Tauriel studied the sickening remains of what had been the orc's meal in disgust.

It smelled awful, but at least she knew that she was going the right way.

She could barely believe that orcs had actually passed through their lands. Tauriel had waited so long for the opportunity to hunt orc and now it was here.

There was something else that drove her on besides her personal vendetta against the creatures; she had heard what the orc they'd captured said.

If it had been telling the truth, then they were all in danger.
Not just the elves, but all the free peoples of Middle Earth were now under the threat of an enemy that was unknown to her.

Tauriel continued running over the rocks, avoiding the small pools of blood that the orcs had left behind.

Suddenly she stopped, someone was behind her, following her.
She grabbed her bow, nocked an arrow, and spun around to face whoever it was that stalked her.

To her surprise she found Legolas, aiming his own bow at her. Without lowering her own weapon she called,
"I thought you were an orc."

"If I were an orc, you would be dead."

Legolas lowered his bow and Tauriel did the same. He walked over to her with concern written all over his face.

He was worried about me.

A wave of guilt washed over Tauriel and she refused to meet Legolas' gaze.

Ever since her meeting with Thranduil she had been purposefully avoiding Legolas.

The king's words had repeatedly echoed over and over again in her mind. If Legolas truly did care for her the way his father said he did, and if Thranduil refused to allow them to be together, she had figured that it would have been easier for Legolas if they stopped spending time with one another.

Feren's advice also had come back to her, "Some things are not as they seem."

Could that mean that whatever she felt for Legolas, or what he felt for her, was nothing?

Were they simply confused elflings who thought that they loved each other, when truly they only saw one another as friends.

Perhaps Thranduil does not believe that I care for Legolas the way he does me, and Feren thinks that Legolas does not care for me the same way I do for him.

Were they trying to protect the two of them? Or was there something else at play?

"You cannot be here Tauriel."
Legolas' voice brought Tauriel back to the present.
"My father has given orders that no one is to leave the kingdom. You must come back with me at once, he will understand that you did not know that the order had been given."

Tauriel still refused to meet his gaze.
"You already knew."
Legolas said quietly.
"Yet you left anyway."

Tauriel nodded and finally worked up the courage to face him.

"I had to go Legolas, you do not understand-"
"I do understand. You only want to hunt the orcs because of what they did to you. All you want is revenge."

"That is not why I left Legolas."
Her voice was quiet, but also contained traces of anger at Legolas' accusation.

They stared each other down as Tauriel voiced her true reasons for defying the king's orders.

"I heard what the orc said, about war and death. His master wants to destroy everyone who walks this earth. Men, dwarves, and elves. No one is safe as long as this evil remains in Middle
Earth."

"Your father would have us a hide, shut inside our walls, away from the light, while countless people are slaughtered. If we do nothing everyone will fall."

Tauriel waited, hoping that Legolas would see what she was trying to say. But Legolas did not share her concern.

"Why should we care what happens in other lands? We must look to our own if we are to survive.
"Are these your words or your father's?"
Tauriel challenged.

Legolas narrowed his eyes at her and turned away.
"It may not affect us now. But if we do nothing this evil will grow, every victory they achieve will bring us further into darkness. Soon we will be able to nothing to avoid it and we will fall."

Tauriel walked up to him and he turned to face her. Tauriel could see the battle that was being fought in his mind.

He was torn between his loyalty to his father, and his will to fight against the darkness that threatened their home.

"It is not our fight."
"It is our fight. Are we not apart of this world?"
Tauriel continued to approach him until she was standing right by his side.

His eyes met hers and she could clearly see the struggle he was facing.

"Elves, men, dwarves, we all share this world. And if we do not join together to defend it, then we will all die."

She placed a hand firmly on his shoulder, but he refused to let his gaze leave hers.

"Tell me mellon, when did we allow evil become stronger than us?"

Legolas stared into her eyes, neither elf moved or blinked. Dead silence hung in the air, as if the entire world was holding its breath to see what Legolas' choice would be.

Taking Tauriel's hand in his, and without a single word, he gave her his answer.

»»»»

Sauron had seen Legolas.
After all these years of only knowing that the elf had returned to Mirkwood, Sauron had actually seen him.

He wondered how he could have managed to see into his mind so clearly without Legolas being right in front of him, when it slowly dawned on him that perhaps the thing he had been searching for all this time had been found.

And by the very being I imprisoned all those years ago.

Sauron summoned one of his orcs to him. The creature cowered before the presence of his master as he awaited his instructions.

"Send word to Bolg, tell him to bring me the elvenking's son; alive."

The orc nodded and before he could crawl away Sauron added,
"The prince will be headed to Laketown, Bolg is nearly there so you had better make sure that he recieves my orders before he confronts the elf or it will cost you your life."

The orc nodded fearfully and then scrambled away from his master.

Sauron smiled to himself as he pictured the cowering form of the elf when he had seen him earlier.

Sauron had no doubt in his mind that Legolas carried the ring; how else was he able to see into his mind so clearly?

Soon you will be mine once again Legolas. And you will bring me what I need to enslave Middle Earth forever.