Whispers of a nameless thing.

They were coming. The black and red blood sprayed against the tree trunks. Screams of pain rent the air. Gasps for breath were desperately sucked into air starved lungs.

"Retreat!!!!!!!!!"

The call came loud and clear.

Retreat.

Leave your dead.

Flee.

And so they did.

*~*~*~*~*

"Legolas?"

"Yes Elrohir?"

There was a pause. "Can I ask you a question?" Elrohir asked timidly.

Legolas stopped. "Yes." He replied guardedly.

"What is it like being blind?"

Legolas laughed. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

Legolas laughed again. "It's a bit painful." He admitted.

"Painful?" Elrohir repeated incredulously.

Legolas grinned. "You stub your toes, hit your head, and run into stuff.."

Elrohir laughed. "I bet you can't wait to get the bandages off."

Legolas sighed. "You have no idea, Elrohir." He said quietly.

They were about to round the corner when suddenly an elf ploughed into them, knocking the prince on back, his head landing solidly against the stone floor.

"Prince Legolas!"

Legolas could vaguely hear someone calling his name. Though his ears were ringing to loudly to figure out who was saying it.

"Legolas! Are you alright?"

Why were they yelling? Legolas groaned inwardly wanting to clasp his hands over his ears.

"I'm fine." The prince coughed as he was helped up and dusted off. "What is the emergency?"

"My prince! There is a patrol that just came in. There are several wounded and dead." The elf gasped out breathlessly.

Instantly Legolas assumed his prince's role.

"Elrohir, go make sure all the healers are aware of the situation." Reaching out, Legolas grasped the arm of the other elf. "You, go alert the king."

"What about you?" Elrohir asked quickly.

Legolas pushed Elrohir away from his side. "Go Elrohir. I'll be fine."

Elrohir hesitated, wanting to go yet wanting to stay.

"Go!" Legolas yelled.

And so Elrohir left as did the other elf and Legolas was left alone in the hallway.

*~*~*~*~*~*

When the south patrol entered in the gates, they were greeted by all the healers, their king as well as others.

All the wounded were immediately taken care of; the dead placed in the preparation rooms and the rest of the warriors were given baths to clean off the blood.

*~*~*~*~*

Legolas swore in dwarvish as he ran into another wall.

A chuckle whirled him around. "Now who taught you that one?"

"I think you did Lomion." Legolas grinned.

Lomion snorted. "Yeah right." He said, gracefully stepping over to his little brother's shoulder.

Legolas started when Lomion touched his shoulder. "I hate this." He muttered.

"Now Legolas." Lomion said calmly. "You know what ada says about your usual painful experiences."

Legolas heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping. "Learn from them so that you don't repeat them."

Lomion laughed as he threw an arm around his sulking brother and guided him back to his room.

"You sound like an elfling." Lomion teased.

"Do not!" Legolas protested.

"I remember when you were just a baby." Lomion smiled. "You did anything for anyone. If someone wanted you to laugh, you would. You tried your hardest just to walk and you walked before any other elfling baby." Lomion laughed at Legolas red face. "You did whatever anyone told you to." He paused, thinking. "Until you turned 50, and then you thought you could boss anyone around." He grinned. "You still do."

Legolas turned his face toward Lomion's. "I do not!" He protested.

Lomion laughed and pulled the shorter elf into a one armed embrace. "You're getting tall, squirt." He commented.

His comment was met with silence.

"Legolas?"

Lost in his own thoughts, Legolas didn't hear his brother.

"Legolas?"

Lomion gently shook his brother's shoulder.

With an effort Legolas pulled himself from his wandering thoughts. "Yes?"

"What were you thinking of?" Lomion asked curiously.

Legolas reached up and touched the bandage around his eyes, feeling the smooth cloth. The healers had been careful to just bandage his eyes, leaving his ears and nose uncovered. The bandage had stayed on for a complete week now; the herbs that they had smeared on his eyes would have dried allowing the natural healing to take place. Legolas doubted that the bandage would be off today, because of the wounded and dead that had just come in. Though the days, hours and minutes had just become one long dark tunnel that he was forced to endure. It wasn't the first time that he was forced to quell the urge to just rip off the bandage, and he sighed, it probably wouldn't be the last. At least for a couple days. He thought on Lomion's question. What was he thinking of?

It was small and probably insignificant, but something that Legolas wanted to know with his whole heart.

"What if I'm blind for the rest of my life?" He whispered, putting a name on the once silent fear that he wrestled each night.

Lomion halted, not really surprised with the question, but at the timing. "That is a big 'if' 'Las." He said quietly, mulling words over in his head, trying to say what he knew his little brother needed to hear. He closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead to Legolas'. "I don't know." He said truthfully. "But." He stilled Legolas' attempt to pull away. "No matter what, we will always be at your side."

Legolas gave a short laugh that ended with a choked sob as he pulled away. "Thank you Lomion." He whispered.

Lomion smiled sadly. "Always, my little brother."

*~~**~*~**~*~~**

"Please?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"'LEGOLAS I SAID NO!"

Legolas jumped back at the Aragorn's yell.

The day had dawned, bright and full of life. Legolas, deciding that he was sick of being blind went in search of the young ranger to beg him to take off the bandages, since all the healers were still busy with the wounded.

"Then I'll do it." Legolas declared suddenly, reaching for his knife in his boot.

His arm was stopped with a yank. "And what do you think you're doing?" Aragorn's incredulous voice came from somewhere above it.

If Legolas could have rolled his eyes in disgust, he would have, but since he couldn't he could only sigh.

"I." He explained slowly. "Am going to take this bandage off myself."

"No you are not." Aragorn's voice came back immediately.

"Then you do it." Legolas opened his fist to let the knife lie on his open palm.

"I am not going to." Aragorn sighed.

Legolas could have yelled his frustration. Only years of practice helped him regain his temper. "Then I will!" He yelled.

"No you are not!" Aragorn yanked the knife away. "You aren't going to cut the bandage off and I am not going to cut the bandage off."

Legolas let his head fall back as he mentally began to count. 1000 1.. 1000 2.. 1000 3.. 1000 4.

"There you are Legolas." They both turned at the sound of another elf's voice. Aragorn was pleased to see it was Tasari. Legolas would surely listen to his brother.

"Tasari!" Legolas whirled around, completely ignoring Aragorn. "Can you take off the bandage? Please?"

Tasari laughed. "Sorry 'Las. I wouldn't dare face Ada's wrath." A smile played 'round his lips, as he watched Legolas' shoulders slump. "But, Ada does want to see you."

"Why?" Legolas asked guardedly, his mind racing to think of what he would have possibly done now.

Tasari shared a grin with Aragorn. "Don't worry 'Las." He said draping an arm around Legolas' shoulders. "Ada found a healer with nothing to do and told him to take off your bandages."

Immediately Legolas brightened. "Well what are we waiting for?" He cried out happily, and proceeded to blindly drag the ranger and the prince into a wall.

*~*~*~*

"Please close the curtains."

"Why?"

"Because Legolas hasn't seen any sunlight for a week now and it would most defiantly hurt his eyes to open them in the bright sunlight."

"Oh."

Elrohir hid a grin. Sometimes Estel could be such a child. Though Elladan did treat him as such usually.

They all watched with bated breath as Elladan began to unwind the long bandage. It seemed to take a lifetime though in all reality it only took a few minutes. But those minutes were the longest in Legolas life.

"Are your eyes closed Legolas?" Elladan asked quietly.

Legolas nodded, feeling the bandage become lighter and lighter with each pass. He swallowed hard and felt his hand gripped by someone else's. Who, he could only guess, but if he had guessed he would have guessed that it would be his ada. He would have been right.

"Keep them closed until I say to open them." Elladan instructed.

Legolas felt a cool breeze on his eyes and fought the urge to open them and finally realize the truth. If he was indeed blind or if he could see.

"Cover your eyes with your hand."

Legolas felt as though his heartbeat could be heard around the room, it beat so loudly.

"Open your eyes." Elladan said softly. "And once they are opened slowly remove your hand."

Legolas took a deep breath. How he wished he could, but something held him back.

"Legolas?" Thranduil questioned worriedly as Legolas' hand started to shake.

"What if I'll never see you again Ada?" Legolas whispered his voice small and scared.

"You've already memorized my face, little one." Thranduil whispered back, holding his emotions in check. He reached up and gently caressed the smooth cheek with his hand. "Just like you've memorized your mother's face, Loriel's face and countless others."

Legolas took a shaky breath and slowly opened his eyes. He forced himself not to panic when all he saw was black. He slowly, carefully moved his hand away.

And stared into the face of his beloved ada.

With a smile that light up the entire room, Legolas threw himself into his Ada's arms. Feeling many more arms cover him, as his Ada's own arms wrapped around him. He could hear shouts of joy, coming from all.

Thinking there was something wrong the guards rushed in, but Legolas didn't care.

He could see!

He could see.