A/N: I know it has only been few days, but I thought you guys deserved to be eased out of the cliff hanger instead of hanging for more content for more than a year. Consider this part of my apology gift to all of you.

SEMI IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: I admit, before I wrote the previous chapter I had looked up some fanfictions where Thranduil punished Legolas, and spankings were used 90 percent of the time when he was younger. But I have to say a part of me is scarred from some of the stories I read. I mean, hitting the boy with a brush or spanking him till he can't sit down is cruel and unusual, and I won't even tell you the worst one. The image of it is branded in my mind. *shudders* Anyway, that is why I chose to write Thranduil this way, a kind and compassionate father that punishes with the restraint a parent should.

A big thank you to Mustard Lady who reviewed the last chapter!

Onward with the new chapter!

Chapter 14: Troubling Inconsistency

~LOTRLOTRLOTR~

The twins rode through the night and into the early morning. The air was chilled, causing the breath of both man and beast to come in billowing clouds, the sound of soft loam trodden under hooves mixing with the breathy snorts of their horses as they made their way deeper into the golden wood.

Elladan pulled his cloak tighter around him in an effort to chase away the chill that had settled in his bones. "How much further are we?"

"We will reach Caras Galadhon within the next few days if we keep our pace," Elrohir replied

"We have pushed the endurance of these animals far enough. They need rest."

"They can rest when we get there," Elrohir responded in a tone that left no room for argument.

Elladan knew of only one way to get his brother to see reason, and pulled back on the reins, slowing his horse and their father's to a standstill.

When Elrohir noticed his brother was no longer riding beside him, he turned his mount around with a grunt, giving him an irritable look. "El, we have no time for this. Ada could be right behind us. We must keep going," he urged.

Elladan shook his head and crossed his arms defiantly. "I refuse to go any further until the horses are properly rested. You may go on without me if you wish, but I'm staying here."

Elrohir sighed. His brother could be so stubborn sometimes, and more than once that had gotten them into trouble. But now they were in the middle of nowhere and in no immediate danger. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to take a slight break, he thought, and dismounted, leading the horse to the stream beside his brother. He did not say a word, mostly because of the beaming smile his brother gave him. Those moments were too precious to ruin by a squabble.

"I would never go anywhere without you. Always remember that, El."

Elladan turned toward his brother, gratitude shining in his eyes. "I will never forget it, Ro," He stroked his horses neck, tending to the small twigs and leaves in its mane. Then his hand stilled.

Elrohir noticed the unnatural pause as well as the crease of worry marring his brow, and spoke. "Is something wrong?"

Elladan took a breath. "I just… do you think that the Lord and Lady of light will welcome us and allow us to stay in their kingdom?"

"I'm sure you can expect a heartfelt welcome, and after we tell our story I am certain she will take pity on us and allow us to stay," Elrohir replied confidently.

"Do you think Ada is really right behind us?"

"I don't know."

Elrohir saw the fearful look on his brother's face and attempted to do something about it.

"But I bet he's not able to travel fast without his horse."

Elladan nodded. "That's true." To his compromised mind, there was no possibility Elrond would have borrowed one of the Elvenking's horses-only slightly slower than their father's horse, nor been able to find shortcuts that would be twice as fast on horseback. All that Elladan thought about, was that Elrond would not be able to catch up to them, and this thought put him at ease.

Elrohir saw his brother visibly relax and gestured that they dismount.

Both brothers did so and hooked the reins securely around the saddle, retrieved their packs, and then whispered a Sindarin phrase to their horses that told them to stay nearby.

Packs in hand, the twins walked to the nearest tree, settling under its shady boughs.

Elrohir unwrapped his portion of lembas and handed the other to his brother. Only, said brother was staring straight ahead, not seeming to notice what his bother held.

A throat clear made Elladan turn to his brother and he took the offered item, staring at it intently.

Elrohir sighed internally. "What is it El?"

"Ro, what if I can't speak of what has occurred."

Elrohir stayed silent, and then spoke. "Then I will speak of it for you." He took a large bite of lembas, gesturing to his brother to do the same. "Now eat, we don't want you falling off your horse from a lack of food."

Elladan took a bite and leaned back against the trunk, contemplating his brother's words. Galadriel would no doubt question them both, but now that his brother agreed to speak for him, he no longer felt rocks in his stomach. Instead, he felt hunger.

The two brothers ate quickly and then packed up to continue the journey to the Golden Wood. But unbeknownst to them, the Lady of Light did not expect them.

~LOTRLOTRLOTR~

"What do you mean you did it?" Thranduil inquired, his voice dangerously calm.

The peredhel spoke. "I have had no premonitions of any kind since stepping foot in your halls. If someone else had harmed Legolas, I would have likely foreseen it. I harmed my own children a mere three days ago, and I do not remember anything before that. Don't you see, I did it."

Elrond strained his neck up towards the prince, and the words poured out without meter or control.

"Legolas, I hurt you. It was not of my will but I am the one that harmed you. You were right all along. I understand that it will be some time before you trust me again, and given what you have suffered I do not expect it to be anytime soon, if ever. Therefore, by noon tomorrow I will leave Mirkwood for an indefinite time. King Thranduil, I know I have no right, but I entreat you to ignore your heart and be merciless with me. Let me feel every ounce of your son's pain. I know your laws and I am ready to face the consequences of my actions."

It all was happening too fast. First Elrond admitting to harming his son, then speaking of leaving Mirkwood forever, and finally, of suffering the fate of a criminal. The words flew out of his mouth before the king could censor them.

"Stop it!"

Thranduil was on his feet, pacing. Finally, he walked over to the elf lord, stretching out his hand over him.

Elrond didn't say anything, content on watching.

After several moments, Thranduil pulled his hand away frowning. He then stalked over to his son and pulled up his tunic, exposing his chest and the bandage there. When did Legolas get injured?

Legolas watched on with curiosity, wondering what his ada was doing but at the same time trusting him.

Thranduil pulled back the bandage that was positioned a little off to the side of his son's chest and blanched at the large bruise. He gently probed it, causing Legolas to hiss in pain. He whispered an apology and was about to put the bandage back into place when he spied a small cut. From the looks of it, the cut was caused by a dagger or a small knife and was partially healed.

"Legolas, how did you come by these injuries?" Thranduil asked.

"It's just a sparing accident. The butt of a knife hit me in the chest."

"On purpose?"

"Yes."

Thranduil frowned at that answer. Someone was hurting his son on purpose? He would talk to this recalcitrant elfling and get answers later, but right now Thranduil had a much more important question to ask.

"Legolas, you have a cut. Was that also a sparing accident?"

"What?" Legolas wiped his eyes and sat up and looked down at his chest, tracing the path of the nearly healed cut that sat mid-chest. Then, his eyes widened. "Ada, this is not from sparing. This is where Elrond cut me."

Thranduil gaped, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. Since the cut was partially healed he could not tell if it had been deep. But there was one characteristic that stood out. The width and size of the cut did not match any of the training blades normally used by their group. This was a new blade. But could it have been Elrond's? Thranduil was still not certain, but at the same time, with the evidence against him, Elrond had to be labeled as a suspect and treated as one.

"Guards!"

In response to their king two guards came rushing back into the room.

"Untie Lord Elrond and restrain him." Thranduil watched the curiosity in the elf lords eyes turn to anguish as he was brought before him, his hands pinned behind him. Thranduil spoke softly, "Lord Elrond, there is now evidence against you that places you as a suspect of harming a royal. I am going to have to place you under arrest until this matter can be further deliberated."

He spoke to the guards. "Send him to my dungeons, but make him comfortable."

Elrond said nothing, allowing himself to be led away.

When the door closed, Thranduil ran a hand over his face. This must have been a nightmare. Why else would everything be falling apart at the seams around him. The elf lord-healer and good friend, was about to be in his dungeons on suspicion of hurting Legolas under the influence of the Darkness. Though the Elvenking himself found no trace of it. Could he have missed it somehow?

No, Thranduil thought. Darkness in anyone is as apparent to me as the stench of rotting meat. I would have noticed it.

I do not sense darkness within you Elrond. How could you have done these terrible things to my son without being compromised by it? You would have to be inherently evil and I know you to be otherwise. And for a healer to harm others, your faculties would have to had to been damaged. But you have not hinted that you are not in control of yourself since arriving in my realm and I have not seen it. From the fading cut on my son's chest, it must have happened early that morning. However, there is an inconsistency in all this. The night before had been the attack on one of my villages. You were was busy treating the wounded the entirety of the next day. When would you have had time to harm my son? Unless…

Legolas sensed his father's unease and held onto his hand. "It's alright, father. Elrond won't be able to hurt anyone anymore. The darkness has let go of him and he apologized for hurting me."

Thranduil whirled around to face his son. "You sensed darkness within him?"

"Yes," Legolas replied, wondering why the fact was relevant now.

"When did you first sense it?" Thranduil asked, eager for an answer.

"Yesterday, when he…"

The Elvenking was too immersed in his thoughts to hear his son's unnatural pause.

Thranduil had sensed no darkness within Elrond because there was none. Well, that wasn't exactly true. There was just so little that Thranduil could have mistaken it for momentary anger or a dark thought. Which is exactly what happened. After all, tensions and emotions had been running high lately, so it was not uncommon to feel anger and not control ones mind from briefly releasing hopeless or dark thoughts. The surety in this brought to mind a memory.

The explosion that decimated one of the residences of the village had been crafted by dark magic, leaving behind bright green flames that burned without end. Only the soil in the garden blocked the flames from spreading until it was contained and put out with the White fire of the Elves. From what the Elvenking knew of the darkness infesting his home, it did not tend to let go without a fight and could often re-infect his trees even if it was driven away. The fire was just another form of that same darkness. Elrond had told him of its hold on him, nearly resulting in the death of his children. But the Noldor was hesitant to speak of how long it took to recover himself. That didn't matter though. Some of that darkness could have easily been awakened by treating the wounded, Thranduil realized. After all, it had happened before.

A shuddering sob pulled Thranduil from his stormy thoughts and he wrapped his arms around his son almost instinctively and without delay. "Hush, you don't have to fear him anymore. He will never touch you again. I- I'm sorry I didn't believe you. Truly." Did he believe Elrond to be truly guilty now?

Now calmer, Legolas gave him a small reassuring smile. "It's alright ada. I wouldn't have believed me either."

Thranduil found no humor in his son's words, haunted by the recent events. Instead he kept his gaze fixed on the door, staring resolutely ahead as he held his son close.

"I also wouldn't have believed the twins would try to hurt me so badly. You… didn't punish them too severally did you ada? They weren't in control of themselves and I am not harmed."

Thranduil shook his head. "I mostly instilled fear. Their minds handled the rest," Thranduil responded, but sounded distant.

Legolas didn't understand what that meant but didn't inquire further. Instead he had another question that needed answering.

"Is Elrond going to be punished?"

Thranduil's overtaxed mind could not understand Legolas's question at first. Punished? Why would Elrond be punished? Hurt, he hurt my greenleaf. Cut him with a knife. Drew blood. The blood of a royal.

But he did it under the influence of Darkness. He had no control over his actions, his mind supplied. He squashed the idea as mercilessly as stepping on a bug. That makes little difference. My son was damaged because of his actions, both mentally and physically. He must be punished according to the laws of this realm.

Thranduil stepped back and stared intently at his son, as if contemplating the question he asked. Several moments went by without a word, then he spoke.

"Lord Elrond will be put to the lash at dawn tomorrow. Then he will be banished from Mirkwood for an indefinite time."

The words were said calmly, but his father's eye's reflected unimaginable sorrow and anger. Before Legolas could say anything more, Thranduil turned and left the room without another word, leaving him to contemplate all that was said.

Then the truth of his father's words hit him all at once and Legolas fell back onto the bed with a shuddered gasp.

Lord Elrond would be whipped.

Feel free to review and tell me your thoughts on this new development. I have a suspicion that most will be telling me how evil I am for doing something so brutal to poor Elrond, but the description of this story is crushing angst. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't hold true to it. *Dodges flying tomatoes* You began this journey knowing the risks and yet you stayed. You wanted this! *dodges flying potatoes?* Where did you get those?

Next update is Saturday morning.