In the light of the setting sun, the king greeted them at the gate as the tattered company slowly immerged from the forest. Legolas swallowed the guilt that rose in his throat at the sight of his father. It had been his idea to let Gollum out for fresh air and now he had returned without the escaped prisoner. 

The prince bowed, but the two spoke no word. The wounded were taken to the healing halls and Legolas watched as Thaladir was carried away. He would make certain the captain's sister was notified the moment he finished briefing the king. 

Legolas followed his father into his study. A warm glow lit the room as embers popped in hearth. The chair before his father's desk had never felt so comfortable as he sank into it.

The king poured them both a glass of wine which Legolas took gratefully. His side was still sore, though the burning had eased. He took a sip before relaying the events past few weeks.

Legolas sighed when he finished, the wine unable to touch the weight on his chest. "Let me take another company out. I should have known better then to venture so deep with the small company I had. But I know what we're up against now. We could pick back up on the creature's trail."

But the king was already shaking his head. "It is too dangerous and I am told you are already injured."

Legolas lowered his eyes. He should have known his father would have been informed immediately upon their arrival. He looked back up. "What of Estel? He trusted our kingdom to keep Gollum locked up. Will giving up so easily not offend the heir of Arathorn?"

Thranduil swirled the wine in his glass. "He is the heir, he is no king, and may never be. You seem to have forgotten this whole thing has already cost us lives and may cost more in the coming nights."

Suddenly shame washed over Legolas at his father's words. The soldier falling from the branch flashed before his mind. He had not let himself dwell on the grief that lingered deep in the back of his mind, begging for release. "Forgive me, Adar. I did not mean it in that way."

Thranduil didn't answer, though a small, sad smile met his lips. "You should get some rest, ion nin."

Legolas nodded but made no motion to move. "Let me ride to Imladris. I must at least warn Estel or Mithrandir, one. They will want to know." The small smile faded. "Pease, adar. If you will not permit me to continue the hunt, let me at least tell them what happened. We were attacked by Dul Guldur outright over this creature. I cannot see this going well."

"Which is exactly why I hesitate to send you." The king looked up and met his eyes. "We were attacked, the people are shaken. They need their prince here."

"Please, adar. I feel I must do this. For our realm's honor and my own."

Silence settled on the room. Finally, the king let out a long breath, setting his wine aside. "You are right. They must be warned." A weight suddenly lifted off the prince's chest at the words. "However," Thranduil added, "You must wait until you are healed and rested. I will not have you or any of your ellyn riding out in the state you're in."

"As you wish," Legolas said with a smile and a bow of his head. Thranduil returned the smile but Legolas could see something else in his eyes, something sad, though he could not see why. 

With the weight of it all suddenly lifted off him, Legolas sank deeper into the chair. His whole body hurt. His eyes were dry and heavy and his hands felt like they had been pounded by an anvil. 

Thranduil stood then and helped him to his feet. Legolas swayed in exhaustion for a moment as the blood rushed to his head. Then he blinked his vision clear and followed his father out of the room. 

"Go, rest," Thranduil insisted once more. 

Legolas nodded, drawing in a breath. "I will, after I have checked on the captain. He is still fighting a fever."

The king's lips formed a thin line. "That is ill news. See to him, then get some rest."

Legolas nodded and headed out, towards the healing halls. 

Thaladir sat propped against up against a mount of pillows when Legolas came in. The captain looked up and relief flooded his gaze as his shoulders slumped. Legolas gave a small smile and settled himself down beside the bed. 

"Forgive me," the prince said, breaking the silence. "You told me we when to turn back and I ignored your judgement. I should have listened to you. We should have gathered more numbers before venturing that deep. If we had perhaps..." Grief for the fallen elves suddenly sat heavy on his chest and he could not bring himself to finish.

Thaladir did not answer. They both knew Legolas had been in the wrong, no matter how much the prince wanted, deep down, to deny it. Finally, he looked up and their gazes met once more. "I followed you voluntarily," Thaladir's voice was low. "You did not order any of us to follow you so deep into the south."

Legolas hung his head. "That is no excuse for what happened."

"No," Thaladir's voice was soft. "No, it is not."

They sat there in silence for a long moment. Legolas stared at the battered flooring beneath him. Then he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he looked up to meet Thaladir's gaze again. A small smile played on the injured captains lips and Legolas knew he had been forgiven, or at least, would be in the coming days. Legolas reached out a clasped his friend's forearm. They had been through worse trials than this before, and would likely again.

A/N: And that's a wrap! Still not super happy with this fic overall, but hey, maybe one day I'll come back and rewrite it, who knows! 

So this was based on Legolas' tale at the Council of Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring.

"In the days of fair weather we led Gollum through the woods; and there was a high tree standing alone far from the others which he liked to climb. Often we let him mount up to the highest branches, until he felt the free wind; but we set a guard at the tree's foot. One day he refused to come down, and the guards had no mind to climb after him: he had learned the trick of clinging to boughs with his feet as well as with his hands; so they sat by the tree far into the night.

"It was that very night of summer, yet moonless and starless, that came on us at unawares. We drove them off after some time; they were many and fierce, but they came from over the mountains, and were unused to the woods. When the battle was over, we found that Gollum was gone, and his guards were slain or taken. It then seemed plain to us that the attack had been made for his rescue, and that he knew of it beforehand. How that was contrived we cannot guess; but Gollum is cunning, and the spies of the Enemy are many. The dark things that were driven out in the year of the have returned in greater numbers, and Mirkwood is again an evil place, save where our realm is maintained.

"We have failed to recapture Gollum. We came on his trail among those of many Orcs, and it plunged deep into the , going south. But ere long it escaped our skill, and we dared not continue the hunt; for we were drawing nigh to dol guldur, and that is still a very evil place; we do not go that way."

-Legolas, JRR Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

This story doesn't line up exactly with what he said at the council BUT I feel like it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for him to want to flex about driving the orcs off, especially since there are dwarves present.