A Single Dream is More Powerful Than a Thousand Realities

Preparations

There were a great deal many more guards than Legolas had originally anticipated.

Much to his chagrin.

He should have been more aware of things.

But nothing was making any sense of late.

He'd gotten through town easily enough, his light footsteps making it easy to slip over rooftops unnoticed.

Gandalf, too, had no trouble navigating the winding walkways, listening to the cues that Legolas would whistle lowly down towards him.

It was easy to get out of town.

Far too easy.

But, it was the woodlands, back on dry ground and heading back towards his father's halls, that left Legolas surprised.

Men were everywhere, slowly maneuvering through the foliage, searching for something.

Or someone.

Of course being an elf, and a woodland elf at that, had its advantages. The woods were his home. He knew how to remain as silent as a rabbit, and well out of sight.

But the fact that the men were patrolling the woods was rather disconcerting.

He shot a glance towards Gandalf and met with the wizard's concerned face.

They needed to hurry to his father.

*****
"You are a fool Thranduil," Gandalf admonished, his eyes narrowed, "You condemn those children to death if you stand idly by and do nothing!"

The sun had not yet reached midday when they'd crested the hill and the elf saw the high walls of the gate surrounding his home.

Legolas had been relieved to see Tauriel with Bard's young son Bain when he returned to the halls.

He had enlisted her help when he'd first snuck back into the halls, after the hobbit had taken ill and he suspected something foul permeating the town of men.

And Tauriel had watched over the whole proceedings down in Laketown and made sure that Bain had escaped from any on-looking guards. She'd warned him of the other guards and, thus, prevented the elf from being captured as well.

Legolas was grateful to Tauriel's Loyalty to the cause against evil. Because of her willingness to assist him, an innocent boy was well protected.
However...

He hadn't been relieved to see his father standing behind them, a thoughtful frown on his face as his son made his way back towards home.

"What care I for the men of Laketown?" Thranduil hissed, glaring at Gandalf, "I have my own battles to fight here. If evil has spread to Laketown, it is none of my concern. "

Gandalf scoffed, "It IS your concern if the enemy should overthrow all your allies, leaving you more weakened than you already are."

Thranduil's eyes narrowed and stepped down from his dias, "Do not think that I do not know that the dwarves reside there. I know the people of Laketown have aided those who, by right, deserve to be locked in my halls."

Thranduil's piercing blue eyes for his son's and he glowered at the young elf who stood near the grey wizard.

"And you aided them. You aided their escape!" he accused a frown marring the elf king's perfect features, "I did not know that my own son preferred to be a wizard's pupil instead of honor bound to obeying his father and king."

Legolas' eyes widened and then narrowed.

His father was still influenced by the tainted spirit pervading the forest.