When the King of Gondor opened his eyes the following day, a warm smile crossed his lips as he noticed the golden head resting under his chin. His arms instinctively tightened a little around the slender waist. Aragorn couldn't believe the sudden turn of events last night. His heart had nearly stopped when his husband asked him if he was in love with him. He had genuinely believed that Legolas was lost to him forever. However, his husband's shy confession had turned his head with pure happiness.

Legolas was starting to love him!

The mere thought had made the King's head sway ecstatically, and the kiss that followed was simply pure bliss. Even more so because the beautiful Elf had slept, for the first time since their marriage, snuggled in his arms. It was more delightful than anything in the world. Aragorn took the delicate hand resting on his chest and raised it to his lips, kissing it gently.

The Elf in his arms stirred.

"Good morning," Legolas said, gazing up sleepily at his husband.

"Good morning, Meleth," Aragorn replied, gazing down lovingly at him. "Sleep well?"

Legolas nodded, smiling back at the man.

"And you?"
"I've never slept that well my whole life," Aragorn replied, smiling broadly.

Legolas laughed sweetly in response.

The two continued to lie down for a few moments, merely enjoying each other's warmth and peace. Legolas thought he could get used to the feeling of Aragorn's strong arms protectively encircling him while he slept, and the kiss they had shared last night felt sweet as well. The blond Elf sighed, knowing he would be deeply in love with the man given the time.

"Meleth?" his thoughts were cut by his husband's voice.
"Hmmm..."
"How does having breakfast in bed sound?"
Looking up, Legolas smiled broadly.

"That sounds wonderful."

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*A week later*

Lord Mortardur took a deep breath as he stared back at his reflection. After a week of being in the dark, it was decided that he and the rest of the Council's members would visit Prince Legolas and the new Princess later that morning. The young Lord snorted at the irony of the situation; Gondor's most respected Lords must pay their respects to an outsider and his spawn. It didn't matter if said outsider was a spouse of their King, for the King himself was an outsider. Despite his heritage, King Aragorn was nothing to them but a stranger who happened to be of Isildur's line. He wasn't raised among them; he wasn't there when they had to face the dark forces alone. Instead, he was safely nested among the Elves in Rivendell until he was old enough to claim his birthright, and Lord Mortardur loathed him for this. His father, Lord Denethor, and many others had suffered to keep Gondor safe against the pressing darkness. And for what?

To have such a man to take over the throne, a man who allowed a different race to take over their Kingdom. The man was scorning their fathers' sacrifices by forcing them to accept an Elf and his sorcery-begotten brood as their rulers. Gondor was for the race of Men to rule only, not Elves.

Taking another deep breath, Mortardur forced his rising anger to subside. He wouldn't allow the King to stain Gondor that way, and he was determined the Elven warlock and his spawn would be disposed of. That's why he had accepted Shadow's offer. The young Lord knew that the mysterious Elf only wanted Prince Legolas and would leave him when he got what he wanted. But that wouldn't be a problem. After all, getting rid of the Elf was what Mortardur wanted in the end. As for the King?

The Council members would be able to handle him quite well after that. He was Isildur's heir, so that no one could deny him Gondor's throne. However, if he wanted to take a spouse and beget heirs for the Kingdom, then he should have a proper Gondorian Lady, not an Elven sorcerer who, on top of being a male, could beget children. Yes, handling Aragorn would be easy, but now, Mortardur must focus on eliminating the blond Elf that had disrupted their ways and customs. Smirking at his reflection in the mirror, Lord Mortardur smoothed his robes once more before leaving his chambers.

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*Lothlórien*

Celeborn opened the letter that an Elf had delivered and smiled warmly at its content.

'Meleth,' he said softly, looking up at his wife. 'Aragorn and Legolas had been blessed with a daughter. They have called her Míreth,' he informed her.

Galadriel allowed a small smile to grace her face at the news before a deep frown overtook her beautiful features. She walked to her husband and took the letter. A gasp tore from her delicate lips as soon as her hands touched the paper.

'What is it, Meleth?' her husband in concern.

'I sense a shadow looming over the two,' she said softly. 'The child was born too early. I feel dismay emanating from Elessar's letter. Something is not right, Hervenn nîn.'

Celeborn narrowed his eyes in response.

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*Mirkwood*

Aredhel sighed deeply as he stared blankly at the scraps of paper in front of him. He knew he wasn't going to finish his work today either. It was useless even to try while his mind drifted to his wife, whom he hadn't seen for a week. The Crown Prince frowned, thinking of the person responsible for his current misery.

Tarawiel was his wife!

He had the right to spend as much time as he wanted with her, but he was thrown out of his chambers due to her annoying sister's presence. How could one Elleth be so strong-willed?

No, it wasn't because of her strong will, Aredhel corrected himself. He was used to dealing with Elves, who were much more stubborn than Carameril. He used to deal with Legolas, for Valar's sake!

But he wasn't in the mood to indulge the spoiled Lady with her ridiculous acts of jealousy, nor was Tarawiel. His wife was supposed to rest completely during her pregnancy, and he was determined to see that she did. Thus, instead of fighting and bickering with her spoiled sister, he gave in to her every demand, hoping it wouldn't

be long until she would get bored and leave them in peace, which wasn't happening as soon as he had hoped it would. Soft knocks snapped the Prince from his thoughts. An Elf servant entered and handed Aredhel a letter. Opening the letter and reading it, the Crown Prince smiled broadly as he read it.

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'Oh, Tarawiel, those silks you gave me are wonderful. I'll surely make some nice dresses from them.'
Tarawiel rolled her eyes as her sister continued her babbling. Carameril was getting on her nerves, especially after two months of listening to her constant chattering and being separated from her husband. Carameril would stay like a thorn in the middle even when they saw each other. Suddenly, the door opened, and Aredhel appeared.

'Hervenn nîn,' Tarawiel exclaimed happily, jumping up and rushing to her husband, as much as her condition allowed her before her sister could say anything. She had missed him so much.

'Legolas had given birth to a baby girl,' he said before passionately kissing his wife's sweet lips.

'That's splendid news,' Tarawiel exclaimed happily. 'Have you told your Adar?'

'Not yet, I came to tell you first,' the Crown Prince said. 'Would you like to come with me?'

'I'd love to.'

With that, Tarawiel took her husband's arm and left the room. Carameril blinked several times in confusion upon realizing she was alone.

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*Gondor*

If glares could kill, Legolas would've been slain and buried six feet underground long ago. Aragorn huffed as he leaned on the wall, glaring at his husband's back. Everything was going fine between them for a week. Miraculously, he had managed to keep the Elf in bed for a week, but his wound still hadn't healed completely. When Faramir came asking permission for the Lords to visit Legolas and Míreth. Legolas insisted on meeting them in the living room, stating that he would not meet them in bed.

Aragorn tried to convince him to postpone this meeting, but Legolas insisted on meeting them.

Ultimately, Aragorn was forced to help the Elf change his clothes because Legolas could not move a muscle without wincing in pain. The process was a pure struggle for the man and Elf, but it hadn't changed the blond Elf's mind a bit. Now, he sat comfortably in front of the vanity mirror, braiding his hair. Legolas fought back the urge to laugh as he watched Aragorn's reflection in the mirror. His husband's angry face was rather funny.

"Glaring at me will not change my mind, Aragorn," he said, chuckling. "I told you I won't receive the Lords in my bed like an invalid!"

"Damn you and your Elven Pride," the man mumbled, but loud enough for the blond Elf to hear.

Legolas narrowed his eyes as he slowly turned to glare at the man.

"You are the last one to speak about pride, oh mighty Isildur's heir," he hissed. "Or should I remind you of your numerous stunts of pride during the last quest?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Aragorn retorted before taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Legolas," he tried again. "You don't have to receive them today. I could've told Faramir to postpone their visit until your wound has healed."

Legolas rolled his eyes.

"They've been waiting for this meeting for a week, Aragorn. Don't you think they deserve to see me and Míreth after you and Lord Glorfindel scared them to death by banning them from visiting without special permission? Besides, I'll only sit on the couch. I'm not going to roam around." Slipping a silver circlet around his forehead, Legolas flashed his husband a bright smile. "I'll only see them for a brief time, Aragorn. There is no need to worry; I promise I'll return to bed as soon as the visit ends."

Aragorn narrowed his eyes, wondering if he could trust the blond Elf. Knowing he had no choice, the man sighed in defeat before walking to his husband. He gently helped the Elf onto his feet and supported him as they walked to the living room.

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Gwîneth smiled fondly at Míreth as she cleaned her before wrapping her with a towel. As the two left the bathroom, she planted a soft kiss on the little Princess' forehead. As she entered the bedchamber, she was surprised to see Lord Glorfindel sitting on a chair by the bed.

'My Lord,' she said. 'This is a surprise.'

'I hope it's a pleasant one.'

'Of course,' She said as she lowered the babe to the bed and dressed her. 'I'm preparing Míreth to be presented for the Lords.' She felt the Lord stand beside her as she worked... too close.

Looking up, Gwîneth found her face only a few inches away from the Lord's own.
'My Lord?' she asked.

Glorfindel smiled.

'Have they ordered for a crib to be made for her?' he asked, ignoring the maiden's questioning eyes.

'According to Legolas,' Gwîneth replied. 'Master Gimli had ordered one to be made in Moria, especially for the babe, when he learned of Legolas' pregnancy two months ago. He assured me that the crib would arrive within a few days.'

The blond Lord laughed amusedly.

'Imagine! An Elven Princess of Thranduil's bloodline sleeping in a dwarven crib. What an irony!'

'That's what I said to him,' the Elven maiden said, joining the Lord in his merry laughter.

Suddenly, Glorfindel reached out one hand and seemingly tugged a strand of golden hair behind Gwîneth's ear, startling her in the process. She looked up at him, again noticing how close their faces were. At that moment, the door opened, and Aragorn entered.

"Lady Gwîneth, can you please bring Míreth?"

"Of course, my Lord," the Elven Lady said in a shaky voice, picking up Míreth after wrapping her in a velvet blanket.

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Aragorn watched in annoyance as the Lords showered Legolas with congratulations and concern as soon as they filled the living room, sincerely doubting that they meant any of them. True that most of them had reached a particular understanding with Legolas and had accepted him as a ruler of Gondor, but that didn't mean that they were concerned for his health.

"What has happened to you, my Lord?" The King snapped from his thoughts at Lord Herumacil's voice addressing Legolas. "His Majesty worried us when he declared that you were in pain before dashing out of the meeting room."

Legolas smiled.

"It's nothing, my Lord. It was simply due to overwhelming stress. However, I'm well now, and so is Princess Míreth."

"Míreth?" Lord Addrimyr asked. "My Lord, the royal progeny should be named honouring the Kings and Queens of old, and the Council should approve the name."

Aragorn opened his mouth to object, but Legolas spoke first.

"My Lord," the blond Elf said softly. "Surely you won't deny us the simple right to name our child ourselves? A right that even the lowest person in Gondor enjoys." Lord Addrimyr, Legolas had long ago noted, was an old man who lived his entire life following rules and protocols. The royal traditions must be followed for the man to be satisfied, and since he was the Royal Chamberlain, he was determined to fulfil his task to the end.

"But, my Lord," Lord Addrimyr objected. "The Princess must have a suitable name and title in which she would be formally addressed."

"You will have the chance to choose Míreth's formal title during the next Council meeting," the Elf said gently. "But among us, she will be called Míreth."

"Which will take place no sooner than next week," Aragorn said, sliding one hand around Legolas' waist and giving the Lords a pointed look. "Legolas needs to rest until his wound is completely healed."

"Of course, my Liege," the old man said, not really pleased with the delay.

Sensing the rising tension, Faramir cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Your Highness," he addressed Legolas. "We haven't had the honour of meeting our Princess yet."

"I'll get her," Aragorn said, jumping from his seat almost immediately and heading to his daughter's chamber.

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Mortardur rolled his eyes, feeling nauseated by the Lords' seeming concern for Legolas' well-being. He knew for a fact that two of his fellow Lords still harboured resentment for the blond Elf. Yet, they didn't see any fault in showering the Elf with fake concern. Looking at said Elf, the young Lord gritted his teeth in displeasure. The Elf sat in front of them with pride and arrogance.

/Why wouldn't he?/ the Lord mused. He was an exceptional person, after all. He was an Elven male who had the ability, albeit through magic, to bear children and was the second most important person in Gondor after the King.

Why wouldn't he be proud and arrogant, indeed?

Mortardur narrowed his eyes, studying Legolas closely.

He wore dark blue velvet leggings, a silken white shirt with bell sleeves, and a dark blue vest; a silver circlet bearing Gondor's White Tree adorned his pale forehead.

In truth, the Elf was indeed a sight to behold. It was a pity that he wasn't a female.
/There is no wonder why the King or Shadow lusts after him,/ the young Lord thought to himself. /He is too tempting...for a male./

Shaking his head, Mortardur pushed those thoughts away. These were dangerous thoughts. His eyes then moved to the King, who sat tensely beside Legolas. One hand was possessively placed on the Elf's back while the other played with his belt. For some reason, the King looked like a hunter waiting for his prey to appear before pouncing off on it.

Watching the exchange between Legolas and Addrimyr, Lord Mortardur rolled his eyes again. The old fool was fussing over trivial things, missing the fact that the Prince had given Gondor's heir an Elven name instead of a Gondorian. He wondered what else the Elven Prince was planning on changing too.

"Your Highness, we haven't had the honour of meeting our Princess yet."

"I'll get her."

Mortardur watched as an Elven Lady emerged carrying the Princess. As she approached them, Faramir stood up and stretched his arms to the Lady. Gwîneth looked questioningly at Legolas before she handed the babe to the young Steward upon receiving an approval nod from her Prince. In the middle of the twenty Lords, Faramir held the baby for the Lords to see. Everyone extended his neck to have a good look at the Princess. Mortardur grimaced, noting how Elvish the Princess looked. The blond hair, pointy ears, and pale skin... not to mention her annoyingly wide eyes. She had taken nothing after the King or the race of men.

"She's a beauty, my Lord." He heard Lord Herumacil say.

"Yes, indeed," another Lord confirmed, followed by a wave of agreements from the Lords.

"She has," Mortardur said, not bothering to hide the tone of criticism in his voice, "completely taken after her moth— after Prince Legolas." The young Lord shot Legolas a demeaning look before looking back at the babe. "No one could tell that Men's blood runs in her veins."

"And what of it?" Aragorn asked darkly. He looked as if he was ready to jump on the Lord and strangle him to death. "She is more an Elf than a human. After all, Elven blood runs in my veins."

"Pardon me, my Liege, for I meant no offence," the young Lord said with faked politeness. "But one wouldn't think the Princess is a Gondorian due to her Elven appearance."

Aragorn's body shook with anger, and he was about to retort, but a slim hand on his hand calmed him down.

"I'm sorry if the Princess' appearance didn't meet with your approval, Lord Mortardur," Legolas said, smiling dryly at the brown-haired Lord. "I'll ensure that our next child is more human-like."

The Lords laughed uneasily, sensing the tension that their colleague's unsavoury remark had created. They wondered how long it would take before one of the two opposite sides snapped. This was supposed to be a social visit, not a political dispute.

"My Lords,"

They nearly jumped from their places when they heard Gwîneth's soft voice.

"I beg your forgiveness, but Princess Míreth needs to be fed. I must take her now," she said as she walked and took the little Princess from Faramir's hands before disappearing into the Princess' bedchamber.

"Thank you, my Lords, for your visit," Aragorn said sternly. "But Legolas must leave as well. He isn't supposed to be out of bed." The man shot his husband sternly, silencing whatever the Elf was about to say.

"Yes, of course," the Lords stuttered as they stood up and bowed respectfully at their rulers before rushing out of the room.

"Faramir."

The blond Steward looked behind him as he was also about to leave.

"Call the head of the Royal Guards and come with me. I need to talk to you both," Aragorn said.

Nodding, the blond man left the room to do as his King had asked.

"Well," Legolas said with a sigh. "That was a subtle way to kick them out of our chambers."

"If I didn't do that," Aragorn said, "Lord Mortardur would've been a corpse sooner than he could imagine."

Legolas shook his head disapprovingly. The Lord's insulting remark had angered him beyond words, but it wasn't worth ruining the Council's visit. Besides, the Prince thought his reply had silenced the Lord well enough.

"What do you need the Head of the Guards for?" he asked, changing the subject.

"It's nothing you should worry about," the man replied, standing in front of him. "You promised that you would return to bed after this. It's time to fulfil your promise, and you won't leave the bed until Lord Elrond says so."

Legolas sighed as he stood up. The Elf silently walked back to his bedchamber, leaning on his husband for support.

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Rhircyn, the fearsome Head of the Royal Guards, nervously shifted his weight from one leg to another as he stood before Aragorn's desk in his private study, waiting for his orders. Yet, the King was scribbling something down on a parchment, seemingly unaware of the waiting Captain. Rhircyn frowned deeply, wondering if there was something wrong with the castle's security, one of his soldiers, or maybe his unit of Elite Guards responsible for guarding the royal family. He dared to glance at the Lords Faramir and Glorfindel, trying to guess what was going on, but the two Lords were sitting quietly in one corner, each lost in his thoughts. After what seemed to be an eternity to Rhircyn, Aragorn looked up and addressed him.

"Rhircyn," he said, handing the Captain the parchment he had written. "I want you to assign two guards at the entrance of the royal wing. No one, except those on your list, can enter the entire wing without my, Lord Elrond or Lord Glorfindel's permission. Those not on the list will only enter with written permission and must be escorted by an Elite Guard during their entire visit to the royal wing. Any negligence from your Guards will be severely punished."

"Yes, Sire," the Captain replied, feeling alarm at the order. "But does this rule apply to the servants, my Lord?"

Aragorn seemed to think for a moment before replying,

"The servants can enter as they please, but not without an escort. I don't want anyone to wander through the royal wing freely."

"What about the Elven servants?"

"Same rule applies."

"Yes, my Lord. I'll make my arrangements immediately."

"Also, I want two guards to escort the Prince Consort or the Princess whenever they leave the royal wing. And I want you to choose three or four guards you trust and put them under Lord Glorfindel's disposal at any time, day or night."

"Yes," the Captain said before daring to speak. "My Lord?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Umm—has something happened that requires such steps?"

"Nothing has happened," Aragorn replied. "I'm merely concerned about the safety of the Prince Consort and the Princess. I don't wish anything to happen to them."

The Captain nodded, unconvinced, but knew better than to question more. If something threatened the royal family's safety, he would do everything he could to protect them, no questions asked. Bowing, the Captain excused himself and left.

"Are you sure that it is wise, Aragorn?" Glorfindel asked as soon as the door was closed. "Legolas may question the necessity of such measures."

"I'll deal with Legolas later," the King replied, standing up from his desk and joining the two Lords on the couch. "He won't be leaving the chambers any time soon, anyhow. I want to discuss the situation with you and Faramir at length. Tell me, Lord Glorfindel, what happened about the servants?"

The blond Elf shook his head.

"They disappeared."

Aragorn raised a dark brow at that.

"I'm surprised as well, Elessar. They have vanished without a trace. Not even their fellow servants know their whereabouts."

"What about their families?"

"They haven't returned to their homes and families either."

Aragorn just nodded in response before looking at Faramir.

"Faramir, I need you to disable the secret passages in the entire royal wing."

"Will it be safe, Aragorn?" the Steward asked. "Those passages are to help the royal family flee in case of danger."

"And they can also be a source of the same danger," Aragorn reasoned. "I'm not sure who else knew about their presence. Besides, Legolas knew about the one in the living room, and I don't wish him to use it to wander around without anyone seeing him."

"As you wish, my Lord," the Steward sighed. "What are you planning to do now?"

"We'll have to question the Lords that roam the castle," the King stated. "However, I'm not sure how."

"I suggest informing the Council of what happened," Faramir advised. "They must be informed of the situation before we take any step. It will make questioning the Lords of the court much easier."

Aragorn nodded. "Then inform the Council to assemble this afternoon. I'll talk to them myself. But make it clear to them that Legolas knows nothing about this matter. I don't want anyone to say a word to him."

Nodding, the Steward bowed and left.

"Aragorn," Glorfindel spoke as soon as the door was closed behind Faramir. "It would be wise to alert the twins and Mallorn. They could be a great help in keeping an eye on Legolas."

"Yes, I was thinking of asking the twins. As for Mallorn, I don't trust that he wouldn't tell Legolas if I told him."

"The twins will be enough," Glorfindel remarked. "But make sure Elrohir won't blurt everything to Mallorn."

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When Aragorn and Glorfindel left the study, they heard loud laughs from Legolas' bedchambers. Peering through the slightly opened door, they saw Mallorn and Gwîneth sitting around Legolas and Míreth, seemingly engaging in a merry conversation.

'Well, Mallorn is here,' Glorfindel said. 'It's your chance to talk to the twins without interruption.' Aragorn nodded in response.

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Elladan raised an eyebrow as he watched his brother paced in front of him, grumbling angrily to himself. His younger twin had stormed into his chamber an hour ago and started to pace and mutter under his breath.

'Elrohir,' he called finally. 'Will you please stop pacing and talk to me?'

Elrohir halted and stared at his older twin before sighing. He took the chair opposite him before taking a deep breath.

'It's Lady Gwîneth,' the younger Peredhel breathed.

'What about her?'

Elrohir narrowed his eyes at his brother, shooting daggers at him.

'What about her?' he scoffed. 'Everything is wrong about her! For one, she isn't supposed to be here at all. I'm still unable to understand what she's doing in Gondor when she's supposed to be in Mirkwood.'

'She came to care for Legolas' daughter,' Elladan stated. 'She's not bothering anyone. Why are you agitated this much?'

Elrond's younger son glared murderously at his brother. He was sure his brother knew of the reason that bothered him regarding Gwîneth's presence but was playing a ridiculous game of ignorance with him, which he wasn't in the mood to play.

'She's bothering me with her presence near Mallorn!' he hissed. 'Haven't you noticed yesterday how she laughed and conversed with Mallorn the whole time we were in Legolas' chambers? The two seemed to forget everything around them while they talked and joked together!'

'They've been together their whole lives, Elrohir," Elladan reasoned. 'Lady Gwîneth is close to both Mallorn and Legolas and hasn't seen them since their arrival to Imladris seven months ago. Don't you think it is natural for her to spend time with them? I'm sure she has many things to tell them.'

'She wasn't just spending time with Mallorn,' Elrohir half growled. 'She was openly flirting with him, and he was flirting back. It seems you have forgotten, my dear brother, that Mallorn and Lady Gwîneth were lovers in the past.'

Elladan rolled his eyes in annoyance.

'Elrohir,' he said. 'In light of all the fights and quarrels you and Mallorn are having, do you think your relationship with him is doomed?'

'No!' Elrohir's eyes widened in horror as he exclaimed. 'I love him!'

'Then why can't the two of you stop fighting all the time?' Elladan retorted. 'You two have been together for three months, and during that period, you haven't stopped quarrelling and yelling at each other.'

'It's because he can't stop flirting with every maiden he sees!' Elrohir yelled. 'And I can't hold back my temper.'

Elladan sighed. The truth was that Mallorn's behaviour wasn't excusable either. The blond Elf was inconsiderate of his brother's feelings, flirting with every female he saw. 'Maybe Mallorn cannot love you, Elrohir,' he said. 'Why don't you accept it?'

The younger twin looked away, unable to say even a word in response. He didn't want to believe that Mallorn couldn't love him. He was happy to be with the blond Elf. Mallorn had yet to declare his love to him, true, but he was agreeable to his displays of affection. However, the way Mallorn was toying with his heart was becoming more painful than he could bear.

Elrohir's thoughts were cut off when the two heard knocks on the door. He looked at his brother questioningly, but Elladan shrugged in response. The twins were surprised when Aragorn entered the room before Elladan could even grant him an entrance. But then again, he was the King of this castle.

"Elrohir," the man exclaimed. "Good that you are here. I want to talk to you both about something important."

"What is it, Estel?" Elladan asked, gesturing to a nearby chair.

"I need to ask you a favour, but I don't want anyone to know about it," the man said anxiously. "I need you to promise me you'll say nothing to anyone, especially Mallorn." He gave Elrohir a side glance. "For I fear he would tell Legolas."

"You are scaring us, Estel. What's wrong?"

"I want you to keep Legolas' company whenever he leaves our quarters."

"Keep him company?" Elrohir asked. "What for?"

"All I can say is that I fear for his and Míreth's safety," the man said. "I don't want him to be alone in the citadel, and I can't trust anyone but the two of you and his brother to keep an eye on him."

At his vague request, the twins stared at their brother, half-surprised and half-suspicious. Since arriving at Gondor, they had spent most of their time with the blond Prince. However, Aragorn seemed to ask more than simply keeping Legolas company.

"What are you getting at, Aragorn?" Elladan asked. "You seemed to hint that some danger lurks in the shadows."

The man nodded his head reluctantly after a moment.

"I believe that someone is after Legolas' and Míreth's lives. I don't want to alert Legolas. Thus, I wish you two keep an eye on him without him suspecting anything."

"Is that wise?" Elrohir asked. "It would be easier if Legolas knew that his life, or at least his daughter's, is in danger."

"No," Aragorn shook his head. "I don't want him to know. I can handle the situation by myself. I need to know that Legolas and Míreth will always be watched."

"And why don't you want us to tell Mallorn?" Elladan asked. "He'll be more than helpful if he knew."

"Because he'll overreact," Elrohir replied knowingly. "He nearly lost his mind when we were banned from seeing Legolas in the past days. If he knew a danger targeting Legolas, then he's bound to overreact."

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"Poisoned?! The Prince Consort was poisoned?"

The Lords gaped at their King, unable to absorb the news he had just delivered. An attempt on the lives of Gondor's Prince Consort and Princess had been carried out. It was something that they couldn't imagine. They all felt uneasy when they were summoned from their houses to an urgent meeting with the King, especially after the crude hint he dropped during their visit in the morning. However, they hadn't expected the terrible news the King had provided.

"Who did it, my Lord?" Lord Herumacil breathed.

"We don't know yet," Lord Glorfindel replied.

The Lords stared at the blond Elf before they looked back at their King; the horror that had settled inside them at the King's announcement rose tenfold at the Elf's simple reply. They all knew the implications of the sentence. They knew they were all suspected of being behind the assassination attempt.

"My Lords," Aragorn said tonelessly. "We have an assassin to apprehend. Whoever had arranged this attempt is still free, and I won't rest until I catch the one who tried to kill my husband and daughter."

"Sire," Faramir said, "We all share your desire to apprehend the culprits as soon as possible. Everyone in the citadel will be thoroughly questioned."

"My Lord, why weren't we informed of this earlier?" Lord Addrimyr asked.

"The Consort needed time to rest and heal. I had to remain by his side," Aragorn replied dryly. "And frankly, I'm still unsure whom I can trust."

The Lords exchanged nervous looks but decided not to comment.

"Is that why you changed the kitchen staff with the elves from Ithilien, sire?" Lord Herumacil asked.

The King nodded.

"If I can't trust the people who work in my castle, then at least I know that the Mirkwood elves are still loyal to their Prince."

"What of the servants that served the Prince's meal that day?" Lord Addrimyr asked.

"Lord Glorfindel said that they had disappeared without a trace," Aragorn said, eyeing Lord Addrimyr before looking back at the Lords. "Even their families don't know anything about them."

Addrimyr lowered his head, ashamed at the King's silent accusation. As the Chamberlain, he was responsible for everything that concerned the King's household, yet he had failed in his duties.

"My Liege," Mortardur spoke for the first time since they began the meeting. "You seem to be certain that the culprits are humans. Hasn't it occurred to you that whoever had done it may be of the Elven race? After all, you don't know if His Highness' marriage to you has angered some Elves."

Lord Glorfindel tensed upon hearing this, while Aragorn merely raised a dark eyebrow, feeling that the young Lord was hiding something.

"What do you mean by that, Mortardur?" he almost growled.

The young Lord merely smiled.

"Nothing, my Liege. Nothing at all."

Aragorn glared at the Lord briefly before returning to his Council. He would deal with that obnoxious Lord later, but right now, he had more pressing matters to address.

"My Lords," he began again. "As you all can understand, a thorough search must be done for the culprits. Faramir, under Lord Glorfindel's command and the help of trustworthy guards, will start investigating the matter. Everyone in this castle, along with their families, friends and acquaintances, will be questioned. Everyone's houses will be searched until we find a lead to those who tried to kill my husband and child."

The Lords' face unconsciously twisted into frowns, but none dared to object. They were all under suspicion, and they could do nothing to lift the suspicion that loomed over them except agree to be investigated and hope nothing was found.

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Lord Addrimyr had to run after the King as Aragorn strode with long strides out of the meeting room as soon as it was over.

"Sire," he called, catching up to the King.

Aragorn halted and looked behind him with an expressionless face. He waited patiently as the old Lord approached him.

"Sire," the Lord began as he stood before the man. "I wish you to grant me a favour."
"A favour, Lord Addrimyr?" the King asked sarcastically.

"Yes, my Lord. I want you to dismiss me from my post as the Royal Chamberlain," the old man said steadily. "I have failed to carry out my duties, so I do not deserve to stay in my current position. And if that wasn't enough, you can arrest me for treason."

Aragorn couldn't help but scoff.

"Yes, Lord Addrimyr. You have failed in carrying out your duties." He almost spat. "However, I'm the one who will decide your punishment, not you. You'll stay in your post as the Royal Chamberlain until we finish our investigation. Then I'll decide a fit punishment for neglecting your duties."

He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the Lord alone in the corridor.

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A hooded figure entered the semi-dark tavern, but none in the small main hall noticed or even cared. The figure silently went upstairs to the second floor, where two rows of ten doors lined the sides of a dark corridor. Standing in front of one of the doors, the figure took out a big brass key from the folds of his clothes and stuck it into the keyhole. Opening the door, he entered before locking the door again from the inside.

Taking off the hood, long silver hair glowed dimly in the light of the dying fire in the fireplace. The proud, pointed ears stuck out between the silver tassels.
Slowly, the mysterious Elf walked to one corner of the room and knelt in front of the dirty wall. Pulling out his small dagger, he picked on two loose bricks until they were out. He then gently pulled out a small box hidden in the hollow area. Opening the box, the Elf smiled warmly at the small leather bags. Carefully, he checked the content of each bag, looking until he found the one he needed.

'With this,' he assured himself, 'I can ensure that Legolas' spawn will not live for long.' An evil smirk graced his handsome face. 'If those fools think that changing the servants or increasing the guards will stop me from my goals, then they are greatly mistaken. Legolas' child will die, and Legolas, in his grief, will be too weak to resist me when I attempt to kidnap him. Once I make him mine, his bond with that human will be broken.'

An evil, un-Elven-like laugh came from that room into the night.

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To Be Continued...