Legolas scrambled backwards, trying to put as much distance between himself an Bolg as much as possible.

How the orc survived was the least of Legolas' concerns at the moment. He had no weapons, he was tired and weak, he was completely defenseless.

Bolg grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him forward. Legolas' back scraped against the hard rock beneath.

He kicked both of his legs in a desperate attempt to free himself but Bolg refused to release his hold.

The orc grabbed Legolas by the arm and lifted him into the air. Legolas landed a hard punch to Bolg's face with his free hand only to be twisted around to where his back was against Bolg's chest and both of his arms were pinned to his sides.

Legolas kicked and thrashed his body in a vain attempt to dislodge himself. Bolg was only holding onto him with one arm, leaving Legolas' legs dangling in mid air.

The orc carried him over to some large boulders and thrust him forward, causing Legolas' face and chest to collide with the stone.

Legolas closed his eyes and went limp as Bolg pinned him there. What was the point of him fighting anymore? Why didn't he just let Bolg kill him?

Tauriel was dead, if he died he would be able to be with her. That would be better than living forever without her.

He waited for the final blow to come, the one that would end his life, but it never came.

Instead of the cruel bite of a sword he felt strong, cruel hands grabbing his wrists and forcing them behind his back.

Fear flooded into Legolas' heart as he felt a rope binding his hands together. Bolg wasn't going to kill him, he'd never intended to kill him.

Legolas had heard plenty of stories of elves who had been captured by orcs, some had been enough to give him nightmares as an elfling.

But this was no nightmare. This was real, and he was terrified.

Legolas began to fight, he swung his head backwards only to fall onto his side. He could do nothing with his hands bound behind him.

Bolg grabbed his ankles and began to tie them together as well. Legolas kicked out as hard as he could but it was no use, soon the rope was firmly tied around his ankles.

He was trapped.

Legolas' fear turned to panick as Bolg lifted him effortlessly onto his shoulder. He went limp as Bolg held him firmly in place with one arm and retrieving his weapon with the other.

He didn't bother calling out to anyone, no one would hear him. As far as he knew the dwarves he had been fighting with were dead.

His father had left him, Tauriel was dead, there was no one.

As the orc carried him off Legolas caught one last glimpse of Tauriel, laying lifeless on the cold unforgiving rock.

I'm sorry Tauriel, I couldn't save you.

A tear rolled down Legolas' cheek as he lowered his head in defeat.

I cannot even save myself.

»»»»

Bolg had been fortunate enough to land on a ledge that had been hidden from the sight of the elf.

Once he had recovered and made sure that the elf was no longer near the edge of the cliff he'd climbed back up, ready to finish what he had started.

Sneaking up on the elf had been easy, binding the elf had been a little harder than he had expected, but none of that mattered now.

He had his prize, and he would deliver it to his master just as he'd been ordered to.

Killing the she-elf had been a smart move on Bolg's part. He had assumed that the two elves had been close and his assumption proved correct.

The elf had been broken, ready to die at his hands, only to fight again once he realized that he was not going to be killed so easy.

Although he would have preferred killing the elf than keeping him alive. Torturing elves and keeping them as prisoners was amusing, but killing them was far more satisfying.

They always put up such a fight.

Except this one seemed utterly defeated. He no longer struggled, and he didn't even bother crying out for help.

Not that anyone would hear him. No one else was there but them, and by the time anyone did show up, if anyone even did, Bolg would be long gone.

His warg was waiting not too far away, as well as small band of orcs. He didn't know what was becoming of the battle that Azog waged against the men, elves, and dwarves but it didn't matter to him anymore.

He'd done what Sauron ordered him to do and now he was ready to bring him the elf he sought.

Although it was beyond Bolg as to why Sauron wanted him in the first place.

The orc shifted the elf on his left shoulder so that he wouldn't fall off. He had considered knocking him unconcious but had figured that it wouldn't be necesarry.

No one else was here, what was the point?

Suddenly Bolg stopped.

He snarled as someone stepped out from behind a large rock and stood before him, blocking his path.

The elvenking had come, and he was furious.

»»»»

Thranduil walked cautiously through the ruins of Ravenhill expecting the worst. He envisioned his son lying dead before him, injured beyond his help, or even not finding him there at all.

Perhaps he and Tauriel had done what they could and had left already, never to be seen again.

If that was the case then Thranduil would have a choice: Let them go, or follow them and bring them back to Mirkwood.

He was tired of causing pain for his son, and of always being too blind to see it.

He swore that he would do everything he could to make things right with Legolas, he just had to.

Thranduil entered a small cave and made his way towards the opening on the left side of the wall.

The moment he turned towards the outside his heart nearly stopped beating.

His eyes widened in unmasked horror as he saw his son, his son bound and in the grasp of a monstrous orc.

Ever since Legolas' first capture by orcs Thranduil's mind had conjured terrifying images of what they had done to Legolas.

But none of those were anything compared to the sight of seeing it actually happening in front of him.

Thranduil's fear changed to anger as his eyes burned into the orc. He gripped the hilts of his swords and moved forward, ready to rip the beast apart in order to save his son.

Bolg could see the anger in his eyes and he knew that he was in trouble.

He was injured, and his body had been weakened by his previous fight with Legolas.

Knowing that he wouldn't stand a chance against the elvenking he decided to switch tactics.

Thranduil froze as Bolg suddenly grabbed Legolas and faced him forward, with one arm holding him in place he used his other arm to hold his sword against his neck.

Legolas' eyes were alight in fear, as well as shock at seeing his father.

"Ada! Saes edraith enni, saes."
Thranduil's heart nearly broke, he had never heard his son sound so afraid, so desperate.

Bolg pressed the edge of his sword tighter against Legolas' neck, keeping him from talking.

No words passed between the orc and Thranduil but the message was clear: If you intefere, your son dies.

But Thranduil had already called the orc's bluff. He obiviously needed Legolas alive so he wouldn't kill him.

Thranduil continued to advance, which added to Bolg's frustration.

Instead he tried a different plan. He removed the sword from Legolas' neck and turned him to where his left side was facing Thranduil.

Before Thranduil could figure out what the orc was planning Bolg slashed his claws across Legolas' chest.

Leaving five, bright, scarlet stripes on Legolas' chest. Legolas screamed in pain and tried to twist himself out of Bolg's grasp but just as it had been before it was no use.

Thranduil became panic-stricken as the orc's new plan dawned on him. He wouldn't kill Legolas, but he would cause him pain.

Watching his child suffer was something that Thranduil could not endure.

Bolg glared at him through narrowed eyes. His new message rang loud and clear in Thranduil's mind.

If he did not stand aside and let him leave, he would continue to cause more pain for Legolas.

Thranduil raced through his options, he could try and attack as fast as he could and try to kill the orc quickly, but that would leave Legolas in harm's way.

He was running out of time.

Suddenly an orc, followed by three more lept from the rocks above them and ran towards Thranduil.

Startled by the sudden turn of events Thranduil barely had time to react before the orcs were upon him.

Thranduil quickly dispatched the orcs, but when he turned around Bolg and Legolas were gone.

»»»»

Legolas struggled even more fiercely now thay he knew his father was there.

He wouldn't give up now, not when he was so close to rescue.
But Bolg was even more furious than before.

The arrival of the elvenking had been completely unexpected and after finally capturing the prince he wouldn't let him get away.

Legolas was being carried over Bolg's shoulder again, but this time it was worse.

The wounds on his chest burned and caused him unending agony as he was jostled on Bolg's shoulder.

He tried flinging himself off of Bolg's shoulder but only managed to succeed in kneeing the orc in the face.

Bolg roared in rage and threw Legolas off his shoulder and onto the ground.

He curled his hand into a fist and prepared to strike Legolas on the head. Perhaps knocking the elf out would be better after all.

Bolg roared in fury as a knife, an orc knife for that matter, became embedded in his shoulder.

Legolas watched in a mixture of awe and fear as his father attacked Bolg in blind fury.

Legolas knew in an insant that it was over for the orc. He had been wounded one too many times

His strength and brutality were nothing compared to wrath of a father who had just watched his child be harmed by his hand.

Legolas turned away as his father severed Bolg's head from his shoulders, as well as both of his arms.

Thranduil kicked the head off the edge of the cliff and ran towards his son.

He immediately cut the away the rope that had been tied around Legolas' hands and feet.

He cursed the orc under his breath as he inspected his son's bleeding wrists.

"Oh Legolas,"
Thranduil pulled his son into his arms and held him close.
"I am sorry ion nin, I am so
sorry."

Legolas said nothing as his father held him. He suddenly felt very dizzy, and he couldn't think straight.

Thranduil, without letting go of his son, inspected the scars on Legolas' chest.

Quickly he tore off the cape the hung on his shoulders and wrapped it around Legolas' wounds as tight as he could.

"Legolas we have to get you to a healer, you need help, alright?"
Thranduil gently lifted his son up and placed one arm behind his back and the other under his legs.

He walked as fast as he dared to go while carrying his son. Stopping only when he heard his son mumble,
"She's dead."

Thranduil looked into his son's eyes, they seemed clouded and were filled with something strange.

"He killed her,"
Legolas continued muttering.
"He killed Tauriel, she's dead."

Thranduil reeled at the news. Tauriel was dead? No it couldn't be, she couldn't be dead.

Eru what have I done?

"She was trying to save me, but I should have saved her. I should have died, not her."

Thranduil tried to shake off the grief and guilt he felt but he couldn't.
This was his fault, this was all his fault.

"I cannot go back."
Thranduil stopped in his tracks as Legolas made his clear statement.
"What do you mean Legolas?"
Thranduil searched his son's gaze for any sign of what had brought on his words.

"I cannot go back, please do not make me go back."
Legolas struggled to free himself from his father's grip. Thranduil was forced to set his son down on his feet in order to keep him from falling.

"Legolas you have to come with me, you are hurt and unwell."
"No, I cannot go with you."
Legolas backed away from his father, his eyes were filled with tears as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"Thalion died because of me, and Tauriel, I cannot let you die because of me too."

Thranduil's heart broke. He tried desperately to think of something to say to his son, to comvince him that it wasn't his fault, that he wouldn't bring harm to him, but he couldn't speak.

Legolas stumbled backwards until his back hit a rock. His eyes pleaded for his father to understand, that he was only doing this to protect him.

"Legolas-"
Thranduil never had a chance to finish. Before he could say another word Legolas ran out of his father's sight, and never looked back.

»»»»

Legolas ran blindly away from Ravenhill, hiding from every man, elf, or dwarf in his sight.

Legolas' only thought was to escape, to get away from everyone around him.

He'd failed Thalion, he failed Tauriel, they were dead because of him. Because they had been protecting him, the same thing could happen to his father.

No, it won't. I will not let anyone else die because of me.

Legolas ran east away from the battlefield and towards the lake.
He didn't know where he would go or how he would get there.

He was wounded, bleeding, and his heart was breaking from grief.

Tauriel was dead, his only love gone forever. Why had he let her come? Why had they come back at all?

They should have kept going west, away from everything and everyone.

Or maybe it would have been better of he had never fallen in love at all.

All it had brought him was grief and pain, he should have listened to his father. He had been right all along.

Legolas nearly fell to his feet as he tripped over a boulder. It seemed like ages ago since he had traveled this way with the refugees from Laketown.

But it had only been three days.
Three days and his life had been changed forever. He had found love, and then he had lost it.

Abandoned his father, had almost been captured by Bolg, and now he was walking blindly to am unknown destination.

Why can't I just die? I have no reason to live anymore.

Soft footsteps approached Legolas. He looked up and saw the horse Feren had given him walking towards him.

The horse had fled Dale after his master had left, he felt guilty for leaving but was now happy to see his master again.

Legolas stroked the horse's neck and spoke softly to him, assuring him that he was not angry with him for leaving, and told him where he wanted to go.

Legolas mounted his horse's back and leaned against his neck. He held one arm around his chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding, and used his other hand to hold onto the horse's main.

After seeing that his master was settled, the horse galloped east to where Legolas desired to go.

But Legolas was losing a lot of blood, and his strength was failing him. He managed to hold onto conciousness for a two days, and then his world went black.

»»»»

Elrond urged his horse onward through the snow. It had really picked up since he'd left Lothlorien and he was eager to get home before it grew worse.

His eyes caught sight of something strange in the darkness. It was a horse, trotting frantically in a circle while shaking its head.

Elrond rode towards the horse, he dismounted once he got close enough and managed to calm the frantic horse.

"What is it my friend?"
He asked while stroking his nose.
"What troubles you?"

The horse stamped its hoof in the snow and tossed its towards a spot in the snow.

Elrond walked over to it and crouched onto his knees. He brushed away the snow and gasped when he saw who lay under it.

Oh Elbereth.

Elrond rapidly uncovered the rest of Legolas and lifted him out of the snow.

He carried him towards his horse and set carefully set him on it. Elrond mounted behind him and called for Legolas' horse to follow, although he knew that the horse had no intention of leaving his master.

Elrond kicked his horse into a run, urging him to move faster through the snow.

Elrond glanced fearfully at Legolas' face. His eyes were closed and his skin was pale, almost white.

But he was alive, and that was all that mattered to Elrond.

"Hold on Legolas."
Elrond pleaded.
"Please hold on."

»»»»

Elvish

Father! Please help me, please.