Estel could feel conciousness returning to his mind as his eyes flickered opened. He was seized by panick for a moment, remembering that he was a prisoner of Brion's and was about to be killed.

But then he realized that he was no longer outside. He was in a room, a very familiar room.

I'm home! But how did I get here?

Estel tried to figure out what had happened before he had lost conciousness but everything was fuzzy and unclear.

I'll find out soon enough.

Estel slowly lifted off his covers and inspected his injuries. His leg had been properly cleaned and bandaged and he no longer had a fever.

How long have I been unconcious?

As if to answer his question the door slowly opened and in walked in Elladan and Elrohir.

"Hello little brother!"
Elrohir grinned as he sat himself beside Estel.
"What trouble have you managed to get yourself into this time?"

Estel chuckled and then winced. He was still in a bit of pain from his latest mishap.

"It's a long story."
"We have time."
Elladan said pulling up a chair and sitting beside the bed.

Estel took in a deep breath and relayed everything that had happened to him, Halbarad, Fornil, Legolas, and Brion.

The twins listened in silence. Neither spoke until Estel was finished speaking.

"I was ready for Brion to take my life when suddenly I lost conciousness."
Estel concluded.
"I woke up here and now I'd like to know how I got here."

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a glance, it was Elladan who answered.
"Legolas brought you here. He saved your life."

Legolas?!

"He'd been pierced in the shoulder by an arrow yet he still carried you here."
Elrohir added.
"He collapsed the moment he stepped foot inside the front gate."

Estel stared at his brothers dumbfounded. There was no way that Legolas would do that for him! Why would he? What had he ever done for him?

An image flashed into his mind of Legolas being pinned on the ground by Brion, he remembered what the man had been about to do to him.

"Is he alright?"
Estel asked trying not to sound as concerned as he felt.
"He awoke two days ago."
Elladan told him.

"He has actually been asking about you a lot."
Elrohir commented.
"If I did not know any better I would say that he is worried about you."

Elladan widened his eyes in mock disbelief.
"Why Elrohir that is ridiculous! Why those two cannot stand each other!"

Estel rolled his eyes, although he was surprised at the heavy amount of concern he felt towards Legolas.

Why am I so worried about him? He doesn't like me and I don't like him. He was practically the reason why we got into that mess! Why Fornil died....

But he saved your life. He could have left you to die but instead he risked his own life to save yours.

Estel sighed.
Perhaps he had misjudged the elf, maybe he wasn't as cold and hard as he made himself out to be.

I may have been wrong about him but that does not mean we will become friends.

"Where is Legolas now? I- I want to thank him."
Elladan arched an eyebrow skeptically.
"Are you sure that you are well enough Estel?"

Nodding Estel threw off his covers and swung his legs off of the edge of the bed.

With some help from the twins Estel managed to walk to the door and step into the hallway.

It was nice to be back in the comforting walls of his home, he always felt safe here, as if no evil could ever touch this place.

They led him into their father's study which didn't surprise Estel. He expected that Elrond, and possibly Gandalf, were in there questioning Legolas once again.

Poor elf, but what does he have to gain by hiding his past?

To his surprise once they entered the study Elrond, Gandalf, and Legolas were sitting together quietly conversing with one another.

The three looked up as Estel and the twins entered.
"Estel, I am glad to see you awake and well."
Elrond stood up from his seat and went to gently embrace his son.

"I'm glad as well."
Estel said returing the embrace.
"Although I wish I could stop arriving here injured all the time."

"It has only been twice in under three months Estel."
Elrond stated in amusement.
"I am sure that this is the last time you or Legolas will arrive here in the states you were both in."

Speaking of Legolas...

Estel turned towards the elf who was now standing in front of his chair. His face was unreadable as he studied Estel, for a moment Estel wondered if he was checking to see if he had recovered well enough.

"I wanted to thank you."
Estel said.
"For saving my life, again."
Legolas' only reply was a small dip of his head.

"What happened to Brion? How did we escape?"
Legolas sighed as he went over what happened for what seemed to be the millionth time.

"After you rammed into Brion I retrieved his knife and cut myself free. Just before he could strike you again I stabbed him. I picked you up and ran from the other men, I did not stop until I reached Imladris."

Brion is dead?

For some reason the news didn't surprise him as much as he thought it would.

"What about the other men? Will they try to find us?"
"I highly doubt it."
Gandalf spoke up for the first time since the conversation started.

"Halbarad had gathered the other Rangers and they tracked down the men who had taken you captive. They saw to it that their days of kidnapping and slave trading were over."

"Does Halbarad know that we are here?"
Estel asked.
"He does. In fact he has been waiting for news of you to awake for several days now."

"I should let him know that I am alive and well."
Estel turned to leave when Elrond placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Actually Estel, there was something Legolas wanted to ask you."
Estel looked at the elf curiously. What could he possibly want to ask him?

Legolas, for the first time since Estel had met him, seemed nervous.

He glanced uncertainly at Gandalf who nodded his head.
Legolas closed his eyes and took a deep breath before asking his question.

"I have been speaking with Elrond and Gandalf, and I have decided that I am done running. I am not going to disappear again. If it is alright with you and the rest of your people, I want to join you, and help defend the north against the enemy."

Estel couldn't believe his ears. Was this truly the same elf he had met just three months ago?
What had brought on this sudden change in attitude?

Estel glanced at Elrond and Gandalf, hoping for some enlightenment, but all he got were unreadable stares.

Finally he turned back to Legolas and considered his request. He had run away last time, there was a good chance that if he did return his men would not trust him or want him there.

"Please Estel, I- I have no where else to go."
Legolas' voice was strained, Estel was shocked to hear desperation in his voice.
What had happened to this elf?

"Why can you not go home?"
Estel hadn't intended for so much concern to enter his voice.
But he could clearly see the pain and sorrow in the elf's usually stoic gaze.

Something had happened to him, something to make him break down the walls that had protected and hidden his true emotions.

"I ran away because I did something terrible, and I cannot go back."
Legolas hung his head, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

Estel hoped for some revelation from Elrond or Gandalf but even they did not know the true meaning behind Legolas' words.

"I understand if you do not want me to come with you."
Legolas said quietly, his voice striken with grief.
"Perhaps it would be best for everyone if I did disappear again."

The others stared at him in stunned silence as he gently pushed his way past them and left the room.

Not knowing why Estel followed after him. He had to quiken his pace in order to keep up with his long strides.

He placed a hand on the elf's shoulder to keep him from going any further.

Legolas turned to face him in surprise. He hadn't expected anyone to come after him, especially Estel.

Estel hadn't expected himself to follow either.
But the pain in Legolas' eyes was too much to ignore, what had he done that was so terrible that he felt the need to run away from home?

Why did he feel like running away would be better for everyone?

"Legolas, I know that I'm the last person who should be giving you advice."
Estel began, struggling to find the right words to use.

"I don't know what you did, or what happened to you in the first place, but I can assure you that running away will not solve anything."

Legolas stared at him through sad, tired, and unblinking eyes. Taking a deep breath Estel continued to speak.

"I can tell that you are in pain, even though I don't know you very well I can see that you have suffered far more greatly than anyone else here."

Estel knew that that may have been a stretch but he wasn't going to stop now.

"You tried to give off the impression that you were cold and distant, that you didn't care for anyone else but you couldn't fool anyone, not even yourself."

"You do care for others Legolas. You fight to defend those who cannot protect themselves, you risk your life for those you barely know. It does not matter what you did in the past, you may not realize it now but you are a hero.
"You protect and defend the weak and you do none of it for your own fame and glory. You do it because it is the right thing to do."

Estel ended his speech with shocked silence. Where had all that come from? Were those all the things he had found out about Legolas during the short time he had known him?

Legolas could not find the words to respond as he looked down at his feet.

"I do not deserve such words. If you knew what I had done then you would understand why I must travel alone."

"What did you do?"
Estel braced himself for the worst as Legolas hesitated to answer.

"I am responsible for the deaths of my mother, brother, and a friend who was very dear to me."
Estel's eyes widened in shock but he didn't say anything as he let the elf continue.

"I- I do not know how my mother died, but I have heard rumors that I was with her before she drew her last breath. Since she was killed by orcs I can only assume that she died protecting me."

"My brother died the same way, we were attacked by orcs in the forest and he was slain whilst saving my life. And my friend, There was nothing I could do...."

Legolas turned away from Estel and fought back tears as he struggled to finish.

"That is why I ran away, if I had remained with my father he would have shared the same fate as they did. That is why I disappeared, to protect everyone else from me. I bring nothing but death to whomever I am with."

Estel could feel his heart breaking. Ever since he had met Legolas he had assumed that the elf was selfish, he had failed to see the clear pain and depression that consumed the elf's entire being.

"Look what I did when I joined your people. Fornil was killed, Brion betrayed you, and I almost got you killed."

Legolas' final statement cloved Estel's heart in two.
"I bring pain and suffering to everyone I meet, I carry death's shadow with me wherever I go, I am pain, suffering, and death."

Legolas turned away from him and expected the man to let him go after his confession, but was once again surprised to feel a firm grip on his shoulder, preventing him from going any further.

"You are not death Legolas."
Estel told him firmly.
"You are not pain, and you are not suffering."

"Then what am I?"
Legolas questioned.
"I am not a hero, I can hardly call myself a prince, what am I?"

Estel sighed.
"I do not know, but I do know that you are not what you make yourself out to be."

"If only that were true."
"It is true! We will find the truth one day Legolas, I swear it."
Legolas stared at him in confusion.

"'We?'"
He asked tilting his head slightly to the side.
"Yes, because you are coming with us. You are going to stay and live among my people for as long as you want."

Estel was just as shocked as Legolas was at his words. He had just invited the elf that just several weeks prior to that day, he hadn't trusted or liked.

But now here he was, trying to help him and make him see that he was not the darkness he made himself out to be.

DearValar what is happening to me?

"You do not have to let me come with you."
Legolas said quietly.
"Yes I do."
Estel said grasping both of the elf's shoulders with his hands.

"You've saved my life three times already, it's time for me to return the favor."

Estel could see the slightest trace of a smile appearing at the corners of the elf's mouth.

"Hannon le."
Legolas said dipping his head.
Estel smiled slightly and walked beside Legolas as they went to find Halbarad.

As soon as he was well enough they would head back into the wild. While they walked away side by side neither had noticed the shocked and bewildered expressions coming from Elladan, Elrohir, and Elrond.

"Did- did that just happen?"
Elrohir asked blinking several times.
"I think it did."
Elladan replied shaking his head in amazement.

Out of all of them only Gandalf remained unfazed by the sudden turn of events. He had expected from the moment that he had sent Estel to find Legolas that the man would end up befriending the elf.

Little did he know just how strong and powerful that friendship would be.

»»»»

One month later....

Elrond stood on a balcony overlooking the Hidden Valley in silence. He had been having the vision again, ever since he had first found Legolas alone in the snow it had been coming back to him every night.

When he had first picked up Legolas and set him on his horse his mind had been flooded with the vision he had seen when Legolas had last been brought to Rivendell.

The one with him surrounded by fire that kept the darkness away from him, but something about the vision had changed.

Elrond had watched as the fire around Legolas died out, leaving Legolas alone and defensless against the oncoming darkness.

He had watched as not only the light around Legolas began to fade, but as Legolas began to fade as well.

For days the vision remained the same, with Legolas becoming fainter and fainter as the darkness threatened to claim him.

It hadn't been until that night that the vision had changed. For years Elrond had wondered what the other small light he had always seen in the distance meant.

But as time went on the small, white light had grown brighter. Slowly driving the darkness away from Legolas and restoring his light.

Then Elrond had watched in disbelief as the light took shape. It was no longer just a light, but a man. And not just any man, it was Estel.

Estel had been the other light, he was the other light. Elrond had witnessed Estel fighting off the darkness that had surrounded Legolas, he had seen Legolas regain the light that had been stolen from him.

Then together the two had battled against the darkness, driving it back together as an unstoppable force.

The final thing Elrond had seen were more lights in the distance, there had been seven in total, all too small and too far away for him to make out their shape.

Elrond had interpreted this vision he had been having for years as showing him who was to come and drive back the darkness, to save Middle Earth from the shadow that threatened them all.

Legolas had been the first light, and Estel was now the second. Leaving Elrond to wonder who the other seven were, when they would arrive, and whether they would be able to drive back the darkness once and for all.

Only time will tell.

Elrond thought to himself.
But for now he would have to focus on keeping a close eye on Legolas and Estel.

Something told him that the enemy would do everything in  his power to stop these "lights" from completing their assumed task of destroying him.

Time is running out. Soon war will be upon all who oppose Sauron. And if we cannot find a way to stop him, then we will all be doomed ro fall into the darkness.