Disclaimer:

The characters, places, and events are creations of J.R.R. Tolkien. No profit was or will be made from this story. It was written solely for entertainment.

Author’s note:

As always many, many thanks to Erulisse and to Selene Aduial for beta reading this story for me. Thank you so much for your help and constant encouragement.

Summary:

A threat is brewing in Mirkwood King Thranduil refuses to address until it is too late……

Rating: PG-13

Chapter 1:  an unpleasant awakening

Legolas, the youngest Prince of Mirkwood awoke with a start. He blinked not knowing what had disturbed his rest. It was already morning, the sunrise promising a glorious day. When his eyes came into focus, he sensed something odd.

Still a bit confused he rubbed his eyes. He was about to sit up in his bed when a hand was pressed over his mouth. He panicked and struggled until he heard a familiar voice.

“Hush, little one, do not fight me.”

Legolas instantly stilled and blinked in surprise when he realized, the attacker was actually his older brother Galadhion. He looked up questioningly and sat up straight, when Galadhion slowly removed his hand.

“What….?” he began, and was again silenced by his brother’s hand back over his mouth.

“Ssht”, Galadhion demanded his tone sharper this time. The crown prince directed a quick look over his shoulder at the door.

“You must be quiet!”

Only after Legolas had nodded, Galadhion removed his hand again. Legolas did not like this game. He knew that even his older brother could be fun sometimes, but this was no fun at all.

“You must trust me now!” Galadhion whispered barely audible and Legolas frowned. However, the pleading expression in his brother’s eyes let the elfling nod.

He trusted his brother without question, but he still did not understand why Galadhion was sneaking into his room this early. Why was his brother looking like a hunted animal, and why must he drop his voice in his own room?

Legolas blinked when he also recognized distress and fear in his brother’s eyes. What did Galadhion fear? His big brother never feared anything; he was almost as brave as Ada.

The elfling began to shiver slightly when Galadhion got more and more nervous and continued to look over his shoulder, to listen to what might be outside the door.

Not understanding what was happening the young prince did the only thing that came natural to him. He opened his senses – not a conscious but rather an instinctive action- to receive some answer from another source.

The elfling gasped at the response he got from the trees. The distressed murmur reached him like a slap. The trees were agitated, even furious, in a way Legolas had never experienced before.

What was the meaning of this? The trees were always serene around him, ever happy when he spent time amongst them. Now they felt dark and menacing.

He had to talk to Ada! His father always knew everything. He could explain the odd behaviour of the trees. Ada could communicate with his big friends almost as good as he could.

The gasp let Galadhion turn. He looked at his little brother with a frown. He searched his bond with his sibling and instantly heard the trees disturbed song too.

With burning eyes, he looked outside through the little window over the bed. He never had had such a deep understanding and close connection with the trees like his brother, but the uneasiness he could feel as keenly.

Galadhion got up and strode toward a high chest. Without really looking at the items, he tossed his brother a pair of legging along with a tunic. With his foot, he shoved the little boots toward the bed.

“Get dressed, quickly,” he urged while again looking at the door.

Legolas frown deepened. “But, I have to wash my face first. Nanny Amariel says so!” he declared with a stubborn expression on his face.

Had the situation not been this tense, Galadhion would have laughed aloud. Legolas was the very image of their father with his raised eyebrow showing his irritation.

Galadhion sighed knowing that he would get nowhere like this, yet his patience was running thin already.

“Legolas, please, today we have to skip the routine. You must hurry now!”

Clearly feeling his big brother’s short temper Legolas scrambled out of his bed and slipped into his clothes. Galadhion helped to fasten the tiny buttons lest this would take the rest of the morning.

Suddenly however, he stopped, titled his head and listened intently.

Mimicking the action Legolas listened too. Suddenly he heard footsteps nearing his chamber and saw the door handle move down. With surprise he realized, that the door was locked. Galadhion must have done it after he had slipped into his room.

Whirling around Galadhion grabbed him and dragged him to the great closet in the corner. Just in time, Galadhion managed to push his little brother inside and scramble in after him. The closet door closed with a creak but not completely.

Galadhion did not have the chance to close the door fully. With a loud crack, the door to Legolas room burst open. Galadhion quickly covered Legolas mouth with his hand when the elfling jumped and let out a shocked shriek.

The crown prince held his breath and waited to see if the sound had betrayed them. The impact of the door with the wall had fortunately covered the noise.

Through the slightly open door, Legolas got sight of two unfamiliar elves searching his room. Fortunately, they were in a great hurry and it did not look as if they searched very efficiently.

Legolas held his breath and pressed against his brother. His slender body shivered with fear. These elves really looked angry.

Roughly, the two dark haired elves turned items not too heavy over, kicked stray toys under the bed and swept the desk under the window clear. With an angry grunt, they pulled the still closed curtains down.

One of them suddenly directed his gaze at the cupboard and Galadhion held his breath. With his free hand, he slowly reached for the long knife strapped to his thigh and unsheathed it carefully.

He had enough difficulty sealing his brother’s mouth effectively with his other hand without suffocating the frightened elfling.

The elf yanked the door open and ruffled the clothes inside with a sweep of his hand. Fortunately, for the hiding brothers some robes from Legolas´ mother still hung there, out of nostalgia or fond memories, shielding them from view.

Nonetheless, the hand of the intruder brushed Legolas head. Galadhion raised his knife, sure that they had been discovered now.

Yet, just as the elf wanted to drag the clothes to the side, his companion called.

“Let us be off. They are not here. I wonder where this little brat has vanished to.”

After grunting an affirmative and joining his partner the two elves hurried out of the room, not bothering to close the door.

When they had left, Galadhion let out a sigh of relief and removed his hand from his brother’s mouth. He waited some moments more before he re-sheathed his knife.

He carefully opened the door of the closet and sat his brother on his feet outside. After taking another steadying breath, he left their hiding-place too.

The dark haired elf quickly strode over and attempted to close the opened door, but the doorframe was broken. Returning he knelt down to be at eye-level with the wide-eyed elfling.

“You’re frightening me what is this all about?” Legolas asked with a quivering voice. “What is going on here?”

Galadhion embraced his brother and held him close. Legolas returned the hug, convulsively swallowing the sobs coming up his throat.

After releasing the little elfling, Galadhion looked into eyes brimming with tears.

“Legolas, many things are in motion that we can’t control any longer. You must now do exactly what I say. The situation is dangerous.”

Legolas drew back from his brother and stared at him with incomprehension. His childish mind could not longer process the words.

“Galadhion, I don’t understand you! Where is Ada?” he cried his voice high pitched with sobs.

Making a desperate gesture that he should lower his voice Galadhion grabbed Legolas´ arms and tried to still the wriggling figure.

“Legolas, you must listen to me now. You can’t see Ada, please be silent, otherwise they will hear us and come back!”

“I don’t care!” Legolas shouted and struggled against the firm grip.

Galadhion drew his brother again at his chest pressing his face into the fabric to muffle the sound.

“Legolas, be still! You cannot see Ada right now.”

“Why?” was the muffled reply from the now violently shivering elfling. Legolas had stopped all movement only leaning heavily against his brother’s broad chest but the security he had always felt in his presence did not set in this time.

Galadhion took a deep breath.

“Because Ada is missing and those elves came to kill us.”

To be continued…………………….

A/N:

Characters and the name’s meanings:

Thranduil- King of Mirkwood

Elarinya- Queen of Mirkwood (morning star)-deceased

Galadhion (son of the tree) - Thranduil’s oldest son- Troop Commander of the forest defences

Saeron (wood walker) - Thranduil’s second son – Captain of the warriors defending the realm’s borders

Legolas (green leaf) - Thranduil’s youngest son, still an infant

Sinaht – Chief of the Home Guard and Galadhion´s best friend

Elion- Sinath´s infant son and Legolas´ best friend

Introduction:

Mirkwood is a name used for the large forest in Rhovanion, east of the Anduin in Middle-earth. It was called Mirkwood after falling under the influence of Sauron. Before that, it was known as Greenwood the Great.

Long before the beginning of the First Age, the Elves of the Great Journey travelled westward through the lands of Middle-earth.

Coming to the Great River Anduin and the high peaks of the Misty Mountains, some of the Elves of the clan of the Teleri fell away from the journey, and settled in the woodlands east of the Mountains. These were the original Silvan Elves, who lived on either side of the River.

At this time in their history, all of these people still lived close together, with some dwelling in the land that would later be called Loríen, and the others settling around the hill of Amon Lanc known as Dol Guldur in later days in the far south of Greenwood the Great.

The Silvan Elves dwelt in their twin woodland realms for many centuries, but in the Second Age, the emerging power of Sauron began to drive them apart. Oropher ruled the elves who dwelt in the Greenwood and he began to seek safety by moving his people northwards, away from Amon Lanc and away from the Silvan Elves who lived to the west of the Great River.

Oropher was of Sindarin origin and was the father of Thranduil and grandfather of Legolas. He had come among the Silvan Elves with only a handful of Sindar, soon merging with them.

The Silvan Elves accepted Oropher’s rule because he would help provide necessary protections for them and their beloved forests.  Although many were pleased with Oropher’s rule, not everyone was. 

Source: History of Galadriel and Celeborn, Appendix A - The Silvan Elves and their Speech

Source: the encyclopaedia of ARDA