Right then... now everyone, I have some... rather, bad news... or good; depends how you look at it...

This is the last chapter...

~*~*~*~

"Elrond?" said Glorfindel quietly. He was rather concerned as the Elf Lord stopped dead in front of him, eyes downcast. When he received no reply, he placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder.

Elrond jumped at Glorfindel's touch. Turning sharply to find it was only his companion, he sighed. "I have lost Estel. I cannot feel him anymore."

Glorfindel frowned. If Elrond couldn't 'find' Estel through the gift of foresight, there was no telling whether he was alive or not. He squeezed his friend's shoulder.

"Come," he said. "We will find the boys, and we will bring them back." Elrond looked at him, and hope seemed to creep back into his eyes, albeit only slightly. Without a word he turned away and trudged back down the hill...

~*~*~*~

"Estel, come on..." sighed Legolas. He crawled over to the limp form of the boy and turned him over. Aragorn's eyes were shut tight, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Legolas lay a cool hand over his forehead- he was boiling hot. As Aragorn shivered in his arms, Legolas panicked.

"What do I do?!" he thought. He tried to remember what that place was with the waterfall and the trees...

He couldn't. Cursing slightly, he tried to pick Aragorn up, but the boy was too heavy for him. Putting him down as gently as possible, he ran to the bed he had previously been lying on and pulled the blankets from it. He wrapped them around Aragorn before attaching his bow and arrows to his back, then taking a spare corner of the blanket, slowly but surely dragged the comatose child out of the door.

"I'm sorry Estel, but this is all I can do," he whispered. Hopefully the thick layers of wool coverlets would keep him warm and dry as the rain still came falling from the sky. It soaked the young Elf through, but he still trudged on through the increasingly muddy undergrowth...

~*~*~*~

Arwen sat by the warm inviting fire in Rivendell. The thunder still roared above her head and the lightning cracked, the rain hitting the windows hard. As she looked out of the window watching the storm, she didn't notice the older Elf wander in through the door behind her.

Tebridë peered around the door before entering the room. She slowly crept up behind the young Elf-girl before putting her hands on both her shoulders. Arwen jumped, but smiled to see her nanny beaming above her.

"Hello there Little Star," said Tebridë gently, using her nickname for the daughter of Elrond. The Elf loved taking care of her; she had done so since Arwen was born, and now the youngster was beginning to enter the Elven teenage stage. However, she still acted very innocent, like a child. Hopefully she wouldn't lose this trait and end up like Master Legolas... he was a lovely boy, but a bit of a handful. She moved around the child and sat beside her. "What are you watching?"

Arwen cuddled up to her before replying; "The storm." She paused for a moment, and Tebridë thought she saw worry flicker across her charge's face. "Tebridë," continued Arwen. "Do you think Estel and Legolas are still out there?"

Tebridë cast her eyes down. The whole of Rivendell was anxious about the boys; as Lord Elrond had said; they had gotten themselves into trouble before, but never went missing. And now night had fallen, and the weather had taken a turn for the worst...

"Oh boys... where are you?"

~*~*~*~

Elladan wiped some water from his face only to have it soaked again. He stroked the black velvet neck of Windshadow. They had been riding for what felt like hours now.

"'Dan," moaned Elrohir. "Do you think Ada and Glorfindel have found them yet? My bum's getting numb sitting on this horse..." The younger twin shifted uncomfortably atop Swiftfoot, riding as all Elves did without a saddle.

Elladan turned around and fixed a stony glare on his brother. "Your bum's numb?" he repeated sarcastically. "Excuse me 'Ro, but I think Estel and Legolas may be a bit colder than that. Now come on, we're going to find those two, and if we don't, we'll stay out here until somebody drags us back!"

Elrohir sighed. Once Elladan was in a mood like this, nothing would get him out of that mindset until he'd completed his task.

The older twin heard his brother exhale, and turned again to face him. "Come on 'Ro," he pleaded. "This is our fault." As he turned, the sharp snapping of a twig in the undergrowth could be heard. Both twins stopped and listened carefully as they drew out their weapons...

~*~*~*~

Legolas stumbled over some roots sticking out from the ground. Behind him he still dragged the unconscious Estel. The boy had stopped shivering now; was that a good sign?

As he stepped forward, a small twig cracked under the weight of his foot. He thought nothing of it until he heard hushed voices from the other side of the bushes. He heard the soft ringing of metal as swords were drawn. He couldn't help but gasp. They would find him and Estel!

Quickly he shoved Estel into a bush as gently as possible, pulling down some branches to hide him. He turned as he heard something stalking through the bushes...

Two Elves, much older than him, emerged from the green shrub and stared at him, open mouthed.

"Legolas?!" cried Elrohir. He gaped as the small Elven prince shivered before him. He was completely covered in mud, twigs and leaves were stuck in his usually neat and tidy hair, which was plastered onto his forehead and shoulders. The pounding rain had soaked him right through as well, leaving the thin long sleeved shirt he wore useless for keeping him warm.

"D-Dertrúor," stuttered Legolas, through chattering teeth.

Elladan looked at him, confused. "Pardon?" he asked.

"M-My n-name... D-Dertrúor." repeated Legolas. Elladan dismounted and walked toward his young friend, and was surprised when he backed away. He straightened up.

"Le-... Dertrúor," he said, catching himself before he made a mistake. He spoke slowly, as though addressing a small child. "Where is Estel?"

The little blond Elf pointed over to some bushes. "O-Over t-there," he said.

Elrohir pulled out a cloak from his pack and wrapped it around the Prince whilst Elladan strode over to the place Legolas had pointed out.

As he tugged on the neck of the cloak to make Legolas warmer, he noticed with concern that he felt like ice. "What happened?" asked Elrohir. Legolas shivered some more before answering.

"T-There w-was M-Marethiel," he told him. "S-She h-hurt E-Estel. C-Can y-you h-help m-me?"

Elrohir looked into the Wood-Elf's eyes and suddenly realized something. There was no hint of recognition in them. Legolas did not know who he or Elladan was. He felt his eyes widen with shock, but quickly regained himself. "How do you need help?" he asked, though he was dismayed at this new turn of events.

"I n-need t-to g-get t-to a p-place," said Legolas. "I c-can't r-remember t-the n-name t-though."

Elrohir put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "Try, come on."

Legolas frowned in deep thought. "R-Riverdell? O-Or R-Rivendale..." He screwed up his nose thoughtfully. Elrohir had to stop himself from smiling; Legolas had always done that since he was a tiny Elfling.

"What about Rivendell?" he supplied, trying to sound bright, although he was now distraught that Legolas couldn't remember the name of the place that had become like a second home to him over the years.

He cheered slightly at Legolas' bright smile. "Y-Yes!" he beamed. "T-That's i-it!"

Meanwhile, Elladan pulled back some branches to find Estel. He gasped in horror.

"Oh Estel!"...

~*~*~*~

As the two Elven Lords reentered the valley, many living in Rivendell came out of their homes to see if the two youngsters whom they cared for so much had returned. As they saw empty arms and distraught faces, they each sighed and sadly turned back into the embracing warmth of their abodes. The children were still missing, and it was well past midnight. There was no more hope of finding them until morning...

Elrond staggered up the steps, blinking back tears. Estel wasn't going to be coming home that night. What if he never came home? And Legolas; he admitted the youngster was a little wild, but that was what he loved about the Prince; the fact you could never guess what he was going to do next. And what would he tell Thranduil and Legolas' mother Sólia if he never returned?!

He fell into his chair with un-Elf like awkwardness and held his head in his hands. This was awful...

"Ada!"

He jerked his head up. Had he just heard...? No, he couldn't have.

"Ada!!!"

There it was again! He jumped up from his chair and ran to the window. On their horses Windshadow and Swiftfoot rode Elladan and Elrohir.

"What were they doing out in this storm?!" thought Elrond angrily.

"Ada, quick!" cried Elladan as he saw his father's face up at the window.

The anger inside the Lord of Rivendell's heart suddenly subsided as he caught sight of what his boys were holding; two little bundles wrapped up tightly in their arms... could it be? Yes, yes it was!!!

Elrond could have jumped in the air with delight as he realized that Estel and Legolas were home...     

~*~*~*~

Glorfindel had taken Legolas up to his room, cleaned him up, and gave him a small sleeping draught to calm him down. Due to his uncertainty and disorientation, Elrond had guessed what affected the young Prince even before Elrohir had told him the news. There was nothing he could do for memory loss, and they had warmed the elfling up considerably before sending him to sleep. There was also one other small thing with the Elven child that Elrond was wary of, but that, unlike the amnesia, would have to be sorted out when, and if it rose. For now, the rest was really up to Legolas...

Right now he was more concerned about Estel...

He knew that this was some dark magic, but he was sure he could cure it. He checked over Estel's symptoms one more time before administering the drug he had concocted to counteract it. Estel had begun shivering again as they brought him into the warm dry of the Healing Rooms; a good sign. His breathing was also slightly faster than it should be. Though his forehead still burned with a fever this was treatable. All he wanted to do now was fight the spell which had a hold on his son.   

He slipped some of the tea into Aragorn's mouth, holding his head up slightly so he wouldn't choke. He waited in silence for a few minutes whilst the potion took affect.

He remembered when Estel had first been brought to Rivendell. Elladan and Elrohir had found him, wrapped in his mother's arms. She had been running from Orcs, but they had caught her. The toddler had been screaming. They had brought him home to be raised in the valley until they could find a place for him to stay.

All the Elves of Rivendell had promised not to grow too attached to Estel, for they knew the fate of mortals. Unfortunately, Estel's charms had won them over, and they had all fallen for the youngster. Once it was found that he had nowhere to go, and also of his heritage, Elrond had decided that he would bring him up, regardless of the consequences. Anyway, he had grown to love the child so much, that if someone had been found to take care of him, the Elf Lord probably would never have let him go.