For Years to Come

Chapter 1

"Legolas, behind you!" a tall, dark haired elf by the name of Adasser called. Legolas whipped around, daggers in hand, and held one to the throat of his opponent. He grinned. "You have my thanks, mellon-nin." His eyes narrowed. "Surrender."

The elf who currently had a dagger to his throat rolled his eyes and put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "Fine. You win again, Legolas." As Legolas lowered his dagger, the other elf turned and glared at Adasser. "Though someone gave you an unfair advantage."

Adasser grinned too, and walked up to them. "I did no such thing. Were this real combat, the help of an ally would not be an 'unfair advantage'."

The elf scowled. "Why not be an ally unto your own brother then?"

"Oh dear Hasdir..." Adasser bowed in a playful manner at Legolas. "My allegiance will always go to my liege before it goes to you." He straightened up and the light sound of elven laughter filled the gardens. "But do not look so down, brother. You fought well."

Legolas clasped the shoulder of the elf -Hasdir- and chuckled. "Adasser speaks the truth. Though if you ever want a rematch, you know where to find me."

Hasdir sighed. "Very well. I will accept defeat - this time. But I will eventually demand a rematch." A sudden smile came onto his face and the three elves walked through the gardens and into the large palace of King Thranduil. "Now I do believe we have a patrol to get ready for."

Legolas nodded. "We do indeed. And I won't risk my father's displeasure by being late for it again. Remember last time? 'You're Mirkwood's heir Legolas, can't you bother to be on time for once? Think of the example it's setting for our people'." His voice was raised in a terrible imitation of Thranduil's, and he flicked his hair for dramatic effect. "Oh great Eru... I just need to get out of the palace for a while. Patrol sounds very nice right now, even if it does mean fighting giant spiders."

Hasdir smirked. "I don't blame you."

Legolas rolled his eyes playfully and then stopped at the armory. He grabbed his bow and twin daggers, while the other two elves grabbed bows as well. He suspected the other members of Mirkwood's patrol were already waiting for them by the gates. He probably should have been ready earlier, but he had gotten a little caught up in training. Best archer in Mirkwood he may be, he still needed the practice.

Once finished in the armory, they left for the gates, where the other elves of the patrol were indeed waiting. "You haven't been waiting long, have you?" Adasser asked them.

One of the elves there shook his head. "Worry not, we just finished preparing. You are right on time."

Legolas let out a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding. "Good," he replied. "Now let us depart." He nodded to the guards at the gate, and it opened. And thus the elven patrol entered the dark forest.

At first, there wasn't much to see. It was just all trees and the occasional deer or rabbit. But that was because the majority of the spiders nested deeper into the forest.

Legolas hadn't known a time when the forest had been peaceful. Apparently, that had been centuries before he was born. His father, Thranduil, told him many stories of it though. But even he hadn't known that peace for that long. Dark forces had corrupted it and now it was only a place that outsiders feared. A normal elven king most likely would have given up the fight by now and sailed to Valinor, but not Thranduil. He was stubborn, and used that stubbornness to insist that the elves of his kingdom fight back against the growing darkness. And so they did. And they still were. It was a never ending battle, but one Legolas knew they would never give up.