Chapter 2. The King Is Found.

The two friends had long disappeared from view, yet Thranduil was loathe to turn his attention back to the clutter on his desk. In truth, he found the study of inventories to be a terribly tedious, but necessary evil, and something  to be dispensed with as soon as possible. With a sigh of resignation, he resumed his seat behind his desk and continued his perusal of the wine invoices. The smile he wore was not for the excellent prices he had paid for his Dorwinion, but at the image of Elrond's foster son climbing up a tree. However, the smile of amusement quickly turned to a frown as someone knocked on the door.

"Enter!" He called, annoyed at this second interruption to his work.

"Your Majesty, do not forget your 'appointment' this afternoon. The message was very specific about the time,” Thranduil’s Steward reminded him, as was his duty.

"I have not forgotten," the Elven king replied tersely, grabbing at the papers that a sudden gust of wind blew from his desk. He looked distastefully out of his open window at the darkening sky and saw storm clouds quickly gathering. "I do not relish the prospect of travelling in weather such as this. I hope that Mithrandir has news worthy of the mysteriously secret meeting he has requested." Like all Elves, the rain did not bother him, but he had become accustomed to the comfort of his fireplace during the fierce storms which occasionally rolled in from the mountains in the north.

"I am sure his message is important, Your Majesty," came the confidant reply. Thranduil merely raised an eyebrow to indicate some doubt as to the importance of the message to anyone other than the wizard himself.

"That Istari keeps his own agenda, and his thoughts to himself, as a rule. He hinted in his message that he has some news about the strange happenings around Dol Guldur, but I do not know why he cannot come here to tell me."

"I am sure he has good reason. What time shall I inform your guards to be ready?"

"Guards will not be necessary,” said the King as he held his hand up to silence the protest the Steward was about to make. "I shall be perfectly safe, the meeting place is not far and I have a mind to spend some time alone in my Woods."

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Later that day a lone figure, dressed in the simple green and brown travelling garb of a Mirkwood Elf and armed with his favourite bow, left the palace and made his way towards his destination. Thranduil moved swiftly, hoping to find shelter at the cave where he was to meet Mithrandir, for the air was filled with the smell of rain heralding the storm that was fast approaching. Unfortunately for the King, the ferocious storm moved in much sooner than he had anticipated, and in a matter of moments, a drenching rain began to fall.

Thranduil found the splash of cold raindrops on his face to be very refreshing and he was enjoying the feel of the wind whipping his golden hair in all directions reminding him of the beauty of the natural world. Although the stone halls of his palace provided protection from his enemies, he realised how much he missed the freedom of the forest and the voices of the trees. Rather than continue on to seek shelter in the caves near the Enchanted River, as he had intended, he found a tree with foliage that was dense enough to keep off most of the rain and settled next to the trunk to wait out the storm.

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Legolas led the way as he and Aragorn attempted to catch up with Thranduil, whom they had seen far in the distance. He had disappeared amongst the trees and they were having a difficult time finding some trace of his movements. Legolas and Aragorn had gone on several spider hunts together in the past few weeks, and the Elf was well aware of the tracking skills his friend possessed, but he cold not help but be amused by the human's attempt to track a Wood Elf as experienced as his father, for such a task was beyond even his own elvish woodcraft.

"We know he was headed in a southerly direction." Aragorn said as he continued to search unsuccessfully for any kind of track. Elves left the faintest footprints and there was not even a single leaf out of place at least as far as Aragorn could see. He looked to Legolas for help. "Can you sense where he is?"

"Through the bond I spoke of, you mean?" Aragorn nodded in affirmation. "No, I can only recognise his presence, not his location," replied Legolas looking with some concern at the storm-darkened sky. A fierce wind whipped through the trees and there was a brilliant flash of lightning, followed quickly by a crash of thunder. The rain began to fall heavily, the cold water forcing its way between the leaves on the branches above, attempting to soak them both. Fortunately their cloaks were made of a lightweight material woven by Elves, which afforded good protection from the rain.

"I fear we have little chance of finding my father now, for any trace he might have left is sure to be washed away by the rain. Perhaps we should just return to the palace?" Legolas reluctantly suggested.

"No, " said Aragorn for he could see that the Elf was still concerned for his father's safety, there were all kinds of dangerous creatures in the Mirkwood. "We know the general direction he took so let us continue forward, we are going to get drenched no matter which way we choose to go. Is there some place nearby where he might seek shelter from the storm?" Legolas thought for a moment, then smiled radiantly.

"There are some caves near the Enchanted River, not far from here." He suggested as another flash of lightning lit the forest with a brilliant white light. He could hear the boughs of the trees creaking in protest as the wind shook them mercilessly.

"That sounds a likely place to start. Let us make haste," Aragorn said indicating for Legolas to lead the way. "I will be glad to be out of this wind and rain."

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Elation turned rapidly to disappointment when they reached the cave for it was occupied, not by Thranduil but the Istari known to the Elves of Mirkwood as Mithrandir. He was sitting in front of a small fire, smoking a pipe and smiled as he recognised the young Elf.

"Legolas, it is good to see you, my young friend," Mithrandir said with genuine affection, all the while staring at Aragorn. "But I do not believe I have met your companion."

"Greetings, Mithrandir," Legolas replied bowing politely. "This is Aragorn, a foster son to Lord Elrond."

"Aragorn, eh? Hmmm, most interesting. I have heard of much about you from Lord Elrond. I had intended to visit Rivendell to meet you, but you always seem to be off with your Rangers or those Twins of Elrond's. What brings you to Mirkwood?" asked the wizard.

"I am pleased to meet you, Mithrandir, for I have heard many in Rivendell speak of you. To answer your question, Elrond suggested I spend some time amongst the Wood Elves, learning of their ways and improving my woodcrafts," Aragorn replied.

"And young Legolas here is your tutor?" Mithrandir surmised nodding to himself and thinking;  'So, Thranduil has taken my advice. Excellent!'  

“I am not all that young, but I am attempting to teach Aragorn some of the skills he is yet to master,” replied Legolas, not really offended at being called young. He smiled brilliantly as Mithrandir clapped a friendly hand on his shoulder and turned to speak to Aragorn.

 "And a finer and more talented teacher you could not have found in all of Middle Earth,” the wizard told the Ranger.

"And may we ask what brings you to Mirkwood?" It was Legolas' turn to be curious.

"Just passing through on my travels," the Istari replied innocently. "I was also hoping to meet with Thranduil, for I have much to tell him."

Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other then turned their eyes towards Mithrandir.

"So that is why Father was alone in the Woods, he was expecting to meet you?" Legolas asked.

 "Yes, he was supposed to meet me here this afternoon,” replied Mithrandir, looking around as if expecting Thranduil to appear at mouth of the cave at any moment.  The choice of location for a meeting with his father did not really surprise Legolas for Mithrandir was well known for secretive and often unfathomable behaviour.

"We saw him just before the storm started and Legolas thought he might have come here seeking shelter." Aragorn said. "Obviously that is not the case."

"Well, I am sure he has found a suitable place in which to weather the storm. As soon as it stops raining, we will seek him out," Mithrandir promised as he settled back down next to the fire, lighting his pipe and blowing creative smoke rings into the air. Aragorn lit his pipe and joined him. Legolas went and sat near the mouth of the cave for he disliked the smoke intensely. He sang quietly to himself as he waited for the storm to break so they could resume the search for his father.

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Thranduil was also waiting for the storm to diminish, for he knew that Mithrandir would become concerned when he did not meet him as arranged. As he sat beneath the tree watching the storm rage around him, a sense of dread began to creep slowly upon him and he reached into the back of his mind and touched the quicksilver presence of his son, relieved to feel that he was safe. It seemed likely that he was merely sensing the Shadow that had been encroaching ever further into his realm, bringing a darkness that moved like a cloud across the face of the sun blocking the light of the power of the Elves. Too late he realised it was the approach of a band of Orcs that he felt, and he was quickly overpowered by the evil creatures.  The one who appeared to be the leader laughed maliciously as a disgusting potion was forced down Thranduil's throat. His last thought as the blackness of unconsciousness overwhelmed him was that Legolas was far too young to be burdened with the Throne.

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Aragorn left Mithrandir to enjoy his pipe and joined Legolas at the front of the cave. In the short time they had spent together he had come to realise that the Elf had a soul that was as beautiful as his face was fair. He was also very sensitive, especially where Thranduil was concerned. Placing a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder he said reassuringly,

"Do not worry, Legolas, I am sure your father is safe."

"Thank you for your concern, Aragorn, I only hope you are not mistaken," the Elf said, his voice filled with despair.  Aragorn could feel that he wished to be alone so he left him and rejoined the Istari.

"I do not like to see him so sad," he said to Mithrandir as Legolas began to sing another melancholy song.

"It is to your credit that you care for your friend, but do not feel troubled, for as you well know, it is the nature of the Elves to feel everything deeply." Aragorn had learned that lesson well living among the Elves at Rivendell. It seemed to him that the Wood Elves were somehow even more deeply emotional and Legolas would sometimes change from joyful to melancholy in the space of a heartbeat.

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Eventually the howling of the winds diminished, the driving rain eased to a light mist, and Legolas could even see a hint of the darkening night sky through the thinning grey storm clouds.

"The storm has passed but evening fast approaches," he said looking back to where Aragorn and Mithrandir sat, once again engrossed in conversation. "We must begin the search soon, for it is dangerous in these Woods at night."

"That is what we were just discussing," said Aragorn as he rose from the fire and moved to the cave mouth where Legolas was standing, peering into the twilight. "Whilst I do not have the ability to see well in the dark, I think that the skills we have between us should be used to full advantage." A look of understanding passed between them and Legolas turned to Mithrandir,

"Will you remain behind in case Father makes his way to the cave after all?" he asked.

"Certainly. I was about to suggest that myself." He did not add that he was also becoming concerned for the King's safety. They left him sitting comfortably in front of the small fire and made their way into the damp, but refreshingly clean air that now filled the forest.

"Are you sure you have no idea where he is?" Aragorn asked as they stopped to decide on the best course of action. Legolas shook his head.

"The bond I spoke of is as a single thread of mithril, light as a feather but binding with a strength that cannot be easily broken. I can feel his presence, but all I can say for certain of his whereabouts is that he is somewhere nearby."

"Well, at least that is a start," said Aragorn as he wondered what the Elf's definition of 'nearby' was in terms of distance. By mutual consent, it was decided that Legolas should search from the trees, and in a blink of an eye he was gone. Aragorn used his considerable tracking skills to try and find some trace of the king's movements on the ground although he knew it would be an almost impossible task, for the rain had washed the forest floor clean.

Twilight quickly turned into night, the cloud cover hiding the light of the stars, and Aragorn could no longer see well enough to search. Nor did he see or hear Legolas until the Elf jumped from the branch above, landing lightly at his side and startling him into drawing his sword. Realising he was not under attack, he sheathed his weapon and listened to the Elf, who was obviously very alarmed about something,

 "There is a band of Orcs further ahead travelling swiftly south, and making no attempt to disguise their presence. I do not think they sensed me for I drew back to a safe distance as soon as I saw them.  They have captured my father, and possibly given him some kind of potion, for they are arguing over who should be forced to carry the unconscious Elf back to Dol Guldur and who will be given the greatest reward for capturing the King of Mirkwood." His eyes were aflame with anger at what he had heard and Aragorn saw a glimpse of the fierce warrior the Elf could become when provoked. "The Orcs will pass us by just beyond that stand of trees," he said pointing to indicate the direction. Aragorn guessed the plan Legolas had in mind and smiled slightly as he spoke.

"I think my new found tree-climbing skills may be of use on this occasion." Legolas favoured him with a look that warned he was in no mood for merriment, but he agreed that they should seek safety in the branches now that they could hear that the Orcs were almost upon them

They had barely settled in a position that hid them from the sight of those on the ground when a group of seven Orcs passed under the trees half carrying, half dragging the unfortunate Thranduil. Legolas, who could barely contain his rage at the way his father was being treated, had to be restrained from simply jumping onto the Orc leader. Aragorn had lost his balance whilst trying to prevent such a foolhardy act and he had been forced to grab the branch rather than fall into the midst of the foul creatures himself. The leader stopped and looked around suspiciously, sensing an Elf was near and was almost convinced it was only his prisoner that he could feel, when the slight movement of the branch above caught his eye. The evil one quickly fired an arrow into the tree, barely missing Aragorn.

With the amazing speed possessed by Elves, Legolas had nocked his bow and the leader now lay dead on the ground, with an arrow in his heart. Before the others even realised what was happening, he had fired six more times in rapid succession with movement too quick for the mortal eye to see. His aim was accurate and soon the enemy was no more.  Aragorn had known from the deadly look in the Elf's eyes that Legolas intended to leave no survivors and that he had such complete confidence in his own skills, that he also knew no harm would come to the prisoner. Legolas leapt to the ground and ran to his father's side and untied his bound hands.  He lowered the still unconscious body carefully to the ground and Aragorn quickly joined him, concerned at the paleness of the elder Elf's skin and the fact that his eyes were closed.

"I have some learned some skills in the Elvish healing arts from Lord Elrond. Please let me examine him,” he said as he gently took Legolas’s arm and moved him aside. The Elf watched as Aragorn quickly assessed Thranduil's condition. "I think he has been given a sleeping draught of some kind, but whether it has poisoned him or not, I cannot say."

"Mithrandir will know what to do, for he is a wizard of sorts and has many different skills." Legolas said as he affectionately brushed away a leaf that had fallen on his father's face. Aragorn was not surprised to hear that news, for he had felt that there was something mysterious about the old man.

"Are there any more Orcs about?" He asked rolling up his cloak and using it as a pillow for his patient while Legolas wrapped his own cloak tightly around his father to keep him warm.

"No." Legolas replied, certain that he could not feel the presence of the evil creatures anymore.

"Good, then one of us must go and bring Mithrandir here." Aragorn stated.  "It would not be wise to move Thranduil, for doing so may spread the poison more quickly through his body."

"I will go, for I can run much more swiftly, and see better in the dark than you.  I will return shortly," he said as he disappeared into the trees.

While he waited for Legolas to return, Aragorn selected some herbs from the pouch of medicines he always carried and made a small fire so that he could brew a tea that he somehow managed to get Thranduil to swallow. Aragorn hoped that his friend's father would live, for he knew the Elf would be devastated at such a loss.  He had no real memory of Arathorn, his own father, and after spending time with Thranduil and his son he was beginning to realise what he was missing. Elrond had raised him as his own, and he loved him as a father, but in truth there was a world of difference between Man and Elf, and Aragorn wondered what it would have been like had he been brought up in the world of Men.

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"Mithrandir! Mithrandir!" Legolas called as he ran swiftly towards the cave where the Istari was waiting. "We have found Father, but Aragorn thinks he has been poisoned by Orcs. Please come quickly!"

"Poisoned by Orcs, you say?' The Istari said, not bothering to hide his fear for Thranduil’s life as he hurriedly put out the fire and retrieved his staff from where it stood up against the wall. "That is grave news indeed. Come, we must hurry. Let us hope I am in time to cure him."  Despite his appearance as an old man, Mithrandir had little trouble keeping up with Legolas as he hurried back to his father's side.

Aragorn looked relieved when they arrived and relinquished his place at Thranduil's side to Mithrandir. He told him of the brew he had given him and the wizard nodded in approval.

"Excellent. Now I suggest you two keep an eye out for Orcs, or any other creatures that might like to see the King of Mirkwood dead," he said as he examined the ailing Elf. Turning to Legolas, he answered the unspoken question in the bright eyes that looked into his. "Do not fear, Legolas, Thranduil will live."

 Legolas and Aragorn moved to stand a short distance away, but well within range if they were needed to defend against attack.

 "I have seen you shoot well on the practice range but I did not realise just how skilled you are, that was an impressive display of archery,” Aragorn said as they stood watch. 

"It was nothing I have not done many times before," Legolas replied with a shrug. "Do not forget that although we may both be considered young adults to others of our respective Races, I have already lived for centuries longer than you." 

"True, and that is one of my foster brothers’ favourite taunts, when they wish to annoy me," laughed Aragorn.

“Is such behaviour is a regular occurrence, or does it require a certain amount of provocation from you?” teased Legolas, allowing his friend to lighten his mood a little. Before Aragorn could think of a suitable reply, they heard the welcome sound of a deep groan from Thranduil as he fought to regain consciousness. 

"Legolas! Where are you?" He called in a weak voice.

"I am here, Adar!" Legolas replied as he knelt beside his sire. "Can you see me?"

Thranduil managed to open his eyes and slowly focused them on his son's face. Legolas smiled through his tears of joy and although he was still very weak, Thranduil reached up to wipe them away.

"What happened?" He had a vague memory of sitting beneath a tree and of being savagely attacked by a number of Orcs. "Was I captured by those foul minions of the dark Lord?" 

"Yes, but Aragorn and I rescued you. There will be time for detailed explanations later." Legolas replied.  "It is not safe to remain here in the forest."

"Legolas is right," said Mithrandir. "As soon as you have recovered some strength, Thranduil, I suggest we make haste back to your Halls."  Thranduil nodded in agreement and soon fell into the waking dream state that Elves call sleep.