Next chapter up! I'm trying my best to update somewhat frequently :)

~Nescit Cedere~

"Ada!"

Aragorn started at the familiar voice. Whipping around in disbelief, Aragorn watched as a beautiful young girl sprinted towards him, clutching a bow in her hand, a wide smile gracing her lips.

"Ada! I have found you!" She exclaimed, flinging herself at him, her arms tightly wrapping around the King. Aragorn nearly stumbled back but managed to keep his balance, automatically reciprocating the embrace. The King blinked, gazing down at the black-haired Dunedain in confusion.

"Iell-nin?" He whispered as the girl pulled away from him.

"You will not believe how long I have been searching for you, Ada!" Aranyth brightly told him, tugging on his hand. Aragorn followed after the teen, still wondering how it was possible for her to be here. "I feared the worst!"

Aragorn managed to collect himself enough to ask, "What do you mean?"

Aranyth flashed him a concerned look, pausing mid-stride to face him and releasing his hand. "Do you not remember, Ada? You took Estel and I out hunting near Amon Sul. Uncle Legolas accompanied us. We split the land in four different sections, with me going to the North and so forth. You do recall this, correct?"

"But..." Aragorn began, his voice trailing off. Something was not right. He could tell. Aranyth should not be here. He should not be here. "No..." He shook his head, studying his surroundings. They were indeed near Weathertop, for he could see the ruined tower in the distance. Aranyth was looking even more concerned, the internal debate on whether or not she should call for Legolas and Estel clear in her eyes.

"Ada, are you feeling well?" She cautiously inquired. Aragorn looked to her, studying the young girl standing before him. She resembled Aranyth greatly, but her eyes... Those eyes did not hold the same mischievous sparkle or the bright flame that usually blazed within them. No. Instead, the color had dimmed and there was a troubled look dancing within those grey orbs.

Grey? The vibrant blue color Aragorn knew his daughter's eyes to be had all but faded, turning into the watery grey they were now. And why did she seem confused as well?

Aragorn narrowed his eyes. "We are not here. You were attacked by a band of Uruks and blew the horn. That is what drew Estel, Legolas, and I from our hunt." H replied, never quite answering her question. "When we arrived, you were not there."

Understanding and remembrance seemed to flicker in those grey eyes as Aranyth looked up to him. But as quickly as it had appeared, it had vanished, leaving Aragorn to wonder whether he had truly seen it or not. The area around them suddenly seemed to darken, and Aragorn noted the way Aranyth warily searched around, as if expecting for something to lunge out at them. She was frightened... Even if this was but a dream, Aragorn wanted to comfort her. Who knew how long it would be till he found his daughter again? Would he ever find her?

"The Journal." Aranyth abruptly stated, shaking Aragorn from his thoughts. Tilting his head and raising an eyebrow, Aragorn repeated questioningly,

"The Journal?"

Aranyth pinned him with a serious look. "You must locate the Journal." There was a hint of desperation lacing each word she spoke.

"What good would-" Aragorn began, ready to object against finding the book, but Aranyth cut him off.

"Find the Journal, Ada!" Their surroundings grew darker, and Aragorn could sense a powerful, and threatening, presence closing in. Aranyth was starting to fade away, to his horror, but she continued to speak, her voice echoing through the surrounding area. "Do not waste time searching for me. I am not there! Please, Ada," She pleaded, casting him one last look. "Do this for me! Find the Journal! Escape from him, that is all I ask!"

Aragorn still did not understand. "Iell-nin-"

Aranyth sharply interrupted, "Echuio!"

Then she was gone.

~Nescit Cedere~

Galu...Ada... (Good-luck, Dad.)

Aragorn started awake, his grey eyes snapping open. The man instinctively searched around his tent, as if expecting someone to attack, then calmed himself when he realized it had all been a dream.

Then, Aragorn distantly wondered, why was he shuddering? He felt so cold...The presence he had sensed from the dream was slowly fading away but he could still feel it encompassing his being, its cold claws brushing against his skin as it fought to keep a hold of him.

Running a hand over his face, Aragorn leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his hands, pondering over the bizarre dream. It had felt so real...Almost too real for his liking. This told Aragorn that it had not been a dream, but a type of vision. A rare type of vision. One with two participants. Aragorn felt his spirits rise at this and hope blossomed in his chest. He was not the only one to have had the vision. Aranyth, too, had shared it with him. That told him several things.

One, Aranyth was alive and well.

Two, his daughter was somewhere nearby.

And three, wherever she was, Aranyth was in danger.

But the words Aranyth had spoken to him near the end of the vision rang clearly in his mind.

'Do not waste time searching for me. I am not there...'

I am not there.

What did she mean by this? She must have been somewhere near Aragorn, otherwise, they would have been unable to have shared the vision. To share a vision, the participants would have to be in close proximity.

Exhaling deeply, Aragorn stood, knowing he would be unable to sleep until morn and left his tent. Glancing up at the moon, Aragorn found that it was barely past midnight, perhaps by a couple or so hours. Looking around, Aragorn also found that he was the only one awake. He could see a few Elven Guards posted on the perimeter, but there were none within the vicinity. Deciding that a walk might help to clear his troubled mind, Aragorn set off in a random direction. Striding outside of the encampment, he made his way up a hill and rested there. Easing himself to the ground, Aragorn laid back in the dirt, placing his hands behind his head and staring up into the starry sky.

Furrowing his brow, Aragorn took in the dimness of the stars. Was it just him, or did the night seem darker than usual? And why did Aragorn feel as if he and the encampment were in danger? Sitting up, Aragorn scanned his surroundings. Nothing struck him as odd, but he could sense an approaching darkness.

Sense or feel?

The Dunedain frowned as he stared at the ground before him. Firmly planting one of his hands against it, Aragorn could feel the tremor of the earth beneath his fingers. The ground was vibrating. Recognizing this to be a sign that something was approaching, Aragorn leaned forward and pressed his ear against the earth, closing his eyes so that he could focus on the vibration.

The rhythmic and recurring sound of marching were the first things Aragorn immediately noted. He would recognize those heavy steps anywhere.

Scrambling to his feet, Aragorn rushed down the hill and up another. This one was just tall enough for Aragorn to look over the rock formations and spot a large, black, mass coming their way.

'The Orcs plan to attack in the early morning, just before Anor rises. They hope to catch us off guard by attacking at an unworldly hour...'

Erestor's words echoed in his mind and Aragorn knew that the black mass heading in this direction were the very same orcs Erestor had mentioned in his report. He also recalled the dark elf adding the fact that they were to receive reinforcements: The Nazgul. Aragorn quickly scanned the horizon for any sign of them, but found none. Of course, why would he expect for them to come? The Nazgul always waited for the climax of the battle to occur -when it could be determined if either the Orcs or the army of Elves and Men were winning- before they struck. It made their work easier. The Men and Elves would be tiring at that point and the Nazgul would not have a difficult time in subduing them. It was how they worked.

Aragorn knew this from experience.

Spinning on his heel, Aragorn full-out sprinted to the encampment. They needed to be warned! Running between tents, Aragorn picked out the one he knew to be King Gil-galad's tent and dashed inside, spotting a light inside.

"The Orcs are approaching!" He breathlessly stated, straightening to find that not only Gil-galad was there, but Elrond, Erestor, Glorfindel, Oropher, and last but not least...
Beside the intimidating Elvenking, stood a younger Elf. The Sindarin Elf was a spitting image of his Father, only he had ice-blue eyes and not green. Though this Elf was younger in appearance, Aragorn still easily recognized him to be Thranduil, Legolas's father. The only difference was the relaxed manner the Prince held himself. He still wore the same, neutral, expression and had an uncaring countenance, but Aragorn could see the awareness dancing in those piercing blue orbs when they settled on him.

Even though they had met briefly during the meeting earlier that day, Aragorn still couldn't bring himself to believe that this was the Elvenking of his time. The cold, calculating King of Mirkwood. Though, at the moment, Aragorn found Oropher to be the more frightening of the two. The Elvenking was not as cruel and heartless as many had told him, but he was not exactly kind either. He was, however, a wise King who cared for the well-being of his people.

Wise...If Oropher was as wise as Aragorn found him to be, why, then, did he pull his Elves back from Gil-galad's command and place himself over them? What led him to make such a drastic decision that cost him, and two-thirds of his warriors', lives?

The Elves started at the news, snapping their heads in his direction.

"What?" Elrond was the first to find his voice, looking to Aragorn.

"The Orcs." Aragorn answered. "They are approaching from the East."

The Elves glanced at one another, disturbed by the news. Oropher remained neutral, but Thranduil's eyes reflected the concern he felt at this. Erestor frowned, troubled.

"Tis earlier than I would have expected." the dark Elf lowly remarked.

"How far from the encampment were they?" Glorfindel inquired, a hand gripping the handle of his Gondolin blade.

"They will be upon us within two hours." Aragorn responded.

"That gives us just enough time to prepare." Glorfindel murmured under his breath, turning to a guard nearby. "Raise the alarm, have all of the Elves prepare for battle, and spread the word to Elendil's men."

The Elf dutifully bowed. "Yes, Hir-nin." He said before slipping away into the night. Once he was gone, Aragorn overheard Oropher mutter,

"How is it that a mortal man noticed the approach of the Orc army and not any of the Elven Sentries?"

He caught how the Elvenking emphasized that he was mortal, but Aragorn did not react to the insult. Instead he straightened and calmly asked in turn, "Do I have your leave to speak, milord?" It was best, and safest, to be polite, especially when dealing with the Elvenking. This, Aragorn also learned from experience. It was a miracle Thranduil hadn't murdered him given the many opportunities he had been given.

There was faint surprise in those green eyes as Oropher focused on him.

"You may speak." Oropher answered.

Aragorn curtly dipped his chin, acknowledging the fact that he had been given permission. "I only spotted the Orc army whenever I left the encampment-"

Elrond, Gil-galad, and Glorfindel reacted at once to this. "You left the encampment?!" All three incredulously chimed. Aragorn took a step back in surprise. The three Elves looked positively worried at this, but then again...

"I did." He cautiously admitted, nodding his head.

"Estel, that was not very wise on your part." Elrond concernedly admonished, though his tone was kind. Aragorn bowed his head, feeling much like a child being lectured. Had it been any other Elf, excluding Thranduil, berating him, Aragorn would have tried to justify himself, but this was Elrond. His Foster Father. Anytime Elrond admonished or lectured him, Aragorn always felt like a child. "There are Orcs, Wargs, and trolls within these plains. Servants of Sauron plague this land with their presence. Anything could have happened to you!"

"Had you forgotten that we were expecting an army of Orcs?" Glorfindel questioned, the Balrog Slayer sharing Elrond's concern. What if something had befallen the mortal and they never knew? What if they had been too late to come to his aid? Glorfindel did not know why, but he felt a connection with this Estel. Thinking about what could have possibly happened to the young man made Glorfindel feel rather protective of him. For some unknown reason, Glorfindel did not want to see any harm befall the Dunedain. He was troubled by this. Something told him he knew this young man...That he should recognize him.

Shaking his head, Glorfindel reminded himself that he could ponder over it later. Right now, they needed to focus on the battle to come.

"I am ashamed to say that I had." Aragorn honestly replied, bowing his head, embarrassed.

"What led you to leave, Estel?" Gil-galad asked. Aragorn paused for a moment, his mind going back to the vision.

"I needed to clear my mind." Aragorn truthfully answered. "I had awoken from a vision."

"You experience visions?" Elrond repeated, intrigued. It was rare for someone to have visions. He had believed he and Galadriel were the only ones to have them. At least, to their knowledge, they were the only ones to.

"Unfortunately, or fortunately, yes." Aragorn sighed. Elrond understood what he meant perfectly. Some visions were joyful and relieving, others were dark and disturbing. However, this brought a question up to Elrond's mind. How was it that this man could have visions? Elendil and Isildur could, but it was rare for them, but this man... Perhaps it was because of the Elven blood flowing in his veins? Who could his ancestor have been? If his ancestor had visions, then it would not be at all surprising for this man to suffer from them.

"Anything we should know of?" the Golden Elf asked, hoping the answer would be negative. They already had a battle to fight, and possibly the Nazguls to handle. That was enough for him.

Aragorn, much to his relief, shook his head. "Nay."

"While that may be good," Gil-galad began, "It would be best for you to stay within the vicinity, Estel. We do not know what creatures are out there, and hopefully, we will not have to find out."

"Yes, Hir-nin. Forgive me." Aragorn bowed his head.

"There is no need, young Estel." The High-King assured him, shaking his head. "I thank the Valar nothing ill befell you. Now...We must prepare for battle. Estel..."

Aragorn bowed again. "I will remain here, Hir-nin. Rest assured that I will not wander from the encampment whilst there is a battle taking place." A faint smile graced both Gil-galad's and Elrond's lips while Glorfindel nodded. Erestor only watched Aragorn, trying to decipher him. Aragorn could not help but smirk. The dark elf would not succeed in discovering who he was. He would ensure it. If he ever returned to the future, he reminded himself to ask Erestor whether he ever figured out who the mysterious man was that Thranduil had rescued during the First Alliance or no. If Erestor remembered, he probably had the moment he laid eyes on Estel when he was first brought to Rivendell. If he had not, Aragorn would be able to hold it against the Adviser. How amusing that would be...

"Who are you?" Oropher suddenly asked, much to everyone's surprise. Normally, the Elvenking did not care about who others were, nor did he bother to find out. But, to Oropher, this man was a puzzle. One Oropher found he wanted to solve. There was an air about this Estel...Something he did not like, yet he did not feel threatened. The Elvenking knew all, he was very detailed. But he knew absolutely nothing about this man. He had a strange sensation that told him the man did not belong here. That he was lost.

Yet, he knew this man was an ally...and would become very important later on.

"Estel E-" Aragorn quickly correcting himself, once again. He could not help it! Apparently, by resorting back to his childhood name, Aragorn had mentally started to call himself Estel Elrondion. That, would have had drastic results. "Estel, son of Halbarad, Hir-nin."

Oropher shot him a cold, knowing, look. "You lie." He calmly proclaimed, earning startled looks from Glorfindel and Erestor. Well, Erestor seemed pleased to learn this. He seemed to wear his I-knew-it-all-along look Aragorn had grown familiar with as a child. Glorfindel now regarded him with a hint of wariness and curiosity. Gil-galad and Elrond were not at all taken aback by this, having already known that Estel wasn't the man's true name. They were kindly giving him the benefit of the doubt. There had to be a reason he was hiding his identity. A good reason.

Now, Thranduil was intrigued. This mortal was an interesting and honest man and, he could tell, was a challenge even to his Father, who usually could read others quite well. The Prince analysed the man once again before parting his lips to speak.

"He does not lie."

Everyone turned to face him.

"Thranduil?"

The Prince looked Aragorn in the eye, his ice-blue orbs searching him for whatever truth he was hiding. "They are half-truths."

Perhaps Aragorn should be thankful that Thranduil had not yet grown to hate mankind. It was only after the first alliance that Thranduil held a grudge against them. For reasons Aragorn could understand.

"You mean to say that he is as he claims to be, this...Estel son of Halbarad?" Oropher asked his son, doubtful. Thranduil shook his head.

"Nay. But Estel is his name. Though it may not be his true name, it is one he is , or was, accustomed to being called." Thranduil explained. Aragorn could not believe how perceptive Thranduil was, even at this age! He was considered significantly young for an Elf, but he was quite observant. "You are one of the Dunedain and are familiar with Elven culture...Perhaps because you were raised by a family of Elves?"

Aragorn was stunned. "Prince Thranduil, if I may ask, how came you to know this?" He could not help but ask. Thranduil graced him with his all-knowing smirk.

"Seeing as we do not have much time, I will make this brief. Your countenance...The way you hold yourself is much too Elven. You are fluent in Sindarin, clearly the first language you had ever learned, and I would not be surprised if you knew Quenya. Your step...You are light on your feet and as agile as an Elf. I could scarcely hear you until you arrived." Thranduil said to him. Oropher stared at his son, wondering how it was Thranduil could so easily pick out the details of a mortal man he barely knew. Elrond and the others mirrored the Elvenking's expression. It was amazing. Now that Thranduil had pointed these facts out, they too could see it. "You are comfortable around Elves. Why would a mortal refuse to live among his own kind and remain with the Elves? This tells me you must have grown used to living among Elves. It is the life you are most familiar with. Your father is not Halbarad, but you are kin to this man." The Prince narrowed his eyes. "You are protecting yourself..."

Aragorn tensed. Hopefully, the Elves would not question him as to why.

"Twould endanger you should any learn of your identity."

Aragorn pursed his lips. Thranduil had guessed it. How, he would never know. He should have known that there was no fooling him. It was one of the traits that made Thranduil the great king that he was.

"Is this true, Estel?" Gil-galad inquired, wanting to make sure what Thranduil had said was correct.

"It is." Aragorn affirmed, knowing better than to lie. He wanted to sulk...But he could not. He was no longer a child.

There was silence as the Elves mulled over this new-found information. Well, new found to Erestor, whose violet orbs had brightened in victory, Glorfindel, who had a strange expression marring his features, and Oropher. Elrond and Gil-galad had already known most of what Thranduil had stated.

"We will speak more of this later." Elrond decided for the Elves. "For now, we must assemble our army."

They agreed and the Elves left to prepare. Aragorn waited for them to leave before slumping his shoulder and hanging his head. He had hoped to keep everything a secret, but he had forgotten about Thranduil. What was he to do? What if Elrond and the others decided to question him? Aragorn did not know if he could lie to the Elf he had considered his Father.

"You are of royal blood, are you not?" A voice suddenly asked, causing Aragorn to nearly leap out from his skin. Startled, Aragorn snapped his head up to find Thranduil was still in the tent. The Elven Prince was still watching Aragorn intently, an amused sparkle in his eyes. Aragorn supposed his silent question must have been reflected in his eyes, for Thranduil added, "You do not act like a warrior or as most men do. Not only do you hold yourself as an Elf would, but your composure is that of a King's."

"I am no King." Aragorn automatically responded. At least, that was partially the truth.

Thranduil tilted his head at Aragorn. It was strange for Aragorn to be standing before a younger version of Thranduil. The Prince, for he was not yet King, was only a head taller than he, which was odd for him.

"A prince perhaps?" Thranduil suggested mostly to himself. "But I do not recognize you."

Aragorn did not answer.

"Be warned, Estel," Thranduil abruptly spoke. "Elves may be known for their patience, but it will not be long before they will demand to know the truth. The truth of your origins and your name. My Father will be watching you closely, as will Erestor. They will not stop until they discover every ounce of truth you have to hide. Tell me," Thranduil paused for a moment, "What is it you fear?"

"I do not fear." Aragorn said, and after he had, immediately knew it to be untrue. He did fear. For the future of Middle-Earth and its inhabitants.

"Yet another lie." Thranduil dismissively said, waving a hand in the air. "Allow me to rephrase my question. From whom do you hide?"

Aragorn pursed his lips tightly. He did not understand the Elf before him. Was Thranduil trying to help him, or was he trying to find information for himself? Most likely the latter, Aragorn figured. It would not be at all surprising if that was so.

Thranduil did not appear annoyed with Aragorn's silence, but it did interest him even more for reasons he did not yet know.

"You would do well to tell someone, Estel. My Father is an unpredictable Elf. He is impatient...Though, he can be kind whenever he pleases. I can only protect you from him for so long."

Surprise washed over Aragorn after Thranduil had spoke.

"You seem disbelieving." Thranduil remarked. Aragorn slowly nodded.

"I am but a mortal. I am no Elf." Aragorn said to him, marveling at how easy it was for him to speak to Thranduil, yet he made sure to be courteous and polite. "You have no reason to protect me. Why do you help me? Forgive me, but I was under the impression that Elves were not completely...friendly with mortals."

"That is putting it kindly." Thranduil grinned slightly. "For the most part, Elves have not been given a reason to hate mortals, but we are wary of them. Most mortals. There are few Elves can trust. However, you are unlike any other mortal I have crossed paths with. There is a light about you that tells me you are trustworthy, but the others may not agree. You are an enigma to them. Whether you are dangerous has yet to be determined."

"I see..." Aragorn murmured, wondering if he should be thankful that Thranduil trusted him or not. It was better than having Thranduil against him.

"Care to accompany me?" Thranduil asked, extending his arm towards the entrance of the tent as an invitation.

"Of course, Prince Thranduil." Aragorn bowed his head, walking alongside Thranduil as they left the tent. He made sure to remain a step behind the Prince, something Thranduil immediately saw.

"Tell me about yourself, Estel." Thranduil was the first to speak as they walked through the encampment. Seeing Estel's cautious look, he added, "You do not have to tell me everything. Only whatever you feel comfortable with."

It could not hurt to tell Thranduil some of the truth...

"As you already know, I am one of the Dunedain known as Strider to my men."

"Ah! You are a leader then, a Chieftain?" Thranduil asked. "Not quite royalty, but it is close enough." The Sindarin Elf said to himself at Aragorn's affirmation.

"Yes...Or, I was. My twin was the Chieftess of the Dunedain."

"Sister? You failed to mention her to the others."

"Aye. I did mention that I had family." Aragorn reminded Thranduil, who agreed.

"You did. But I believed you meant a wife and children."

As to how Thranduil could know that, Aragorn decided not to ask. He had gotten used to Thranduil's all-knowing nature. "I do have a wife and six children. Two more on the way." A soft smile came across Aragorn's lips as he thought about his family. "How I miss them..."

"How old are the children?" Thranduil decided to ask, recognizing the look of longing and guilt dancing in those grey eyes.

"My eldest are almost seventeen...Their birthday is approaching. The third is is nearly fifteen. The fourth is four, five? Four, because Elrudan and Eldarion are nearly two."

I think... Aragorn thought, mentally berating himself for not remembering his children's ages.

"What are their names?"

"Estel and Aranyth are my first-born. Then Arathorn and Thalion, the last being Elrudan and Eldarion."

"What of the coming twins?"

"We do not know what they shall be named, for we do not know the gender." Aragorn honestly replied, his shoulders drooping somewhat. "My eldest were to name them..." The pain lacing his tone did not escape Thranduil's attention.

"Something happened to them." Thranduil stated instead of questioned.

"Aye...I had taken my eldest hunting, along with my friend."

"Another Dunedain?"

"Nay, an Elf."

"An Elven friend?" Thranduil raised an eyebrow, silently asking for Aragorn to explain. "I suppose that should not come as a surprise, seeing as you were raised among Elves."

"Indeed. I met him when I was but a child. He was a close friend of my adoptive brothers. When my sister and I left our home, he followed and accompanied us on our trips through the wilderness. A loyal friend...Though I wonder why he chooses to remain." Aragorn frowned deeply. Legolas had confessed to Aragorn that he had heard the call of the gulls during his time with the Fellowship, which led Aragorn to believe Legolas would soon leave the shores of Middle-Earth and travel for Valinor. But of course, the stubborn prince firmly declared that his place was at Aragorn's side and that he would remain in Middle-Earth until Aragorn's time was over. Though Aragorn was grateful to have Legolas as a friend, he feared for his friend. How long could his friend bear the call of the Sea? "He came hunting with us...We divided the land into four sections, giving Estel and Aranyth their own to hunt on. Near the end of the second day, my daughter blew her horn, a sign that she was in trouble. I was the first to arrive, but only to find U- Orcs, and no sign of my daughter."

"She was captured?" Was it only Aragorn, or was that empathy he could see in Thranduil's eyes?

"I do not know. I had hoped to find her, only to find myself here." Aragorn gestured to the land around him. A thought struck Aragorn, and he turned to face Thranduil. "I believe I owe you my thanks, Prince Thranduil. I was told that it had been you who rescued me from drowning."

"Think nothing of it." Thranduil said, averting his eyes for a moment to study the horizon. Just as he was about to return his attention to Aragorn, Thranduil paused, whipping his head in the direction of the horizon once again, ice-blue orbs narrowing. Aragorn followed his line of vision, trying to see what it was that had caught Thranduil's attention, but could see nothing.

"Prince Thranduil?" Aragorn whispered, keeping his voice quiet so as to not disturb him. Thranduil's eyes flickered over to him for a mere second.

"Something moved near those rocks." The Prince tipped his head in the direction of the large boulders near the encampment, his hand slowly reaching for his blade. Aragorn instinctively did the same, only to find that he did not have a sword. Glancing down, Aragorn suppressed a groan when he remembered that he had hidden Narsil. Thranduil, as if noticing this subtle movement, immediately unclasped his long knife hidden within his cloak and discreetly handed it over to him. Aragorn met his gaze, thanking him silently as he wrapped his hand around the small handle. Thank goodness Aragorn already had experience with Elven Knives, seeing as Legolas would force him to learn how to use them. The pesky Wood-Elf always feared Aragorn would get into some sort of trouble and would lose his weapon, so Legolas taught him how to wield one.

Aragorn followed Thranduil as the Prince stealthily moved forward, pretending that he did not suspect anything, turning to see if Aragorn was coming. Beckoning Aragorn closer, Thranduil murmured,

"There are no Elven Sentries."

Aragorn looked to see Thranduil was correct. There were no Elves in sight.

"Perhaps they were called by King Gil-galad to assemble..?" He trailed off when Thranduil shook his head and gestured to something on the ground not too far from them. Aragorn looked, and closed his eyes in a brief moment of grief. For on the ground before them, was blood. Elven blood.

"They were captured." Thranduil darkly muttered. "Captured or killed, I do not know..." Searching the tents around them, Thranduil added, "Tis much to quiet for my liking." Slowing to a stop, both Aragorn and Thranduil became more aware of the eerie calm that had settled over them. Aragorn felt a chill spiral down his spine and knew there was danger nearby. Apparently, Thranduil sensed the same, for he tensed, bending low, gesturing for Aragorn to do the same. Raising a finger to his lips, Thranduil motioned for Aragorn to look over at the rocks. The Dunedain did and immediately saw what it was Thranduil was pointing out to him. There were a few Orcs, scouts, Aragorn figured, peering over the rocks and searching the empty encampment.

"How is this possible?" Aragorn questioned under his breath, watching the Orcs. "They were not to arrive for another hour at least."

Thranduil scowled. "It appears there were two armies rather than one."

Aragorn looked to him, startled. "The Elves..."

Thranduil's scowl deepened. "Are expecting an attack from the East. That is where they will put most of our forces and join with Elendil's men. They will not be expecting a counterattack."

Aragorn guiltily looked away. A hand settled on his shoulder, shaking it lightly so that Aragorn faced Thranduil.

"Do not blame yourself, Estel. You could not have known."

"Because of my warning, they will be unaware of this approaching army." Aragorn whispered back, his voice wracked with guilt. "When they are warned of this army, they will be unprepared to face them."

Thranduil gave a low, morbid, chuckle, shaking his head, his hair falling over his shoulders from the movement. At Aragorn's bewildered look, Thranduil said, "You can never be prepared enough for battle. There is no way to know what to expect or what you will face once in the heat of battle. Unexpected things happen in battle that we cannot foresee. What you can do, is adapt to these abrupt changes. Do not allow them to catch you off guard, or that will cost you."

Aragorn could not help but stare at Thranduil. Those were the same words Thranduil, when he was the Elvenking, had spoken to Aragorn during a time of pain and affliction for the Dunedain. To find that Thranduil had learned this at such a young age was troublesome and testified the fact that Thranduil's life was not as easy as many would have believed.

"I...will keep that in mind."

"Good." Was all Thranduil said as he watched the Orcs. The fell creatures were discussing, quite loudly, with one another on what to do.

"I know they were there!" The first Orc hissed in annoyance.

"I don' see no one!" The second spat back. "An' what would an Elf be doing with a Man? They don' like each other!" It reasoned, causing both Aragorn and Thranduil to tense.

So, they had been spotted.

"But they were there!" The second Orc shrilly replied, waving its mace wildly in the direction it had seen Aragorn and Thranduil vanish into. "A Wood-Elf an' a man!"

"We took care of those pesky Elves!" The first growled. Thranduil bowed his head at this, grieved. His lips moved, and Aragorn could hear the soft Elvish prayer Thranduil was murmuring for the Elves. Once he was finished, Thranduil tilted his head in Aragorn's direction, speaking just loud enough for the Mortal to hear him over the Orcs,

"We must move."

Aragorn nodded in agreement. They silently crept forward, crawling low enough that the Orcs could not see them as they made their way through the paths between the empty tents. Thranduil came to a halt when they reached the main path, leaning forward slightly to see if there were any Orcs in sight. His sharp Elven hearing caught the faint, harsh voice of Orcs nearing their location, but they were still a little far away.

If they could just reach where the armies were gathering, they would be able to warn them of the second army already infiltrating their camps.

"We will have to run from here." Thranduil whispered to Aragorn.

"Let us go." Aragorn replied, gripping the knife in his hand. Thranduil gracefully leaped to his feet, with Aragorn just about to follow, when the sound of a bowstring snapping reached their ears. Aragorn watched, wide-eyed, as the arrow flew straight and true at Thranduil. His lips parted to shout a warning, but Thranduil had already started moving. The Prince spun just out of the way so that the arrow only scraped his cheek and embedded itself, harmlessly, into a nearby pole. Both Aragorn and Thranduil looked to where the arrow had come from to see a large, hideous, Orc emerge from the shadows, a sneer marring its features. Its beady eyes were locked onto Thranduil, delight and lust for blood evident in them.

"Elfling," The Orc harshly spoke to Thranduil, whose expression darkened at the name, "Where's your companion?" It asked.

"Companion?" Thranduil repeated, his features falling into a neutral look. "I know not what you mean. I had no companion."

The Orc glowered at him, clearly not in the mood for the Prince's lies. Aragorn took this opportunity to sneak around the tent and to where the Orc was. He was going to attack it from behind, giving Thranduil time to go warn the Elves and Men.

"Don' play tricks on me, Elfling! I know you weren' alone!"

"What would I be doing with a Mortal?" Thranduil asked, his voice dripping with disdain. Aragorn marveled at how talented an actor Thranduil was...If he was acting at all. "They mean nothing to me."

By now, Aragorn was sneaking up to the Orc from behind, knife at the ready. Without making a sound, Aragorn pounced onto the Orc before it could speak. The Orc grunted and stumbled forward, growling when Aragorn ran the knife through its chest.

"Fool!" The large Orc hissed, swinging its arm back to strike Aragorn. The Man swiftly ducked under the blow, falling back and taking the knife with him. Thranduil lunged at the Orc to distract it from going after Aragorn, his broadsword glinting in the moonlight as it swung down in a deadly arc. The Orc barely dodged the lethal blow with his own, crude, blade. Snarling, hatred burning in its piercing eyes, the Orc stood and fought Thranduil. Aragorn joined in, standing at the Prince's side. Together, the Man and Elf faced the tall Orc, attacking it at once so that the Orc had no time to strike back. It was not long before the Orc was felled, Thranduil and Aragorn standing victorious. Aragorn dug the knife into the ground, using it for support as he allowed himself a brief moment of rest. Thranduil's head suddenly shot up, the Prince snapping it towards Aragorn,

"We must leave!" He urgently told the adan. Aragorn did not argue, following at once as the Prince turned and all but sprinted from the area. Once again, Aragorn found himself thanking the Valar that he had been raised among Elves and had had Legolas as a friend. Racing against his brothers and friend had helped Aragorn become a fast runner with a lot of stamina. Not to mention that he had run three days in a row without rest when he, Legolas, and Gimli were chasing after the Uruks who had captured Merry and Pippin.

They did not get far when Thranduil skidded to a stop, Aragorn nearly ramming into his back. Throwing the Prince a questioning look, Aragorn was about to ask what the matter was when he heard the sound of Orcs laughing around them. Slowly spinning around, Aragorn found that he and Thranduil had nowhere to run.

"We are surrounded." Thranduil grumbled, not at all pleased.

"So I see." Aragorn said, as he and Thranduil pressed their backs against one another's, positioning themselves so that they were ready to fight should the Orcs attack.

"How long do you believe we could hold them?" Thranduil lowly asked, making sure the Orcs could not hear them above all the jeering the creatures were doing.

"As long as necessary." Came Aragorn's reply.

"That will have to do." Thranduil uttered, fingering the Elven horn attached to his belt. Casting Aragorn one final look, the be-prepared one, Thranduil ripped the horn from his belt and raised it to his lips before the Orcs could register what he was doing. A smooth and clear note reverberated through the air as Thranduil blew his horn. The Orcs, now enraged, furiously attacked them in the hopes of silencing them.

Thranduil dropped his horn as one Orc lashed out at him, catching the dark blade against his own. Aragorn deflected two blows and slew one Orc quickly, switching his attention between various Orcs while keeping an eye out on the others. He and Thranduil worked together, Aragorn working with Thranduil's style, seeing as he was familiar with it from having fought beside the Elvenking once before. Even though they were killing many Orcs, more kept coming. Luckily, neither Aragorn nor Thranduil were wounded or tiring.

It was not long before a horn blowing filled the air, answering Thranduil's call, followed by another. This filled Aragorn with relief, knowing reinforcements were close by.

"Do not rejoice just yet!" Aragorn heard Thranduil's voice call over the sound of battle. "They are still far away!"

Aragorn threw the Prince a withering look, thrusting his blade through an orc's heart and tossing the body aside so he could focus on an incoming Orc.

"How long before they reach us?" Aragorn called in question, twisting out of the way of an Orc's sword then ducking beneath another. Thranduil decapitated an Orc then rammed his sword through the back of another, spinning to avoid being struck. The two met halfway, their backs colliding against one another as they were completely surrounded.

"I do not know..." Thranduil admitted, his blue orbs flickering from one Orc to the other, trying to predict which would attack first. "Hopefully, they will arrive soon. We must fend them off for as long as possible."

"Of course..." Aragorn sarcastically muttered, eyeing the hundred Orcs around them. Every one of them were gruesome to look at, identical looks of delight and hatred burning in their eyes. He could see their sharp, jagged, and broken teeth as they grinned at them in a sinister manner. "This should be easy."

"Ai!" Thranduil suddenly cried, spotting something Aragorn could not see from his position.

"What? What is it?" Aragorn inquired, hoping Thranduil would tell him that the Elves were near.

"There is a third army!" Thranduil's voice was tight, packed with concern and disbelief.

"What!?" Aragorn jerked his head to the right to see for himself. Thranduil was correct. There was another battalion of Orc marching down from the West. Only, this army had trolls accompanying them. "Ai, Valar! Truly, must you be so cruel?" He growled, slashing at an Orc in annoyance. "I have dealt with enough Orcs and trolls to last me a lifetime! I do not need anymore!"

Thranduil was silent, his focus on the dark sky above them. "Estel..."

"Yes?" Aragorn tersely replied, killing an Orc that tried to attack him. When Thranduil spoke, his voice was ominous and thin, telling Aragorn that what he had to say was not at all anything he wanted to hear.

"The Nazgul have arrived."

Whew...Chapter done. I'm not really proud of this chapter, to be honest. I feel it's a terrible one, so I'm sorry to all of you who feel the same. I'll try to do better than this on the next one!