A/N: Before you read any further, no Haldirs were harmed in the writing of this fanfic. Everything will work out in the end so please stay with me until then!

Part 3: Lothlorien 4

Legolas lays on his pallet, eyes wide open yet seeing nothing in front of him. He allows his mind to wander far away into the land of dreams. His body rests, even though he does not need it. Almost in a trance-like state, he gets up and walks towards Haldir's chambers, then deviates from his path to head to the kitchens. Seeing no one around, he grabs the biggest butcher knife he can find. Then he returns to his mission in Haldir and Tywien's flat.

His breath catches as he puts his hand to the doorknob and silently pushes the door open, not making a sound. He stops as soon as he is inside and makes no sound, using a gentle hand to shut the door behind him.

Haldir and Tywien lay cuddled up around each other and appear to be sleeping. Gripping the knife tightly, he creeps closer and closer. He poises the blade over Haldir's heart. Pausing, he looks a Tywien, then back to Haldir, assuring himself they still sleep. He plunges the knife down into his ex-friend's chest. Crimson blossoms forth and the female elf mumbles in her dozing.

Eyes wide, Legolas releases his weapon and flees, the sound of a desperate, angry scream reaching his ears as he dashes down the system of flats. He sees the forest floor five levels below him and gulps in air as his mind encourages him to reach solid ground now.

Tywien lets out more outraged cries as she rushes to her new authorities. Lady Galadriel stands. "Tywien, I know your news. Guards have already been sent to intercept the elvenprince. He shall not get away with this."

"Can you not bring my husband back?"

"No. I am sorry." The White Lady wraps her arm around her new subject. "You may stay here as long as you like. Raise your child."

"My...child?" The Mirkwood elf looks utterly confusticated.

"Yes. A piece of Haldir shall always be with you," she smiles.

Putting a hand on her belly, Tywien's eyes widen and her lips turn upward.

Legolas whitens as he hears and sees this conversation, too upset with himself to realize the strangeness of it all. His legs pound the wooden walkways as he tries to get away, sensing elves behind him at every turn, his heart threatening to come out of his chest. All the fair-haired eldar seemed to look at him and he never knew which one would take up the chase. Tywien's sobs and Galadriel's soothing words pumped inside his brain as though they would pop right out, exploding his head in the process. He finally makes it to terra firma and looks back,seeing no one has followed him. Wump! He crashes into a firm chest and almost falls except for the strong hand that grabs him and pulls him upright.

"Where do you think you are going, Prince Legolas Greenleaf, son of Elvenking Thranduil?" Rumil, Haldir's younger brother, demands.

"I...I.." Legolas's eyes roll back in his head and he falls to the ground. When he awakens, he bolts upright under a blanket, eyes huge and breath ragged. Looking around, things seem exactly the same as when he first lay down on his pallet. He looks at his hands and finds them clean. "Haldir!" he shouts, tossing the blanket aside and dashing out the door to the native elf's home. He pounds on the door. "Let me in!"

Puzzled, I come to the door. "Great day, Legolas! No need to try to break my door down. What is your problem?"

He takes one look at me and all color drains from his face. I catch him as his eyes roll and he collapses. I carry him in and lay him on the couch, where Tywien soothes his brow with a cool cloth. I explain what happened while letting her work.

Legolas blinks and coughs when my wife waves smelling salts under his nose. "Wha...Haldir?"

"Yes, I am here. What did you want? You were in an awful hurry."

"I...I killed you," he whispers.

"What?" Tywien and I exclaim at the same time.

"I said, I killed you."

I check myself all over. "The last time I looked, and right now, I'm still alive."

"But...I saw the knife...In your chest…."

I crouch down beside him and take his hand. "Legolas, I do believe you have had a terrible nightmare. I am fine. Tywien is fine."

"You...I did not kill you?" he asks softly, hopefully.

"No. It was all a dream."

Letting out some sort of happy sounds between a shriek and a sob, he knocks me over. His tears warm and wet the front of my robes. "Haldir, I am so, so sorry!"

I give my wife a helpless look, but she just smiles, kisses my forehead, and softly tells me I can handle this without her as she leaves. I rub his back. "I forgive you. Have you learned your lesson?"

He nods against me, still sobbing. "I have treated you so badly!"

"Yes, you have. But I have forgiven you, as has my precious wife."

"How can you do that so easily?"

"Because that is what Eru wants, and Lady Galadriel, and Lord Celeborn, and King Thranduil. There is no use in my being bitter against my own kin, especially one who lives on the other side of the forest. Lord Elrond has a mountain to cross before he can come to our aid, but your kingdom merely has woods to traverse."

He nods, and I hope I make sense to him. "I...Should apologize to Tywien too."

Smiling, I nod. "Yes. She would like that, and so would I. But only if you truly mean it."

"I do. With all my heart." He pulls back and looks me in the eye, and I see he speaks the truth.

"Then let us go begin to set things right."

I guide him away and he tells many elves how sorry he is. I notice a complete change in him over the next few days. No longer is he a rebellious elf, but a happy, friendly, helpful one. A new light twinkles in his eyes, the light of humility.

Lady Galadriel sends word to the Elvenking. A few days he and his wife arrive in Lothlorien, riding his elk Sigilaras. "Where is my son?"

My brother Orophin greets him. "I shall have him summoned at once, King Thranduil."

Other elves offer him food and drink as he anxiously awaits his only child.

Finally, Legolas shows himself, walking with his head lowered. "Ada..."

The Elvenking rushes over to his son and envelops him in a huge bear hug. "Ionnin."

"Ada, I am so sorry for what I have done! I have shamed you. I have put a bad name to our kingdom and your name. I am no longer fit to be called your son."

Arabesque joins her favorite menfolk. "Legolas, ionnin, you are forgiven. You are our son, and we cannot disown you."

"Are you ready to come back with us? You truly belong in Mirkwood," Thranduil states.

"You will take me back?"

"Of course!"

"Then let us go!"

I smile and tighten my arm around my wife's waist. "Come back to visit us, Legolas."

"I will!" he smiles, giving us each a friendly hug.

"How about next year when our little one is here?"

He grins. "That sounds perfect. Congratulations!"

We grin at him and each other and watch the happy little family leave our kingdom. Now there shall be peace between us once more.

The End

A/N: Thank you so much for sticking with me here! I don't think I'll be doing any more present tense stories of any kind. It is just not my cup of tea. However, I do think it was a good writing exercise at any rate. I hope you all enjoyed it, despite it not being one of my better works. Comments & constructive criticism are appreciated, even something as simple as you liked it, although I would like to know why. Check out my other fanfics! Happy reading!