"Fortune, fame

Mirror vain

Gone insane

But the memory remains."

Metallica -- ‘'The Memory Remains'

Chapter VII: Escape into the Night

"I believe it is safe to untie him." Aidan said, gesturing to Elladan expectantly, "Elrohir."

Elrohir inclined his head to his master and went to unbind Elladan's wrists from the stalacites he had been tied to, helping his twin to stand.

Aidan carefully examined his new fledglings, nodding in approval, "Yes... this will do. You shall lure the prince to me."

"We must go and find my brothers!" Estel insisted, even as Legolas pressed the human back onto his bed.

"I do not see how we can defeat a vampire... much less two or more."

"Elladan's time is running out!"

"He was probably already taken by them. I am sorry."

Estel would not budge from his resolve, "Listen, the books said that this could be reversed by destroying the maker... within an amount of time of their making. If we could destroy the original, Elrohir would be well again, normal."

"And Elladan?" Legolas said, "We do not know if Elrohir or the creature has... altered him or not."

"We can only hope, but neither is benefiting from us doing nothing here!"

"How do you propose that we destroy this... Aidan?"

"I think, from studying these records, that beheading would work. That is what takes place in this story at least..." Estel held up a book, allowing Legolas to see the pictures, and the quenyan text, of the legend describing the defeat of a vampire in the First age.

Legolas sighed, "Listen, Estel, there is a chance that this will work. A very good chance. But us rushing in without knowing more or having a sure way to defeat them is foolish."

"But 'Dan... and 'Ro..." Estel's voice broke, his concern for his foster brothers bubbling to the surface.

"Listen." Legolas levelled his head near Estel, whispering like a conspirator, "My adar is planning something; I know him. He defeated Aidan last time, but did not fully kill him. This is his unfinished battle."

 "But we must go now." Estel whined, "Please?"

"My adar has it all under his control, if you do not go to sleep, I will get Celvandil to make you some tea, and force you to drink it myself."

"Tea?" His eyes widened in horror, memories of that tea resurfacing. "I shall be good and go to sleep. "Truly?"

"If you do not go to sleep now. We will speak more of the current situation when you awake again, I am certain my adar will have a plan or something by the time you are awake."

"But--"

"Celvandil's tea..." Legolas threatened.

Estel laid back down and pulled the coverlets over his head, pretending to snore, "I am sleeping. Sleeping... sleeping soundly... not awake."

Legolas shook his head and turned off the lamps, leaving the room in search of his father, for they had much to discuss and it would be best if the young human were not in the way.

The king, meanwhile, was in his study. Books and scrolls with recounts from the Last Alliance were spread across his desk, and more haphazardly strewn on his shelves and floor. It was, in short, a mess that Erestor would have a fit over. Thranduil leaned back in his seat, no longer granting his attention to written words. He leaned back in his chair, eyes open to the ceiling but unseeing as he let his mind drift back.  Lamplight spilled across the room, and fell in a sliver in the corridor from the door that was just a tiny sliver open.

Thranduil had passed several days in Adain's custody now, and he had witnessed the vampire's horrific transformation multiple times. He watched as another elf was borne in, carried by Aidan on black wings, and left on the ground, seemingly dead. Aidan slept for an entire day afterwards. When the other elf awoke, he was changed; he had been born into darkness.

And as for Aidan, he neither cared for king nor his new master. Gone was his sense of loyalty in the Dark Lord, replaced with a desire for power of his own. Tension began to build, and Aidan kept speaking of what would take place after the Dark Lord had won over the free peoples. Then it would be his turn to take control. Hostility continued to mount, and Thranduil found himself dragged into a battle that his father did not believe was his people's to fight.

"Tonight, tonight the battle will be held." Aidan said, strapping armour onto himself, "Then we shall see just how quickly your dear ada comes running to save you, spoiled little prince."

Thranduil could do nothing more than glare spitefully at Aidan, saving his strength for the upcoming battle.

"Adar, are you well?" Legolas asked, hastening to his father's side, the study door clicking shut behind him.

Thranduil shook his head to clear it, and then nodded, "I am. I was simply lost in memories."

"Aidan?" Legolas asked simply, receiving another short nod.

"So do you have an idea as to how to defeat him?" Legolas asked, pushing aside some scrolls to clear himself a seat on the desk. Thranduil blinked in annoyance at that.

"Indeed, I think I might have... now, if you would mind getting off of my desk..."

In the dark, warm chamber, one grey eye popped open. Valar, his head ached! But he knew what he had to do. Estel sat up, listening for several moments until he deemed it safe to get up. He changed quickly, and wrote a note to Legolas so that he would not think he had been kidnapped. The note read as follows:

'        Legolas,

I have gone to find my wayward brothers.

I shall be back by dawn!

        --Estel '

"Back by dawn... that is what he thinks." Legolas muttered, quickly running back to where his father was in his study, speaking with Celvandil.

"Estel has escaped!"

Celvandil groaned, "Daft man-child..."

"You are telling me this and then going to pursue him, correct?" Thranduil asked his son, wearily.

"Indeed."

"And there is no way I could persuade you otherwise?"

"Nay."

"Then please, please, I beg of you... be careful. I will give you a guard with as many as you need."

"I will put no lives besides my own at risk," Legolas said, "Besides, I travel faster alone."

Closing his eyes, Thranduil sighed. He knew that Legolas was a capable warrior, but facing two, possibly three, or more, vampires alone... it was reckless and probably would not work.

"I shall accompany you."

Legolas blinked at his father a few times, taking this information in, "It is your battle to finish."

Thranduil nodded, getting up to arm himself.

Celvandil looked at him, her expression horrified, "But my liege!"

"Listen," he silenced her, "I have sent a message to the Lady of the Golden Wood. When my falcon returns with her reply, send the falcon to me with it."

"We will be along the Old Forest road, just east of it. The falcon will be able to locate us, no doubt." Legolas told her.

"Mirkwood will survive without us for a little while. If Elrond found out about all three of his sons being captured, it would be liable to start a war. He loves them that much... I love my own that much."

Celvandil nodded, resigning; there was no arguing that tone.

Estel was already leagues into the woods, but found that he had lost his way. His head still ached from the previous injury, and the cold was making it difficult to think. Mirkwood was not called Mirkwood for nothing either, and a thick fog had again crept upon him, seeping in to his chill his bones as he wandered.

Suddenly, a figure jumped from the tree above directly into the path in front of him. Said figure raised his head, and Estel immediately recognized him, "Elladan!"

Another figure dropped gracefully behind him, his feet muffling in the snow. The voice was cold; unrecognizable. “I am Elladan, that is Elrohir.”

Estel turned around, backing against a tree between the two of them. He noticed the wings, similar to what Elrohir had the night before, on Elladan. His voice laced with fear, he stuttered, "What are you doing?"

"Retrieving the bait..."

To be continued...