Chapter 4

Legolas pored over the parchments in front of him, his brow furrowed in concentration. He had asked no other elf or lore-master for help and had set himself apart from everyone else as he read. He knew that everyone did not know what they faced yet, and he didn't want to raise suspicions about this as of yet. He needed to know everything that he could about this malice, and this was a way to get started while he waited for any further explanations. He knew that his father was not going to give him any more information than what he needed.

He didn't have to wait long for Aether to arrive. She walked to the table he was at and seated herself on the other side. She didn't say anything, but leaned back in her chair and looked at him. She pulled out a small pipe and lit it.

"Dinner will be starting, and when you didn't come to get me, I set out for you instead." She said. She blew light smoke into the air. Nothing at all comparable Mithrandir's displays, but she usually didn't smoke unless something was bothering her greatly.

Legolas hadn't noticed how long he had stayed there reading, but he had learned quite a bit about the foe that they were to face. That he was to face. But none of the questions he really sought answers for were contained on these parchments. They gave him facts, examples of what had happened in the past, but nothing he could rely on to guide him in the task he was foreseen to finish. He wondered why it was that he had been in this vision. Was he to go after this thing, stalking it like prey? He had no idea what it was he had to do. He was still young, a messenger for his father and nothing more, how could he be expected to kill this thing?

Aether let his mind wander; keeping a silent eye on him as these thoughts passed his mind. She herself did not know why Legolas was involved. There was nothing notable about him as of yet; aside from being the crown prince of Mirkwood, but she never saw him in that light anyway. She knew to look further than that. She knew his father when he was a small thing, hiding behind Oropher, more shy than Legolas was when she first arrived to meet him. Her dealings with Mithrandir and all the training she had received in addition to her own knowledge told her to look beyond appearances and first impressions, but still nothing jumped out at her as to why he was such a prominent character in what was to come. It was a mystery and with all that was happening otherwise, she was worried that perhaps they had been mistaken after all.

Finally Legolas spoke, asking the questions to which she had no answers. His voice was quiet and resigned, "Why was I chosen?"

Aether sighed. "Some people aren't chosen; some are. And for tasks that vary and for different reasons. Perhaps you weren't chosen at all. Maybe this is all chance that we are seeing." Aether shared her speculations, the path was not clear for any of them. Nothing was certain, and she didn't want to give answers to which she had no reply. She had known Legolas since the day he was born, and when his mother sailed, she had taken it upon herself to keep a watchful eye over him. The first time he had met her properly, he had no idea that she had already known everything about his life up to that point. She watched him, keeping a promise that she had made long ago. Not that he needed it, under his father's tight reign, but she remained locked in her promise.

"How does it happen? What must I do?" He asked. Surely he could figure many things out if he knew this one answer.

"That is not for me to say, as I do not know. Nor does Elrond. Or any other for that matter. Our vision of this matter is weak, as there are many other shadows coming to rise at this time. None of which we have faced in ages. Legolas, there are many events taking place at this time, and I know not what will happen." Aether sighed and put her hand to her forehead.

Legolas continued to stare at her. "Many events? Such as what?" He asked.

"They are not for me to discuss. I have no place in them. You may want to consult Elrond further about the matter, I have told you and your father all that I know. Although I doubt that Thranduil would allow you to leave Mirkwood in such dangerous times as these, you should seek to consult Elrond directly." Aether looked to the darkening sky outside and stood. "We will go to dinner and discuss it afterward. I leave tomorrow, we will settle all tonight."

Legolas stood and walked with her to the dining hall.

The pair never made it to the dining hall, a flurry of elves with bows drawn ran swiftly past them as they approached, and the hum of their bows as they let arrows fly made both of them stop short where they were. Aether pulled Legolas to the side roughly and blocked him from view as she peeked around the wall. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Already it has begun, under my very nose." Aether said. Legolas looked at her in confusion. He had no idea what was happening, but he hoped he would have more time to prepare for what was to be done.

"What? What is happening?" He reached for his quiver, but had left it in his chamber as he departed to look at parchments. Aether was shaking her head anyway. There was no need for him there; she knew that it would be over soon anyway.

"No, you have to stay here. I will see what is amiss. Do mot move until I have returned. Do you understand me?" She asked. Legolas nodded and before he could say anything else, she was already down the hall.

Legolas stayed where he was for a time, but as she didn't return, he started to get impatient. He could hear the sounds of some kind of battle and he started to the noise.

He gasped as he came into view of the Great Tree. It was his favorite as a child because he could picture himself touching the sky when he climbed to the highest branches. The wind whistled through his hair and his father's servants would have to climb to the highest bough to get him down and washed for supper. But now there was nothing nice about the tree, and in the deepening darkness he could see creatures running around beneath it.

He looked closer. Those were not Elves. They were like nothing he had ever seen. Not trolls, or goblins, but something about them made his heart feel heavy. He chanced another look and watched as a battle between the Elves and these creatures ended. The sound of yells and bows being shot carried to his ears and he watched the retreat from his spot near the tree. They ran off into the night and into the dark cover of the forest, and Legolas watched as many Elves charged after them.

His father was there and he saw Aether walking over to him, a disturbed look upon her face. She was shaking her head and his father was yelling to those running into the woods. Legolas held his gaze at the three heaps at the foot of the tree.

"Find it! Find him at all costs! Track him and do not return until he is found!" He was yelling so loud. Legolas wanted to cover his ears and back up, but he looked down at the figures on the ground and took another step forward.

"What has happened here?" Legolas asked as he walked forward. "What is the meaning of this? What were those things?" He looked down in horror at the three guards that lay crumpled on the ground. Blood was pooling around the roots of the Great Tree and his heart sunk lower. He had heard of elves falling against the spiders and other fell creatures that roamed the borders of his father's realm, but never had he seen this damage this close! His nose could pick up the smell of passing and blood on the air, and he fathomed he could hear the silence of their hearts and it made his own ache. Legolas looked to Aether and his father, and they both carried the same damaged look, as he was sure he carried on his own, but when they spoke their voices were strong and unwavering. They had seen this before; there was nothing new about this. They carried on through their grief knowing that there were things that had to be finished and accomplished.

"Orcs, Legolas. They were Orcs. Come away now, follow me." Aether pulled his arm and he allowed himself to be led away. Aether caught Thranduil's eye and he nodded to her to take Legolas to his own chambers. He knew that this was his son's first experience of seeing a fallen Elf, and he had wished to spare his son the sight, but he knew that his son was grown now, and expected to take over more and more of the responsibility of the kingdom, he would have to face a situation like this sooner or later. There was nothing to be done about it at the time. He hoped that Aether would stay by him until he could be with his son. Now was not the time for him to calm Legolas, they had to track the thing that had escaped into the woods.

Once inside the familiar safety of the room, Legolas could not comprehend what had happened. His grief pooled inside his gut and he fought to keep from crying out. He had stayed quiet in the public view, schooling his features back to his normally proud expression, but now in his own room, he could feel the despair wash over him. He knew that the Elves in the court would start singing soon, and he did not know if he could bear it. What had happened? How had those things broken into his father's realm?

Aether shushed him and calmed him. There was no fear in him, only sadness. He groped for answers and she put an arm around him. She had few answers to give again, but she was going to do what she could to calm him. She had never seen Legolas this upset, and she realized with a start that this had to have been the first time he had ever seen something of that nature before.

"Those were Orcs, Legolas. Here on an errand, of which I believe they have succeeded. Be still and understand." She waited for the Elf to show his grief, but he seemed to choke it back. He was trying to be strong; he wanted answers to more of his questions.

"What did my father want found?" He asked. His ears picked up a melody, quiet at first, but slowly raising into an ethereal choir that reverberated through the room. His heart felt heavier and he sunk lower where he was seated.

"Gollum." Aether answered. "I believe the Orcs to have come to his aid. This must be reported to Elrond immediately." Aether stayed with Legolas for a long time, holding him in her arms before his father came to the room to confirm her suspicions.

Legolas mounted his horse and turned to his father. Aether would ride part of the way with him, but their paths would fork as she rode for Lothlorien. The persuasion of Thranduil to let his son ride to Imladris in such danger had been a tense and heated debate. One of them was going to have to go, whether it be father or son. With all of the threats that had been placed on Mirkwood as of late, Thranduil's wish for his son's safety was a deciding factor. If anyplace was safer, it was surely the House of Elrond. Thranduil sent Legolas with three other Elves to seek council with Elrond about this unfortunate escape of Gollum.

Thranduil looked to his son, leaving home on his way to Imladris much as he had done in the past, this time it was different. He was going to deliver this message, but Thranduil felt a pull at his heart at his departure. He thought his feelings silly, he would see Legolas home again soon enough, after all this had been sorted out. There was no need for this worry that clutched him. And things would go back to as they had been. Thranduil secretly hoped that sending Legolas to Imladris would also change the course of him facing the evil that Aether had spoke of. Nothing of that sort of evil could pass into Rivendell, surely Legolas would be safe there for the time being. But this reason he did not share with anyone, but he had the feeling that Aether knew of his concerns.

Thranduil had never felt fear as he did seeing his son start down the path. A part of him wanted to run after him and take his place, leaving him in Mirkwood under the council of his advisors, but the other half was proud that his son rode ahead as he did after seeing what he did only the night before.

Aether didn't look back, but he saw Legolas give his home one last look. He watched them until they were far out of his sight and he sighed and went back to his Elves. There was much more patrolling to be done, now that his realm had been breached. He had a feeling that the worst was yet to come, although Gollum was no longer in their care.