Moving through the forest was extremely slow going, even though they weren't fleeing very far. Only far enough away to get out of earshot of the battle that raged. Every step was agony for the elf but he put on a brave face. He didn't want to show more weakness than he already was.

But that didn't stop the gratefulness played across his features when they finally stopped. Letting go of his grasp on the older man's grey robes, Legolas collapsed tiredly to the ground. It hurt to stand, it hurt to sit, it even hurt to use his hands which were burned in some places.

"We should be safe here for a little while." Gandalf spoke, eyes darting around the forest nervously for a moment before turning to the elf. "What's your name?"

"Legolas." Was all he was able to bite out considering he was out of breath, in pain, and exhausted.

Fili knelt down beside him, getting a closer look at the wounds before shooting worried eyes up at Gandalf. Taking Fili's silent request, the wizard also knelt down before him. "I recognize that name. You are the child of king Thanduil, prince of the woodland realm…." Gandalf's words were a mere distraction so he could to get a close look at the injuries.

The dwarf raised his brows looking from the elf to Gandalf and then back to the elf. Legolas….prince of mirkwood? This was their prince? He supposed he could have believed it when they were first captured. But now? This poor creature looked nothing like royalty.

Legolas only furrowed his brow and laid his head back on the tree, shutting his eyes. "You have heard of me yet, I do not know who you are." His voice came as a quiet rasp. His mind was fading fast, he could feel it. Since he was now out of immediate danger the exhaustion was taking hold, threatening to pull him into unconsciousness.

"I am Gandalf the grey, Mithrandir if you like." The wizard's voice was deep and soothing and in moments, Legolas fell unconscious and limp at their feet.

Frowning, the grey robed man quickly laid a hand on the prince's bloodied forehead, closing his eyes as he whispered some spell. "Fili, quickly, take off your shirt." Some of these wounds needed caring for immediately and without proper bandages, any fabric would have to do.

Moving with deliberate precision, the wizard quickly attempted to tend to Legolas' wounds while he was unconscious. But even he wasn't as sure of himself then he normally was. Some of these injuries….they needed better caring for than he could give, even with the subtle nudge of his magic. Not to mention they didn't have any real bandages or herbs out stranded in the forest like they were.

After he did what he could, Gandalf sat back, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. "Gandalf….is he going to be ok?" Fili looked down at the fallen elf with a worried frown. He'd never seen anyone take quite a beating like that and come out of it. In fact he'd never seen anyone take a beating quite like that at all. Fili had to give him credit, a deep respect for the elf growing within him. If anything could be said about this 'Legolas' was that he had a strong will.

The wizard looked down at the elf with concern in his eyes. "We cannot linger here for much longer. If he does not get proper attention soon then he will not last."

Fili frowned deeply at this. After everything he'd gone through, he was NOT going to let this elf die. "Then let's get moving Gandalf….get him out of here."

Gandalf thought for a moment. Yes…but how. Fili was strong but too small to carry the elf very far. And he had not the stamina to do so either. He would not call upon the eagles again; he was already too far in their debt. But there was still one ally he could call upon yet.

Standing, he glanced around the dark woods before shutting his eyes and chanting a short spell. A minute passed….and then another minute….until finally a small movement came from their right. Fili nearly jumped a foot before he realized it was only a hare. Ragged and missing fur, the creature hopped over to the wizard cautiously as Gandalf crouched down to meet it.

After whispering something Fili could not hear into its ear, the wizard stood and watched it bound off. "Now all we have to do is wait." He spoke before sitting down beside the elf once more.

They stayed like that for an hour, the wizard with his hand laid over the elf's eyes, whispering what could be assumed to be a spell and Fili looking down with a furrowed brow. Despite all of the time spend waiting he never did wake up.

A sudden crash through the trees brought both of them to their feet, prepared for the worst. But as it neared Gandalf smiled slightly letting down his guard. A massive rabbit drawn sleigh suddenly launched through the trees not ten feet away and off hopped a man Fili realized he recognized.

"Radagast." The tone in which Gandalf spoke emanated urgency.

"Gandalf." The brown wizard leapt forward, eyes trained on the injured elf. "What happened Gandalf. I thought you wanted me to take word to the lady Galadriel. Was it a trap? How did you escape?"

The grey wizard brushed off the questions, shaking his head at his friend. "I will explain it all to you later but for right now we need your help." He motioned down towards Legolas.

Radagast paused for a moment looking from the wide eyed dwarf to the other wizard to the elf on the ground before jumping to it. He was better at medicinal magic and healing and Gandalf knew it. If there was any person who could save the life of the Mirkwood prince it would be the brown wizard.

Taking a moment to assess his new patient, the eccentric wizard let out a hiss of breath. "This is not good; this is not good at all." He jabbered to himself before jumping up. "We must get him to my home. It's not far from here by sleigh."
Leaning down he took the elf by the shoulders, staring at Fili expectantly before the dwarf jumped to help. Together they carried him to the sleigh. "I cannot carry all of you, maybe just the elf and the dwarf." His words were spoken fast and with fear.

"Go." Gandalf waved his hand. He did in fact have business to take care of after all. Sauran was on the move. Armies were marching out….and he needed to figure out exactly was going on. "Fili. Be careful. I will see you again soon, I'm sure."

Fili barely had time to wave a hand goodbye at his friend and take hold of both the elf and the sleigh before they were off. The ride was rough, and the dwarf tried his best to keep the worst bumps from finding their way to Legolas, but at least they made good time.

Travelling now was so very different then when Thorins party had come through these woods. Unlike Thorin, Radagast knew the area and was not affected by whatever spell the forest put on you.

Letting out a breath of relief when they arrived at the ramshackle little home, Fili quickly jumped to help the brown wizard carry him inside. Resting Legolas on a low cot, the young dwarf finally got a good look around the shack. It was full of herbs and plants and bobbles and bottles and all manners of shiny stones. He was just glancing around in awe when hands fell on his shoulders ushering him out.

"This is serious business, very tiring and hard to get right. A very delicate process." Radagast jabbered on as he pushed Fili out the door. "I will tell you when I'm finished." And with that the door was shut and Fili was left standing out in the creepy forest. At least the sun peaked through the trees in this particular area telling him that it was probably already around noon.

With a sigh he sat on the step to wait.

….
In not much of a rush, Tauriel took her time making her way back to Lake Town. Unfortunately on the day long journey back it gave her a lot of time to think.

The first decision she had to make was what she would do now? Returning home would be nothing but a death sentence. And although she knew in her heart that it was her fault that Legolas was killed she still clung to the idea of life. She wasn't ready to walk into her own demise.

But if she was not going to go home then where WOULD she go? Her thoughts immediately jumped to Kili, the young charming and relatively handsome dwarf. Would his party accept her? Or an even better question to ask herself was, would she actually be able to live with a party of dwarfs?

The choice was difficult already, but there was also the shame and anguish she felt about her friend's death. Everything together, all the thoughts just created a swirling pool of unrest in her mind. She could barely even keep track of time.

So when she looked up and already saw the sun setting over the lake of lake town, shock played across her features. But it wasn't only that. The city that was supposed to be jutting from the middle of the lake was nothing but smouldering ash, smoke rising from where it used to stand.

Staring at it in disbelief, her eyes moved right towards the shore. Camps had already sprung up in the distance which she moved towards. Waterlogged and weary people wandered the shore. The sound of wails and cries came from all around as parentless children and children-less parents searched for their families. Wounded people sat everywhere, baskets of belongings littering the ground.

Tauriel moved through them as if she were in just as much shock as they. What had happened? How did this happen? The world spun around her, the cries and the smoke and the injured faces all spinning into one until clarity snapped into place.

She prayed that whatever had happened, Kili and his companions had escaped in time. She would look for them, but first, she could be useful here. Adopting a determined expression she moved to begin help with setting up the camp and also with healing those injured the best she could.

…
Fili was actually becoming very concerned now that the sun started to lower itself in the sky. He was tempted to start pounding on the door and asking questions but he also didn't want to interrupt the wizards 'delicate' process.

Finally when he thought he could stand the waiting no longer, Radagast opened the door and allowed him inside. Immediately, the dwarfs eyes sought out the elf who was still on the cot. His wounds were cleaned and properly bandaged. But when he moved closer for a proper inspection it hit him that these wounds were much further healed then they ought to be.

With wide eyes, Fili brushed the dishevelled blond hair off the elf's forehead to take a closer look at the awful laceration that had been there earlier. But now it looked like an already healing wound. He let out a short laugh in disbelief before turning his eyes to the smug looking wizard. "This is amazing. He looked close to death not hours ago."

"It was nothing, it was nothing." Radagast brushed the flattery off with a wave of his hand. He was not used to people complimenting his work. In fact he was not used to people. Or dwarves….neither did he really enjoy their company. But he DID enjoy a good story, particularly when that story ended with an elf that was in dire need of healing. "So tell me. How did this elf end up in quite this situation, hm?"

Fili pursed his lips wondering where to even BEGIN that tale. With his uncles quest? No…that was too long. With the elves? Yes…yes, that was a little better.

So with that he sat and regaled the brown wizard with the tale of what he and his company had been through. Radagast leaned into the story, hanging off of every word until it was finished. "That's quite the tale." He sat back before turning his eyes to the elf who still lay unconscious. "Poor lad…I've never seen anything quite as bad as that." In truth he actually had wondered if he would be able to help.

A quiet groan perked both the dwarf and the wizard up and both rose from their seats quickly. Fili rushed to the elf's cot in time to see him open his eyes. "Where am I?" His voice was still raw and sore but overall he didn't quite feel like death anymore.

Radagast appeared suddenly with a cup clutched in his hand. "Here, drink this. It will help." Taking the cup, Legolas did not question, only took a sip. Unable to really pinpoint if the liquid was bitter or sweet he finished the brew and handed it back.

Fili then spoke up. "I thought we were going to lose you for a second."

Legolas set his blue eyes on the dwarf, furrowing his brow slightly. "I don't understand." He spoke quietly, trying to preserve his voice. "Why would you help me? My kin and I did nothing but harm to you."

Fili shook his head. "No. Your companion saved my brother's life. That's as good as it can get in my books." Kili would have undoubtedly died without Tauriels help.

"Tauriel?" Legolas' head jerked to the side to get a better look at the dwarf. Save his brother's life…He vaguely remembered the orc mentioning having poisoned one of Thorins party….and then when they had fought off the orc party in that house….Everything clicked into place. "Why send you? Why not come herself?" It was the only question that burned inside him. He no longer felt hatred for the dwarf, just confusion and ager as to why the person who was supposed to be his friend didn't seem to lift a finger to help during the entire situation.

"When the orc showed up with your sword, Tauriel and I tried to track you. But when we finally found the tracks the wargs left she decided to ride back to the woodland realm to ask for help. She said she would meet me at the end of the tracks with back up but no one ever did." Fili paused for a moment when he saw the hurt flash across the elf's eyes before disappearing behind an emotionless mask. "It was then that I found Gandalf and we decided to rescue you. Radagast we called for help after you passed out in the woods."

The brown wizard raised a hand and smiled at his name being mentioned.

Legolas looked away and swallowed. No one ever came? What had happened to Tauriel? Where had his father been? With clenched teeth, he rolled over, turning his back to the two. "I'm very sorry, I need rest." This was no lie considering how exhausted he still felt. As painful as his injuries still were after a careful assessment he was amazed to find them already beginning to heal. But the relief from the physical pain did not relieve him of the emotional pain.

Not that he wasn't grateful to Fili and Radagst, but why had it been left to two wizards and a dwarf to save his life?

Fili shot the brown wizard a look before turning away with a frown. Legolas was upset and he could understand why. Where HAD Tauriel gone off to? Why hadn't she shown up?

AUTHORS NOTES

Aaahh characters, characters, why are you so hard to write? I hope I did ok. I came across a glitch in my plot plan but I worked it out when I remember that Radagast existed.

I'm really on a roll with writing but I'm back to work tomorrow so I probably won't get the next won't out until the day after since I won't even be able to start the next chapter until tomorrow at midnight. (Friday)

Again, thank you my lovlies for reviewing! This one didn't have much action but I swear it'll pick up soon.