Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or Lord of the Rings.

A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing! Well, considering we just had a 5.9 or 6.0 (depending on who you're listening to) earthquake like four hours ago, I'm uploading late. I currently live in Costa Rica, and may I say it's not the paradise you completely believe it is, especially not on Friday the 13th (today's events were a large thunderstorm and a 6.0 earthquake, plus a few minor things). My family and I are thankfully fine, and as for those closer to the epicenter… I honestly have no idea. That may be something I'll look into. Thus, since I'm late, I'm not going to respond individually to reviews right now, but just say a big thank you overall, to everyone.

Chapter 6

Elrond heard laughter outside and rose to go to the window. The sight that greeted him warmed his heart. Somehow Elladan and Legolas had ended up in the stream that ran through the garden. Elrohir was still dry and laughing hard, a look of guilt on his face. Legolas and Elladan exchanged a glance before jumping up simultaneously, grabbing Elrohir, and pulling him into the water after them.

"Cold!" Elrohir shrieked, causing the other two to burst out laughing.

Elrond was so caught in watching his sons and their new friend that he didn't notice two figures slipping inside his study. One stepped beside him, glancing down at the small war of water the three youths were having.

"It's good to see them getting on so well." Glorfindel commented, smiling fondly.

"Aye," Elrond agreed.

The other figure, an elf with dark hair and blue-gray eyes, nodded slowly, "I'm truly glad your sons have a new companion, My Lord. But, I'll warn you now: they need to study. If this continues to interfere with that as it did this afternoon,"

"Ai, Erestor!" Glorfindel sighed, "Is that all you ever think about?" The golden haired elf made sure to smile slightly at Erestor to make sure the other knew he was teasing.

"I am truly sorry about this afternoon." Elrond spoke up, "I forgot Elladan should have been studying with you; it was under my permission he stayed with Legolas."

Erestor nodded, "So I heard."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something of the sort." Elrond began.

"Oh?" Erestor looked up.

Elrond nodded, "I was wondering if it wouldn't be too much trouble if you were to teach Legolas in addition to my sons. I'm sure he won't cause near as much trouble as the twins and-"

"Elrond, mellon nin, no one can be as much trouble as those two twin nightmares you fathered." Erestor said with a rare teasing tone to his voice, "I may as well."

"They aren't that bad."

Glorfindel and Erestor simultaneously spoke, "They are."

Sighing heavily, Elrond began to speak but Glorfindel beat him to it, "They're pranksters and troublemakers, as most of us were, save probably Erestor. They'll turn out fine, but right now…"

Erestor nodded, "Right now they are consistently quite a bit of trouble."

Glorfindel asked, before Elrond could continue the discussion about the twins, "So, does he join the twins with me as well?"

"Yes. While Legolas is here, he ought to keep up his studies. And no one is to tell anyone from Mirkwood about Legolas's being here, understood?"

Both advisors nodded and promised to see to it.

Legolas sat comfortably on a couch, listening to Elladan and Elrohir plot their next prank.

"So, we should-"Elladan broke off suddenly.

Only a second later, a young elleth, or younger than the twins and a little younger than Legolas, peeked around the corner and announced, "Elladan; Elrohir, dinner is almost ready."

"Hannon le (Thank you); we'll be down in a minute."

"All right," She agreed pleasantly.

Legolas looked to Elladan, "Who is she?"

"That's Arwen," He answered, "Our younger sister."

Elrohir was giving Legolas a half-skeptical look until Elladan elbowed him. Legolas blinked; then nodded, "Oh."

"We'd better get to dinner." Elrohir said, standing and rubbing his arm where Elladan had hit him.

Elladan nodded in agreement and lead them through the halls to the dining room. Legolas was shocked to find Elrond, Glorfindel, and a dark-haired elf already present, and, along with Arwen, completely alone.

"Hungry, I hope?" Glorfindel asked, smiling brightly.

Both twins nodded eagerly, sitting down and quickly inviting Legolas to sit next to them. He was about to agree when Elrond spoke.

"Penneth," He said fondly, shocking Legolas with the fatherly touch to his voice, "Trust me, don't sit next to either of them. You won't get very much to eat, as the food on their end of the table tends to disappear quite quickly.

The twins protested, "Unfair!"

"But," Arwen interjected gently, "It's true."

Legolas nodded, taking a seat next to Arwen, figuring that would be safe enough. Now that he could see her clearly, he noticed she had dark brown or black hair and bright blue eyes that shone. She smiled brightly at him. For the first time In a while, he fully relaxed, grinning back at her, and eating the meal with plenty of conversation and laugher.

In the middle of the meal, Erestor leaned toward Glorfindel, whispering, "Legolas is very different from his father. I don't think I've ever heard Thranduil laugh like this."

Glorfindel nodded, "Aye, he's quite something, mellon nin; quite something indeed."

"He's certainly something else." Nendir, one of Mirkwood's best trackers, sighed, "He knew what time to leave, which ways to travel, and how to leave the least amount of track-able evidence behind to have us lose him, I think. We tracked him to the Old Forest Road, but from there, we don't know if he traveled along it, or crossed it. If he was bearing for Lothlorien, his heading the right way to hit the Anduin a ways north and travel along it to Lorien."

Faeron nodded, "Are you sure?"

Nendir smiled sadly, "We triple checked. The tracks have been washed away."

Faeron sighed heavily, "All right; thank you. I'll go inform the king."

"Is he okay?" Nendir inquired curiously, "This can't be easy on him, having his son run away like that."

"It's worse than you know." Faeron admitted to the tracker, another one of the king's old friends, "The Elvenking blames himself for driving Prince Legolas away. They had an argument, you see."

Nendir nodded in understanding. Legolas and his father had often clashed, and their arguments where known throughout the palace for their volume. But never had either retaliated so much, usually they were back on good terms within the day.

"Well," Nendir hesitated for a long moment, "if it does the king's heart any good, I found this not too far from the Old Forest Road."

Nendir held out a small bit of blond hair to Faeron. The advisor gave a little gasp, relieved and saddened at the same time. Relieved that Legolas was alive, but saddened because the prince wasn't here. Faeron wished he could show the child how much he truly meant to his father; how devastated Thranduil was.

Nendir then continued, "And there's no sign of Orcs near where he was traveling."

Faeron managed a smile as he took the lock of hair, "Thank you."

"If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to call."

"I won't, and thanks again."

"Anytime," Nendir turned, walking away slowly.

Faeron took a deep breath before going over to Thranduil's study. He knocked on the door and called, "Milord?"

"I'm here; come in, Faeron." The Elvenking called wearily.

Opening the door and stepping into the study, Faeron looked at the wall of books for a moment. Then, he spotted Thranduil in one of the corners, looking down at a small book.

"Nendir was just here." Faeron said, gently touching his friend's shoulder, "He lost Legolas's trail at the Old Forest Road."

Thranduil nodded slowly, the pain rushing forward in his eyes again, "There is no telling where he went, then."

"Not for sure," Faeron agreed hesitantly, "But we know he went as far as the road safely. Nendir figures his heading is about right for Lorien; there's no signs of Orcs near his path."

Thranduil nodded again. Faeron sighed; his friend was weighed down with grief and guilt. The old sparkle had gone from his eyes, even the dull shine that had been almost-always present after his wife's death was no longer to be seen. Faeron knew Thranduil enough to know the king was having an internal struggle over excusing his son's disappearance from his conscious and yet he felt it couldn't be so easily put aside. Thranduil loved Legolas; always had, though his ability to show how he felt was lacking, but he had always cherished the boy. Now that Legolas was gone, leaving Thranduil in guilt, the Elvenking was struggling with the conflicting emotions that overwhelmed him completely.

"I miss him." The king finally managed, "I miss him so much."

Green eyes swiftly softening, Faeron placed an arm around Thranduil, "I know you do."

Thranduil's gaze dropped to his friend's hand, "W-What is that?"

Faeron quickly held out the small lock of white-blond hair, "Nendir found it and hoped it might do your heart some good."

Thranduil's eyes widened and his hand darted outward to grasp the lock of hair, holding it close to him. Traces of tears swam in the king's blue eyes.

"I-I wish I had told him how much he means to me." Thranduil whispered.

"You'll get the chance to tell him when we find him." Faeron promised.

"I hope so, otherwise, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

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