Tadion's words echoed in her head over and over again, her brain not seeming willing to believe them. She had not even noticed that she was now sitting up straight on the couch, her hand still held securely in Elladan's as one of his strong arms remained wrapped around her protectively.

The air seemed frozen, haunted, the words floating like ghosts in the now cold and empty sunlight that filled the room. The sun had already risen high in the horizon, but it felt as if the day had not yet come. She could see Legolas' infinite blue eyes staring deeply into his brother's, his brow furrowed in worry. She did not know what to do, what to say. Everything felt so unreal.

"I simply cannot understand this." Legolas said finally, throwing himself on one of the empty cushioned seats that furnished the elegant study. His voice sounded desperate, hopeless, and at the same time she could hear the faint edge of rage in the musical sound. Silence fell once again across the room, but she could tell that the same thoughts ran inside all of their minds.

"What does Ada think?" Legolas' infinite blue eyes turned up to meet his brother's equal pair, blue meeting blue in a long silent stare.

"I have not spoken to him." Tadion's voice was quiet, thoughtful, his clear blue eyes looking as worried and alert as his youngest brother's. "But I saw it on his face. He is not a fool. He easily made the connections between the attacks."

"I will go see Arahaelon." Tadion sighed as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. "I cannot stand here doing nothing."

"I will go with you." She was surprised to hear her steady voice echoing through the room. It seemed as if her voice had spoken her thoughts before her mind could process them.

Tadion's clear blue eyes turned in her direction, drowning her in their infinitudes, cautious and contemplative, as if considering what she had said. For a moment she thought that he would oppose to her request, but he merely nodded his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

She could feel Elladan's silver eyes staring at her silently, but he did not say anything. Instead she felt his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze. She could tell her brothers' eyes were carefully analyzing her, as if trying to make sure that she was indeed feeling better. She could easily see the concern in their equally blue eyes, but at the moment, all she could think of was her sudden need to at least offer her company to the Crown Prince. She felt useless, and it seemed like the only thing she could do to help.

And yet, there was a part of her that simply needed to know what was happening, or if anyone knew what was happening. She knew basically nothing. No one had told hear anything. The only thing she knew was the short explanation about her powers that her father had given her only a couple of days ago. It was infuriating. And still, she knew she would not ask the Crown Prince anything at the moment. She would not dare to do so until he was at least fully healed.

"I will also go." She heard Legolas saying softly as he rose to his feet, his eyes looking pained and worried.

She slowly rose to her feet, Elladan doing the same next to her, his arm still wrapped around her waist. He turned to face her, and she let herself free fall into his endless silver eyes, the eyes that had become the center of her attention.

"I will go check on Elrohir. I need to speak with him. Let me know if you need anything, I do not care what it is." Elladan's sweet voice danced inside her head as he gave her hand another gentle squeeze. She could see in his liquid silver eyes that he was still worried about her, but he could also feel through their bond that she was feeling better.

"I will." She promised, trying to sound as reassuring as she could, her voice filled with transparent honesty. She could tell that he did not want to let go of her, but he could also feel her need to make sure that her oldest brother was all right, and that she would be safe with her two brothers by her side.

"Try to rest at least for a while, Rina. You are already exhausted. And let me know if your hand starts to hurt again." His liquid silver eyes looked at hers deeply, loving and caring as she drowned in endless swirls of melted silver. She could see the deep concern of the healer he was sparkling in his silver eyes as he looked at her. She simply nodded her head, not able to take her eyes away from his.

"Thank you for coming, Dan." She felt her lips curving up in the faintest of smiles, one that reached her eyes even in its weakness. "And forgive me that I sent for you in such a way. I know I scared you."

"You can send for me anytime. I do not care the hour."

She saw a faint smile appearing on his handsome face, mirroring hers. Then he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. The gesture was sweet and caring, but she could feel through their bond a deeper meaning to that simple action. She knew he would not kiss her in front of Tadion, but the way in which his hand added a little pressure to her waist, and his loving eyes stared adoringly into hers was enough for her.

"I love you." She felt his fingers toying around with the gorgeous ring newly placed on her left hand's third finger, as if to emphasize his words.

"I love you too." She answered before she felt his hand letting go of hers as she made her way to where Tadion and Legolas waited for her at the large pair of doors, oblivious to their silent interchange of words.

Tadion wrapped an arm over her shoulders as soon as she reached his side, and she did not complain, enjoying her brother's closeness. The Palace outside the King's study was a mess of guards rushing through the long corridors, all of them either giving or receiving orders. Legolas seemed lost in his thoughts, and she did not dare to take him out of them.

The three of them walked in silence, their footsteps echoing hollowly on the majestic columns and thin pointed arches that framed the corridors. The bright daylight entered freely through he many balconies and interior gardens, filling the entire Palace with their golden touch, but somehow she could not feel their warmth.

She was not surprised that the number of guards seemed to double as they reached the Private Wing of the Palace, the elves quickly making way for the three them as they passed. The very familiar ample hallway that led to her chambers seemed to be the most active place at the Palace. There was a bunch of guards standing at the closed wooden door that she knew led to the Crown Prince's bedchambers, and she felt her heart race as she saw healer rushing in and out of it.

The beautifully crafted wooden door opened when they were at a close distance from it and a blond tall elf dressed in the garments of the healers walked out of the room, only to be stopped by Tadion.

"How is he?" Tadion's voice was gentle and yet the sheer worry and plea in his voice seemed enough to make anyone answer to his question immediately. The blond healer let out a defeated sigh before answering, and for a moment she dreaded hearing what he had to say.

"In a lot of pain." The healer looked apologetically at his Prince, as if wishing he had better news to give. "The fever is too high. We have not yet been able to lower it. So far he has not been able to keep down anything we have given him."

She let her eyes fall to the polished marble floor, not knowing where to look as she processed the healer's words.

"Have you given him the antidote yet?" Tadion asked urgently, and she lifted her eyes to look at him.

"Not yet. They have not finished preparing it. Master Melnor is in there. He will try to give him something to sleep, but we do not think he will get any rest as long as the fever remains this high. You should go inside, your Majesty. He is awake, although not entirely aware of his surroundings. My King is inside with him."

Before the healer had even finished speaking Tadion was already walking past him and in the direction of the door, Legolas and her rushing closely behind him. She felt like in a daze, her heart racing inside her chest as her feet moved on their own.

Inside the room was dimly lit, the curtains pulled closed against the bright sunlight and only a few candles filled the large chambers with their flickering light. It was enough light to allow clear visibility, but leaving the elegant chambers dark enough to not disturb a peaceful sleep.

She immediately recognized the dark haired healer, Melnor, working at a small table on one corner of the room, three other healers also moving with him, mixing herbs on a steaming cup. The room smelled strongly of Athelas, and for a moment she felt petrified, stopping right next to Legolas as the door fell closed behind them.

The Crown Prince lay on the large comfortable bed, in the exact same place where Legolas had helped him lie down only some hours ago. He looked pale, and a thin layer of sweat covered his burning skin, dampening his long blond hair and making the sheets stick to him. He was breathing heavily, eyes closed behind heavy eyelids, either in pain or exhaustion she did not know. His sleeping tunic had been removed, and instead she could see new clean bandages covering his entire torso. Even from the distance she could see his face was flushed red with fever, his body shivering, feeling cold even with the waves of heat that seemed to emanate from him.

The Elvenking sat silently on the edge of mattress, seeming to not even notice the healers inside the room as his hand softly stroked his firstborn's sweaty strands of hair. Arahaelon let out a painful moan, his head rolling to the side on the pillow as his hand feebly reached for his bandaged side, only to be caught midway by the King's strong hand. She heard her father softly whispering something in elvish to the Crown Prince as he returned his son's hand to his side over the covers.

Arahaelon did not seem to hear his father, and his hand flew once more to grab at his side, only to find the Elvenking repeating the same routine. She noticed that Tadion had rushed to his brother, standing next to his father as he quickly stopped Arahaelon's other hand from touching the bandages, also adding something in elvish.

"Can you not give him something for the pain?" The King demanded in his cold serene voice, ice blue eyes looking up to pierce Melnor mercilessly. On the other side of the bed she could see two other elves hovering over the ailing Prince, one of them pressing a cool wet cloth to his forehead and neck in a failed attempt to cool down the fever.

"This should help." The head healer did not show any reaction to the King's piercing stare, his voice as calmed as before as he quickly walked towards the bed with a steaming cup in his hand. "It is the strongest I dare give him before giving him the antidote."

She had not even noticed that she had moved to stand closer to Legolas, her brother wrapping a protective arm around her, although his eyes never left the Crown Prince's form. She watched petrified as her father carefully lifted Arahaelon into a sitting position, Tadion sliding a pillow behind his eldest brother's back before gently helping the steaming cup to his lips. The Crown Prince drank slowly, taking only small sips at a time, his younger brother having to coax him to continue in a couple of times.

One of the healers who had been working at the small table suddenly approached the bed, handing Melnor another cup filled with steaming liquid. She saw Tadion rising from the bed, handing the now empty cup to another healer's waiting hands.

"Here, my Lord." She heard Melnor saying in low voice as he handed the new cup to Tadion.

However, before the young Prince could move, the door of the large chambers was suddenly pushed open. She quickly turned her head to find the advisor, Doronor, stepping into the room, his dark blue eyes fixed on the Elvenking.

"My Lord, we have all the reports from the guards and patrols. There seems to be movement just beyond the south gate."

The King's impenetrable ice blue eyes were looking directly at the blond advisor, his face a perfectly composed serene expression. By the look on the advisor's dark blue eyes she could tell that there was more information in those words than what he was actually saying. She saw her father's eyes turn to look at his eldest son once more as if debating whether or not to leave the room.

"We will stay with Ar." Legolas said next to her, his infinite blue eyes catching his father's for a short moment. The King nodded his head, not adding anything as he rose from the bed and made his way towards the waiting advisor. He walked as tall and elegant as ever, his ice blue eyes so powerful and unreadable, holding and aura of unquestionable authority even in his perfectly serene expression.

The King's ice blue eyes met hers as he reached the door, observing her carefully, and she immediately understood the silent question in his infinite eyes: How are you? She offered him a faint smile as an answer, and he seemed to accept that as a good enough answer before quickly exiting the room, the blond advisor following closely behind. Tadion had moved to take his father's former place, already gently helping the new steaming cup the healer had handed him to his eldest brother's lips.

"What are they giving him now?" She quietly asked Legolas, absently following him to sit on the comfortable couch placed on one end of the room.

"That is the antidote." Her youngest brother explained as he sat down next to her. "Before that was a pain killer. I think it is Melnor's intention to put Ar to sleep in the lapse that it takes for the antidote to kick in. You do not have to stay here if you do not want to. It is not a pretty sight."

His infinite blue eyes were looking at her carefully, as if trying to read if she was scared or shaken, but she was neither of those. His voice was low, and she knew that their conversation could not be heard by any of the other elves inside the room.

"Tadion was careful with his wording about the poison. He did not want to alarm you, so he tends to sugar coat things."

"He said it was not lethal." She quickly said, suddenly needing for her youngest brother to confirm that statement. "He said that it gave several days before it could become lethal."

"Yes." Legolas said quickly, one of his hands falling to rest over her shoulder reassuringly. "Ar will be just fine. Everything Tadion said is true, but I have seen this type of poisoning before, and I can assure you Arahaelon will not have a very pleasant time. It works very slowly and it is easy to identify and treat, but it is very strong. The antidote is as aggressive as the poison itself."

She did not know what to expect. Part of her wanted to leave the room while she still could, but the biggest part of her wanted to stay. She had seen many sick men before, she had helped her mother in caring for of them at her village, ad yet she could not understand why the sight of the pale and fevered Crown Prince shocked her thus. Elves were not supposed to be ill, and the fact that the poisoning had been intentional enraged her. She knew it would surely not be a pretty sight, but she would stay. Arahaelon had been the first one to her chambers when she needed help.

"Do you also believe this was intentional?" Her voice was low as she lifted her eyes to meet her brother's infinite blue ones.

"Yes." Legolas' voice was barely audible, and she could hear the anger in the musical sound as his eyes hardened for a moment. "And it was very carefully thought out. Whoever did this wanted to ensure that Ar would not be able to leave his bed for some days, but without causing him any real harm. I also believe that the elf that attacked you wanted to be seen. What I do not know is why."

She turned her eyes to the bed once more, not having an answer to Legolas' question. The Crown Prince seemed to have finished drinking the draught, and Tadion was now helping him lie down once more on the soft bed. Arahaelon's eyes fluttered open for the first time since she had entered the room, green eyes turning up to look at his brother's clear blue ones.

The Crown Prince's eyes were dazed with the fever, seeming to be trying to focus on his brother's face. And yet they looked so different from all the times she had stared into his eyes. The impenetrable and mysterious barrier that seemed to coat them permanently had vanished. For the first time, his eyes were entirely unguarded.

Deep melted emeralds stared into Tadion's clear blue eyes, so reachable it felt unreal, everything that was usually concealed in their unreadable depths suddenly swirling to the surface, and even though his eyes were not looking at hers she could not look away. And even in their weakness and fevered state, she could see a power in his stare like no other she had seen before, as if somehow they could see beyond what her eyes could, could penetrate further into her mind than what she thought possible. Suddenly, those eyes that seemed so unreadable and impenetrable seemed to be able to reach further and deeper into what they stared than she had ever imagined.

Suddenly she felt that everything she thought she knew about the Crown Prince was false. She had believed that his eyes were naturally impenetrable, his emotions and thoughts simply not showing to the surface, all of those feelings merely too shallow to be able to occupy the entirety of his powerful and serene emerald eyes. Now she knew that everything she had seen was nothing but a glass barrier that sealed his eyes. Everything she had thought she had seen swirling in the depths beyond his unreadable eyes had indeed been there the entire time. And yet, there was another kind of power in his now melted eyes, something she was not sure she could place or name, but could most definitely see.

The moment lasted only a second for the Crown Prince let his eyes fall close once again in exhaustion, still shivering slightly as he breathed heavily. He looked overly tired and his eyes did not open again. She only hoped that the pain draught would be making an effect, putting him to sleep for at least a while.

Her eyes absently fixed on Tadion as he carefully placed the covers over his brother's form, pulling them up until they were perfectly lined with Arahelon's shoulders. She then saw him gently brushing some damp strands of light blond hair from Arahaelon's face, carefully straightening them over the pillow. He seemed intent in making his eldest brother feel as comfortable as he could.

To her relief the pain draught seemed to make and effect shortly, and she saw the Crown Prince's breathing starting to slow steadily as he finally dozed off to sleep. His cheeks remained flushed ad his body continued to shiver against the high fever, but at least he was no longer aware of it.

The group of healers that filled room silently headed towards the door, one of the quietly saying something in elvish to Tadion before closing the door behind them. Now, in the cold silence of the elegant chambers she could hear the movement of guards outside the door, some of them simply seeming to be standing at either side of it.

She could feel her own exhaustion starting to consume her, and before she could realize it her head was falling over Legolas' shoulder, although she forced herself to stay awake. Legolas did not say anything, simply shifting to accommodate her better, and she was glad for his lack of comment.

Her mind was a swirl of thoughts that felt like an unsolvable puzzle. She could still feel the Elvenking's heavy power floating in the air, holding the majestic gates sealed together. Her thoughts then drifted to the letter from Lord Elrond she had almost forgotten about. Had the King already read it? What did it say? Did the Elf-Lord know what was happening here in Mirkwood at this exact moment? Or was it something about what had happened in Imladris after they had left?

And then, there was the image of the powerful blue stoned ring glowing dimply upon the Elf-Lord's hand: Vilya. Even in the elegant and warm interiors of the Crown Prince's chambers, she could identify the unmistakable faint whispering of the ring floating in the air, feeling more like merely a presence rather than a power, tugging her slightly to it as she concentrated on it until she pulled away, not wanting to draw herself towards it. She remembered feeling the ring's power filtering through her veins, burning through her body as it became part of her, and it had felt so natural, not even knowing if she was using the ring or if the ring had been using her.

And even more puzzling was the image of the Crown Prince's emerald eyes, and she knew that she had seen in them something he had most probably not intended her to see. Tadion had not seemed at all surprised by the sudden change in his brother's stare, and she knew there was no way Tadion had missed the weak power she saw in Arahaelon's eyes. Suddenly she had the feeling that the Crown Prince might not be as different from her as she thought…

Here is chapter 16! I hope you like it! My apologies for the long wait, I was out of town for the week and did not have my laptop with me. Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Jibril, Elf sister, Glory Bee, kcelflover, CeffylGwyn, Wtiger5, Mary Elrondile, Mj, wonderpanda10, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, a dream of fantasy, BigFanOfYou, dingdongsong, Danda225, ShueYun, Paperlanterns86, booklover1598, Martine9295 (twice for the one I missed), AmazingWriter123, Coco99, and my guest reviewer!

Love,

Elena