It had been three days of constantly washing the wounds. Elrond had just finished the long cleaning process and was cleaning up the mess it had made. Gathering the soiled bandages and such, when a soft groan filled the room. Elrond looked up at Thranduil to see him stir slightly. Elrond set the things in his arms down, and walked over to his side, "Thranduil?" he asked.

Thranduil slowly opened his right eye, as he realized his left was covered, "Elrond?" his voice was croaked from lack of use.

"Yes, it is I," he said.

"Where am I….? What happened?" Thranduil asked, his eyes staring intently at the other elf.

"You are safe within Greenwood, and you are on the mend, I expect you to be back on your feet within a week, though, you will bear the scars for the rest of time, there is nothing I can do about them."

Thranduil closed his eyes and sighed. The pain was number slightly but the mixture Elrond had been running into the burns.

"Legolas worries for you," Elrond said softly.

Thranduil opened his eyes again, "Is he still well?" Thranduil asked in concert trying to sit up, as if to go and find his son, he winced heavily. Elrond gently rested his hands on Thranduil's shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Easy mellon-nín, you are still recovering, give your wounds a few more days and then Legolas can see you." Elrond said soothingly. His eyes full of understanding and sympathy.

Thranduil looked at Elrond with his good eye, his grey blue eye was full of frustrated anger.

Elrond sighed quietly, "Rest now Thranduil, you are in desperate need of it," he turned and left the prince alone to his thoughts.

Thranduil stared at the ceiling of his room. All that filled his mind was the memories, flying through the air, his blades slippery with the blood of whole he now knew was Luriel. The searing pain he felt, and the sorrow that pulled at his heart once he saw what she had become and what she had done. It slowly turned to anger, but his mind tired, slowly fell back into the blackness of sleep.

He ran, ran as fast as his long legs would carry him. He saw the dragon reach out towards his son.

"NO! LEGOLAS!" he called, but he was not fast enough. He saw Arieal race ahead of him, going faster than he had ever seen her go. She bolted over the dragon's tail and shoved Legolas out of the way, the dragon's savage claws grabbed her instead.

"Thranduil!" Arieal screeched in terror, her eyes wide in borrow as a shadow began covering the dragon turning it pure black, it suddenly consumed Arieal.

"ARIEAL!" Thranduil cried. The black dragon slowly turned towards him, and suddenly surrounded him in shadows, he could see nothing but darkness. He heard the dragon's snarls around him.

He saw movement in the corner of his eyes and saw Luriel walk out of the darkness. She wore a torn white dress that was stained heavily in blood, her eyes were pure black, she had a sinister smile on her face.

"Thranduil…. You have failed…." She spoke, her voice hushed by the darkness yet multiple voices, "You have lost everything…." She paused her smile faltering before growing more sinister, "No not everything….. not yet anyway….."

"Luriel? Why have you done this?" Thranduil cried out to her, but she had began walking back into the darkness, facing him at all times, before she was consumed by blackness. He suddenly heard a cry which made his heart stop.

"ADA! HELP ME!" he heard Legolas scream, followed by a snarl and a cackle.

"LEGOLAS!" Thranduil called in desperation, he ran towards where he thought he heard the voice, but a sudden walls of flame erupted before him, stopping him in his tracks. Slowly a large head moved towards him, it was the dragon, but now instead of black eyes with white pupils, it was the golden green eyes of Luriel. Her lip curled in a snarl, before she emotes a deep chuckle as she opened her mouth, he saw flames dancing in the back of her throat. He turn and began to flee, but she was suddenly behind him, letting loose a torrent of flame, which consumed him.

Thranduil jolted awake in a cold sweat. His breathing was rapid, his heart beating so fast he could have sworn it would burst. He looked around wide eyed, panic gripping his mind, he felt the burning pain flare up on his left side, causing him to cry out in pain. It jolted his father awake from his elven sleep.

Oropher looked up from the chair he sat in, seeing his son having a panic attack so severe he was gasping for breath. He stood and sat on the edge of Thranduil's bed, "Iôn-nin?!" he called. Thranduil's eye saw him, but it was glazed over in fear. Oropher carefully scooped Thranduil up into his arms, Thra dual tried to fight back, still trapped in the fear of his dream, but Oropher's grip was strong, yet gentle, "I am here iôn-nin, I am here, you are safe, it was but a dream," he whispered comfortingly, repeating himself until Thranduil's breathing slowed into a steady sob. Oropher sat there comforting him until he fell back asleep. He then gently laid Thranduil back on his bed. He gently caressed his uninjured cheek, sorrow and pain from watching his son suffer so, shone in his grey eyes. He moved back to his chair, and rested his face in his hands, his shoulders sagged from an exhaustion that sleep would not cure.

It had been a week, and Thranduil had recovered enough to sit up, and even walk around his room. He sat on the edge of his bed. Elrond was replacing his bandages again, wrapping his torso first.

Thranduil raised his left arm and stared at the burns, it had scabbed over. He seemed disgusted by the sight before him.

Elrond noticed this, "It will heal and scar over in another month or so," he said.

Thranduil lowered his arm, wincing slightly, "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he snapped.

Elrond finished with his torso and now moved in front of him, he gently grabbed Thranduil's hand and raised it so he could begin wrapping it, "I would suspect not, but it is better than how it appears now," Elrond said, keeping his voice calm.

Thranduil scoffed but said nothing more. Elrond finished his arm, putting it in a sling before he moved to his face. He had to pull Thranduil's fair hair back, quickly braiding it so it stayed back, then he carefully wrapped his face.

"You are well enough to have visitors if you so choose," Elrond said as he undid Thranduil's hair, knowing the prince preferred that. He made to leave, old bandages in hand.

"I would like to see Legolas," Thranduil said suddenly.

Elrond looked back, "I will send him in, he will be pleased to see you. He has been very worried," and with that he exited.

Thranduil stood and walked to his window, resting his good hand on the sill.

He heard the door slowly open behind him, and heard a hesitant voice speak, "ada?"

He smiled, but carefully only smiled his right half of his face, so it almost appeared as a smirk, but it was not.

"Greenleaf," he said turning.

Legolas ran up to his father, wrapping his arms around his father's legs, "You are well!" he cried.

Thranduil slowly fell to his knees and wrapped his good arm around his son, "Yes iôn-nin, I am well," he agreed softly.

He scooped Legolas up and carried him to his bed, and layed down. Legolas curled up next to him, they both fell into the elven sleep.

It was two month later, and Thranduil was now in the training yards, wooden training sword in hand. He replaced the bandages on his face for a half face mask that was intricately carved from wood. He wore a glove in his left hand that ran to his elbow. The sleeve of the tunic he wore cover most of it. His right hand was bare.

His good eye was narrowed in concentration as he listened carefully, he heard the slightest sound to his left. He swung the sword in that direction, but hit nothing. He felt something hit his back causing him to go flying forward into the ground.

He looked back over his right shoulder to see Veloríon standing over him, his hand extended out to the fallen prince, "I do not understand why you insist on this training now," he commented as Thranduil excepted the hand. He helped the prince to his feet.

"The battle against Sauron draws near, I must be prepared," Thranduil said simply.

Veloríon tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Why, might I ask, King Oropher would be understanding if you remained here during the battle given your circumstance," he said.

Thranduil appeared angered by that statement and lunged forward, swinging the practice sword downward. Veloríon was caught off guard for only a split second. He managed to raise his own practice sword to catch the blow, "I will not watch my people fight to the death for our freedom without assisting. What kind of leader would that make me!" Thranduil growled as he backed off enough to swing sideways. Veloríon twisted out of the way, the sword grazing his side. Thranduil did not let up, spinning he followed Veloríon, who ducked under the blow. He swung at the prince's legs, but Thranduil jumped over.

Veloríon then rolled to the left of the prince, lunging forward.

Thranduil saw him disappear into his blind spot. Using his hearing he pinpointed where Veloríon was and managed to twist out of the way, Veloríon's sword grazing his side. Thranduil ignored the wave of pain that brought as it had grazed his burns. He followed his twist with a slash, catching Veloríon across his chest. That caused the older elf to stumble back, hand on his chest, surprise in his eyes. Thranduil did not let up, and raised his sword to Veloríon's neck, "Still believe I should remain here?" he asked with a smirk. Veloríon said nothing and attacked, this went on for hours.

Above the training yard stood Oropher, who watched his son trying to overcome his new disadvantage. Oropher sighed, though his son was learning fast, as he always did, fear still tugged at the king's heart. He could not stop his son even if he ordered him to stay. Thranduil was far too stubborn for that. He made a promise to himself. He would protect his son in the battle, even if it cost him his life. He would ensure Legolas did not lose both parents in such a short amount of time