Thalion led a group of fifteen elves into the forest. What he was about to do made him feel sick.

You can stop this, there has to be another way!

Thalion's mind raced to come up with another solution to their problem, but he could find none.

There was no other way....

"There he is."
An elf pointed into the trees and there was Legolas. Walking with his bow in his hand, and blood on his fingertips.

Thalion shuddered and cautiously approached him.
"Legolas!"
His brother stopped walking and turned to face him. He didn't seem surprised that they were there, only agitated.

"What do you want?"
"Father wants you to return home. It is no longer safe to wander alone."
"I can take care of myself."

Thalion looked pleadingly at his brother. Around him, the elves he had brought with him were slowly closing in around Legolas.

"Please, gwador, come home with me."
Legolas said nothing and Thalion could tell that he was searching for the elves that were hiding.

He knew that they were there. The question was, what would Legolas do?

"I will go."
Legolas placed his bow onto his back and walked towards Thalion.
The older elf breathed a sigh of relief and walked beside his brother back to the palace.

The elves followed them silently and kept their distance. They had been ordered to only make sure that Legolas returned to the palace, they were not to intefere in any way unless it was necessary.

Once they reached the front gate two guards approached them, with four more following close behind.

"Thalion, your father wishes to speak with you. And we are to escort Legolas to his chambers."

Legolas glared suspiciously at Thalion who refused to meet his gaze.

"Go with them Las."
The elves surrounded Legolas and escorted him into the palace. Legolas threw one last glare at Thalion before vanishing into one of the hallways.

Thalion watched them go and felt a knot tightening in his stomach.

I just sent my brother to his death....

»»»»

Legolas allowed himself to be led like a prisoner through his own home. He didn't meet any of the elves' gazes or speak to any of them.

Their feet made no sound as they approached Legolas' room.
He opened his door and entered; only to be followed by the guards.

Legolas narrowed his eyes at them. They were plotting something, but he didn't know what.

The guards did nothing as Legolas took his bow and quiver off his back and set them up against a wall.

He took off his sword and knives and laid them on his bed. Legolas then turned and faced the guards.

"I will be retiring for the night. You may leave now."
One of the guards bowed.
"Of course my lord, before we go I was asked to give you this."

The guard pulled out a small bottle containing a dark liquid. He held it out towards Legolas.
"Lord Elrond has ordered you to take this every night before you go to sleep. It will help you rest easier."

Legolas took the bottle and inspected it in his hand.
It looked nothing like the drink that Elrond had given him before, something was wrong...

Legolas recognized the dark substance, it was nauric, a deadly poison that killed whoever came into contact with it instantly.

Remaining calm, he clutched the bottle in his hand and nodded.
"Thank you. Tell Lord Elrond I will do as he says."

The guard bowed and left the room, followed by the other elves. Legolas knew he had to get rid of the poison, which was easier said than done.

Nauric could kill if it came into direct contact with skin, if it was breathed in, or if someone drank it.

What Legolas wanted to know was why the guards thought that he would be stupid and naive enough to drink poison?

He knew what nauric was, so why did they-

Legolas nearly smacked himself for almost forgetting. They still thought that he had no memory, they thought that he would believe that Elrond had ordered him to drink the poison.

But why would Elrond order such a thing? Why would he want to kill him?

Legolas paced back and forth, still clutching the bottle in his hand. Thalion had been the one to come get him, and Legolas had known that there were other elves nearby...

Thalion had been summoned by their father as soon as they had arrived at the palace, and guards had escorted him straight to his room, giving him poison that they claimed Elrond had told him to take before bed.

Legolas stopped pacing, his faced paled and he almost dropped the nauric onto the floor.

They wanted him dead...

Elrond, Thalion, Thranduil, all the elves of Mirkwood....

They all wanted him dead.

They only want you dead because they know that they cannot control you.

They fear your power, and they are jealous that they do not posses it.

So they will kill you, as if you were a common criminal.

Legolas bristled and clenched his hands tightly into fists, not caring that he was cutting himself open with his nails.

They wanted to kill him? He would like to see them try.
Legolas eyed the bottle in his hand, he would play their game.

And when the game was over, he would be the victor. No one would ever challenge him again.

»»»»

Railith stood outside of Legolas' door, waiting for the time when he would go in and find the young elf's lifeless body.

He had been horrified when his king had ordered his son to be given nauric, it was a poison only used when an elf had been severly wounded and was on the brink of death.

On it's own, nauric was a killer, but in small doses and used by a healer who knew what they were doing, it could be a life saver.

Railith sighed and gestured to the elves arround him. It was time to go in.

He carfeully opened the door and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.

His king had told him that Legolas would not recognize the poison and would believe that Elrond had ordered him to take it, he had even assured him that Legolas' death would not be on his hands.

But Railith still felt guilty. Thranduil had told him that Legolas was beyond help now, he was dangerous.

They had to do what needed to be done to protect their people.
Sighing, Railith made his way over to Legolas' bed.

The young elf was sprawled out on his bed, his eyes were closed and he was still.

The nauric had done its work. Railith motioned for the other elves to come and help him carry his body to the healing wing where it would be prepared for burial.

Such an evile fate for one who was so filled with light....

Just as Railith placed a hand on Legolas' arm, the prince lept out of bed and sunk a knife deep inti Railith's stomach.

The Captain of the Guard never knew what had caused his death, or by whose hand it was dealt.

Legolas shoved the body onto the floor and faced the other elves surrounding him.

The game had begun...

»»»»

"Of all the things you could have done Thranduil, this is what you came up with!?!?"
Elrond slammed his fist onto Thrandul's desk, his eyes were ablaze with fury.

"You are murdering your own son! And using me as a way to do it!"

"Open your eyes Elrond! Legolas is beyond anyone's help now! He is dangerous and could kill any one of us without warning! He has to be stopped."

"What would your wife think about this? What would she say if she were here now?"

"Do not speak of her!"
Thranduil stood up and glared at Elrond with unmatched fury.
"If it had not been for Legolas she would be alive! She would be here and none of this would be happening! Legolas killed her! He is repsonsible for all of my grief!"

"Do not speak as if you are the only one to have ever suffered through loss. I lost my wife too Thranduil, she went through the same thing Legolas did and it broke her. She was only saved because she chose to sail to Valinor. If Legolas had-"

"If Legolas had never been born none of this would have happened!"

Elrond had to refrain from striking Thranduil where he stood. He had gone too far, and he knew it.

Thranduil returned to his seat and covered his face with hands. His anger was replaced by sorrow and grief.

"I don't know what to do anymore Elrond. Without her, I feel lost. I tried to keep Legolas safe but I failed. I love my son Elrond, he has so much of his mother in him. But he is different now, he is not the same. And I can do nothing to help him."

Elrond placed a hand comfortingly on his friend's shoulder. He knew how much Thranduil cared about his sons, Elrond felt the same way about his own children.

But he knew that killing Legolas was not the right thing to do.
"You have to stop this Thranduil, you know it is wrong."
Thranduil shook his head as a single tear ran down his face.

"It is too late now. They have already done it."
Silence overtook the two elves. Elrond could not believe how much evil had befallen Thranduil and his family.

What was the purpose of all their suffering?
A soft knock alerted them of Thalion's arrival. Without waiting to be let in he entered the room and faced his father.

"Has it been done yet?"
Thalion asked quietly.
Thranduil hated himself for putting Thalion through this, he knew how much he loved his little brother.

It is too late now....
What's done had been done.

Before Thranduil could reply Inwë came running into the room, breathless and shaking in terror.

"Th- Thalion! Something has happend!"
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Thalion pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
"Railith, and all of the elves with him, they were just killed!"

Thalion stared blankly at her. He released Inwë and stumbled backwards.
"What about Legolas? Where is he?"
Thranduil asked dreading the answer.

Inwë shook her head as tears filled her eyes.
"He is gone."
Thalion shook himself out of his catatonic and grabbed his sword.
"I'm going after him."

"No Thalion!"
Thranduil stood to his feet and Elrond could see him trembling.
"Let the guards handle this, please do not get involved!"

"I have to, Legolas is still my brother and nothing will ever change that. I am going to help him."

Before Thranduil could stop him Thalion raced out of the study and down the hallway.

Thranduil shouted for his guards who came running into the room as fast as they could.

"Gather all the soldiers that you can, go into the forest and find Legolas! Do whatever you have to but do not let Thalion encounter him alone!"

The guards nodded and ran off, leaving Thranduil standing in stunned silence.

Elrond watched the scene unfold in silence. In his mind he saw a brief glimpse of what was about to take place.

He saw blood, and the bodies of elves lying scattered under the trees. Two elves were battling against one another, one of them struck the other down and he fell dead.

That was all he saw. Elrond turned towards Thranduil and grabbed his shoulder.

"We have to go Thranduil."
The elvenking nodded in silence. Without another word the two of them raced out of the study.

»»»»

Legolas staggered blindly through the forest. They would be coming for him soon, and when they did come he would be ready.

He gripped his sword tightly in his hand. He couldn't stand waiting any longer!
Why was it taking them so long to find him?

He heard voices coming from the tree branches and knew that they were coming. They dropped out of the trees and formed a circle around him, cutting off any chance of escape.

"You are outnumbered Legolas."
One of the elves took a step forward with his sword drawn, keeping a watchful eye on Legolas.
"Give yourself up, and we will bring you home safely."

To his surprise Legolas' only reply was laughter. Pitiful, mocking laughter.

"I have already killed six of you."
Legolas raised his sword and pointed it at the elf in front of him.
"Killing twenty of you will not be a problem."

»»»»

Thalion shoved branched out of the way as he ran. He had to get to Legolas before someone else got to him first. He knew he could help him, he just had to find him!

Thalion heard the sound of steel against steel and a pang of fear entered his heart.

He ran even faster, desperate to reach the source of the noise before it was too late.

But as he burst through the trees his eyes were met with a terrible sight.

The bodies of elves lay everywhere, their eyes open and grey, staring up at the dark sky.

And standing in the middle of them, with his sword red and drawn for battle....

Was Legolas.