Author's Note:

All of my stories are interconnected but you do not need to read one story to understand the next.

Important: This is being republished. Reason is on my profile.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.

Warning: This may be of darker nature than my usual stories.

~S~

Prologue:

The forest was silent save for the rustling of the leaves as a rabbit rushed to its safe burrow. Above it, an owl hooted. A fox moved carefully to its prey.

There was a fire burning brightly against the darkness and cold of the night. Just near to it lay a child, sleeping from exhaustion. It contemplated taking his prey, and if it was worth it before it suddenly shrank back. A little farther from the fire was a tall, silent figure who was obviously an adult. It slunk away. No, it was not worth it.

Legolas stood silently in the dark, his hands in fists by his sides. He wore no cloak against the cold, since he used his own to cover the child under his care. His golden hair was braided away from his face, though he had not tended it in a while.

He raised his head to look at the stars shining brightly down at him, far beyond his reach and one star in particular caught his eye. He threw up his hands in despair, as if in prayer.

"Earendil!" He cried. "Would that my brothers were here in time of my need. Would that my people were here to give me aid!"

But Earendil did not reply, and Legolas knew he was alone, with an ailing child.