Thank you to everyone who voted and commented on the previous chapter: @Elf_of_hogwarts, @Cairo1973, @crystalily2003, @Avaloyuru, @nathalieAlice, @felly_belly, @Tiemna, @slut_for_pizza, and to @ReattaConway, who added this story to her reading list. Enjoy this chapter!

Harune smiled at Glorfindel. "Yes, Thranduil is fine, hannon le for asking. He will be touched by your concern."

"Elladan and Elrohir seemed convinced he would be out of bed this day," Glorfindel explained, opening the door of the linen closet for Harune. "And I . . . wished to speak to him."

Harune deposited his armful of linens and closed the door of the closest. The halls were dim in the early dawn after breakfast, the stalwart forms of the dutiful guards standing at their posts. "Of course. I have sent the twins and Landion to the library to engage in their own activities. Thranduil is in his chamber; he will be happy to see you there."

Glorfindel nodded. "Hannon le, Harune."

He hesitated in the hallway, looking at the sure figure of the elf before him, his quiet personality covered in a simple robe. He felt at ease and at home around Harune, as though he had known him all his life instead of a few short days. "You know . . . Elrond never spoke highly of you, even before we knew you. He believed you had spun lies to Thranduil's young mind and turned him against his father."

Harune's eyes were amused. He tilted his head. "Yes, Elrond . . . made his opinion of me clear on his arrival here. And you, Glorfindel? What do you think?"

"I think Thranduil made his choice without manipulation or influence. I think it was honest and he made it well."

Harune smiled as he regarded the balrog slayer. "Thranduil and I feel the same way. Now, you will excuse me; I have work to do, and Thranduil is in his chambers. Do not knock before you enter; you would not want to awaken any young elflings with him."

Glorfindel nodded his thanks before he turned and retreated up the hall to Thranduil's chambers. He stopped to knock out of habit and stopped himself as he remembered Harune's words. Feeling a little self-conscious, he turned the polished doorknob and stepped into the room.

The curtains were drawn back to admit the morning rays of sunshine. It spilled over the silken carpet threads and the dark wood of the table against the wall. The dresser and wardrobe were made of the same wood. A chair faced the empty hearth, with Thranduil's clothes flung over the back. The king's crown rested on the lace cover of the dresser, majestic even without its bearer. But the biggest piece of furniture consisted of the canopied bed, with four twisted posts and a carved headboard. The sheets were white, and the blankets on top blue and light pink.

Glorfindel cleared his throat as he entered, and the shape of Thranduil's form under the blankets moved as the elf king looked up. A pillow was under his head, with his crooked arm beneath it. Legolas lay snuggled against his side, asleep and peaceful while his father's hand caressed his hair. The blankets came up to Thranduil's waist, and his golden hair covered one shoulder.

"Ah, Glorfindel," Thranduil said, keeping his voice low. "Harune told me you might come by. Sit down." He gestured to one of the chairs he faced at the table opposite the long end of his bed.

Glorfindel nodded and sat. "I came—"

At that moment Legolas stirred, crying out in his sleep, and he fell into silence as the elfling's blue eyes came into focus.

"A-ada?" Legolas murmured, shifting to rub the bleariness out of his eyes.

"I am here, little leaf," Thranduil assured him, reaching down to brush the hair off his son's face. Legolas blinked up at him and rolled into his embrace.

" 'Nother nightmare," Legolas mumbled into Thranduil's shirt. "I cannot seem to stop having them. They will not leave me be. All my dreams want to do is remind me Elrond could have taken everything away from me and—and left me abandoned in the shadows again."

"Not as long as I live and the mists of the Forbidden Grove swirl," Thranduil said, wrapping both arms around the elfling and hugging him close.

Legolas squirmed. "The nightmares keep growing worst, ada. I-I am scared."

"You do not need to be scared," Thranduil said gently. "And if you must be, I am here to help you overcome your fear."

Legolas hugged him. "I dreamed—ada—I dreamed Elrond killed you. And Harune. And—and I do not know what he did to Landion. He left Mirkwood-home-burning—and he took me with him to Rivendell with his army. He made me his ward, and he—he treated me the same way he does his son—he beat me like he does them, and you were not there—and I saw Lord Katar again—and I felt all the old pain—and all I wanted was you." His voice choked off into a sob.

Thranduil clicked his tongue, upset by his son's distress and sat up to hold Legolas in his lap, and rub the elfling's back. If he was uncomfortable by Glorfindel's curious eyes, he did not show it. Legolas sniffled but Glorfindel noticed, for all that Thranduil liked not to see tears in the eyes of his child, he did not tell Legolas it was all right and not to cry. He let Legolas's tears flow until they stopped of his own accord and the trickle dried on his cheeks.

"I am sorry I upset you, ada," Legolas said, wiping the tears off his cheeks as he met Thranduil's sad eyes.

"It is all right, Legolas," Thranduil said, leaning down to kiss him. "I share your grief. If you are upset, my heart feels your pain."

"It-it does not have to," Legolas said.

"It does," Thranduil replied. "It is one of the many ways our bond brings us together."

"I do not think Elrond and the twins feel each other's pain," Legolas said, resting his cheek on Thranduil's chest.

"No," said Thranduil, "He does not. If he could feel the agony every spanking he gave them, the bolt of pain would be too much for him. But if he could feel it the way I feel your pain, I do not think he would hurt them anymore."

Legolas blinked as his eyes fell on Glorfindel and he gave a small smile. "Maybe not. What is he doing here?"

"He came with the armies of Rivendell," Thranduil answered. "And elected to join us here in the palace. He means well."

"Oh," said Legolas. "Are the twins all right?"

"As all right as they can be," Thranduil said, and Legolas nodded. "Now, Glorfindel, you came to tell me something?"

"Indeed," said the elf with a dip of his head. "I wanted to hear your side of the story and know where you stand on the matter of the twins."

"I stand at their side," Thranduil said. "And I will be there for as long as they need me. Where do you stand, Glorfindel?"

"I cannot say," said the elf. "I would rather hear you relate the tale so I may judge it from another viewpoint. I have spoken to Harune, and the twins, and Elrond, but you."

Thranduil settled back down into the bed. He related the story with Legolas's voice chiming in to add to it from beginning to end. As he finished, Glorfindel decided, "I had already reached a decision but it is sure now. I will help the twins."

And both the fair-haired elves facing him smiled.

OoOoO

Hyrondal stood with his arms crossed and looked down at Advil. The leader of Elrond's army stood before him stripped of his weapons. He had made his way through the fogbank and stumbled out to be accosted by the waiting Mirkwood warriors.

"You are King Thranduil's captain?" Advil asked, his eyes wandering over the trussed up elves around him. At least he knew what had happened to most of the scouts he had sent into the fogbank.

"Yes," said Hyrondal. "My King has no wish to quarrel with you. I advise you to return to Rivendell."

"I cannot leave without the permission of my lord," Advil replied, lifting his chin in defiance.

"Your lord is a bloody child abuser," Hyrondal snapped. He broke a branch from the closest tree and held it under Advil's nose. "He used a leather version of this to beat his sons when they disobeyed him. Elladan and Elrohir fled Rivendell because they feared him."

"You lie. Elrond is a healer."

"I wish I lied," Hyrondal admitted. "But I am afraid I speak the truth. Elrond refers to his little punishments as spankings. Elladan and Elrohir could not live with being hurt so cruelly by their father."

"I will not leave," Advil said. "I will stay here as your captive for decades if I have to but I will not abandon my lord."

"You command the armies of Rivendell now," Hyrondal said. "The choice is yours to make. If I were in your position, up against odds I could not beat, I would retreat."

"I am no coward and no lowly silvan born in the woods."

Hyrondal's eyebrows twitched. "Truss this one up; I am done with him. This rotten high elf will not listen to reason and I have wasted enough breath!"

Two elves stepped forward with the ropes in their hands to do the job. Hyrondal strode away with a snort of disgust, shaking his head. His boots sank into the damp ground as he went, and the smell of fresh earth wafted up under the trees.

Advil looked back at the fogbank, as he was lead away, feeling a deep respect for its powers after the hallucinations and nightmares he had struggled through as he wandered in the mist.

Thank you all for reading. I would love to hear from you; likes and dislikes or just your feelings about the story.