of him repelled it? Was it inhabiting the twins and that's why they tried to hurt him?

Legolas shook his head. He may be young and inexperienced, but he was well aware of what wishful thinking was. The twins tried to hurt him of their own free will and no imaginary force made them do it. That was that, and he ignored the nagging of his brain telling him otherwise.

All he needed now was something to get his mind off of everything, and Legolas knew exactly what that would be. Straying from the garden path, he stepped onto the moist grass continuing in that direction until he reached the lake. A gorgeous white swan was gliding through the pristine water, the sky making its color appear a deep shade of blue that sharply contrasted with the swan's virgin white feathers.

Legolas sought out her hatchlings and found them huddled a few feet away from the embankment, approaching with cautious steps. Legolas knew the father was not far from his clutch and was likely watching him. The prince had been taught to give wild animals their space, but it was an inherent part of all elfling's to know how to bring themselves into it without being a threat. Adults could do so as well, but animals were often untrusting of them if they had ever killed. Killing left a mark upon one's soul, one that animals can sense like the stench of rotting meat, making them wary to approach or trust.

Legolas could not understand why his ada was different though. Whenever he took a walk with him through the forest, no animal seemed timid or afraid of the king. They climbed onto his lap and let him pet their fur, or even slept near him, completely at peace in his presence. Why his ada—someone who leads armies into war and slaughters hundreds of enemies—was able to approach an animal without them bolting, much less perching on his shoulder, was a mystery.

Legolas lowered himself to the ground until he was sitting, and waited. The longer he did so proved to their watchful father that he was trustworthy. After about five minutes, he gently scooped up one of the cygnets in his hands, brushing his fingers against the soft small feathers. They were a shade darker than their mother's and not yet fully feathers, only pure downy. Despite Legolas's actions, the mother stayed nearby feeding herself now that her clutch was fed, trusting the elf to keep them safe. Her cygnets were only a week old, not yet old enough to eat the aquatic insects and crustaceans their mother ate.

Smiling softly, Legolas continued to stroke its feathers. He had chosen this particular cygnet because it was still awake, but Legolas saw its eyes drooping with each stroke of his hand, and before long, the small heartbeat gently thudding against his palm evened out.

"Rest little one, I will keep you safe," Legolas said softly, putting the cygnet down where it could rest with its brothers and sisters, who were now all nestled against his chest, preferring the warmth. Legolas took comfort in it and bent his arm beneath his head, eyes roving over each of the sleeping hatchlings.

Legolas felt a tiny kick to his chest and looked down to find one of the cygnets twitching, Another kick followed by a cheep of what sounded like distress told Legolas what was likely happening.

All the noise brought the father waddling over to his clutch. He intently stared Legolas in the eye before nudging the cygnet with his beak. It did nothing.

"Please, allow me," Legolas said and delicately brushed his hand over its small body, speaking gently. "Hush little one, you are safe."

The cheeping quieted and the father settled down beside his sleeping hatchlings. Legolas also resumed his watch, now committed to looking out for any sounds or movements of distress. Legolas knew from extensive experience that nightmares were not pleasant and he would save them from them if he could.

A stirring of the water brought Legolas to attention and he shifted it to the lake to find the mother swan coming over to him. She glanced down at her sleeping hatchlings in apparent satisfaction and lowered her head to the elf before settling down beside her mate.

Legolas knew that she was telling him that his role had been fulfilled and he could leave now that she was back, but he didn't exactly want to leave and conveyed this to her by lightly stroking one of the cygnets' soft feathery heads and moving his arm closer toward her clutch. This told the mother that he was interested in their wellbeing and was not ready to leave them yet.

Legolas stayed a few hours longer and then stood. Animals were not like elves. They did not need a goodbye or a friendly greeting when someone was leaving or arriving. All they cared about was the action itself. And so, without giving a farewell, Legolas began making his way toward the path again. There was a good chance his ada might worry if he were gone too long. Then again, when he told him what happened to him in the ravine, the prince was certain the worry of being late would pale in comparison. One more short walk around the garden was in order.

This would be the last one, for nature could not take away one thing. The loneliness. No, that wasn't exactly the right word. The solitude. Though the walk had been welcome for a while and the visit to the baby cygnets a relaxing and inspiring experience, the elfling began to feel increasingly nervous to be alone. Now his steps were growing hesitant, and more than once he had turned around sharply after sensing someone behind him and found nothing there.

Perhaps I am just being silly, Legolas thought, Elrond would not come here.

The prince continued to think positive thoughts but the sinking feeling in his gut would not leave him alone. Why not? a voice in his mind spoke. Elrond loves nature as much as you do and finds pleasure walking that you never could. He may be just a little behind you. He could even be right behind you.

Legolas spun sharply around in response to the tugging of his mind, but there was still no one there.

The beauty of the garden now diluted, Legolas disregarded the idea of completing his walk and began making his way back to the palace. The prince was still far away from his destination when a new fear gripped him.

Legolas stumbled backward and blinked multiple times, disbelieving of the sight before him.

The elf he most feared was standing before him. If said elf was speaking, Legolas did not know, for at that moment the elfling spotted a way out and ran behind him. The half-elf was quicker though and grabbed him by the arm, eliciting a scream.

The dark-haired elf had not planned on letting go of Legolas's arm then, but something hard hit him on the head, causing his grip to loosen and allowing Legolas to slip out of it and escape. Rubbing his head, the elf knelt down to examine the offending object near his feet.

An acorn.

The elf dropped it with a sigh and ran after the boy. Being faster with longer legs, he easily caught up to him about halfway down the path.

The Dark-haired elf stood still, knowing the slightest movement would make the boy run. He noticed, with a stab of regret, the poor attempt at hiding his fear. Legolas looked positively terrified of him and his body was trembling violently as if he were freezing cold. But that was not possible, his mind chided. He is afraid of you and the best thing you can do is to leave him alone. But I can't leave him alone, he challenged. I caused this somehow and I need to fix it, no matter how much time or effort it takes.

Legolas spoke shakily. "Please don't hurt me," he pleaded, voice almost a whine. "I p-promise I won't tell my ada what you have done if you just l-let me go, I swear it!"

The dark-haired elf spoke complacently, inching toward him at almost a snail's pace with his hands raised non-threateningly. "Legolas, I promise I won't hurt you. I only want to talk."

"N-no, I don't believe you," Legolas replied boldly.

The peredhel frowned and took one more step.

"Legolas I only want to talk with you about what my sons did to you."

"It's fine," he lied.

"No, it is not even close to fine, Legolas," Elrond replied. "You are just saying anything to get me to leave you, and I cannot do so for your ada has asked me to find you and bring you to him."

Legolas did not believe it. "My ada is in the palace."

"Perhaps he is now, but I followed your ada into the ravine."

Elrond saw the recognition and continued. "That's right, your ada saw everything and is probably with my children as we speak. He will punish them severally, I have no doubt of that, but they deserve it after treating you so cruelly."

Legolas still didn't look him in the eye and his muscles were still tense in preparation to flee.

"Legolas, I need to you put your trust in me, no matter how frail. Just until you are home and then you can hate me all you want." Elrond ignored the hurt these words caused him.

"I w-want my ada," Legolas ground out.

"Your ada is very exhausted and cannot come to get you. I am your only choice."

"You will hurt me, I don't want you!"

Elrond took the barest step forward, speaking gently. "I would never hur…. Legolas!" Elrond grabbed the boy just in time before he fell backward.

Mistake number one was trying to wake Legolas. The second, was not fleeing right after doing so.

Elrond winced as a few acorns hit his head and one of his cheeks. He stared upward, angry at the trees and searching for the menacing squirrels. "What was that for?!" he shouted.

The dark-haired elf pulled his cloak over them both and managed to mostly shield Legolas with part of his arm as acorns and pinecones pelted them from all directions. It didn't take him long to realize that squirrels were not at fault here, but trees. Legolas was also in absolutely no danger of being hit, for the trees were excellent marksmen.

The pelting grew in intensity and really hurt now, the cloak giving little protection at these speeds. A sharp pain erupted from his hand and Elrond looked down to find a red line extending from his right wrist to his thumb. Elrond had no choice. He ran out of there with the elfling in his arms, trying in vain to dodge the projectiles along the way until he made it to the entrance.

Elrond's body ached everywhere when he arrived. Grumbling, he tore out the pinecones from his ebony mane and shook out his robes best he could with the precious bundle in his arms..

He took a quick inventory of injuries. Legolas was unharmed, as expected, but he himself had acquired a few new cuts and bruises; some of which in places that should only be treated with kindness! Elrond tore off a strip of fabric from his cloak and wrapped it around his hand. Then, he forced any pain to the back of his mind so he could think straight.

Even far away from those particular trees, the elf lord knew there were others he would have to pass by in order to get to the palace. And he was not looking forward to it. Elrond, Lord of Imladris, was now the enemy of the trees of Mirkwood all because they believed he hurt their prince, and he really didn't want to find out if the other trees felt the same way after spotting their prince unconscious in his arms.

So he did the only thing that came to the mind of an elf of his station and intelligence. Elrond ran as if the very hounds of hell were at his heels...

Author's note: The baby swan(or cygnet) scene was so fun to write! Poor Legolas can't get a break, but at least he has all his fingers, right? What do you think Thranduil will do to the twins? I have already decided, but just for fun.. tell me your theories!

Next update: either Friday or Saturday!