Thranduil found his son shortly after the meeting.
He found him alone, going over his weapons.
Legolas inspected his knives, then put them into their sheaths that hung on his back.

Next he inspected his bow.
He ran his fingers along the string, he pulled it back and let it go.
Satisfied he hung it on his back.
Thranduil looked on with worry when he realized that the only armor his son was wearing were two leather shoulder pads.

"Are you not wearing any other armor?"
Thranduil asked.
Legolas looked up, his face showing no signs of emotion.
His son's face haunted him.
The grey eyes, the scar, it wasn't his son.

"Others need it more than I, I can manage with what I have.."
Legolas looked into his father's eyes. Waiting for him to speak.
Thranduil had planned what he was going to say to Legolas before hand, but now he didn't know what to say.

Legolas sighed and began to leave.
Before he could Thranduil finally said, "Your mother would be proud of you."

Legolas froze.
Thranduil rarely mentioned his mother.
Legolas turned back to his father.
"I am proud of you Legolas."
Thranduil continued.
"And I am sorry for not being there for you when I should have."

Thranduil hung his head.
He had so many things he needed to tell his son, but he couldn't find the words.
"What happened to me was not your fault."
Legolas told his father.
"But when you needed me is when I pushed you away." Thranduil argued.

Thranduil knew that Legolas remembered everything about his past, he also knew that if the ring was destroyed, there was a chance that Legolas would die.
He didn't want to lose his son, not the way Gandalf had told him he would.

But it was either Legolas, or the lives of everyone else in Middle Earth.
It was not something that any father should have to face.
But it seemed to Thranduil that he was destined to lose everyone he loved.

"After you came back from Rivendell after Elrond healed you, it was like welcoming home a stranger."
Thranduil's voice shook.
He could see the hurt in his son's eyes but he continued.

"You were different. You were colder, more distant, I was afraid that you would go back to killing again so I pushed you away. I treated you like any other elf instead of my son."

Thranduil looked pleadingly at Legolas.
"I have regretted everything I've done since the day you left, after the battle at Ravenhill.
I should have tried harder to make you stay, and after your mother died, I should not have distanced myself from you or your brother."

This made Legolas flinch.
He had killed his brother.
And Thranduil blamed himself for that as well.
"Please, Legolas, forgive me."

Legolas looked at his father.
His grey eyes were filled with pain.
"Forgive me."
Legolas said. "I caused you more pain than anyone else."
"No Legolas."
Thranduil grasped his sons shoulders. "What you did was not your fault."
"But I knew what I was doing. I wanted to hurt you. I blamed you for everything. For what happened to me, Thalion, my mother, and-"

He stopped. Thranduil knew who he had been about to mention.
Thranduil wrapped his arms around his son and held him.
Legolas did the same.
"I am sorry ion."
He said softly.
"I forgive you ada."

But what Legolas didn't know was that Thranduil was not just asking him to forgive for what he'd done in the past, but for not being able to save him from death's cruel hand.

°°°°

In another place a similar conversation was taking place between father and son.
Aragorn held Eldarion tightly.
He had lost his mother, and now he would probably lose his father as well.

"When will you come back?"
Eldarion asked.
Aragorn looked into his son's eyes.
"I don't know."
"Will you try and come back quickly?"

Aragorn smiled.
"Of course I will."
Aragorn looked at his son proudly.
He had Eowyn's eyes, he was a lot like her too.
"I want to give you something."
He reached for the Evenstar pendant and put it around his Eldarion's neck.

"This was your mother's. I want you to have it."
Eldarion ran his fingers over it and smiled at his father.
"Do you miss mother?"
Aragorn nodded.
"Yes. I miss her very much."
"She didn't come back."
Aragorn tensed.
Eldarion looked up at him with sadness in his eyes.
Aragorn took his son's hands into his.
"Eldarion, I cannot promise that I will come back, but I promise that I will keep you safe."

Eldarion wrapped his arms around his father, Aragorn did the same.
"I love you Eldarion."
"I love you too."
Aragorn pulled away from his son and went to join the army that waited for him.
But first he had to speak with someone.

"Legolas!"
The elf had been on his way to join the others and stopped when he heard Aragorn's voice.
"What is it?"
"I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"First I need you to swear on your life that you will do it."
"Before I swear my life on anything I need to be sure that I will be capable of doing it."

Aragorn sighed.
"If anything happens to me during the battle, if I am killed, I need you to lead everyone you can to safety. And keep Eldarion safe."

Legolas's eyes widened.
"You are not going to die. None of us are."
Aragorn winced when he said that. It still felt wrong to him, not telling Legolas what awaited him if the ring was destroyed.

"I am no longer the only heir of Isildur."
Aragorn reminded him.
"If anything happens to me the people will look to Eldarion. I need you to protect him, and take care of him."
Legolas looked lost.
"Aragorn-"
"Swear that you will."
"I cannot-"
"Swear it!"

Legolas looked hurt, but the look passed and he nodded.
"I promise."
Aragorn sighed and looked down at the ground.
Legolas placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You will be fine. We all will."

If only you knew Legolas.
Aragorn thought.
If only you knew...

°°°°

It was time.
The armies were ready to move out.
They had very few horses, but they knew that most of the fighting would be done on foot anyway.

Bormir said his goodbyes to Faramir.
"I'm sorry Faramir, for everything."
Faramir smiled.
"I never blamed you Boromir, not once."
The brothers embraced for what they both feared to be the last time, and Boromir went to join the others.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes.
"Are you ready?"
Boromir nodded.
Aragorn mounted one of the horses they had, Sam was with him and Frodo was with Gandalf. Legolas and Gimli rode together, and Merry had agreed to ride with Boromir.

"Are you scared?" Merry asked his voice shaking.
"Yes. I am." Boromir replied.
"Do you think that we can beat him?"
"I have hope."
Merry smiled slightly.
"That's good to know."

Aragorn asked Haldir if they were ready.
They were.
Without a word the armies left to face Sauron.

°°°°

"They are coming my lord."
The Mouth of Sauron announced.

"How many?" the Dark Lord asked.
"Barely enough to stand against your armies."
Sauron smiled.
"Soon, we will be rid of those rebels for good."
"And Middle Earth will be yours."
The Mouth added.

"Where is Amarth?"
Sauron asked.
"I have not seen him."
The Mouth replied.

Amarth was in another room, he overlooked the black plains of Mordor. He hated this place.
He wanted to be free of it for good.
But in order for that to happen, Sauron had to be destroyed.

But if Sauron is dead, what will stop him from hunting you?

Amarth shook himself.

I can deal with him but Sauron must be destroyed.

And if he isn't?

It will not matter. Either way I will have what I deserve.

Which is?

Amarth gripped the handles of his swords tightly.

Revenge.

°°°°

After a few weeks march Aragorn's armies arrived at Mordor.
Everyone was nervous, but no one would turn away.
The Black Gate loomed in the distance.

Aragorn took in a deep breath and led them forward.
His heart threatened to burst out of his chest.

Once they reached the gate, Aragorn, Gandalf, Thranduil, Dain, Legolas, and Boromir rode up where Suaron's messengers were waiting.

Aragorn recognized Amarth, the dark elf smirked at him and then turned his gaze to Legolas who shifted nervously on his horse.

The Mouth of Sauron was beside him and delivered Sauron's message.
"My lord assures you that if you surrender now no harm will come to you. You will all be free to live peacefully under Sauron's rule."
The Mouth sneered.
"If you refuse, if you choose to fight, Sauron will allow you to enter his land and do so. But I can assure you that none of you make it out alive."

They waited for their response.
Aragorn glared at the Mouth and Amarth.
"How can there be peace when Sauron lives? We will not surrender to him. We will fight, and if we die then so be it."

The Mouth spat.
"Very well then. If you want to go freely to your deaths then be my guest, but the blood of these people is on your hands."

Aragorn turned his horse around and led the others back to the armies. The Mouth and Amarth returned to deliver Aragorn's response to their master.

Aragorn faced the armies.
They were scared. He could feel it.
"Listen to me! This is our last chance. If we fail now, everything we hold dear will be lost. Now is the time to forget our differences! Today we are united as one! We all have one enemy, whose only thought is to kill and destroy! Stand and fight!
Fight for your people! For your lives!
This battle will end with either our defeat, or our victory!
Do not lose faith! We can win this battle! We will rebuild our world! We will not die!"

A roar came from the men, elves, and dwarves. They raised their weapons and shouted. Gandalf, Legolas, Frodo, Sam, Gimli, Boromir, and Merry all looked at him with courage and determination on their faces.

On his right, Elladan, Elrohir, Haldir, Thranduil, and Dain nodded.
They were ready to fight.
Aragorn led them through the Black Gate and into Mordor, no one knew if they would be coming out again.