Home Sweet Home

I was going to update on Monday, but I was unable to access my account...so I've done it now :)

Thanks to the people who reviewed part 2 - the replies will be left at the end of the chapter again!

Part Three

When Gimli stepped out of Thranduil's study, he expected Legolas to follow him. But the door swung shut behind him, and he could hear - just - the quiet hum of voices inside that showed that Thranduil and Legolas were still talking. Gimli shrugged and prepared to wait. He leant against the wall, but the very moment his back brushed the stone, somebody grabbed him and pulled him roughly away from it.

"Watch where your going!" The person's voice hissed quietly, before promptly kicking the Dwarf in the sensitive spot behind his knee's, making him collapse heavily. The figure just managed to grab him before he hit the floor, but slammed his knee into the back of Gimli's head anyway. Hard enough to make the Dwarf black out.

Throughout all of this, Gimli was powerless to defend himself. It was rather rude to walk about a place with one's axe, of course, so he didn't have that with him. He was also so surprised to be being attacked in Legolas's home that he was too stunned to put up a fight, but he was being held so tightly he couldn't have done much, anyway.

Feeling rather pleased with himself, and how quickly he had worked - it had all taken place in a matter of mere seconds - the attacker began dragging the unconscious being down the corridor, and none too carefully. He was lucky; he hadn't quite cleared the corridor when Legolas stepped out of the study, but Legolas thankfully looked the other way first, and by the time he had looked where he should have, there was nothing there.

Legolas was surprised that Gimli hadn't waited for him. Legolas concluded that the Dwarf had simply presumed that he and Thranduil would be talking for a long time, and hunger had overcome him so he had stumbled off to find the kitchen. It would take him only a matter of seconds to catch up with his friend.

However, when Legolas did reach the kitchen, Gimli was nowhere to be seen. None of the kitchen workers had seen the Dwarf since the previous evening at supper. He really did begin to worry for his friend, although he told himself it was pointless, and that Gimli was perfectly alright. He strode out of the kitchens, and back into the main body of the palace, wondering if Gimli had perhaps gone back to his chambers to wait for him there. It was possible.

A quick look around his rooms assured him that Gimli was not in there, either.

Legolas sank into an overstuffed armchair. There was nowhere else that Gimli would go without him in this place. The event of the morning kept running through his mind, remembering what had occurred between his brother, himself and Gimli. He wouldn't have had reason to worry, except that conversation...

Why did he have such a dark feeling that Maegóre had something to do with this?

He was brought out of his thoughts by a head poking around the door.

"Legolas? The patrol party has arrived early, they're coming through the gates now." Hathel informed him. Mistaking Legolas's look, he quickly added, "I did respect your privacy! I knocked twice but no-one answered!"

"It's okay, Hathel. Sorry. I didn't hear you." Legolas stood up and went over to the other Elf.

"What's wrong?" Hathel asked curiously, as he shut the door behind them and they began walking down to the Entrance Hall.

Legolas bit his lip slightly. "I seem to have lost Gimli."

Hathel stifled a laugh. "The Dwarf? Have you checked the kitchens?"

"Yes."

"Relax, Legolas, I didn't mean anything by it. I think he's quite fascinating, actually. I'm sure he's fine, just a little lost."

"I should go and look for him." Legolas said as they made their way through the doors of the Entrance Hall.

"You do that, but it won't hurt to say hello to Aelin and Linnod first." Hathel pointed out.

Legolas nodded. He waited while the six Elves finished their report to Tanthalas and Kemen, before four of them went to wash in their homes and two of them - Linnod and Aelin - bounded energetically over to them. Kemen followed at a normal walking pace, rolling his eyes.
After he greeted his friends and waved off their questions about the Fellowship and the Quest, Legolas said, somewhat distractedly, that he had to go and look for something. This was met with a few raised eyebrows when Hathel explained that he had to go and look for the Dwarf.

"Oh yes." Aelin said as he remembered Legolas's companion. "I forgot about the Dwarf."

"I didn't." Linnod remarked.

"You lost the Dwarf?" Kemen frowned. "So...he's somewhere in the palace...alone?"

Legolas nodded. "Probably. Unless someone has managed to find him. Which is unlikely."

"He looked pretty angry when I saw him earlier." Kemen admitted. Legolas, who didn't know what his friend was talking about, looked at him and Kemen continued. "It wasn't long ago, actually. An hour at most. He must have just come out of King Thranduil's study."

Now, Legolas sighed. He could guess what must of happened - Gimli had stormed off, angry about what Maegóre had said, and was now either lost or sulking or both.

"I wouldn't worry though." Kemen added smoothly. "Maegóre went past about ten seconds later."

Legolas's head shot round to the other Elf. "He did?" It could be a coincidence...but it didn't seem very likely. He knew how the pair felt about eachother. What if his brother had taken Gimli off to have a little talk?

"Yes. Looked like they were headed outside, but I don't know." Kemen continued. He then watched appreciatively as Legolas slid past him and back the way he had come, seemingly on his way up to see Maegóre.

Legolas didn't stop to knock on his brother's door, but threw it open with enough force to make it hit the wall with a sharp thwack. Standing in the doorway, he inspected Maegóre's main room, which was empty.

It was different to his room. Although the layout was the same - same windows at the end of the room, same doors around the room - it was furnished differently. There was a large desk which dominated the room, and on it was all of his papers and stationary. The walls were lined with sofa's and tables and paintings - there was one of Maegóre and Legolas together in their adolescent years, and the rest were of landscapes. There were a few bookshelves, but the books had been taken off of these a long time ago. Now they contained odd little ornaments that somehow documented his life. The books had been taken away, Legolas didn't know where. The room was emptier than Legolas's. It told little of Maegóre's personality, but much of his life.

"Maegóre!" Legolas called out loudly. He certainly wasn't going to search around for his brother. He had to wait only a few seconds before Maegóre stepped into the room.

"Can I help you?" Maegóre asked tightly.

"Have you seen Gimli?" Legolas asked, as he entered the room.

Maegóre's face immediately darkened and he scowled. "No. I try to avoid being around unpleasant things."

"Well, he's missing. Do you know anything about it?" Legolas pressed. As he had made his way up to Maegóre's rooms, he had convinced himself that he must have something to do with Gimli's sudden disappearance.

"Should I?"

"Maegóre! Stop playing games with me! I need to know where he is!" Legolas exploded, half storming up to the other. What was he going to do? There wasn't anything he could do, but Maegóre just looked so infuriatingly calm. Legolas stopped halfway through the room.

"You're looking in the wrong place." Maegóre said coldly. Then, seeing Legolas's face, he added, "It's only a Dwarf, Legolas. I don't understand what you're so worried about."

Far from helping matters, this only served to make Legolas angrier. "I hope you realise that this is all because of you. Because of your bullying, in Ada's study. Now he's walked off somewhere - and you walked after him! I know you had something to do with this. Gimli will tell me when I find him." Legolas insisted. He didn't want to spent another moment that close to his brother, so he turned around and walked out with of much of his dignity as he could muster.

Maegóre glared after his younger brother in anger. It was ridiculous - and Elf and a Dwarf being friends! Something really had to be done to show Legolas what was wrong with that picture.

Gimli was floating through a haze of fog and murky shapes. They made little sense to him, but he didn't really care. The feeling was a bit like being drunk, but without the headaches and pains he got afterwards. It was very calm there. Gimli couldn't feel anything, and he couldn't really see anything either. It was just nothing to him. He had been there awhile now - hours at least.

Gradually, the fog began clearing and the shapes made more sense. His senses came back too, and it wasn't long before he was more or less conscious.

He became aware that he was lying on something cold. Cold and hard. His back was aching, because who knew how long he'd been on it? It had to be stone. Or perhaps concrete, although it was a very smooth floor. There was no light either - so no windows. It meant that he was in the underground part of the palace (if he was still in the palace at all). The floor wasn't the only thing that was cold either - the air was freezing, and so was he.

It was at that moment that Gimli realised he couldn't feel his limbs. He knew they were there; but as for moving them? He was numb and wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. The Dwarf growled. He had known it was a mistake to come to Mirkwood, but he had ignored his instincts and followed the dratted Elf anyway. Look where it had got him! Not to mention the fact that he was probably tied up as well.

There was nothing he could do. Not until his attacker came back, anyway. Which gave him something else to think about. Who on Earth could have done this? In any case, he didn't have to think for long. The Elf had to have known where Gimli was at that time, and had to have been outside Thranduil's study too. It could only be Legolas's brother. Maegóre.

There was nothing for it. Legolas was going to have to tell his father about Gimli's disappearance. It was now midway through the afternoon, and Gimli had not even shown up for lunch. After skipping breakfast, there was no way that the Dwarf would go without a second meal. He would be starving by now. Something had to have happened to him.

Although he shuddered a little at having to tell his father that there was currently a Dwarf lost or captured somewhere in his halls, but at least Thranduil would be able to do something productive about the problem. These were the kind of optimistic thoughts that were running through

Legolas's head as he hurried down the corridors to his father's study.

When he reached it, he knocked quietly and waited until he was called to come in, before sliding into the room. Thranduil regarded him with surprise - he clearly hadn't expected to see Legolas back so soon.

"Adar," Legolas began. "There is something I have to tell you."

"Go ahead." Thranduil replied evenly, putting down the block of papers he had been reading through. "I hope you haven't come here to tell me you've lost that Dwarf and that he's somewhere in the palace, alone. Then I would have no choice but to lock you in the dungeons." The worrying thing was, he was only half kidding.

"Er," Legolas said, his mind ticking and a serious change of mind coming over him. "No. Of course not. I came to ask you if - to tell you that after we've gone to Gimli's home, we are returning to Minas Tirith. I am going to help rebuild Ithilien."

Thranduil nodded. "That's very nice of you." He decided not to mention that he thought it would be nicer if he would stay in Lasgalen and help there.

"I came to ask you if I could have some of the Elves to help me. I wouldn't ask, but the shadow has been lifted and I would think you could do without some." Legolas continued.

Thranduil considered. Legolas was right - they didn't need all of the warriors any more. But did he really want them in Gondor?

"I suppose a few wouldn't hurt us. How many are you looking for?"

"However many can be spared." Legolas replied, a little absentmindedly.

"I'm sure something can be arranged." Thranduil said evenly. "Is that all?"

"Yes. Thank-you Ada." Legolas said, and in seconds he was back in the hallway. That didn't go very well, Legolas thought miserably, as he set off in search of Gimli again.

He hadn't even been looking for ten minutes when Kemen came hurrying up to him, looking worried and apprehensive.

"Legolas! Do you know what happened to the Dwarf?" Kemen asked immediately.

Legolas stared at him, and panic started to rise up inside of him. "What- why- what happened? Where is he?" He spluttered, eyes wide.

"He is gone - just gone. They are saying they saw him do it in the stables. I don't know-" Kemen was cut off by Legolas pushing past him and running through the corridors to the stables.

Legolas was sure that if he could just get to the horse then everything would be alright. Gimli wasn't exactly confident on a horse, so would probably be going pretty slowly, and that meant that Legolas could catch him up and sort it all out. This was what he told himself, anyway. Truly, he couldn't believe that it had all gone so wrong, so quickly.

It was unfortunate that Maegóre was passing through the Entrance Hall at the exact same time as Legolas ran through.

"Hold on." Maegóre exclaimed, catching hold of his brother as the two passed eachother. "What are you doing?"

"Let go, Maegóre!" Legolas hissed. "You do not understand!"

"You're right." Maegóre said pleasantly. "I don't. That's why I'm asking you."

"Gimli is gone! But of course you already know this - let go! I have to catch up with him." Insisted Legolas, but no matter how hard he tried, Maegóre's grip was too strong for him to get free.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, but if the Dwarf is gone, then I see no reason to go after him."

Legolas could not believe that this was happening. At least he knew where the Dwarf would be going - either on to Erebor, or back to Gondor. Either way, Legolas would find him. "Just let go!" Finally, he had pulled himself free of his brother, and without looking back, he rushed to the stable, leaving Maegóre glaring after him.

Legolas wasn't thinking straight - if he were, he would have waited and taken more efficient action, or at least prepared - and pretty much ignored all the questions thrown at him by workers and other Elves as he mounted his own horse Galadae, before riding out of the palace. He was still sure that he would be back before evening fell - Gimli couldn't be that far away, could he?

He watched Legolas go and felt a self-satisfied smile work its way onto his lips. His plan had worked, and everything was working out perfectly. Although he felt a little remorse at using one he held so close in this way, it had to be done. There was something seriously wrong with Legolas's way of thinking, but he would be thanked later. With Legolas out of the way, he would be free to go about as he wished, and the inquisitive Elf would not be a threat. If he knew Legolas, he wouldn't rest until he had caught up with the Dwarf. And that certainly wasn't going to happen.

Thanks for reading! Feedback and constructive criticism will be much appreciated, it's great to know what you think :) :) :)

Manwaithiel Melda: Thank-you! Well, I prefer to think that she just sailed (usually when Legolas was youngish.) but I'm open to her dying too. It hasn't come up as a thing in either of my stories yet though :) Thanks for reviewing!

Gabi: Glad you found that funny! Slash is just WRONG, though, and I'm really not into it, but I'll check out some of the other stories when I get a chance. Thanks for reviewing!

tear-drowned-angel: I know, he's horrible! And rude! Thanks for reviewing :)

Purplefluffychainsaw: Glad I did better this time :D Thanks for reviewing!