Disclaimer: See default chapter

Chapter 6.

We danced anyway

And the band played

Songs we'd never heard

But we danced anyway

We never understood the words

We just sang oh la la la la la la la oh

And we danced anyway

*~*~*~*

The sudden wave of nausea caught Miriwen by surprise. Her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes went wide as she quickly stood and ran out the door to her room. Finding a clean empty chamber pot she threw up her just eaten breakfast. She was dimly aware of Lainiel holding her hair back, but she was too busy being sick to really care.

Thranduil stood at the doorway, looking in concerned but knowing that Lainiel would better understand than he, he kept his distance, as did Tasari and Lomion. Lothgil had gone to the healers to get some herbs to help ease her stomach.

Lainiel gently shooed her father in law, husband and brother in law out while she gently helped Miriwen onto the bed. She nodded to Lothgil as she entered with a basin of warm water and some herbs.

Each working silently they got Miriwen out of her dress and into her night shift. Lothgil began preparing the herbal drink for her while Lainiel gently began to sponge her with some cool water.

"Did you eat something that your stomach didn't like?" Lainiel asked softly.

"I don't know." Miriwen gasped. "I've been feeling rather strange lately, but haven't thought of it until now."

"The healers said that there are three others who have been sick as well." Lothgil put in softly.

"Were they all females?" Lainiel asked, quietly sorting out the pieces to the puzzle in her mind.

"No." Lothgil shook her head. "Two were males."

"Were they all sick in the morning?" Lainiel persisted.

"Yes."

"Hmmm."

"What?"

"Oh." Lainiel pushed a stray strand of hair back in place. "I was just reading about how to find out if you're pregnant or not."

Miriwen blinked. "Do you think I'm pregnant?" She whispered, half afraid to really say the words out loud.

Lainiel shrugged. "I don't know if there are others who are also sick. Especially males." She laughed. "I doubt a male could carry a child." She laughed at the thought of Lomion pregnant.

Lothgil laughed as well. "So why were you looking up about pregnancy?" She asked innocently.

"Well." Lainiel leaned forward conspiratorially "Lomion said that he would like know what it is to be an Adar."

Lothgil clasped both hands over her mouth to suppress the squeal of delight. "Really!"

Lainiel grinned leaning back. "He wanted to know how I felt about it."

"And? And?" Miriwen pressed.

Lainiel sighed dramatically. "Well, let's just say that the last two nights have been." She grinned, pausing theatrically. "The best nights of sleep I have had." She laughed at the identically looks of disappointment. "Of course." She continued. "I was completely exhausted that I couldn't help but sleep like a baby." She winked.

Lothgil blushed as Miriwen and Lainiel laughed.

"So you are trying to have a baby?" Lothgil asked hesitantly, her face still red.

Lainiel and Miriwen laughed harder.

"Let's just say." Lainiel gasped between bouts of laughter. "That if we weren't trying to have a baby, I would never want to go back to the same night life again."

*~*~*~*

It was eerily quiet in the woods of Lothlorien. Everyone was tense. They had two wounded warriors that had to be carried. The others formed a protective circle around them as the slowly moved into the woods. Everyone had been pushed past their limit. Many of them were ready to just collapse on the ground. Their food supply had just finished out, thankfully Thalion had ordered several extra lembas bread for them so they it had lasted for a little while longer than before.

They all carried their bow in hand and ready to fire, though it was pointed at the ground. At their last stop, they had all made several arrows of wood with just pointed ends, and had scavenged for feathers. In all they had made about 20 shoot able arrows, then once past those they would have to rely on the daggers or knives.

Their booted feet made no sound as they silently slid like shadows through the woods. They were all aware that they were being watched by fellow elves. But they had little time or inclination to stop and demand that they come out. They needed to reach Caras Galadhon as quickly as possible and give their report.

Thalion sneezed suddenly, surprising everyone around him. Reaching up to his nose, he felt something warm and wet slowly slid down his upper lip. Reaching up and wiping whatever it was, he froze, as an arrow was pointed directly in his face.

"Mae Governan." The leader greeted them dryly. "I am Haldir."

Thalion finished wiping his nose and looking down saw blood, but flicked it off to the side quickly. "Mae Governan." He replied formally bowing, discreetly wiping his bleeding nose again. "I am Prince Thalion of the Mirkwood realm. I have been summoned Lord Celeborn for a meeting with him, Lord Elrond and Mithrandir."

The guardian's eyes swept over the rag tag bunch, looking over the wounded and weariness in their eyes and their postures, and the fact that they didn't have proper arrows in their bows. Looking back at Thalion he noticed blood once more dripping from his nose, and Thalion's attempts to wipe it off with no one noticing. He motioned for the bows aimed at their Northern kinfolk to be put down.

"Long has it been since our kin from the North has visited us." Haldir bowed as well. "We will see to your wounded. You all need rest, a bath and food, before you met with Lord Celeborn."

Thalion nodded. "I thank you, Haldir. We are in your debt."

Haldir appraised him with cool eyes, but made no comment instead quickly supporting Thalion as his knees suddenly buckled over the long days of strain. The other Lorien elves quickly aided their kinfolk and soon the forest was once more silent and still.

*~*~*

The first thing that Legolas felt upon waking was a dull, throbbing pain in his back. And then as his mind registered the fact that he was tied to a tree and that someone was approaching.

"He's awake, Govi!"

Someone yelled next to his ear, making him flinch. Hands pulled the ropes free and he was half carried half dragged across the distance to his three subordinates and thrown to the ground. Instantly they all crowded around him.

"Legolas? Legolas, are you alright?" Gilgolas' worried voice was in his ear as he was propped up on Isofir's chest.

"Wha.What happened?" Legolas' voice was weak.

"You don't remember?" Gilgolas' voice was worried.

Legolas closed his eyes as the past events flooded back to him. "I do." He whispered, licking his dry lips.

"Adoril came last night." Gilgolas whispered. "He making plans for us to escape.

"Escape?" Legolas repeated. "As in leave?"

The three elves exchanged worried glances at each other. "Yes." Gilgolas replied hesitantly.

"Good." Legolas said shortly. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"What?" Taithar exclaimed. "You want to sleep?"

Legolas nodded sleepily. "'M tired."

Gilgolas blinked, startled. "I.I suppose so." He replied hesitantly.

Legolas smiled up at his then his eyes rolled back in his head as he once more passed out.

Gilgolas quickly checked his pulse. It was steady. He shook his head. "I don't know what to do." He whispered. "Adoril said that he had already sent someone back to the palace, but how long can we sit here and wait for someone to rescue us?"

Isofir was about to reply but was halted by Govi striding over to them. "Well, well." Govi smiled maliciously at them. "Guess what we have decided."

The elves looked angrily at him. "We have not the inclination for your guessing games." Taithar hissed.

He straightened suddenly as Gilgolas' fingers pinched his back. "What have you decided?" Gilgolas asked calmly, throwing a warning glance at Taithar.

Govi bent down, clearly enjoying himself. "We have decided that because you didn't know you were trespassing.."

"Trespassing!" Isofir yelled, unable to stop himself. "This happens to be Mirkwood. Thranduil's realm and home."

Govi shrugged carelessly. "Not anymore." He said simply, with a frightening certainty. He continued. "Since you didn't know you were trespassing, we have decided that we will keep your bodyguard as our slave and you three can go free."

The shock of the statement was so large that it left all three elves speechless. Forced to leave their Prince in the hands of these barbarians? Gilgolas mentally shook his head, if they protested the Easterlings would only suspect that Legolas was not who he said he was. And indeed he wasn't.

They watched in shock as Legolas was dragged off of Gilgolas, put in chains and then dragged into a nearby tent. They were cut loose and dragged unceremoniously through the camp. "Go." Govi smiled callously. "And pray that the wargs don't get you."

Turning hateful eyes upon the big mortal, the elves slipped into the woods, knowing that they could do nothing without revealing Legolas' true identity, intent on finding Adoril.

Govi smiled as he turned back to the tent that held the unconscious prisoner. He had never had an elf for a slave before. 'But.' He shrugged, 'there's a first time for everything.'

*~*~*

"Ada?"

Thranduil straightened to see Lomion standing next to the table absently fingering the large map of Mirkwood spread before them.

"Yes, nin ion?"

"Were you? I mean are you disappointed that you aren't a grandfather?" Lomion asked hesitantly.

Thranduil laughed. "Where did this come from?" He asked. "From talking about orcs to being a grandfather?"

Lomion blushed. "I was just curious."

Thranduil smiled at his eldest child. "Why do you ask?"

"Well." Lomion bit his lower lip in thought. "Lainiel and I were thinking about having a child."

"Oh?" Thranduil hoped his voice didn't sound to hopeful. After all, it was Lomion and Lainiel's decision.

Lomion nodded. "I think would like to become an ada." He admitted honestly. "I remember taking care of Legolas when he just an elfling, and I think I would like it."

"I doubt you would like it Lomion." Thranduil said gently. "I know you would love it." He placed his hands on Lomion's shoulder's forcing him to look at him straight in the eye. "You have already dedicated most of your life to being the crown prince, and you have also dedicated yourself to your wife. I think if you decide to indeed have a child, he or she would be most loved and care for by you and Lainiel."

"So you would like a grandchild?" Lomion asked smiling happily.

Thranduil laughed. "Of course I would like a grandchild." He sighed. "Legolas is an adult now, and I would love to hear laughter in these halls more often."

Lomion nodded. "To often we have wept, and too little we have laughed." He voiced softly. His fingers traced the outline of Mirkwood. "One day this forest will once more be green and no evil thing will ever be able to dwell here." His fingers rested on the tower painted in the south on the map. "Dol Guldur will be a place where children will play." He smiled sadly. "Pretending to be great warriors and slaying orcs." He sighed. "I pray that they will never have to become the warriors we have become."

Thranduil smiled proudly at his off spring. "We fight so our children won't have to. We die so they may live. We love so that they may have life."

Lomion nodded smiling. "Who said that?" He asked.

"Your grandfather." Thranduil said simply.

"Oh." Lomion fell silent. Then "Ada?"

"Yes Lomion?"

"What did you do when you and nana realized you were having me?" Lomion asked curiously.

"What did we do?" Thranduil asked laughing. He sighed. "We danced." He said his eyes taking a far off look remembering the night of laughter and dancing under the stars.

"Did you dance when you conceived Thalion, Loriel, Tasari, Lothgil, and Legolas?" Lomion pressed curious.

Thranduil smiled sadly. "Don't forget pen-neth (little one)."

Lomion sobered. "How could I forget?" He whispered. He sank to a nearby chair. "I didn't want to bring up any sad memories."

Thranduil sat next to his son. "You didn't." He comforted. "This has been a week of remembrance for me. It would only serve to remember all of my family, not just a selected few."

"I'm sorry ada."

"What for?"

"Bringing up pen-neth. (little one)"

Thranduil shook his head. "There is nothing to apologize for, I remember that day just as clearly as I remember your conception or any of your siblings." His thoughts drifted back to that ill-fated day. Lalaith had been pregnant in between Lothgil and Legolas. The little baby had been born several months early and had died of a weak heart in his Ada's arms before he started living. They had named the little baby pen-neth for Lothgil who wanted to call the baby a name while still in Lalaith's womb. The baby was still known only as pen-neth.

As Lomion watched various emotions pass over his sire's face, he also thought back to that day. They had all been so excited for their new little brother or sister. And when their father had left the room carrying the tiny precious bundle they had all crowded around eager to see him, but Thranduil had gently told them that pen-neth had left to be with his uncle and grandfather. They had all been heartbroken, and very few dared even mention the term pen-neth around the royal family.

None of the healers understood why Lalaith had gone into labor so early, but had warned against trying to have another child, wary of the same thing happening again. They had found out later that the only reason the baby had not died of a weak heart in Lalaith's womb, was because his heart beat in tune to hers, and once the baby left her his heart struggled to find the right beat, but had stopped instead.

Lalaith and Thranduil had ignored that advice and Legolas had been born because of it. Though he had also been born early and had weak lungs because of it, he still lived.

Lomion had another question "Ada. What did you do to help Nana get over her grief?"

Thranduil smiled sadly. "We danced." He said simply.

"Even though your youngest child just died?" Lomion asked wondering.

Thranduil nodded. "It was a new song, one that we had never heard. It was a sad song, but one of hope. So we danced. Despite our grief and anguish, we danced anyway."

Reviewer responses:

A/N Well at least this chapter got a few more reviews;-) Though it was my fault. Anyway.

This last conversation was part of a sad story I read a while back, I would love to expand upon it LOTR style, but will not do so unless you would like me too. I will by all means finish this story, but will also work on the other story, which would only be 5 chapters at the most. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!

A/N: Here is a really cool fact: Did you know that if you take two hearts, one weak and one strong, the weak heart will beat in time to the strong heart? Cool huh?

daw the minstrel: Hey thank you so much! I'm glad that this story is believable. If it ever gets too cheesy let me know ok?

Yes, Thranduil has suffered, but he has triumphed. Don't worry I'll stop giving him so many torments;-)

Aly: Thanks! Don't worry, I'll go more into Legolas as soon I get the pieces set. Just a couple more chapters and I'll focus more on Legolas. Thanks for the review!

Eruanna: Hello! And thank you! Don't worry I think everyone likes to see Legolas suffer. Poor elf:-)

Elf Queen of Gondor20: Hi! Thanks for the review. I forgot to take that off. I post the same story on Fanfiction.net and I don't think many knew that I had posted chapter 5. So that was just a heads up for the people on FF.net. Sorry for any confusion.

Nikara: Thanks! Actually, lol, I don't have them all planned out, I just kinda go with the flow, but since I do have the later chapter written, I kinda tune them just right to move them to make the tranistion smoothly. If that makes any sense. Don't worry, I'll clear up Legolas soon!

Thanks to all the reviews and Thanks for reading!