Dawn came too swiftly for Aragorn as his captors kicked him cruelly awake. He stared at them through half lidded eyes and tried to summon the will to stand but the energy failed him. His limbs were cold and felt as heavy as lead, his right arm stung and burned where it had been cut during the battle and his mouth felt as dry as a desert. Suddenly a water flask thudded into his ribs, stifling a moan he grabbed at it greedily. There was not much left but he drained it desperately ignoring the fact it was warm and stale, he could not care. Dropping the empty flask he licked his dry cracked lips and winched as they began to bleed. Around him the orc's were breaking camp grumbling and muttering to themselves as they woke and kicked the others awake. Aragorn tried hard not to stare as his guard stood eating in front of him. He obviously enjoying seeing the ranger trying to resist staring at the food. The rangers stomach growled loudly in response to the sight of food and Aragorn quickly looked away. Sneering the orc threw the last of the rock hard biscuits at him. He laughed as he watched the ranger scrabbling around for them and straining desperately for the ones just past the reach of the chains. Others joined in the laughter watching him near breaking his teeth trying to eat them. Aragorn ignored them, he didn't care what he looked like he was too hungry and gave a winch as he bit down hard on the next biscuit. Glancing up quickly he pocketed the last two for later, who knew he thought when he would next be given something to eat.

As Elladan and Elrohir drew closer the smell of blood grew stronger in the air. The horses grew more and more unsettled flaring their nostrils and tossing their heads to try to rid themselves of the foul odour. The twins patted their necks soothingly talking softly to them in elvish and guiding them forwards. As they rounded the corner onto the ridge they stopped in horror at the scene before them. The path was littered with corpses, large numbers of crows and ravens squabbled among them. Quickly dismounting they tethered their skittish horses and began to search among them dead, praying desperately that they did not find the two they sought. It was soon obvious to them that the dead were orc's which worried them for the foul beasts had not dared venture this close before. Worse yet was the fact that neither of them had heard any news of patrols running into any bands, which left the question of who had killed them?. The crows and ravens cawed loudly at them for interrupting their meal as the hopped away. The twins ignored them searching carefully for any sign that either Aragorn or Legolas were here. The battle they noted had taken place over a week before and so by now the rain had long since washed away any tracks, so they were forced to find something left behind to identify. Suddenly Elrohir gave a cry and ran forward Elladan swiftly followed, leaping over the corpses he soon saw what had caused his brother to cry out. Amongst the dead there was a flash of golden hair which he knew could not belong to any of the orc's lying about them. Praying he was wrong he stepped closer and saw that it was indeed Legolas, falling to his knees beside his brother he gently turned the elf over and felt his blood run cold. Legolas's eyes were closed, 'no' he breathed. Legolas could not be dead.

Elrond paced worriedly around his study. Though he had not slept much the night before he did not feel tired. He paused and stared at his desk where piles of paperwork waited for his attention debating whether to attempt starting it. He knew it needed to be completed soon to know if they had enough food and supplies to see them through the winter. Sighing he turned his back on the desk, he was in no mood to deal with it now. If he tried, he knew that he would only sit there for hours and not do anything much which would annoy him. Walking over to the bookcase which lined the far wall of his study he picked out a book at random and left. Heading down the stairs he entered the hall of fire where he went to sit in his favourite chair by the fire side, opening the book on his lap he stared into the flames of the fire instead of the words on the page. Losing himself once again to his thoughts he barely felt the hours slide by as he waited.

Aragorn was lost once again in the strange waking dreams which plagued his exhausted mind. They came so frequently and were so vivid he was rarely sure what was real and what was not. Currently he saw a plunging water fall which changed suddenly into a crackling fire. He tried desperately to cling on to this image, he felt almost like there was actually warmth seeping into him from the fire. Distressingly it was replaced by one of the giant spiders that roamed the mirkwood forests surrounding Legolas's home. Aragorn shuddered with repulsion at the sight and thankfully the images faded allowing him once again to see the real landscape that surrounded him. Aragorn bowed his head under the sudden onslaught of grief at the loss of his friend. The thought of never seeing him again tore at his heart and the pain remained as a constant reminder of what he had lost. Not for the first time Aragorn blamed himself and the guilt swamped him replacing the grief. He allowed himself to be lost again to his dreams, walking blindly ahead as the orc's took him further away.

Elladan gently moved the dried blood matted hair away from legolas's neck and felt for a pulse. The skin was unnaturally cold beneath his fingers. Gritting his teeth he pressed down, praying beyond belief that he would find a pulse. He paused for several seconds as the truth sunk in, it felt like his own heart stopped and his fingers withdrew involuntarily. A quick glance at his brother's face told Elrohir the pulse was not there. He bowed his head in grief and placed his hand flat on legolas's chest. The loss of any immortal life was hard but for a friend it was devastating. His mind could barely comprehend the information. His thoughts jumped to how he would have to break the news to Elrond, and then to Legolas own father, it hardly bared thinking about. Looking up he blinked as he swore he felt the faintest heart beat beneath his hand. Startled he turned to Elladan who instantly reached out and placed his fingers back on legolas's neck seeking the pulse. Pressing down once more he dared to believe he felt the faintest pulse beneath his fingers. He looked back at his brother not even daring to hope 'he may be too close to mandos's halls'

Elrohir nodded and prayed they had found him in time. Jumping up he ran for the horses 'find Estel' he called as he scanned the bodies he passed frantically for any sign of the ranger. He hated himself for waiting so long. The delay could cost not only Legolas his life but Estel as well. He prayed he was not too late.