5 reviews or more to bring about the third chapter!

now the plot begins to thicken...so enjoy!

Translations as always are at the end.

Morning came with a rush of undeniable beauty, it bled across the horizon, a blood red sun that seemed to dance away the snow. Soon all that was left on the streets of the snow the day prior was a thick slush of water, mud and soft ice. It was deep enough to break over the toes of the boots that passed through, padded down by hooves and passers.

Aragorn had been unable to sleep through the night, worry plaguing his mind. He could only think of the blonde elf whom over years had become his most valued friend. His brother.

He stood up from his bed, morning had just broke. He made his way down the stair and into the street, it was already busy. He had forgotten how early elves arose.

Once again worry grew in his mind, until he found himself unable to think rationally, all thoughts were on the elvenprince.

One thing was for certain this morn. No matter what, Legolas would not make this journey alone.

He pushed his way into the stables with a heated grunt and found his horse, Gimli's pony and then there, in the dark corner, Legolas' white mare. He cooed to it as it tossed her mane in recognition of the man. He rubbed her and then gathered the saddles. His eyes fell to another few horses that were also stabled there, they seemed familiar and yet he couldn't place them. As he was lost in thought there was a sudden enthusiastic cry that startled him so, and then small arms that wrapped around his waist and were flung about his neck. He toppled from the hugs.

He hit the ground smiling.

Gimli woke with a snort, he had fallen asleep in the chair by his friend's bed, urging it closer in sleep so that he could bend over and rest his arms on the mattress, there was a small line of drool that dribbled from his beard and onto his sleeve. He stretched nosily and wiped a calloused hand over his face.

The room was dim, the thick curtains had been pulled over the window. The dwarf stood and drew them back, blinking in the sudden explosion of daylight. Dust billowed through the room. He swatted at the swirling clouds and turned to Legolas. The bed was made and sat empty.

"Where'd that damn elf get off to?" uneasiness of what the day would bring and his friends departure mad his stomach turn, "Yer just hungry" he said to himself and patted his stomach to ease his worries. He grabbed up his ax which had been leaned against the wall and mad his way downstairs to the tavern. Familiar voices quickened his step.

He stood at the stair end eyes wide with surprise.

"Good morning, Gimli!" a laugh "Greetings, master dwarf!" he blinked as his mind, thick with slumber finally cleared and he recognized the greeting faces. His eyes followed the wizard as he was embraced and led up to the others.

"By Odin's beard!" his ax plunked on the ground, the reassuring thud echoing in the empty tavern. "What are you lad's doing here?" the four hobbits, Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo all smiled, almost impishly. It was Merry who spoke first.

"Gandalf and we were passing through on our way to see the King of Mirkwood! We heard he'd fallen ill…this morning we saw Aragorn saddling some horses in the stable! We had to stay and say hello!"

"What a fine coincidence!" Gimli exclaimed, rustling the hobbits already tussled hair, no doubt Aragorn had done the same, his eyes met the wizard, they both new there was no coincidence here. The human king rubbed his shoulder humor twinkling in his eyes.

"And some 'hello' it was, knocking me over like that!" Pippin went to hug Aragorn again, who laughed and jumped away before the imprisoning small arms found him, Pippin chased him for a moment, darting between chairs.

"Aragorn, we haven't seen you in a year!" Pippin's high pitched voice whined, Gandalf laughed through his pipe.

"Tis true, man! Let the hobbit give you a decent hug!"

When the chase finally subsided the fellowship was laughing merrily. But with a glance Gimli's and Aragorn's expressions darkened in worry over the absence of their elven friend.

Sam busied himself as he served the dwarf breakfast he looked over his shoulder as he spooned the stew from the pot onto an empty plate.

"Say Gimli, has Legolas arisen yet? Dawn broke a while ago" Gimli took the plate that was handed over.

"Nay, Sam. His bed was already empty when I awoke this morning"

"Surly he hasn't left!" Frodo exclaimed "We could have all gone to Mirkwood together…a journey, like old times!" the hobbits cheered in enthusiasm. They didn't know of the elvenprince's solitary journey which he would travel today. "And spent yule in his palace!" the young hobbit's eyes grew far away with wonder "can you imagine an elven yule? I'll bet it's almost as grand as yule in the Shire!"

"Aye, I'll bet it is" Gimli agreed softly, eyes on his plate. There was an awkward silence.

"Surly, Legolas is all right? He's not hurt? Or sick like his father is he?" there was no mistaking the worry in Merry's voice.

"Nay, he is neither of those. He fare's well, hobbit" there was a hush, and all eye's lingered on the king whom had spoken. Surly, my friend will fare well.

Gimli had chewed upon his thumb, so it bled.

Suddenly with a harsh bang, the door to the tavern slammed open causing the fellowship to jump in surprise. Only when the door was open did they notice the sound of commotion coming from the streets. A single elf stood in the doorway, none of the party cared to notice appearances at the time as their eyes only saw the elves running behind him.

"It is Lord Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood! He has been shot!" Gimli's blood ran cold and the plate of stew slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor spraying the floor brown. In the background they could hear the screams similar to the one they had just been given and shouts of 'The Prince, he has been assassinated!' dreadful cries of dismay rose from the hobbit's as one.

"Where?" Demanded Aragorn, in one step he had reached the heaving elf, his voice rose "I SAID WHERE?" the fear in his voice made goose bumps erupt across their skins.

"T-the stable, sir…a voice told us not to enter" the silence in the tavern was deafening for a split moment, even the commotion outside seemed to be drown out as Gimli's and Aragorn's mind flickered to the scarred elf the day prior. In all the commotion of Legolas' farewell he had all but been forgotten.

"I heard. And I do understand. Though I do not comply. I will not accept your changing ways, and am marking my words that you shall never live to be king! I shall see to it personally!"

"Out of my way" Aragorn pushed past the elf in the door "I said OUT OF MY WAY" Gimli swept up his ax and followed the running king. Hobbit's feet and a wizard's close behind. The stable although near, seemed forever away. When they finally reached it, they had to push through the gathered crowd who had assembled, just to reach the closed doors.

"Legolas?!" Gandalf bellowed battering his staff against the door, it held firm "it has been barred from the inside-" an angry dwarf's roar cut the wizard off and an ax embedded into the wood.

"Out of my way, wizard! A wooden door is no difficult barrier when you have an ax forged by dwarfs!" the crowd pushed uncomfortably close, finally Aragorn could take no more, he turned and bellowed

"Back UP, elves! If you want to be of assistance to your beloved prince then clear the streets and give us room!" the shouting of the crowd drew silent, then out of adoration of their royal, they parted. Swarming like ants to nearby buildings, they peeked out of doorways and hung out of their windows. The silence was eerie as only the thudding of ax against wood was heard.

With three solid blows, the door swung open, and with courage that shocked the three elders, the four hobbits rushed in despite whatever dangers laid beyond, desperate to get to their friend.

The stable was dim, shadowed and difficult to see in.

Straw lay strewn about the floor, a struggle had taken part that much was obvious. It was Gimli who spotted Legolas first, his dawrven eyes used to the dark light of mines. Their friend, dressed as yesterday, laid upon his side in blood stained hay.

It was a sight that would burn in their memories for years to come.

His blonde hair was loose and pooled around his shoulders and neck veiling his face. His back was to them, the silver threads of the royal tunic still glowing in the dark but now tainted deep crimson. On hand was draped over the other, legs bent, knees touching. He looked like he was in slumber.

His back did not rise and fall with breath. His band of a crown had fallen off and laid beside him.

The hobbits were up to him at once.

"Do NOT touch him!" Aragorn bellowed, rushing up to them as their small hands lingered over Legolas, his voice softened to a whisper as they looked at him in fear "You will only hurt him further." Looking down upon the elvenprince the shaft and feathers of an arrow could now been seen, half way embedded into his shoulder, inches from his heart.

Aragorn reached down, breaths deep but quick in dismay. He sat and gathered the young elf into his lap, brushing back his hair. It was soiled and bloodied.

"Uuma dela, Heruamin. Mani marte?" the sound elven language seemed to put both man and elf and peace, it was mumbled beneath the breath of the king. Gimli stood statuesque, his ax still clutched close to his chest, he rubbed a hand over his beard.

"Lad?" the dwarf whispered and crouched beside his wounded friend. His calloused hand rested on the elf's thin leg "don't you die, not after everything we've been through…not like this" Legolas made no indication of answering the dwarf. Aragorn rested the elf's head in the crook of his elbow, Legolas all but cradled limp in his lap.

"Does he live?" Gandalf asked, voice steely with hidden emotion, a small whimper left one of the hobbits, they knew not which one, the four stood huddled and shivering from anguish in a tight group. Tears threatening to burst from their eyes. Not near enough to be a burden but not far enough where they could not see.

Aragorn's eyes never left the pale elf. Unable to tear his eyes from the spreading blood. In a swift movement he had bowed over so that his ear brushed Legolas lips, his dark hair covering them both.

Small, frantic wisps of breath tickled him.

He smiled softly and straightened.

"He is breathing" a collective sigh of relief rose to the rafters of the stable. Another whimper from the hobbits "Gandalf, Gimli and I will tend to Legolas. Take the hobbits back to the tavern, we will retrieve you shortly" Gandalf nodded and lead the reluctant hobbits away.

"No! Gandalf! I'm staying!" Frodo cried, desperation ringing in his wavering voice as he struggled to break away from the wizard who held his collar. "He needs me! Legolas!"

"Hush, Lad!" Gimli said, throwing aside his ax and rolling his sleeves upwards over thick arms, they were going to remove the arrow "Leave us be! We will come get you later, you have my promise!" the hobbits quieted, looks of defeat etched like scars on their faces.

"And Gandalf, old friend" Aragorn looked up momentarily as he spoke, dark eyes sad "try and see if anyone knows what transpired here." His voice was soft and remorseful. The elderly wizard only nodded and closed the doors shut behind them, the hobbits wails still to be heard until they were finally out of ear shot.

Only then did Legolas let out a gentle moan.

"Legolas, if you can hear me…we're going to remove the arrow" Legolas' breath hitched but his eyes remain closed, the man looked up to the dwarf "Gimli, I'm going to need your assistance. Rip a bandage from your shirt." A tearing noise and it was done. Aragorn took the fabric in one hand and grasped the arrow shaft in the other. Legolas whimpered again.

"Lad, wait" the two companions eyes met "are you sure we should do this here?"

"We haven't any choice, moving him with this arrow in his chest could easily nick the heart, we need to remove it before we move him" no one dared to move, until Gimli let out a gruff nod and a grunt and took the limp elf's arms in his hands in case he thrashed from the pain.

Legolas let out a strangled cry, eyes flying wide as the arrow was pulled free of the flesh, a squirt of blood took to the air and dribbles splashed across the dwarf's face. He too let out a startled cry as the warm droplets skewed across his skin. The fabric was pushed against the wound, and the three lay there gasping.

Legolas' eyes darted around the stable.

Gimli let go of his arms and wiped his hand across his face to rid himself of the blood, it smeared.

"Legolas? Mellon nin. Amin sinta thaliolle e dagor, have strength here as well" Aragorn searched his friend's pained face, Gimli unsure of the elven language sat crouched awkwardly.

"Estel?" the elf's head turned painfully to look at the dwarf "Gimli?" his voice was so weak they two friends had to strain to hear it.

"Are you in much pain?" Aragorn asked, still cradling the elvenprince in his lap.

"I…I am fine" Legolas' face was a dreadful pale, his eyes slid shut. With a small lurch of horror Aragorn felt the blood surge past the fabric and pool around his fingers.

"We've got to move him, lad" Gimli stood and looked down upon the two, turning his head at the blood.

"Amin anta est, Legolas. I will be here when you awaken"

"Lle vesta?"

"Vesta."

Legolas lay unmoving upon his bed, Aragorn and another healer nearby. Gimli had joined the hobbits and the wizard downstairs in the tavern. All sat restless.

Legolas flinched and awoke, a needle was stitching together the wound on his bare chest. Aragorn felt his friend wake, and smiled, eyes never leaving his sewing. He sat upon a stool beside him.

"You are awake" it was spoken as a soft observation rather than a question, finally the man king's eyes met the elves "good" a pause "how do you feel?" Legolas' traveled around the room as he regained his bearings, he was in the same room as the night before. The sky seemed to be darkening outside the pane of window.

"Sut an?" his voice was thick with weakness. Aragorn went back to his stitching, for a moment no one spoke. Aragorn sighed relieved to hear the elf's voice, no matter how weak. He was alive.

"About four hours" Legolas struggled to sit, Aragorn lunged to push him back down "You must not move, Mellon nin. You have been shot" Legolas finally looked at his wound, it was small, red and angry. Blood sluggishly pooled around it. "We struggled to cease the bleeding. Your fever just broke"

Legolas touched the stitching and winced. Then brought his weariness trembling fingers to his head, a strip of bandage was wrapped there as well.

"And my head?" Aragorn brought his teeth to the string and cut it, putting away the needle.

"We hadn't realized it when we found you, but you had a gash in your temple as well." There was a strained silence, the door clicked as the other healer gathered the medicine bags and left. The elf watched them leave "Legolas" Aragorn recaptured his friends attention and took his trembling hand into his own, it was damp with sweat. "Do you know who tried to assassinate you?"

For a moment Legolas thought, then sadly shook his head, he regretted it as dizziness over took him. He closed his eyes "Nay…I do not." He laid back, his gold hair spread about around him, his crown sparkled at his beside. Gimli had retrieved it. Still clutching his hand, Aragorn reached over and drew a wet cloth from a bowl besides them and wrung it, adjusting it across Legolas' brow.

"Do you remember what at all happened?" Legolas moved with a wince and fell still, glassy eyes looking deeply into Aragorn's.

"Aye" Aragorn nodded for him to continue "I went to the stable to put my supply packs on Arod, my mare…"

"I am quite aware whom your horse is, Mellon nin" his fingers brushed the edge of the pointed ear.

"Yes, I suppose you are. But when I got to the stables and opened the door, I suddenly felt an immense pain in my shoulder…" he touched his wound "then I vaguely remembering being dragged across the hay…screaming…then nothing" Aragorn petted his hair softly and they managed a small smile at each other, reassuring.

"You will be fine" Legolas sunk deeper into the pillows, hair still bloodied, although now dried. His eyes closed,

"It hurts" Aragorn dissolved into silence, a sudden anger sparking at the assassin whom had gotten away. He re-drenched the cloth and placed it back, letting go of Legolas' hand his shaking fingers mad their way into the elvenprince's hair, undoing the small braids. The dried blood caused them to tangle, his fingers worked move violently in the soft hair. "Aragorn" he ignored it "Aragorn! That hurts!"

His fingers fell away, somewhat horrified at what he had done. His finger's ceased and he pulled away. His anger towards the assassin had clogged his mind, Legolas' soft, weak voice had ushered it aside.

"Legolas. Brother. Forgive me" they sat in silence, the king removed the cloth and helped Legolas sit upright, his hand keeping him steady at the small of his back, he began to bandage the stiches. As he wound the roll around the shoulder, the elf spoke

"Not too much" voice growing quieter from fatigue, "I need to be able to use my bow on my journey today." Aragorn paused, disbelief flickering in the pools of his eyes. He finished the bandage, tying it at the pale side and laid his friend back down.

Legolas moaned painfully.

"You FOOL! Dolle naa lost! You will be making no journey this week…you will recover first! The journey is a hard enough one without added injury!"

"Aragorn, you simply do not understand. And I suppose you never will" the elf's eyes closed, his words cryptic "I am leaving tonight." With a shudder of what Aragon supposed was agony, the young elf lost to the battle of sleep. The man's anger dissolved as he watched the elf's restless sleep.

"Well, I am coming too then, Legolas. Amin khiluva lle a' gurtha ar' thar."

In the tavern below the inn Gimli paced hand buried deep in his beard, Ax long forgotten besides the wall. Due to the event earlier the inn keeper had closed the tavern to allow the fellowship some privacy. Gandalf sat by, grey eyes following the movements of the dwarf. The hobbits were huddled close to the wizard the whispering and whimpers and tears long dried up. Now they fidgeted anxiously with worry.

"Gimli-" The wizard was interrupted by a shout from upstairs, Aragorn's angry voice wafted from above.

"You FOOL! Dolle naa lost!" then silence. Gimli paused then continued his pace, Gandalf sighed.

"I suppose this means the elf's awoken" the hobbit's head perked up as Aragorn descended the stairs, they were on him in a second.

"Aragon! How is Legolas? Is he all right?" Aragorn looked down at the four small faces peering at him anxiously.

"He will recover" it was well past noon "unfortunately he is as childish and dumb as ever" he sat, finally Gimli did as well.

"What do you mean?"

"He's going to journey tonight, Gimli! Tonight!"

"Nay, he must have been jesting!"

"No I swear of it! He was serious!" Gandalf waved his hand to interrupt the dumbfounded friends

"Excuse me, Man, Master dwarf" they looked at the grey wizard "of which journey do you speak?"

There was a brief explanation. Of which the hobbits whispered horrified throughout.

"No! He mustn't, I will not let him go alone!" Pippin shouted standing heatedly "I will not just accept the fact that my dearest friend will go on a journey and I will never see him again! It was hard enough today thinking that perhaps I would loose him forever, I will not let that happen now! Or ever! I am going with him!" the silence that followed was deafening.

"Aye" Gimli said standing "nor will I"

"Or me" Frodo said, the other hobbit's nodded quickly, standing as well.

"I don't think any of us would." Aragorn said rustling Pippin's hair reassuringly. "Legolas is too dear"

"And what of the assassin? Was he caught?" regretful eyes of the king floated to Sam who clutched a pot nearly to his chest.

"Nay, he was not."

Translations:

Uuma dela, Heruamin. Mani marte?- Don't worry, my lord. What happened?

Mellon nin, amin sinta thaliolle e dagor- my friend, I know your strength in battle

Amin anta est- I need you to rest.

Lle vesta?- do you promise?

Vesta- I promise

Sut an?- how long?

Dolle naa lost- your head is empty

Amin khiluva lle a' gurtha ar' thar- I will follow you to death and beyond

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Yours truly,

EACT

live like elves, mellon nins.