(Galadriel's POV)

There was a child, a child so special that the Dark Lord wanted him dead since before his birth.

For the child, you see, was at the exact time Sauron met his failure at the hands of Isildur, son of Elendil.

The child is the son of Thranduil, the Elven king of Mirkwood and Calimagil, the sister of Glorfindel. He is a full-blooded, mature Elf.

He is the only one of the free people, including myself that can sense the Dark Lord, Sauron. Yet he suffers fits that are caused by Sauron's anger.

He knows that if Sauron should fall, his powers will unbind and he will able to use them like he has had them for all his long life.

The Son of Thranduil wields the Knife of Celebgil, his greatest forefather. It is the only knife that can kill the Nazgûl and wound Sauron.

His name, Legolas, in Sindarin means 'greenleaf' and it is a beautiful name for a beautiful body and soul.

Legolas is so innocent it is hard to believe that he has so many hardships and Sauron's face. His beauty can only be compared that of the Evenstar and her's is marred by hardships she has faced. Many wish for Legolas' hand in marriage, but he has bound himself to another, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur.

Few know that he was born when Sauron fell from power and how he is special, even amongst the Eldar, only myself, Celeborn, Thranduil, Calimagil, Elrond, Celebrían, Glorfindel, Gandalf, Saruman the healer, Randir, and the midwife, Fanuilos.

But soon that will change... I can feel it...

"Father?" asked Legolas, softly

'What is wrong, ion?" asked Thranduil [son]

"I want to go to Imladris," said Legolas, lowering his head in fear if his father's and king's reaction

"My son, you understand why it is dangerous to go, do you not?"

"Of course, father," said Legolas, daring to glance at the Elf who had fought along Gil-Galad

"And you understand why I don't want you going."

"Yes, Father," said Legolas "But, I have grown tired of my homeland. Father, do not make me stay here, I beg you to not to do it!"

"Legolas, I would never keep you here against your will."

"You'll let me go?" asked Legolas looking straight into Thranduil's eyes

"I have my conditions," said Thranduil "You will not be going alone. A guard will escort you of no less than twenty Elven archers."

"I understand," said Legolas, quietly

"I also have another purpose to send you to Imladris."

"Yes father?" asked Legolas

"I wish for you to tell Aragorn of your connection to Sauron and complete your binding. You shall exchange rings."

"Thank you, Father!"

"No problem. Just be careful."

"I will, I will. I love you, really though."

"I know. I love you too. Get some rest now, you will need it on the morrow."

"Goodnight, Father."

"Goodnight, Legolas. Sleep well."

Legolas smiled at his father and went straight to his bedchambers. He did not, however, go straight to bed. He pulled out his traveling robe, journal, herbs, bandages, spare clothes, soap, towel, money and his weapons and placed them all in his pack. Last of all, he went to an ornately carved rosewood box, which sat on a table of oak.

Legolas opened the box and took out a ring, made of white, rose and yellow gold with an emerald centered in it. His promise to Aragorn, of a never-ending love. He knew not what ring Aragorn would give him, but knowing his lover, something beautiful and costly.

He wrapped it in a silk handkerchief and slipped it into his pack. Finally he undressed and climbed into bed. As his dreams overtook him, he smiled.

---

"Legolas," Thranduil's voice was quiet "Are you awake?"

"Nearly," came the soft reply

"When you are dressed and ready, come to the dining chamber for breakfast. Then will you accompany me to my chambers? I have something to give you."

"Of course, Father," Legolas said, sitting up

Thranduil smiled and left Legolas' bedchambers.

---

When Legolas was dressed in his tunic, leggings and cloak, he went to the dining chamber and sat by his father's side and opposite his mother, as was the custom of Mirkwood.

"Legolas, do you have to go?" asked Calimagil, handing him a bowl of fruit

"Yes, Mother," said Legolas, taking an apple and biting into it "I need to see Lord Elrond and Aragorn."

After breakfast, Legolas and Thranduil went to the Elven king's chambers. The Elven king opened a beautiful chest made of mellyrn and took out a knife. It was beautiful and made out of mithril, but it looked ancient.

"I want you to have this," said Thranduil "It is the Knife of Celebgil, your forefather. It can kill the Nazgûl and wound Sauron."

"Thank you, Father," said Legolas, taking it

"Think nothing of it," said Thranduil, with a wry smile "Come! Let us go down ton the gates!"

Legolas grinned and followed Thranduil to the gates.

"Farewell, my son," said Thranduil, clasping the Elven prince's hand "Take care."

"Farewell, Father," replied Legolas, squeezing his father's hand "I will try."

With a hug to Calimagil and a swift nod to the healer, Legolas mounted his horse, Aduial, and set off. He looked back once, before he was out of even Elven sight.

Legolas gritted his teeth and forced Aduial to ride ahead of the guard. Blood began streaming down his cheeks, flowing from his ears. The only son of Thranduil hurriedly wiped it away lest the guard would notice and question him. Suddenly, it passed. If Sauron was quick to anger, he was quick to forget; unless, of course, it concerned the Ring, then he never forgot. Legolas quickly cleaned the blood off his face as a rider rode up beside him. "My lord, we must stop soon." Luinlor spoke quietly, glancing back at the guard.

"Within the next hour," Legolas replied. He wished to get as far away as possible from the direction the Nazgûl had fled.

"My Lord, I hear and obey." Luinlor spoke the words of custom, yet his thoughts on the matter were clear to the Prince.

After the next hour had passed, the Elves set up camp for the night. The next morning, they set out again.

---

Aduial's hooves thudded on the wooden planks of the bridge over Anduin. For two weeks, Legolas had been travelling to Rivendell. Another week to go...

"My lord, how does your wound pain you?" Luinlor, deciding that the Prince was troubled, pryed into the Prince's business.

"It is fine, Luinlor," said Legolas "It has nearly closed over."

Luinlor nodded. "Very well, my lord. When will we be stopping?"

Legolas sighed deeply, wishing he could just get to Rivendell. "We will stop at sunset, and at no other time, unless later."

Luinlor nodded again, knowing that the Prince was going through turmoil. "Yes, my Lord. At least we are not far from Rivendell." He paused. "My Lord, if I may, why are we journeying to Rivendell? King Thranduil never said why we were going there."

"I wished to speak to Lords Elrond and Glorfindel," lied Legolas, knowing it was forbidden to tell another about his connection to Sauron without one who knew of it giving him permission.

"I see."

---

The Nazgûl pursued the Ring-bearer and the Elf, who had returned from the Halls of Mandos, screaming their master's and their own fury into the night.

---

The Elves of Mirkwood forced their horses to a gallop, they were nearly there...

---

The Nazgûl followed closely... just a little closer! Glorfindel and Frodo reached the other side of the ford. Closer...

---

Celon erio! Eched nîn coth drego! [~*]

---

Like a torrent from that of a waterfall, the ford was flooded; the Nazgûl drowned or forced to flee. But even if they were drowned, only their fearful mounts perished.

---

Sauron screamed with anger as he watched his servants, who each wielded one of the Nine, forced to flee. At least that annoying son of Thranduil wouldn't benefit much from the Nine's failure...

---

Legolas let out a gasp as a sharp pain coursed through him. Sauron was in a rage. Questions of concern for Legolas were asked, but alas, the Elven prince could not hear the questions over the ringing in his ears. No...

---

"My Lord? Are you well? My Lord?! Answer me! Prince Legolas! Erain Legolas! Legolas! My Lord?! Are you well?!"

---

Screams of the dead pierced the night; the guard immediately scanned the land for the Nine, but saw nothing. "Come, we must get to Rivendell, we will be safe there," Pain lanced the Prince's words. "We will go the secret way, over the cliffs."

Luinlor nodded in agreement. "Yes, my Lord." The company moved off again with Legolas nearly falling from his steed at (with) each step Aduial took.

---

The company had arrived at the cliffs. Legolas gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out. They moved their steeds to jump down from the cliffs, into the valley of Rivendell, the secret way. Legolas clung to Aduial's neck as he prepared for the jump. He did not want to fall from the great height. Aduial leapt down, into Rivendell. When Aduial landed with a soft thump, Legolas could not resist the sharp, white-hot pain much (any) longer, and gave a cry; then he collapsed, giving into the darkness that had been bordering the edges of his mind.

When Legolas fell from his mount Lhachvagor was beside the Prince in a second, as if he had been there all along. "My Lord!" The Elven Guard got no answer, of course, yet he refused to give up. "My lord, are you well? Can you open your eyes?" Luinlor, the most skilled healer of the guard, joined Lhachvagor on the ground. "Lhachvagor, We must get Lord Elrond!" Luinlor knew that what the Prince was going through was beyond his skill and that only the Lord of Rivendell could help Mirkwood's Prince.

Lhachvagor nodded in agreement and ordered a group of three Elves to come with him to find aid for the fallen Elf. "Prince Legolas! If you can hear me, open your eyes," Luinlor was desperate.

---

Aragorn sat opposite Glorfindel, worry for the Ringbearer evident on his face. "Relax, Estel, Mr Baggins will be fine," Glorfindel offered his advice. "The healing powers of Elrond are a legend."

Aragorn sighed and nodded in agreement. "I know Lord Elrond is master at healing, but Glorfindel, I can't help but worry."

Glorfindel decided that the Ranger needed to take his mind off things. "Lord Elrond received a message from King Thranduil, saying Legolas is travelling to visit him. You know, that Legolas won't like to see you like this." Glorfindel knew that talking about Legolas was the only way that Aragorn would loose some of his worries.

"I know, I know. I'll try to lighten up." Aragorn laughed. "The Lady Arwen was asking about you, the other day," Glorfindel decided it was time to change tactics.

"Dear Valar! Will she ever give it up?!" Aragorn despaired of ever being free of the Elvin Lady's pursuit.

"Nay, not until you are hers." Glorfindel continued in his attempt to loosen up the Ranger.

"Tell. Her. I. Am. Not. Interested!" Aragorn snapped. He was irritated, both at Arwen for pursuing him, and at Glorfindel for broaching the subject.

"I will try," Glorfindel decided enough was enough, back to Legolas. "Have you found a ring for Legolas?" Glorfindel smirked; knowing that Aragorn had longed for the pair's Binding to be completed.

"Yes, it is made with mithril and in the centre, the rare stone, opal," Aragorn took out the mithril ring and showed it to Glorfindel.

"You spoil him," Glorfindel spoke the truth, but a dark look crossed his face. "But I daresay he deserves it."

The dark look didn't get past the Ranger unnoticed. "Why do you say that?"

Glorfindel had to lie to keep Legolas' secret. "Well, he has lived in Mirkwood all his life and defended his home against the armies of Sauron and Sauron himself more than once."

Aragorn nodded in agreement with the Eldar, and that moment Lhachvagor and three other Mirkwood Elves entered the dining chambers. Aragorn at once knew where they were from, their raiment gave them away. He waited for Legolas to come through the door after the Elves, but he didn't.

Lhachvagor strode forward and spoke quietly, in Sindarin to Lord Elrond for a moment. Then Elrond stood, and followed the Elven warrior to where he had come from. "Glorfindel, teli ah nin." Elrond stopped beside the Eldar's chair. [Glorfindel, come with me]

Glorfindel smiled slightly, before he excused himself. "I am sorry, Estel, but I must go." Aragorn nodded, but didn't see what was wrong.

---

Once outside and out of earshot, the two High Elves turned to the Silvan Elves. "What is wrong?" Elrond was concerned when only four Elves had walked in, and none of them was the Prince of Mirkwood.

"'Tis to do with Prince Legolas. He collapsed and will not stir." Elrond and Glorfindel exchanged a glance and ran to find the Elven Prince, the four warriors trailing after them. When they arrived at the place where Legolas had fallen, they found Luinlor squatting next to Legolas, a flask of water held tightly in his hand.

"Go and have your steeds taken care of, then join the meal. Do not tell anyone what has happened here," ordered Elrond. "All of you, I will take care of the Prince with Glorfindel."

The Elven Guard of Mirkwood nodded, and as the escort of Elves left, Glorfindel and Elrond glanced at each other. Then Glorfindel gently raised the younger Elf from the ground and carried him to the Elven Prince's chambers. "We will not tell Estel, not without Legolas present," Elrond began to unbraid the Elf's hair.

"I understand," Glorfindel unpacked Legolas' pack, holding the Knife Of Celebgil in reverence. The weapons he placed on an oak table, the clothes in the rosewood wardrobe, the herbs, bandages, journal, and money on the desk made of mallorn, and the soap and towel in the adjoining bathroom. "Look at this," Glorfindel held up the ring Legolas had for Aragorn.

"It is beautiful." Elrond hid the ring in one of the desk draws. "The only things I have seen of to match that beauty in a ring, is Estel's for Legolas, and perhaps the One Ring." Glorfindel mused.

"Oh? And what ring does Estel have for our dear Elven Prince?" Elrond grinned widely, showing off a set of perfect white teeth.

"It is forged of mithril, and set in the centre is an opal." Glorfindel smiled warmly, covering the Prince with a blanket in fatherly fashion, he after all, was Legolas' uncle.

A quiet, barely audible groan interrupted their conversation.

"Legolas?" Elrond wondered if the Elven Prince was going to wake up or whether the groan because of the fit. Another groan was his answer.

Glorfindel joined the Half-Elf at Legolas' side. "Legolas."

Legolas' eyes snapped open and when he saw the two Elven Lords, he tried to sit up. "No, Legolas, you are ill," Glorfindel tried to calm the Elven Prince, his nephew. He laid a restraining hand on Legolas' shoulder, ensuring that the three thousand and sixty year old Prince did not rise.

"Ar Elrond, nana-gwador Glorfindel, what happened?" asked Legolas tiredly. [Lord Elrond, literally mother-brother, used for uncle]. Legolas' mind refused to process what had happened to him and he was very confused; he could remember riding to Rivendell, and then blankness clouded his mind.

"Well, Sauron grew ruthui and alas! you collapsed at the force!" Elrond tired to explain what had happened without making the Mirkwood Elf frustrated and worried. [Angry]

"Ai! Where is Aragorn?" That explained the blankness that had cloaked his mind. Legolas was hopeful that the Man had not been told, he would not be able to stand it if he would not be the one that told the Man the last secret about him.

"He is enjoying his dinner. Do not worry, he does not know of your connection to Sauron." Glorfindel tried to comfort the younger Elf.

"That is good, for I wanted to tell him myself." Legolas was relieved that Aragorn had yet to be told.

"Rest Legolas, you are not yet at your full strength, and you will need it. There is to be a council in four days concerning the One Ring, for it has been found." Elrond laid a soothing hand on the young prince's brow. "Before the Council you should speak to Aragorn about your connection to the Dark Lord."

Glorfindel gently helped the younger Elf up. "I will return to you later in the evening with a meal. And I daresay that Mithrandir will come up to scold you for coming." Legolas laughed quietly. He knew Gandalf would be up to scold him.

"Should Estel have any questions concerning Sauron and your connection to him, that you cannot answer, I along with Glorfindel and Mithrandir will try our best to answer them." Elrond smiled too as he and Glorfindel left the Prince to rest.

---

A day had passed since Legolas had awoken. He was lying in bed, propped up by a huge pile of pillows, when Gandalf visited. "Ahh, such is the cost for not staying at home." Gandalf took a seat by the bed with a mock-scowl.

Legolas smiled and took no notice of the Wizard's scolding. "Greetings, Mithrandir."

Gandalf's eye had mischievous twinkle. "And what possessed you to come visit Lord Elrond?"

"Hmm, it starts with A, it has far too many names, it needs to take a bath every now and again, it's a Man." Legolas knew the Istar well and knew that Gandalf would indeed know what – or whom he was talking about.

"Somehow, I don't think Aragorn would like you to risk your life for a simple visit!" Gandalf indeed knew that the thing (or rather Man) that had drawn Legolas away from Mirkwood was Aragorn.

"Well, I got tired of waiting for him to visit me in Mirkwood, it's his fault!" Legolas smirked, realizing that he had one valuable argument.

"It's his fault for having responsibilities?" Gandalf discovered a way to win that argument, and wondered what Legolas' next retort would be.

"Well, no, but he could have visited me, even for a day!"

"My dear mellon; he has grown old with toils, perhaps he has replaced you with the Lady Arwen?" A sly note entered the Wizard's voice. [friend]

"Nay! He loves me with his whole body!" Legolas grew panicky at the mere mention that Aragorn would stop loving him.

"You cannot tell when I am teasing?" Gandalf soothed the Elf with his words, though they were teasing.

"Well, you are a Wizard! I seem to remember you saying 'A Wizard is never late, nor is he early' when you arrived a month late for my birthday feast!"

"A Wizard is never late, son of Thranduil!" teased the Istar.

---

Having rested for two more days, Legolas had enough strength to get up on the evening of his third day in Rivendell. He was invited to a feast to celebrate Frodo's awakening. But he refused, needing desperately to talk to Aragorn.

I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your hope I'll be your love
Be your everything that you need
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly, madly, deeply do
I will be strong I will be faithful
'Cause I'm counting on

Aragorn?" Legolas was hesitant, as he silently approached his lover. Aragorn was sitting, thoughtful, near where a waterfall fell into the lake.

The lake reflected the lights of Rivendell, sparkling like a million diamonds. The waterfall flowed over the cliffs like liquid silver.

"Legolas?!" Aragorn was excited at seeing his beautiful lover again; afraid to believe his eyes. "'Tis I." Legolas walked closer to the Ranger.

"I missed you so much! I wanted to visit, but I couldn't!" Aragorn exclaimed, jumping to his feet and crushing Legolas in an embrace. "I'm so sorry!"

"You are forgiven, but I need to talk to you." Legolas sat down and patted the ground. "I think you should sit down."

Aragorn sat down nervously. Was this the part where Legolas broke off their relationship?

"I am not about to break off our relationship," Legolas said gently smiling at the Ranger's apprehension.

"Thank the Valar!" exclaimed a relieved Aragorn.

"I was not born on the ninth of Solomath, like I told you, I was born on the fifteenth of Afteryule, in the year 3441, when Sauron fell from power," said Legolas, unable to look Aragorn in the face "And in my birth and his destruction, we became connected. I sense him, I see him where others can not, I feel his feelings, I hear his thoughts, I hear his words. I alone of the Eldar can resist the Ring, I suffer fits caused by his anger. My powers are bound and will not be unbound until he falls. Before I left Mirkwood, my father gave me the Knife of Celebgil, my greatest ancestor; the Knife can slay the Ringwraiths and wound Sauron. Don't talk to anyone about this, save Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, Glorfindel, Gandalf, and Celebían, unless in dire need, for this secret is very great." His voice grew quieter, less sure. "Please tell me that you still love me."

A new beginning
A reason for living
A deeper meaning

"Oh, Legolas, what would make you think I wouldn't love you for telling me the truth?" Aragorn grasped Legolas' chin to look into his eyes.

"That I have kept this from you for all the time that I have known you," said Legolas quietly, though his guilt shone through in his words.

"I love you, Legolas, even more so for telling me this great secret."

"I love you, too, Aragorn."

Aragorn lowered his head down and captured Legolas' mouth in a kiss.

I want to stand on a mountain
I want to bathe with you in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me