Silence.

      The Elven kingdom of Mirkwood was locked in complete silence. Even the Halls of the Elvenking, Thranduil's domain, was undisturbed by sound. Crickets no longer chirped, owls refused to hoot, and every nighttime creature in existence closed their mouths in utter fear.

      Darkness crept over the land, blotting out the stars which shone down their sweet light to those who gazed into the heavens. A shadow washed over everything from animal to plant to tree to dwelling. All was covered in a thick black mist that was nigh impenetrable to the eyes.

      Even to Elven eyes.

      Legolas sat up, suddenly feeling that the tree was much more dangerous than he had previously thought. Something was coming, of that he was sure, but why had noone sensed it save himself?

      Looking down to the gates below, Legolas found that the two guards had indeed felt the change.

      Jumping down, the prince quickly rushed toward them, "Can you feel it?" he asked, looking out into the forests.
      "We can, my lord. But we know not if it is some evil which approaches or simply a trick of the late hour."
      Legolas looked at them in mild shock. "Quickly, we must tell King Thranduil. He has to be informed of this immediately, and Aragorn as well." The archer ushered the two guards through the gates. "Wake them as fast as you can, Legede too. Something is amiss and I fear we do not have time on our side."

      The two guards nodded and, with a slight bow, rushed into the halls of the palace to do their prince's bidding.

      Legolas however, remained outside the palace walls. He instinctively reached behind him for his bow, but realized, to his dismay, that he had left all of his weapons upstairs in his chambers.

      The prince sighed, "A fine time to be without my bow." he whispered, wanting nothing more than to hear something in the eerie silence.

      Never before had the forests gone so quiet, not since...

      Legolas froze, he was being watched and the prince could feel hundreds of eyes upon him.

      Not since the Orc battles had the forest become this quite, and now, Legolas could see their yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness.

      "A Elbereth. Githoniel." the Elf whispered, slowly taking a step back.

      He progressed as far as a few yards before one of the Orcs snarled at him. Legolas quickly turned his head in the direction, only to realize that the foul beasts had climbed atop the palace structures and had encircled him within their ranks.

      How was it possible? He was an Elven warrior, trained to pick up even the slightest of sounds.

      "Magic."

      A deep voice echoed from all around the prince and, to his horror, he could not tell wether it was real or merely within his own mind.

      "I cloaked their footsteps." It was Saruman, there was no mistaking it. "I will have this realm tonight, and you cannot stop me."
      Legolas' eyes narrowed, "Show yourself, cowardly snake! I have fought many in my years and to hide yourself from your own war is most dishonorable!"
      "Dishonorable?" The voice laughed. Saruman stepped from the shadows, Orcs flanking him on the left and the right. "Why should I care for honor, Elf? Honor will not win me your kingdom."
      "And what will?" The prince replied. "Killing all those who inhabit this realm? Destroying all life within these sacred boundaries? How can that win you anything? Once you have left these lands barren and wasted, you will be in need of more territory and the cycle is never ending!" Legolas shook his head, his eyes defiant and burning with anger. "No. Your end is tonight, wether it be by my hand or another. You will not have these lands, Saruman. I cannot allow it. I will not allow it."
      The wizard smiled, "That sounds familiar. However, you are not in a position to stop me. Weaponless, as you are, even shoeless to boot!" his smile turned to a smirk, "Did we wake you from your much needed rest?"

      It was all Legolas could do to keep himself from leaping at the thrown down Istari. But the prince knew it would be useless, for the wizard's staff was raised and Saruman looked as if he had no intention of dropping his guard this time.

      "What do you propose to do then? Stand out here chatting with me all night?" Legolas waved a hand at the wizard's Orc army, "I am sure they would absolutely love to listen to our conversation."
      Saruman smiled, "Jesting to the end. That is what I like about the Elves... and that is the ONLY thing I like of them."
      "You were so powerful, Saruman. To give that up in an attempt to rule this Middle-earth... The Valar will never forgive you. Never!" Legolas replied, knowing he had to stall the wizard for time, seeing as how the guards were still not back yet and the prince never got the chance to close the gates.
      "Why would I care who the Valar forgives?" The wizard replied with a wave of his hand.
      Legolas shook his head, "Eru will curse you for destroying so much of this world. It is his song and I know he will not sit by and watch it crumble before him. Morgoth tried and he failed, as did Sauron himself. Do you not realize that you only bring about your own downfall?"

      In a blur of motion which Legolas had not thought possible for the elderly wizard, Saruman's staff pointed directly at the Elf, locking him in place. The prince could feel all air rush from his lungs, as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. He struggled to breathe, but found it useless under the power of the fallen Istari.

      "Silence is a nice look on you, Elf. Perhaps you will wear it more often. The Halls of Mandros may be forgiving and look upon you with kindness for the deeds you have done Middle-earth, but I however shall always spite you. You and King Elessar and all your companions will rue the day they crossed my path. I swear it." Saruman lowered his staff, releasing the prince from the spell.

      Legolas fell to his hands and knees, gasping for breath and finding that air could enter his pained lungs once more. He cursed his own weakness, his own frailties, and wanted nothing more than to kill this wizard and let peace return to Middle-earth.

      "We fought so hard." he whispered.
      Saruman heard the Elf's words and a smile crossed his face. "You fought hard and many died. Yes, that is true."
      "We fought for so long for this peace. When we had attained it, everyone believed that it would last forever. The Dark Lord was gone, thrown down and his tower destroyed. Mithrandir stripped you of your power, broke your staff in two. Now, when all is right in this world and we have finally been able to rest with ease at night, you return." Legolas' hands clenched into fists, filled with dirt. "Elves are immortal, we know better than anyone that not everything lasts and yet I thought this peace would. It was what I had prayed for, hoped for, dreamed for, since I can remember. Mirkwood is a dark and shadowed place because of the evils of beings like you and, no matter what it costs, I cannot allow anyone to put this world through such a long and tedious struggle again. By my life or death."
      Saruman frowned, "How touching. But, I am afraid our time has run out and I have other things to attend to."
      The wizard was so caught up in his own plans however, that he missed the smirk upon the Elven prince's face. "So do I..."

      Without warning, Legolas jumped from his hands and knees and ran at Saruman. His clenched fists opened, flinging dirt, dust, and other debris into the wizard's eyes. Momentarily distracted, Legolas pounced on the fallen Istari. But the wizard regained his senses and attempted to whip his staff around to face the Elf. The archer held onto Saruman's staff, using all of his Elven strength in the process. It proved that Legolas was much stronger physically than the wizard and, as Saruman began to realize that he was quickly losing this battle, he took drastic measures.

      Orcs swarmed the area, wrenching Legolas from his grasp on the wizard's staff and tearing the prince away. The foul creatures quickly forced the Elf to the ground, pinning him there with all their strength.

      The prince struggled for a few moments but, without weapons or aid, he was helpless.

      Saruman stood, brushing off his robe and becoming much taller than Legolas had seen him earlier. "You insignificant little worm!" He thundered, "I will kill you for this, but not until I have what I need from you. Stand him up!"

      With a wave of the fallen Istari's hand, the Orcs pulled Legolas to his feet. The prince kicked at them, but they gained a good grip on his ankles as well and there was nothing he could do. Saruman watched it with a look halfway between anger and amusement. He found the Elf's predicament quite funny, that Legolas could tell.

      "What do you plan to do this time? Invade my mind again? Torture me with an all consuming darkness?" The corner of Legolas' mouth curled up in a slight smile, "It failed last time, you know."
      The wizard nodded, "I know, but this time I do not wish to harm you mentally, the scars I have given you will last a lifetime and, in the case of an immortal, that is quite a while. No. You will die before this night is over, by my hand." he smiled, "That sounds quite familiar."
      "What do you want, Saruman?" The prince said, his teeth clenched in rage.
      Saruman laughed, "What I want, is quite simple."

      Reaching out, the fallen Istari placed his hand on Legolas' chest. Suddenly, the prince could feel a burning pain begin to emanate from inside himself. It grew and grew, hotter and hotter until he thought he could stand it no longer.

      Legolas cried out in pain as white flashes of heat seared his flesh and crawled all about his body. This was it, his final moments. It was just like his dream had foretold. He had tried to save his home, Mirkwood, and all of Middle-earth, but he could not. His enemy was greater than he and now, he was going to pay the ultimate price for his own failure.

      "AHHHHHH!" The prince screamed, his entire body feeling as if it truly burned.

      Suddenly however, the pain subsided. Legolas found himself falling to his knees and, even then, he crumpled to the forest floor. Half expecting to feel his own blood seeping between his fingertips, Legolas waited for the end.

      And waited.

      And waited yet again.

      Looking about himself, the Elf found that the two guards had indeed returned and with enough men to free Legolas from the Orcs which bound him. Not only the guards, but Aragorn and Legede and Gimli as well. The three stood between the prince and Saruman.

      "I will kill you for what you've done to these Elves!" Legolas could hear Gimli's gruff voice shout.
      "Mandros will have no pity upon your soul." Legede's voice spoke from the corner of the prince's vision.

      But the last figure, his closest friend, was silent. This Legolas knew was because the man was overflowing with anger and rage. It caused the prince to smile slightly, Aragorn had never been good at putting his feelings into words, especially those of hatred.

      Legolas drew in a painful breath and it seemed like all time had stopped.

      It was then, to his despair, that the Elven prince saw something he would never forget.

      Legolia lay upon the ground, slightly off to the side of him. She was between the prince and his three friends and the young Elf was completely motionless. Her eyes were closed, her body still, and Legolas could sense no breath come from her small body.

      With all the strength he had in him, Legolas pulled himself up slightly, crawling the few short paces on his elbows, for his legs had gone numb from Saruman's spell and he could still not feel them. Reaching his sister, Legolas took her hand in his own. It was cold, her skin was clammy.

      The Elven prince closed his eyes, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

      "Legolia... Legolia please, you cannot die. Please." his voice was but a whisper.

      Legolas shook his head, his hair falling about his face in disarray. He pulled his young sister's still form close to his own and laid his head upon her shoulder, praying to Illuvatar for a heartbeat.

      He could hear nothing.

      Legolas' anguished voice echoed through all the great halls of Mirkwood’s palace. "Legolia?... LEGOLIA!"