Hey guys! Please actually read the notes they find in this chapter- its really important! Enjoy, comment, vote! -Joann

I knocked on Legolas' door impatiently.

"Open up, lazyhead!" I shouted, banging on the door.

"Go away!" I heard his sleepy yell.

"Oh, just open the door!" I snapped, now kicking the door while nursing my sore hand. I mentally whacked Legolas repeatedly, resulting in me

The door opened to reveal Legolas in his velvet nightshirt and pants. He glared furiously at me. "My first day off since the beginning of time and you decide to start it by waking me two hours before the agreed time?!" he scowled. The previous day, we had agreed to meet at 10 am, but I was a little...overexcited. Just a little.

I huffed playfully, "Fine then, I'll go grab a breakfast alone then! Hmph!"

"Fine, I'll just be a minute. Gotta go get changed," he sighed, rolling his eyes and slamming the door. A moment later, he reappeared, wearing a simple green tunic with his belt, which was adorned with his crest.

"Ok, let's go," he said, yawning pointedly.

"Oh, shut up," I said hitting the back of his head.

"Ow."

"Baby."

"Am not."

"Are."

"No."

"Baby."

We bickered all the way to the palace bakery, where we picked up a few hot rolls and some tea.

"Mmm," I mumbled with a mouthful of roll. "This is so good." I stuffed some more roll into my mouth despite it being packed.

"It would be better if I had a nice sleep before it," he said, passing some money to the elleth at the counter and receiving an herb-topped hot bun.

"Oh, not again. I guess you're still a baby," I sighed mockingly as we headed away from the little shop. "Anyways, what do you want to do first?"

"What? I thought you wanted me to get up and follow you!" he yelped in fake indignation. Seeing my glare, he said hastily, "Oh, okay then. I found a secret passageway from this broom closet to, well, I dunno where. I wanted to find out with you."

My cheeks burned at his last words. He wanted to save it for me? "Okay, lead the way," I said happily.

Swallowing the rest of my delicious breakfast, I followed him to a wooden door that opened with a small creak as Legolas pushed it.

Squeezing into the tight space, I waited patiently as he pushed aside empty bottles of wine and old crates to reveal a beige wall with a small outline that gave it away as a door. He shoved it open with a grunt and disappeared into the tunnel inside. Slightly nervous but excited, I followed. Once inside, Legolas took a torch from a torch holder on the wall, and lit it with some wood pieces from the little closet. I took a better look at my surroundings as the orange flame lit up the room. The tunnel had dusty stone walls, and the floor was a uneven and rocky.
"Look, a note!" Legolas exclaimed, seeing a yellowing piece of parchment hanging from a string nearby. Pulling it into the light, he read,
I see you have returned, my fickle prince,

Please pardon jargon

My words are in a mince.

But please, go on walking,

And excuse me, my dear friend.

Go on, walk, on and on

There's no more to be said."

As he finished reading, he lifted his eyes to mine and I saw a glint of fear in them.
"Yesterday, when I came in here, there was a note right here too. Here, I have it in my pocket,
Hello visitor

How nice of you to see this

But before you go on walking more

There's something quite amiss

I see you are alone

Without a friendly friend

Be a nice elf

And invite your dear friends

Go now, go and tell them

That this tunnel holds only one

Choose her carefully

Be safe, have some fun!

Whoever put these notes here knows I'm here with you," finished Legolas fearfully.
"No matter," I said adamantly. "Come on, I want to see where this leads."

The light dancing in his eyes made Legolas look happy, but his deathly-white skin, his scrunched brows, and thin mouth gave his fear away to me.

"Come one," I said again, and he followed me down the hall. For a while nothing happened, and we moved in silence through the tunnel. Soon, though, we reached a dead end. Disappointed, I stared frustratedly at the blank wall.

"There!" Legolas said, pointing to a note in the corner. Picking it up, he held it close to the light so we could read it.

Hello, hello, prince and captian,

Welcome to my lair

While it was delightful meeting you

I fear it must now end

So close your eyes little girl

Because this will not mend

I am a prince, a lady, a duchess or earl

The answer lies in a mound

But for now,

just

DON'T

TURN

AROUND

Once we finished reading, we looked at each other in wide, scared eyes.

Legolas' eyes flickered to the side for just a moment, and in that split second, the soft fear in his eyes vanished, to be replaced with a look of pure terror, every bit of color in his already white face draining.

"Tauriel!" he yelled, throwing out his arms as an explosion of pain erupted in my arm. I cried out in pain and fear, and turned my gaze upward, vision clouded with agony. The dark tail of a cloak whipped out of sight just as my vision faded to black.