Disclaimer: Same as before.

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A/N: Thanks to all reviewers! Someone asked a question that I’d like to address. The individual wanted to know why a Nazgul was involved when Dol Goldur had been dealt with 20 years before. In answer, I never said where the Ulairi had come from. Yet. < evil grin >  In all seriousness, I am trying to stay as close to canon as I can while satisfying the rabid little plot bunnies that are plaguing me, but I am human and do make mistakes so please bear with me. I’m researching this and learning as I go. As far as ages for the younger elves and Estel, I have mentioned this before, but it bears mentioning again. Estel at this point is somewhere between 18 and 20. I have revised this a bit. I know I told one reviewer that he was in his early 20’s, but I decided to make him a bit younger. The twins’ ages are a matter of record in the appendices of ROTK as is Aragorn’s so it’s relatively easy to figure their ages at this point. Tolkien never gives us an age for Legolas, so most fan fic writers draw their own conclusions. I personally see him as being considerably younger than the twins and younger than their sister by several decades at the very least and perhaps more. For the purposes of this story it‘s several decades. Oh and to let you know, I have written and posted two companion pieces to this story on FF.net. ‘The Conversation’ and its sequel ‘The Aftermath’. ‘The Conversation’ is complete and part two of ‘The Aftermath’ will be posted after I post the current chapter of this story. Enough chatter, on to the story!

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                                                Elrond and Elladan tended the wounded elves and made them as comfortable as possible. Both would survive their injuries, but would require care throughout the night. It would be at least a week before they were on their feet once more. Elrond resigned himself to yet another night spent in a chair in the Hall. He had shooed Elladan out an hour before charging him with keeping his twin company while Elrohir rested. In truth he had chosen that tactic because he knew that if Elladan realized how weary his father was he would have insisted on staying while Elrond sought his bed. Elrond was weary, but even weary his skills were greater than his sons’ and he had an inkling that they might yet be needed this night. He sighed and attempted to settle himself more comfortably.

                                                  The two elves he had treated earlier were resting well, he had few worries on their behalf, but Thranduil was another matter. His gaze found the prone figure of the king of Mirkwood. Thranduil should have awakened long since. Elrond had gone over every aspect of the king’s injuries and could find no reason that his unconscious state should have continued. He knew that Thranduil’s watch over his realm took enough of the elf’s strength to delay his healing to a degree, but even taking that into consideration he should have at least stirred by now. He had decided to attempt another healing in the morning, before the wounded had been brought in. Elrond knew that he would not regain the strength necessary to make the attempt until sometime the next day and this added to his concern. If Thranduil did not wake soon, he would begin to fade. Elrond racked his brain for a solution. A hand came down on his shoulder startling him from his reverie. He looked up into Legolas’ blue-gray gaze and knew that the time for reassurances was over. Legolas’ jaw was set in a manner that spoke of worry and determination combined.

                                                  “Tell me,” he said bluntly. Elrond sighed, noting once again the father’s mannerisms in the son.

                                                  “He should have awakened by now, and I know not why he does not. I was planning to do another deep healing on him in the morning, but now I have not the strength to do so. I am attempting to find another solution.” Elrond studied the younger elf’s face as he spoke. He had told Legolas that he held him as dear as one of his own children and he had not exaggerated. He was fully as concerned for Legolas as he was for his father in this as he knew how close the two were. If anything, the determination in the prince’s face increased at Elrond’s admission.

                                                    “Lord Elrond I trust you completely, you know that. Is it possible for two or more of us to combine our strength to accomplish the same thing?” Elrond stared hard at Legolas for a moment.

                                                   “That, my dear young prince, is an excellent idea. Why this did not occur to me I do not know, but I am very glad that at least one of us is thinking properly. If the two of us and Elladan attempt this together we may have some measure of success.” Elrond noted the ripple of uncertainty in the prince’s face.

                                                   “Lord Elrond, I am no healer. I do not know if I am the proper choice for this.” Legolas’ self doubt made him appear far younger than he was. Elrond smiled reassuringly at the prince.

                                                 “Legolas, have you ever aided another elf in healing?” Legolas nodded. “Well it is no more than that. The advantage here, I believe, is in the fact that this is your father. I think perhaps that he may respond more readily to you than anyone else. We can but try. If it does not work, we will try something else. Go and rest now, pen neth. You will need your strength in the morning.”  Legolas squeezed Elrond’s shoulder once and did as the lord of Imladris bade him. Elrond settled back into his chair once more and drifted into a light doze.

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                                                     Elrond betrayed none of the nervousness that plagued him. He, Elladan, and Legolas stood ready to begin the healing on Thranduil. Elrond was in fairly good shape at the moment, better than he had expected after performing healings on both of the injured elves in the wee hours of the morning. Elladan was almost at full strength, and Legolas was at full strength as his wounds were almost completely healed. Elrohir and Estel stood by to render whatever mundane assistance that was needed. Estel did not have the ability to assist in healing as he was too many generations removed from the elven ancestors in his lineage, and Elrohir’s wound required too much of his healing ability for him to participate. Estel was able to perform the same action that Elrond had with the athelas and he did so now, crushing the leaves and breathing on them before dropping them into the boiling water. As the healing vapors filled the air, the three elves began the procedure. Elrond stood at Thranduil’s head as he lay on the table. Legolas and Elladan each placed one hand on Elrond’s shoulders and one on Thranduil’s chest. Elrond placed both hands on Thranduil and began to channel his strength into the king of Mirkwood.

                                                     Legolas, as he had been instructed, began to speak to his father, calling him back as he channelled strength into him. Elladan joined in, doing exactly as Legolas was. For several long minutes nothing happened, and then Thranduil began to move, feebly at first, then with growing strength until he was thrashing wildly. Elrohir and Estel quickly moved to restrain him. Thranduil began to gag and Estel and Elrohir rolled him on his side scant seconds before he expelled the little bit of water he had been forced to swallow that morning.  Elrond, Elladan, and Legolas did not cease even then, but continued with the procedure. The king seemed to calm then and curled in on himself. Elrond felt faint stirrings of power beneath his hands and increased the flow of strength into the elf. He sensed Thranduil gathering the different feeders of energy together and channelling it into his wound along with what remained of his own strength. Seconds later it was over and Thranduil abruptly shut them all out.

                                                    Legolas came back to himself blinking and swayed with fatigue. He would have fallen if not for Estel’s swift placement of an arm around his friend’s back. Elladan gripped the edge of the table for support and Elrohir wrapped his uninjured arm around his father’s waist, supporting him.

                                                 Thranduil lay with his back to his son. His chest heaved several times and he opened his eyes, struggling to focus them. As his vision cleared, he saw Elladan’s pale, fatigue-lined face before him. From the corner of his eye he noted Elrond in a similar state as Elladan and he weakly attempted to push himself into a sitting position, frantic to find his son. “Legolas? Where is my son?” he croaked, his throat dry from vomiting and disuse. His last thought as he had collapsed from his wound was that the Ulairi would go after Legolas next and he was terrified that he had lost his child. Two arms encircled him from behind, and he was pulled into a tight embrace.

                                                  “Ada, I am here. All is well.” Legolas spoke softly, enfolding his father in as tight a hug as he could manage in his exhausted state. Thranduil relaxed at the sound of his voice and gripped his son’s arms tightly. Legolas rested his forehead on his father’s temple breathing a long sigh of relief. Estel had helped him to sit on the table top and he cradled his father in his lap. In the Silvan dialect he continued, “* Father, I was so very afraid that I would lose you. I could not have borne it.*” Thranduil tightened his grip a bit, comforting Legolas as best he could at the moment. He reached up with a shaky hand and stroked his son’s hair briefly before dropping into and exhausted, but genuine sleep. Legolas held onto his wakeful state by sheer obstinance alone as Estel and Elrohir changed the bedding on his and his father’s pallets and settled Thranduil comfortably. Estel assisted Legolas to his pallet and he drifted into dreams, one hand resting on his father’s chest in a rather touching echo of the position Thranduil had taken while waiting for Legolas to wake from his bout with the orc poison.

                                                  Estel and Elrohir then moved to their father and brother to get them settled into their rooms to rest. “Ada first,” Elladan declared firmly, albeit wearily. His siblings acquiesced to his wishes assisting Elrond first and then returning for Elladan. The two then took up the task of caring for the remaining wounded in the Hall.

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Ok, I know it’s short but I wanted to get Thranduil back among the living, so to speak, before real life got in the way again. I have lots going on right now as my son turns a year old this week and my manager at work has been transferred to another store and I’m trying to get the store manager position that is now up for grabs. Yes, money talks, sorry to say but I do have two kids to feed and clothe. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and at least I didn’t leave y’all with a cliffie!