So the updates on this story are, regrettably, going to slow down under a mountain of schoolwork. I'm really sorry to everyone, I do still care about both you and this story and I will still update! Please stick with me. Thanks :)

Elrohir was miserable. They had been out in the cold, with the unceasing wind and rain hammering them constantly, for forever. The stormy conditions swept away the tracks and it took all of Estel's considerable skill to follow them. Unfortunately, it also took a lot of time. And they had to speed up.

"Estel. Legolas could be anywhere by now, we have to either speed up or go back!" Elrohir said loudly, trying to talk over the wind.

"Will you just SHUT UP, Elrohir?" Aragorn snapped angrily, the storm reflected in his silver eyes causing Elrohir to step back, startled. An awkward silence followed before Aragorn's shoulders slumped. "Sorry."

It was what Elrohir had been waiting for. "Don't worry. I know we all get grumpy at times like this. Though..." he added with a sideways glance at Elladan, humour shining in his grey eyes. "Humans do seem to be the worst..."

The remark earned him a half-hearted swat from the human in question, so Elrohir shut his mouth and changed the subject. "You know, I think we should speed up. Aragorn, can't you track the elfling just a little faster?"

"No."

"Even if..."

"No."

"Ok." Elrohir held up his hands in resignation. "Fine! But Ada'll blame you if we're too late you know. I'll make sure of it-"

"Alright, alright, you win, I'll speed up. Just don't say a word of this to Ada, alright?"

"Would I ever?" Elrohir pretended to be shocked.

A cough interrupted their squabbling. A hand closed tightly over each of their mouths and another closed on their shoulders.

"Well, well, well. Another two! My, haven't we been lucky?"

✧ ★ ✧

Aragorn awoke with a throbbing headache behind his eyes and blurred vision. He blinked furiously but it wouldn't clear. Peering through the foggy haze before him, he made out Elrohir. The elf was hung by his wrists, which were red from the strain, from a tree branch opposite him. It was strange, but he looked so helpless, Aragorn had to fight a smirk.

He sobered when he saw the gash on his brother's forehead. Blood plastered his black hair to his face and glistened red in the sunrise. As he watched, Elrohir groaned.

"Estel?" He half murmured, half moaned.

"Ssh! Yes, I'm here brother. Do not worry. But be quiet. I don't know who these people are, but I'm not sure I want to. Hopefully they think we're still asleep."

"Where's Elladan?"

"Ssh! I don't know. Maybe he got away?" Aragorn asked hopefully.

"No." Came a new voice. "They caught me a few minutes after you two. I was going to get help." Elladan sounded tired. Exhausted, even. Aragorn wondered what they had done to him when they found him. Either way, all three of them were strung from a tree, helpless and at the mercy of their captors. Not to mention being no closer to finding Legolas. Unless... what had the elf who had caught them said? 'Another two.' Could that mean...?

"Aragorn?" A familiar voice whispered, so faintly that Aragorn might have been imagining it. Nevertheless, he answered incredulously.

"Legolas?"

✧ ★ ✧

The days had crawled by for Legolas. Every second he had spent holding onto some kind of hope that Aragorn would come for him, would rescue him from the monster that was his father. And now, finally, Aragorn was here. Here. The thought of the human hanging from the tree just across Thranduil's camp from Legolas both gave him the hope he had been desperately needing and crushed it forever. Aragorn was here... but he had just as much power to stop what was happening as Legolas had freedom. On second thoughts, maybe Legolas had more freedom.

It tore at the elfling's heart to know that he was the one who had caused this. If it weren't for him, Aragorn and these two elves wouldn't be strung from that tree. One of them he had already seen being beaten. The other two would be next. And soon.

Dawn was breaking, and a golden light spilt into the forest. It illuminated the forest in a rich gold, but even that light could not reach Legolas in his pit of despair. Aragorn was as good as dead here. He was trapped. Thranduil was right. He was never getting away, and what was worse, he was dragging these three down with him. How could I be so stupid?

Guilt hung heavily over his heart as he watched Agardir, the Captain of his father's guard, approach the elf who hadn't already been beaten. Legolas hadn't been able to make out what his name was, but it began with El, he thought.

Agardir spoke, his voice low and dangerous, cutting menacingly through the early morning silence. "Why are you here, son of Elrond?" He spat the name like a curse, and a flash of doubt pierced Legolas' heart. Was Elrond really to be trusted?

But Elrond was Aragorn's father. How could he not be trusted? And that meant... that meant that this elf was Aragorn's brother.

A flash of jealousy crossed his face, before he pushed it back. He couldn't change it. It wasn't anyone's fault how very different his childhood had been from theirs. And it had been different; he could see it in the horrified look Aragorn had had on his face the first time he saw Legolas. The utter shock, the disbelief on his face spoke of volumes of happiness, of innocence.

And suddenly Legolas felt guilty for taking all of that away.

✧ ★ ✧

Aragorn wasn't sure what to make of his visit so far. His first impression of King Thranduil had been . . . interesting. For although he had spoken kind words, and had done nothing to convince the human that he was anything other than the fair, hard-working King he was known to be, there was something in his eyes that told an entirely different story. Something was off about him.

Something in those icy blue eyes had told of cruelty, and endless malice. But there was more. As Aragorn stood, gazing into their freezing depths, and gazing past the cruelty, and coldness, he had seen a deep sadness and a passionate hate. Then it was gone, and Thranduil was speaking again.

"You and your escort will now be taken to your chambers, if you have no protests."

After a quick reply, he had been led away to his chambers. He had stayed until the next day. And now, after a disastrous meeting, he was running through a foreign palace trying to escape . . . what? Himself? Sorry, Estel. His shadow seemed to say. No chance of that anytime soon.

Growling under his breath and storming down the corridors, he eventually realised where he was.

Thranduil's dungeons?

Stepping hesitantly down the corridor, he shivered as a chill wound its way around him, cutting through his jacket and causing his teeth to chatter.

Still, he had always been too curious, and he wanted to see what kind of elves were kept in the dungeons; there were no cells beneath Rivendell. And so he went on, and though it was cold, and dark, there was definitely someone down here.

Following the sounds of crying, he crept onwards until he reached the source of the quiet noise.

And he felt all his childhood being ripped away.

✧ ★ ✧

The sound of a sharp slap seemed to split the air in two, and Aragorn started. His shadow was here, too. You're still here, are you? He thought to it. Yes. It seemed to say from where it was dancing upon the ground. Where else would I be?

Aragorn's head turned groggily as he refocused on the world. An elf was standing before Elrohir, and as Aragorn watched, he slapped him again. "I said, wretch, why are you here? Are you deaf?"

Still, Elrohir gave no answer. But Aragorn and Elladan did.

"Get off my brother, you monster! What right do you have to hurt us, question us? What makes you so above us?"

"Step away from him! You're nothing but the slave to a wretched, abusive King! You may have killed me once, but next time, mark my words, I will kill you!"

The elf turned slowly to face Aragorn. "Thank you for that answer. That was all I needed."

Aragorn stared, confused, until Agardir spoke again. "It was you who I killed, you say? So it was you who was with the elfling? So you are here tracking him down, are you not? I hope you know he has suffered."

The cruel smirk that seemed permanently etched onto his face deepened. "So you see, Estel, the one who pretends to be a son of Elrond, I know who you are. Who you care about. What you believe in. And I thank you for answering my question so cooperatively."

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