AN: I'm sorry this is late, but seriously, real life reared its ugly head (under the context of apartment floorplans, leasing contracts, and packing up my earthly possessions for the big move). Also, this chapter decided to be more difficult to write than any two other chapters (including the tournament chapters in Beginnings combined). Seriously...it's been kicking me in the teeth since Saturday. And I'm still not happy with it.

Warning: this chapter contains violence and character death (a very minor character...but I wanted to warn you).

Chapter Twenty-Three: Revenge

Legolas shook his head as Brithdil gave a rather lively account of the twins' accidental destruction of the trade agreement. He still couldn't believe Elladan and Elrohir had been bringing a frog into the palace—why would they do such a thing?

"And then my father banished them, didn't he?" the prince asked.

Brithdil nodded. "But you should have seen your brother...his robe had gotten singed beating out the flames, and the smoke was still noticeable at dinner."

"What were they doing?"

"I do not know...Elladan and Elrohir are the only ones, and they have refused to tell anyone."

Legolas sighed, leaning back against the wall behind his bed. He had been moved to a separate room while his was still being cleaned of smoke. The twins had said he could stay with them until his room was ready, but he knew it was time to start separating a bit from his friends. They wouldn't be able to stay in Mirkwood forever, after all. Not that they wouldn't still be close, but he had been living with their family for almost ninety years. It was time to readjust to living with his own family.

"Do you think they're still helping Belegdur?" Legolas asked.

"I would imagine so. Quite a fitting punishment your father selected."

Legolas found himself laughing again, and soon Brithdil and Meledur, the other elf assigned to protect the prince, joined in.

"I wish I could have seen your brother's face when he saw Elladan and Elrohir," Meledur commented from his seat near the balcony door. Dark curtains covered the door, blocking the moon and stars.

Since his conversation with his father, Legolas had been under the protection of at least two warriors. Even now that night was falling and there had been no sign of Amarthwen or Thilator since the attack in the garden (Thilator had disappeared before Elrohir could get to him). This room was in a more secluded wing as well, as it would be more difficult for Amarthwen or Thilator to slip up to it if there were fewer elves milling about.

Silence fell over the room. Legolas fiddled with his sling, not entirely sure two guards were necessary. But it was his father's idea, and he was happy with that. If only they could catch one of them...he was afraid Elladan or Elrohir or someone in his family would be in danger because of what he told his father.

He was about to tell Brithdil and Meledur that they could leave, when a sudden eruption of noise outside caught all three elves' attention. Meledur leapt up, pushing the curtains aside to peer out. "The forest burns," he said in shock. "The trees...the trees are burning."

"We should go," Legolas said, standing up.

"No," Brithdil argued, standing in front of the door with his arms folded. "We need to stay here."

"But we could help," the prince protested.

"You father gave us explicit orders," Brithdil replied. "We cannot leave."

Legolas sighed, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

"Come away from there, Meledur," Brithdil called.

The other elf seemed transfixed by the sight of the blaze in the forest, but at the captain's voice he let the curtain fall. "I wonder how it happened," he said quietly, turning around to face the other two.

"It could be anything...a campfire that got out of hand, careless humans wandering in the forest," Brithdil let his voice trail off, leaning back against the door.

Legolas shook his head. How could anyone be so careless as to let a flame get out of hand, particularly in the forest? "Do you think they'll be able to put out the fire?" he asked quietly, concerned for the trees. He could faintly hear their voices...it was chilling.

Meledur nodded. "I've seen them fight more dangerous fires," he said. "This is—ah!" the elf let out a cry of pain, his head jerking back. Legolas gasped. From where he was sitting he could just see a long-fingered hand tangled in Meledur's hair.

The warrior tried to fight his unseen attacker, but it was barely a moment before he stiffened with another sharp cry, hands clawing at the curtains behind him. The elf gave an odd gurgled cry, his eyes glazing over, and suddenly slumped motionless to the floor.

"Get behind me!" Brithdil snapped, yanking Legolas toward the door. The captain had his bow out, aiming at the curtains.

"What about Meledur?" Legolas asked quietly.

"He's beyond our aide," Brithdil replied. Meledur was lying still...too still. Whether unconscious or dead Legolas did not know...but the bloody wounds on his back did not bode well.

"The door," Brithdil whispered. "Get out of here."

Legolas tried. "It's locked," he replied in shock. "Did you lock it?"

Brithdil shook his head. He stared at the curtains, waiting for the slightest hint of movement. He did not want to fire and miss...he did not know if he could get another arrow out before the attacker moved into the room.

"Do you have a key?" he asked Legolas.

"On the stand beside the bed."

"I'll get it...stay here, and warn me if the curtains move."

Legolas nodded. He shivered, wrapping his good arm around himself. He knew how the attacker had come in...there were trailing vines up this side of the palace. The fire must have been a diversion, he realized...and Meledur had played into Amarthwen's hands by opening the curtains.

He heard the lock in the door click open, but before he could move a hand reached through a crack in the door and grabbed him by his bad arm, jerking him out of the room.

"Put that away, Captain," a cold, haughty voice uttered. Legolas felt a cold blade press against his neck.

Legolas saw Brithdil's eyes widen, arrow notched and pointed at Legolas' captor.

"Unless you want to watch your prince die, I suggest you put that away."

It was Amarthwen.

"Let him go," Brithdil said evenly. "Or I will fire."

"You'll hit the prince," Amarthwen replied. "Just stand down, Captain."

"Why? What could you possibly want with him?"

Legolas stiffened as the knife pressed in closer to his neck. He could feel the blade biting into his skin, and nearly closed his eyes.

"Revenge," Amarthwen hissed. "He ruined my life...my family...everything!"

"How?" Brithdil demanded.

"His father forced me to stay in the palace to care for him," she snapped. "My brother was the only family I had left, and he would not even let me see him."

"That isn't true!"

Legolas saw the curtains move. "Brithdil!"

Amarthwen's arm wrapped around his chest. "Quiet," she sneered. "You little orc-brat, I should have killed you years ago...a simple accident, you could have fallen out the window, even though I told you not to hang out of it. After all, that tutor had everyone convinced you were such a disobedient child."

The captain heard a noise at the balcony and whirled around, instinctively firing. The arrow struck flesh, and Legolas heard a howl of pain.

While Brithdil was distracted, Amarthwen pulled Legolas into the hall, releasing her arm from around his chest to lock the door again.

"Let me go!" Legolas grabbed her wrist with his good hand, trying to force it away.

The she-elf swore under her breath. "Stop fighting me," she hissed. "I can make this more painful than it has to be."

Where was everyone? The hall was completely empty...not even a servant around. Legolas struggled, biting back a cry of pain when Amarthwen viciously dug her fingers into his still-healing shoulder.

"No one will hear you," she gloated. "I made sure of that...the trees burn and the kegs in the wine cellar have burst. There is no one to help you."

Legolas could hear Brithdil hammering on the door, and knew it would only be moments before the captain broke the door down. "My father will find you," he said, fighting Amarthwen with every step, though the pain in his shoulder and the blade at his throat hampered his effort. "You won't escape this time."

"I don't have to," she replied, pushing him into a room not far away. "Just as long as you're dead."

He stumbled a bit when she shoved him deeper into the room, pausing to twist a key in the lock. "Not a word," she said, finger to her lips and dagger in hand. "If you shout I will kill you, and then that captain friend of yours."

Legolas stumbled back, looking for any furniture in the room to place between him and Amarthwen. There was nothing...not even a bed frame...except an empty wardrobe in the corner. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, backing toward the window. Only...there was no window on this side of the palace.

"Quiet."

The young elf heard a crash in the hall. He froze...that was Brithdil breaking down the door. The captain called his name, his voice high with trepidation. Amarthwen again held a finger to her lips, shifting the blade in her hand.

Legolas waited another moment until Brithdil's voice called further down the hall, then launched himself at Amarthwen. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he grabbed her wrist with both hands, trying to wrestle the knife away from her.

With more curses, Amarthwen tried to pull her hand away, using her free hand to push his chin up and back.

Legolas fought back another strangled cry as Amarthwen moved her hand to dig into his injured shoulder, inadvertently releasing her wrist with one hand. She pulled her hand away, striking him across the face with the handle of the knife. He stumbled back, face stinging from the blow.

"I'm getting tired of this," she growled.

The prince grunted, wiping blood off his cheek with one hand. His heartbeat quickened—he could hear other steps running down the hall. Brithdil must have gotten help!

Amarthwen heard the approaching elves, too. "They can't save you," she crowed, diving at him with the knife held high.

He tried to counter, but realized too late it was a feint. The palm of her hand slammed into his chest, sending him to the floor panting for breath.

"I did warn you," she sneered, twirling the knife in her hand. "I said I would kill you myself." In a swift strike, she brought the pommel of the knife across his temple.

Pain exploded through his head, and he knew no more.

Reviews? Flames? Tar and Feathers?

AN: Yeah, yeah...evil cliffie. The next chapter shouldn't be so hard to write, though.

Review responses are posted...I've changed my site around again...there's some news about its upcoming overhaul.

All right...I'm moving on the 30th, so I'm going to try to get this part of the story finished by then (shouldn't be too hard). I ought to be able to get back to the story by the second week of April, but I can't make any promises here.