Legolas was having a bad morning. The seven days of grieving had passed and the realm was to resume all usual work and tasks today. Legolas was glad – he was itching for some form of normality again – the recent dread, gloom and despair that had pervaded the palace had become quite stifling. However, it seemed this simple wish would not be granted him.

First he had had Thanniel fussing, hovering and generally breathing down his neck at breakfast simply because he hadn't felt like eating very much. Granted he hadn't felt like eating very much for the past week, but still, there was no need to his former nanny to have made breakfast into such a huge ordeal. Legolas was only thankful that he had chosen to have the meal in his chambers and therefore no one else had been privy to the near war that had erupted over a simple thing as porridge.

Once he had finally eaten enough to get Thanniel to cease her needless fussing he had gone to get dressed – ready for a full day of warrior training only to see that his bow string had somehow snapped. Annoyed he had stalked off toward the armory in the hope of quickly grabbing a replacement and being on his way to training. It was not to be however, for as he walked across the barracks yard toward the armory he had been stopped and accosted by Lord Arahaelon.

And that had led him to where he was presently – in a stand-off with Lord Arahaelon over whether or not Legolas ought to attend warrior training.

"I just do not think you ought to return so soon. And come let us make this conversation a little more private. I was about to head back to the palace. You can accompany me."

Legolas grit his teeth impatiently, "The entire realm is returning to their work Lord Arahaelon – why must I be any different? Surely I ought to show an example as a member of the Royal family?"

"Walk with me."

Lord Arahaelon was firmer in his suggestion of accompanying him back to the Palace this time and with a long-suffering sigh Legolas obliged. A suggestion from Lord Arahaelon was as good as an order and resistance was futile.

Legolas followed alongside the taller ellon and tried his hardest to keep his face as neutral as possible, which proved somewhat difficult as he was rather aggravated at the forced leisurely stroll he was being made to take back to the palace. He'd only just left for pity's sake, and at the rate Lord Arahaelon was walking by the time Legolas managed to convince him to let him attend training he would be late. Which would then of course incur the wrath of today's trainer – archery master Lady Yalä – an Avari elleth with a temper to rival his Adar's.

Legolas let out a slow, frustrated breath – it was going to be a very long day.

~o~

Rithel and Thanniel both looked up at the brusque knocking at the door to Thranduil's study and Rithel quickly gave the command to enter. She was surprised to see the very object of the discussion she had been having with Thanniel walk in alongside Lord Arahaelon. Legolas had a face like thunder, though Rithel could tell he was trying really very hard to look neutral. She made a mental note to help him learn to mask his emotions better. No elf's face ought to convey so much of what they thought.

"What brings you both here Lord Arahaelon? Lasseg?" Rithel sat up straighter behind her Adar's desk and hoped she did not look as much as an imposter as she felt. "I thought you were off to training Las?"

Legolas' face brightened instantly and he turned to Lord Arahaelon with a superior little grin. "See – Rithel expects me to attend my training. So what is your problem?"

"Legolas Thranduilion! You hold your tongue and show some respect for your elders and betters," Thanniel was quick to call Legolas on his rudeness. "How dare you? You will apologise to Lord Arahaelon this very instant."

"But Thanniel he -"

"But nothing Legolas. I will hear not another word from you until you apologise to Lord Arahaelon."

Rithel watched as her brother took a deep breath before whirling to face the object of his wrath and apologising. That done she was quick to get to the point and find out why Legolas had been brought before her in the first place.

"Lord Arahaelon besides his rudeness," Rithel paused to shoot Legolas a warning look, "is there a reason you have brought Legolas here?"

"Yes Riel indeed there is – I do not believe Legolas ought to return to training at present." Lord Arahaelon paused and looked at Legolas, "Please understand Legolas that I do not do this to annoy you. I'm just rather worried for you. You haven't been eating properly recently and you look tired."

Rithel scrutinized her baby brother; Legolas did look paler than usual and there was an air of tiredness about him. Not only that, she had just been speaking with Thanniel about Legolas' poor appetite since the maethyr had returned and in particular since he had found out that their Adar had been badly injured.

She bit her lip worriedly. These were two of the very first, milder signs of fading – lethargy and loss of interest in food. She had all the signs and symptoms of fading memorised after having had a long talk with Lady Ídhes.

These were signs that could be easily fixed however; and Rithel had really been hoping that a bit of exercise in the beautiful summer sun would help cheer Legolas and get him to work up an appetite. As she looked him over she could understand Lord Arahaelon's concerns for his welfare yet she felt that it would truly be best for Legolas to go to his training. The boy thrived out in the open and he had been rather cooped up of late – leaving the palace only to attend funerals. That was no way for someone with such a wild and free spirit to live for very long.

Rithel decided she would take Legolas' side – it would hopefully be the correct choice.

"I understand of course Lord Arahaelon – and I have been worried over you too Lasseg," and Rithel watched as her brother turned a dismayed face toward her. She continued unperturbed and faced Lord Arahaelon again, "however I feel it would be best in this case for Legolas to attend training. Hopefully it will give him an appetite and wear him out a little so that he will sleep soundly tonight."

Lord Arahaelon cast a doubtful look at Legolas at though weighing him up in his mind, "I simply do not want him to be injured due to tiredness… but I suppose it could do him some good."

Legolasfrowned, "I am right here; you need not act as though I weren't."

Rithel smiled at her scowling brother, "Well you ought not to still be here – lest you want to face the wrath of Lady Yalä."

Legolas paled and with a hasty bow toward his sister and Lord Arahaelon he fled the room with a panicked look on his face that Rithel could not help but chuckle at.

"Right," Rithel grabbed hold of the rather large stack of papers in front of her, "I guess I had better get my day started too."

She looked down at the hefty amount of paper work and sighed, as she decided then and there that the life of a monarch was not for her.

Long may you reign Adar, Rithel prayed fervently, berio le Eru.

~o~

Legolas hurriedly rushed through the Palace annoyed at the fact he had to navigate the winding halls for the third time that morning – and he still had not grabbed that replacement bow string. He quickened his steps even more stopping short of breaking into a run as he murmured his apologies to those unfortunate enough to get in his way.

Finally, he made it out into the courtyard and made a dash across the enchanted bridge – he might just be able to make it on time and get his bow string if he ran now.

Again, it was not to be. It seemed he was doomed to faced Lady Yalä's wrath this day.

He came off the marble bridge and rounded the corner ready to take off at full pelt when he was bowled over by something rather solid yet furry. Legolas blinked and pulled himself up into a sitting position and was startled to see a pair of large rabbits staring down at him. Before he could form a coherent thought he was interrupted by a familiar, friendly voice.

"Oh dear, oh dear. I am sorry. It's the rabbits you see they're -"

Legolas gasped in surprised before he interrupted the rambling man, "Aiwendil?"

"Ah young Legolas – just the elf. Come, you can lead us to Lord Arahaelon. No doubt your Adar will also wish to see us."

Legolas was even more startled to see the grey wizard appear behind his brown companion.

"Mithrandir?" he questioned as he finally stood to his feet, "What are you both doing here?"

Gandalf huffed as he gingerly stepped off the rabbit sled. "That's a fine way to welcome visitors young Thranduilion."

"Uh-um forgive me," Legolas gave a small bow to the Istari, "Mae govannen Mithrandir, Aiwendil – the Woodland realm welcomes you."

Gandalf snorted again and began to mutter about the hospitality of elves before he was interrupted by a frantic Radagast.

"No time Gandalf for formalities. We are in a great hurry."

Gandalf still looked disgruntled but waved a hand at Legolas none the less, "Lead on young Prince – take us to them."

Legolas froze unsure what to say in regards to his Adar; Lord Arahaelon had told him he was not to discuss the King's current health with anyone. But Mithrandir and Aiwendil were not just anyone – they were both long-time friends of his Adar.

"Well Legolas?" Gandalf prodded a lot more gently this time as though he could sense Legolas' inner turmoil.

"Um- you w- you won't be able to see Adar but I do know where Lord Arahaelon is; I will lead you to him."

Legolas lead them back across the enchanted bridge, stopped in the courtyard to hand over Aiwendil's precious rabbits to an eager groom before they continued onward.

"Mithrandir? Aiwendil?" Legolas slowed his steps so that the wizards were now on either side of him. "Exactly why have you come? And in such a hurry?"

Legolas cursed the way his voice sounded weak and worried yet he could not help it. He was worried. He hadn't really felt anything since he'd had news of his Adar's injuries yet his numb little bubble threatened to break now and he felt the beginnings of dread stir in the pit of his stomach. Somehow he had a feeling that the arrival of both Istari did not bode well for his Adar. Something was wrong, very wrong – something he had not been told of.

"Well," Gandalf pulled on his beard, "I'm not entirely sure – it was a rather cryptic message you see. The general idea was that your Adar had need of our help."

Radagast nodded his agreement even as his hat threatened to fly off his head.

Legolas swallowed and did his best to get his voice under control before he murmured, "I see."

It was he had feared then – things with his Adar went ill indeed if Lord Arahaelon had sent for them both with utmost haste.

They had reached their destination now – Lord Arahaelon's study – and Legolas tried hard to get a grip on the wildly spiraling fear that threatened to engulf him before he turned to face both wizards.

"I must attend training and I am terribly late as is – I will not join you."

Legolas gave a sharp rap on the door, and without waiting for it to be opened he announced both his guests before he gave them another bow and weak smile and all but fled down the hall.

He ignored the concerned voice of Mithrandir calling to him as he hustled back through the palace and toward the training fields. He did not notice the anxious and worried glances cast his way.

He could only feel his numb shell as it crumbled at last and all the feelings that he had hidden from came crashing down upon his young shoulders. His heart felt as though it would break – the thought of something terrible happening to his Adar – his only remaining parent was too terrible to think on. The thought of becoming an orphan smacked at him hard.

Nay, nay, Legolas shook his head as he broke into a run as he went outside once more. It could not happen - it would not – he had to be positive. He had to hope. His Adar was strong. Thanniel's words came to him again.

Be brave.

Stay strong.

Legolas calmed his breathing and squared his shoulders.

His Adar was strong and Legolas determined that he would be too.

~o~

Gandalf called out to Legolas' retreating back in vain as he wondered what ailed the young prince. Mention of them being here to see Thranduil had seemed to set him on edge for some reason. And the boy had seemed positively terrified when Gandalf had stated they had come to lend Thranduil their aid. The fear in his eyes had been impossible to miss.

Gandalf harrumphed. He was already tired of elves and their odd, cryptic and shifty ways. He was an Istar – it was he who was meant to confound them – not the other way around.

Gandalf pushed open Lord Arahaelon's door determined he would have some answers.

~o~

Lady Yalä watched from the corner of her eye as the young Prince Legolas slipped into her class a full thirty minutes late. She turned to pin him with a glare and was about to let loose with her famous temper when she saw his eyes. Fear and heartbreak were clear within them for her to read; though she could tell he was doing his best to mask those feelings. Indeed, his face was blank yet the emotion shone through in his eyes. Nevertheless, it was her job to instill discipline in the future maethyr of the Woodland realm – regardless of title.

"You are late Thranduilion," she barked and raised a single dark eyebrow in a silent demand for an answer.

"I am sorry Hiril-nin," Legolas kept his eyes appropriately downcast and his head bowed. "Lord Arahaelon had need of me and then I had two guests to attend. Still I know there is no excuse for tardiness and again you have my full apologies."

"I understand your position Thranduilion," at that Legolas raised his head and eyes and looked her full in the face and the fear and sadness she saw in those bright blue eyes gentled her tone. "Still I cannot accept tardiness, you are correct – so there will be laps around the training grounds for you after this session is done."

"Yes Hiril-nin."

"Now warm up whilst you watch this demonstration."

Lady Yalä's voice rang loud and clear across the training ground as she effortlessly and rather mindlessly demonstrated the technique to her young warriors-in-training. She had done it so many times over the centuries she knew the demonstration like the back of her hand.

Yet that was not the only reason for her absent mindedness. She pondered the look the young Prince had in his eyes – he seemed so fearful, so sad. Had the condition of the King worsened? For everyone knew by now that the King had been injured in the battle. What no one knew however was the extent of his injuries; though she herself had presumed they were fairly serious when he made no appearance at the memorial service for his fallen troops.

Her eyes momentarily flicked upward to where the Royal flags still fluttered at half-mast in the distance. That in itself was unusual – the flags should have been raised again when the black and white mourning flags had been removed.

Lady Yalä ended her demonstration and called up the first of her students to have a try. As she did so her eyes again fell upon the Prince and she could not help but wonder what he knew, what he had been told this morning that gave him such a sorrowful look. If anyone knew why the Royal flags still flew at half-mast it would be Legolas – and if one were to go off the abject look in his eyes – well – things did not look good for the King. Not at all.

Lady Yalä sent up a silent prayer to all the Valar – she would hate to see the realm lose its King; but even more than that she would hate to see one of her most promising students lose the only parent he had this side of the Sundering Seas.

Elbereth please, she prayed, please watch over our King.

~o~

Gandalf looked upon the ruined face that supposedly belonged to his long-time friend. He understood perfectly now just why Lord Arahaelon had had such urgent need of their help. Gandalf sighed as he wondered just where to begin. Radagast and the Royal healer Calelon were in the apothecary putting together powerful painkillers and salves yet Gandalf just stared as he contemplated the grievous injuries before him.

The facial burn was the most grievous of all the burns the elven King had sustained and stretched from eyebrow to chin. It also covered Thranduil's left eye which had a frosted, vacant look to it and Gandalf wondered sadly if the eye would ever be of any use to its owner again. Melted, waxy looking flesh gave way to raw red muscle some of which had been burned away to expose the stringy, pale pink sinew beneath. The area over Thranduil's cheek was particularly bad, held together by only two strands of exposed sinew, and all that was only his face.

There were further lighter burns all down the left side of Thranduil's torso before they came to an end at the King's hip. Though lighter and seemingly less damaging Gandalf knew that dragon fire was dragon fire, and even those lesser burns would give Thranduil hell in terms of pain. Wounds from dragon fire were also notoriously difficult to heal and were one of the few things that could permanently scar an elf.

He sighed again and pursed his lips before he gave a weary tug on his beard. At last he put a hand on Thranduil's brow and felt for the King's fëa. He was not happy with what he felt.

Thranduil was far away indeed – it was no wonder that even the combined efforts of the Wood's two strongest healers hadn't been enough to call their King back. Thranduil was deep in shadow, fëa wandering very near to Lord Námo's Halls.

They had come not a moment too soon.

Gandalf would deal with the wounds after – Thranduil's fëa took priority. Placing both hands upon the King's chest Gandalf called forth his power and he begun to call back Thranduil's weakened, deeply injured fëa into the light.

~o~

With a start Thranduil became aware of a voice. Soft, gentle and caring.

It sounded muffled and he strained to hear it more clearly when he became aware of a small, faint red light. That immediately grabbed his attention and voice was forgotten as Thranduil began to follow the light. It seemed forever since he had been here, wherever here was, alone in the darkness. The light immediately enchanted him and he followed it willing.

He was so fixed on the light that he did not notice his surroundings as they got lighter and lighter.

He did not notice that the pitch black darkness got less oppressive as he continued to follow the light upwards.

He did not notice inky black tendrils as they unwillingly gave up their possessive grip on him.

He did not notice as the cold that rivalled the Helcaraxë began to dissipate into a genteel warmth.

He did notice the pain.

It was sudden and sharp and immediately pulled him out of the trance like state he had been in whilst focused on the light. It tore across his face like a giant fiery claw and Thranduil let out a soundless scream. He struggled as all of a sudden he noticed he was no longer in the nameless, dark, pain-free void. The light no longer appealed and he fought to sink back down into the black, numb oblivion.

Yet he could not. The red light was stronger now and seemed to draw him toward it of its own accord. Thranduil did not want to follow it – for now it felt as though flame licked across this face and upper half. It burned terribly and the pain was overwhelming. The heat was like nothing he could recall feeling before. It was as though someone had dipped the top half of him into Orodruin itself.

Thranduil gave another pained yet soundless cry sure that he would soon be overwhelmed and die.

Just then the red light flared then glowed brightly and enveloped him in warmth. A real genuine warmth – not the fierce fiery pain he had just felt. In fact his pain eased and slowly began to flow away.

All of a sudden Thranduil felt relaxed. Warm. Contented. And then – he was finally, blessedly, pain free once more.

The voice he had first heard was there again – stronger and clearer now.

"…tolo dan nan galad."

Thranduil recognised the voice just before he lost his brief struggle against the sleep that swiftly overtook him.

Mithrandir.

~o~

Gandalf sighed in relief as Thranduil shifted into a natural sleep rather than the death like unconsciousness he had previously been in. It had been hard to watch the elven King struggle and writhe in pain as Gandalf dragged his soul and consciousness back into the light. It had evidently been a excruciating experience for Thranduil as both Radagast and Calelon had been needed to hold the King down as he had flailed about madly.

Still at least Thranduil was back with them now – and Gandalf was determined to see that it stayed that way. He would not see the Woodland realm lose its greatest King.

"You may let him loose for he sleeps naturally now," Gandalf nodded his thanks to both Radagast and Calelon. "Please show some haste with those herbs – he will awaken again and his pain will be terrible."

The two hustled off to finish their potions and Gandalf hummed quietly to himself and brushed a loose strand of ash blond hair from Thranduil's sweat dampened brow.

The worst was not yet over for Thranduil, the Istar mused darkly. Indeed, it had only just begun.

TBC.

Ellon – Male elf

Elleth - Female elf

Adar – Father

Lasseg – Little Leaf – Family nickname for Legolas

Riel – Princess

Maethyr – (plural) warriors

Berio le Eru – May Eru protect you

Istari – (Plural of Istar) – Quenya for Wizards

Mae Govannen – Well met

Hiril-nin - My Lady

Fëa – Soul (Quenya)

Tolo Dan Nan Galad – Come back to the Light