A/N I'm back! I hope that you guys enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! oh, and this story is not slash. None of my stories will ever be slash, just friendship!

This is the squeal to The Bond of Brothers! For those of you who haven't read it, here's a short summary: Legolas and Aragorn fought, and Legolas was kidnapped. After helping Legolas escape , the two of them made their way back to Imladris. The story ended with Rhavan (the kidnapper) swearing revenge.

Disclaimer: not mine

BY YOUR SIDE

Chapter One

Legolas Greenleaf sat in a stuffy armchair, just able to watch his friend's furious snow ball fight through the window. It had been almost two weeks since he and Aragorn had stumbled their way into Rivendell, fresh from the horrors of Rhavan's torture rooms.

Two very long weeks… Legolas reflected, smiling slightly sadly as Aragorn and Elladan bulled over Elrohir. He hated been copped up like this, though he understood the reason. The elf had almost died that night, and had continued to struggle for life for the next few days. Even now, he was nowhere near his usually strength, tiring easily. Thus the explanation as for why he was sitting here in a warm room while his friends were out having a good time.

"You will be able to join them soon." A soft voice said behind him. Legolas sighed heavily, lowering his hand from where it had been resting against his against his chin, instead beginning to fiddle with the edge of the blanket that was spread over his legs.

Elrond walked around the chair, couching down so he was near eye level with his patient. Taking Legolas's hand in his own, he slowly began to rub the slightly chilled fingers.

"Let your body rest some more," he advised, "Your strength was all but drained, you have recovered amazingly fast as it is."

"Aragorn is almost up to full function again!" Legolas said a soft note of complaint in his voice. Elrond smiled gently in sympathy for what the younger elf was feeling. He knew that Legolas hated to be confined like he was and seeing Aragorn, a human, up before him was difficult. The prince bore the man no ill will over it though.

"Estel was not nearly as weak as you were, Legolas. You were beaten, starved, tortured. After Aragorn rescued you, there was a brief respite before you were forced to travel when you shouldn't have even been out of bed. Then, when you were still not up to your full strength, both of you were forced off food again. Then you were once again forced to travel." Elrond stated, making sure that he got is point across to the elf. Aragorn had been weak yes, but after rest and plenty of food he had began to jump back.

Legolas nodded slowly at older elf's words, yet still stared longingly out of the window.

"Soon…" Elrond promised, wrapping his fingers around Legolas's for just a second before rising again. Patting Legolas shoulder, the lord walked back towards the door, intending to get a tray of food from downstairs, however, before he could do anything the door crashed open and all three of his sons came bursting.

"Legolas! Prince of the healing room!" the human called jovially as he swung his now wet cloak off and tossed it over the back of a chair. Legolas rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. Elrond frowned raising an eyebrow as he turned to face his sons.

"What―?" Elladan asked, also entering the room followed closely behind by his twin. "You do spend quite a lot of time healing!"

"No more than Aragorn does!" Legolas said a smile on his lips. "…or does that make Aragorn king of the healing chambers!"

"Prince Legolas…. "The human gasped, a fake expression of hurt crossing his face. Placing a hand on his heart, he sunk down so he was sitting cross legged next to his friend's chair…in the perfect spot for Legolas to be able to kick him with his foot. "HEY!" he yelled, scouting away.

"You deserved it!" Elrohir chortled.

"You always did side with him don't you?" Aragorn growled.

"Of course, what made you think that we would side with you anyways?" Elladan asked, ruffling the human's hair.

"Stop it!" the man said playfully, shoving the twin's hands away from scouting back a place, right where he was before. "It you dare!" he said, pointing a finger at his friend.

"That's quite enough." Elrond said, noticing the increased pallor of Legolas. It was good to see the younger elf laughing and having a good time, but now it was time for a rest and food.

"Since you two," he said pointing at the twins, "are in need of something to do, why don't you go get us all some dinner so we can eat with Legolas today"

"Food, is good. But why must we go get it!" Elrohir complained, getting to his feet with a small groan or protest.

"There is a perfectly able human that could also help us!" Elladan agreed, smacking Aragorn atop the head, leaping gracefully away before the human could retaliate. Outside the sun began to slowly sink into the sky, casting a shadow across the land.

There was a comfortable silence in the room for the next few minutes, broken by a poorly hid yawn by Legolas.

"Looks like someone is sleepy," Aragorn teased, moving out of range of the elf's foot.

"I am not!" Legolas denied, glaring at his long time friend.

"Oh, were you anxious to swallow a bug of something then?" Aragorn asked with a smirk. The human was saved when the twins backed through the door returning with the food. Elrond got up from where he sat, helping with the platters.

"Here, eat." Aragorn insisted, locking eyes with his friend as Elladan handed him a plate of food which he passed to Legolas.

"You'd better eat all of it. Do you know how hard both Elrohir and me worked to bring that up to you?" Elladan teased, flopping back down into a chair.

"That's right!" Elrohir continued his brother's train of thought. "Who are the ones that are always getting the food ―us! Who carries the heavy platter of food up to your room ―US! And it not just Legolas either." he said pointedly, poking Aragorn in the chest.

"It happens every single time one of you are injured and deemed too weak to make it down the stairs!" Elladan complained. Aragorn rounded on him, glaring, while he handed Legolas a fork.

"You know, Elladan, sometimes I consider getting myself injured. That way they could understand how hard it is to carry up trays of food that no one appreciates."

"We should do that. Then we could order loads of food…pay back for all the times you have forced us to do the same!" The older twin said thoughtfully, turning to face his twin.

"I'm not the one ordering food." Legolas protested, "That's your brother!" a wide yawn in the middle of it made the prince's words hard to understand, but Aragorn got the point. Glaring at the elf, he pointed his fork at him.

"Shut up and eat, Legolas." The archer chuckled sleepily, slowly bringing a forkful of food to his mouth.

When the dishes had been cleared and put away, Elrond turned to Legolas.

"I think that an early retirement would do you well." He said softly to the blonde-haired elf who was chatting adamantly with his friend.

"I'm fine." Legolas said stiffly, the smile instantly disappearing from his face and making no move to get up, if anything sinker further into the chair.

"Do you need help getting up?" Elladan asked sweetly, knowing that it would do the trick and get the elf at least out of the chair. Legolas shook his head no, pushing himself up from the chair. Taking just a second to regain his balance, the prince started towards the bed, limping heavily.

The knife would that he had received while hiding from some of Rhavan's men still bothered Legolas as it had been slower to heal than normal. This was mainly to do with the seriousness of his other injuries. Aragorn slowly stood to his feet, ready to catch Legolas just in case his healing leg did give out on him.

When Legolas threw him the look he just shrugged, giving him a perfectly innocent smile.

After making sure that Legolas really would get some sleep, Elrond ushered his boys out. Closing the door firmly behind him, the lord was just to go about his business when his youngest son spoke up.

"When will Legolas be ready to be out and about?" he asked, knowing that Legolas needed to be 'free' before he would be back to his old self.

"I'd give him another day or two. He was incredibly weak when you brought him back Estel." Elrond said softly. Aragorn nodded thoughtfully, appreciating his father's words.

"He will be glad to be doing something else besides sitting in his room." The man commented.

"That he will." Elladan agreed, pulling his twin down the hallway. "Come on Elrohir, we have some…um… unfinished business that needs attending too." he said, stressing the unfinished business. Hurry away they quickly disappeared from sight.

Their father gave a sigh of despair.

"What I'm going to do with those two!" he muttered running a hand through his hair. Walking away, he was also gone within seconds.

A smile grace Aragorn's lips. The twins would be the death of them all with their pranks. Turning he made his way into his own room, leaving it cracked just slightly so he could hear if Legolas needed anything.

What he did not hear, was the light footsteps of a tall cloaked man. The hidden man snuck carefully down the hallway, opening doors as he went and peering in. Sneaking into Imladris had proved to be much more difficult than he could have thought, but he had done it. Now the trick was not to get caught. Reaching the door that was cracked he paused.

He could hear movement within that room, best to leave it be till he was sure the elf in that room was gone. Seeing the closed door across the hall way, the man carefully turned the doorknob letting himself in.

He jumped in surprise and grabbed at his knife when he saw an elf lying on the bed, staring at him.

"Don't make a sound," he hissed. To his great surprise the blonde haired elf didn't even blink, his eyes glazed over and glassy. Stepping hesitantly forward, he waved his hand in front of the blue eyes. They didn't even blink. The human frowned, how truly strange elves were.

Backing slowly away, the man watched the elf warily, noticing too late that he had backed up to the door, shutting it with a loud click. He froze, not daring to move as he watched the elf in the bed. Suddenly a new fear came upon him as he heard a voice right outside the door.

"Legolas?"

Panicking, the man dove into a small chamber off to the right, a bathing chamber. He heard the door open after a soft knock and peering around the door way he almost gasped in surprise as he saw who must be the human he was seeking.

Elrond's son was frowning, looking around the room with his hands on his hips.

"I could have sworn I heard Legolas leave." the man whispered in puzzlement. Giving the room on more curious glance he stepped over to the bed. The human waved his hand in front of the elf's face, assuring himself that his friend really was asleep, before turning to leave.

The man in the chamber waited for a few seconds before slipping out and looking at the elf in the bed with new appreciation. This must be the one that his master had caught and tortured while looking for the heir of Gondor. His hand slipped into his pocket, clutching a glass vile, an evil grin stretching his face.

His job was to kill the elf, he was not longer needed. However, the man was going to be the perfect leveraging tool. He was Elrond's human son and Rhavan felt that they were better off going for the heart. Make Elrond watch as they killed his son…or tell them where Isildur's heir was at. But first Rhavan wanted the human to have to watch his friend die with no way to help him ―pay back for helping that dratted elf escape.

The elf in the bed suddenly shifted, making a face as he slept, or the cloak man assumed he slept. This was too dangerous, not here, not now, he would have to wait. Slipping out of the room again, he left Legolas sleeping peacefully without any clue that he was in danger.

TBC…

Our boys had better watch out…who knows what is going to happen to now?