Festering Darkness

Familiar Handwriting and Laying Blame

__King Thranduil's Point of View__

It was months before they talked me into coming home, and even then it was only because thirteen dwarves showed up on our doorstep. I wondered if they had anything to do with my son's disappearance, but after one session with Thorin Oakenshield, I didn't think that to be the case, though it could still have been possible.

After they escaped, I wondered if I should have questioned him on it. I worried they might stir up the dragon there. The memory of the dragon fire on Laketown still made me shiver as I sat before the fire.

That was two years priore and there has still been no word of Legolas.

The stronghold felt cold without him. Even though he had been gone most of the time anyway, knowing he might not come back made the icy wind's bite that much harder. I stared into the flames. Was he warm where he was? Winter was setting in again and I couldn't help but to think of him out in the cold alone, if he was still alive.

I stopped myself, dicarding the malaise thought. He had to be. No body had been found. I wouldn't belive him dead until they brought him back to me without a breath in his lungs.

A knock came at the door and I set my wine glass down. I opened the door and a page stood there. He bowed and then handed me a envelope. I dismisted him with a wave and retreated.

It was unusal to recive mail of this kind. Most reports and such went straight ot my desk, unless it was urgent, and in that case, Barahor would bring it to my attention. I sat back down, picked up the glass agian and looked at the handwritng. I froze and the glass dropped from my hand, shattering at my feet. I knew that handwrting. I knew it better than I knew my own.

Legolas.

My heart pounded and my hands shook as I tore the evelope, desprate to read it's contect. Could it be? Perhaps he made it to Imladris afterall. The papaer was brittle and the cresases tore slightly as I unforded it. I forced my breathing undercontrol.

Dear Adar,

I am sorry it has taken me so long to send you this. I am well, mostly. My illness has not gotten wose, nor has it gotten better. I just wanted to let you know I am alright and that I won't be comming home for a while. The attack on the inn made me reilze how hurt our forest is outisde of our borders. Someing needs to help them--I need to help them. But I have not forgotten my word and will not return until I am well.

I miss you, Adar, I hope you are well. Please do not worry over me. I will try to send word as often as I can. Until then, I am a soldier and I must continue to fight. They need someone out here, adar. They have no one. I have to help them. The forest is sick outside our borders. The fields beyond the treeline are dangourse, so dangrouse. Please don't send anyone after me. I have to fight for these people, please understand that. I'm alight, but I can't come home for a while yet. They need me. I will send word when I can.

Your soldier son,

Legolas.

I stared at it, turing it over and over. There has to be more. Where is he? Why does he think I care about his promise to not return until he was well? He is worse off out there. The way he repeated himself over and over in the letter made me sick. How bad off was he? Where has he been the past two year?

My mind spun as I stood. I needed to fine Thaladir. The search needed to be renewed. He hadn't stopped looking for him, but by this point it was only him and a volenter soldier named Dolenel. We had to place the others back on the front lines.

The halls blurred past me as I tried to find a servant or anyone who might be awake. Finally, a maid came into view and I called to her. "Find Captian Thaladir. Send him to my study immediately."