Aragorn had said his farewells to Eldarion and Faramir. Eldarion had hugged his father tightly as he said goodbye.

"You will come back, right?"
Eldarion had asked.
Aragorn smiled.
"I will try."
"Promise me that you will come back."
"I promise."

As Aragorn had prepared to leave he had run into Legolas who was waiting with by his horse. He had heard their conversation.

"You should not make promises like that."
The elf had told him.
"Why not?"
"You may not be able to keep them."

They had said nothing else to each other during the ride to Mirkwood. They had stopped briefly in Rohan and had shared their news of Alatar with Eomer.

The King of Rohan had been troubled by their story and had promised to keep an eye out for him.

The following day, the three riders set out again.
They rode for a few days without stopping, they decided to make camp near the borders of Lothlorien to rest the horses.

Haldir had wandered through his old home during their stay.
Aragorn and Legolas had been able to sense his grief.

They set off through the healing woods the next day. Pushing their horses as hard as they could go. They made camp in Lorien one last time before finally arriving at the borders of Mirkwood.

"I will ride ahead and inform your father that you are coming."
Haldir said to Legolas.
"Alright."
Legolas nodded.

Haldir rode off while Legolas and Aragorn went over their plan one last time.
"Are you certain that you don't mind waiting in Dale for me?"
Legolas asked.
"I will be fine Legolas."
Aragorn assured him.

"What if Amarth arrives before I do?"
Legolas narrowed his eyes.
"It seems to me that he doesn't want to show himself to anyone but you."
Aragorn pointed out.

Legolas sighed.
"I will try and be there before nightfall."
Aragorn nodded and rode off towards Dale.
Legolas urged his horse onward to his home.

()()()

Legolas dismounted just outside of the palace. Haldir's horse was no where to be seen.

Well, he never said that he was coming with us.

Legolas ingnored the perplexed looks of the guards as he went inside. Of they would be wondering where he had gone off to.

He went straight to his father's throne room.
Thranduil appeared to be waiting for him.
"Welcome back Legolas."
He said calmly.
"Father."
Legolas replied.

Thranduil motioned for his son to follow him. Legolas guessed that Haldir hadn't mentioned anything about Alatar.

They entered the room where Thranduil usually held private conversations with one or two other elves. A table lay with a bottle of wine and some glasses.
Thranduil poured some for himself and Legolas.
Legolas accepted the glass but only took a small drink.

"I apologize for what I said to you Legolas."
Thranduil said.
"I had no right to lose my temper with you."
Legolas felt the pain of his last conversation with his father.

"I forgive you."
Legolas took another sip of the wine. He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt very thirsty.
Thranduil smiled.
"Haldir mentioned that you had something to ask me?"

Legolas took a deep breath and set the cup down.
Now he was feeling dizzy.
Why? He'd only taken two small drinks of the wine.

"There's something I need to tell you."
Legolas took a deep breath and told his father everything.
About Amarth, Alatar, what had happened after the attack, and what they had agreed to do.
"I plan on leaving with Aragorn tonight."
Legolas glanced at his father warily.

He had said nothing the entire time, which made him nervous.
"I know that you will not support my descision."
Legolas continued.
"But this is something that I must do."
He waited for a response from his father.

Thranduil sighed and looked at his son.
"Do you truly believe that you, Aragorn, and Amarth can single handedly defeat Alatar? You know nothing of his power."

"And you do?"
Legolas challenged.
He placed one of hands on the table for support.
What's wrong with me?

"As a matter of fact, I do."
Thranduil narrowed his eyes.
"I know what he is capable of. He cannot be killed. He can create creatures of terrible power that do his bidding. He can manipulate you, and can poison your mind with nightmares and can see your worst fears."

Thranduil studied his son.
Now he had both of his hands pressed firmly on the table, he was shaking and breathing heavily.
Legolas looked at him in confusion.
"How do you know this?"
His voice came out strained and breathless.

"Alatar has been an enemy of Middle Earth for thousands of years. I never fought him, or saw him with my own eyes, but I have seen what he can do. What he can create, he is not a being that I would allow my only son to face."

Legolas glared at his father. Who continued to speak calmly.
"Haldir told me everything. I will not allow my only son to go to his death."
Legolas lunged at his father in anger, only to fall to his knees on the floor.

"What did you do to me?"
Legolas shouted.
Thranduil looked down at his son. His expression cold.
"You are all I have left Legolas. I lost you mother, and Thalion. I will not lose you too."
Legolas tried to get up again, his arms gave out and he fell to the floor.

Legolas was slipping out of consciousness.
His vision grew darker as he lay on the floor.
The last thing he was aware of were two elves carrying him out of the room.

()()()

Aragorn waited outside the doors of Erebor. The Autumn air blew around him, he shook the cold off and focused on what he had came there for.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner that you were coming?"
Aragorn smiled as Gimli finally arrived.
"I would have sent word to you Gimli, if the reason of my visit hadn't been so urgent."

Gimli looked at his friend in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Aragorn looked around nervously.
"Something has happened, there is a new enemy in Middle Earth."
"What?"
The dwarf asked in disbelief.

"Who or what is it?"
"I will explain later. But first I need to know if you are willing to come with Legolas and I."
"Where?"
"On a journey we do not expect to return from."

Gimli grinned.
"I'll get myself ready."

()()()

Legolas' head was pounding.
He remembered what had happened and shot up.
Where am I?

He looked around and realized that he was in his room.
What am I doing here?
Then he remembered what his father had done.
He put a sleeping powder in the wine. How could I have fallen for that?

He should have expexted something like that from his father. It wasn't like he hadn't done it before.
Of course, that was a long time ago.
Legolas shook the thoughts away. He needed to focus.
He had to get out of there.

Aragorn was waiting for him.
Amarth was as well...
Legolas got up from his bed and walked towards the door.
He tried opening it.
Locked.

Legolas sighed in frustration.
His father had actually locked him in his own room.
He needed to find a way out.
Then he realized that the answer was right in front of him.

He walkes towards the balcony that overlooked that forest.
His father hadn't thought about Legolas using that as an escape.

But did he really want to?
Legolas looked down.
If he was able to get the jump right, he could land in the trees and climb to the ground.

Then again, there is the possibility that you will fall and kill yourself.
Legolas sighed. What choice did he have?
It was either risk it, or remain his father's prisoner.
Legolas walked back into his room and opened a large chest beside his bed.

Inside was his bow that had been given to him by Galadriel. He had kept it saved for an emergency.
He took that and a small quiver of arrows, he'd have to find more later.
The last thinf he grabbed were two twin knives, and a sword.

He looked down at the blade with hesitation.
It had been his brother's sword.
Legolas closed his eyes and closed the chest.
He placed his bow and his knives onto his back, and strapped the sword around his waist.

He looked around the room one last time.
There was nothing else he needed.
Legolas walked out to the balcony and prepared himself to jump, but before he could anything, the door behind him opened.

And standing in the doorway was his father.