My muse has been rescued!!!!!!!!! I had to battle the appalling beast writer's block, but with the sprit of faithful reviewers behind me the fiend toppled with one great blow from the mighty sword of the pen (i.e. keyboard)!!!!!

Ok I'm done, here's your chapter.........

Chapter Six

Following the trail that the searchers had found, Rima and Ran had divided into two parties, but within the sound of their horns in case of the need of reinforcements.

Their path was overgrown and covered in brambles. Going over the muddy routes was more difficult then expected and it led deeper into the tangled twisted woods. It was slow moving and nearly treacherous, but the people who had made this path had left more of a trail to follow then their missing prince did. Rima did her best to keep a look out for roots and mud covered brambles but one ill placed root caught her foot and even with elven reflexes she unable to keep herself from slipping down the face of a rocky hill.

Digging her heals into the ground, Rima was able to slow her decent and lean herself against an immense boulder that was projecting out of the slop. Picking herself up she saw from the corner of her eye two mortals coming to where she had slipped, Two humans in an elven realm was uncommon, and since it was a mortal lord that had taken their king the elf crouched behind the rock again and shielded herself from their sight, with the hope that they had not seen her yet.

"I though you said you saw something!" A gruff voice shouted.

"I didn't, I said that I heard something fall..."

"Idiot, it was a rock slide, with all the rain what did you expect?"

Rima heard the two men grumbling as they walked off, she quickly used the balance that elves possessed to run up the hill, which she soon discovered that was not a hill at all. The hill was located in a hollow of beech trees that sheltered it from casual glance. When Rima had reached the top of the rise again she went down the way she had come down the back of the mound. Disappearing safely into the trees she kept her eye on the top of the hill as she began to circle it. She knew she had reached the front of the rise when she saw the sentries that were posted. Climbing up one of the beech trees she found a sturdy branch that was thickly shrouded in leaves. Lightly walking to the end of the limb, Rima pushed back the green veil and surveyed the area.

The hill was not a hill at all. It was a cave that had over the course of centuries been covered with earth, its only betraying feature being it's entrance but even that was hard to see. The opening to the cave was small and covered in vines and other foliage that grew from the top of the openings and hung nearly to the ground like an immense curtain. Rima stilled every muscle in her body as a guard came out from the entangled curtain of the cave entrance and came to stand right under the branch she was standing on.

"What dose Lord Harnach want to do with the other elf when the younger one is dead?" Rima heard a voice say.

"I saw them, and the younger one is all but gone, and the king said that the older will fade with him."

"But elves don't die..."

"Trust me, I don't understand it either, but I saw them and the older one is getting weak but Harnach ensured us that a few days after the younger one goes, we'll have two bodies to get rid of."

Rima caught her breath at what the two men were saying, if it was true, Legolas near death and Thranduil was weakening. Creeping an inch at a time back down the tree she made sure that she did not disturb a leaf, an easy task for a wood elf. Sliding to the ground she ran back to her search party.

"My Lord?" The guard's voice interrupted Harnach musings.

"Yes?" The mortal lord answered, noting the confused look of his sentry.

"Forgive me," The other man began, "But I thought you said that the younger elf was dead-"

"He is why are you-?" Then a prick at his heart told Harnach what was happening and he ran down the long corridor to the cell that held the prisoners, followed closely by the guard. Fling open the door of the prison, Harnach surveyed the seen.

The younger elf lay in Thranduil's lap, his golden head pressed against his father's breast his eyes closed, but the cold, grisly presence of death was gone from his frame, and his light still dimly glowed. The elf king was gently caressing his son's hair and... was that truly hope that glimmered in the elf's eyes?

No! This was not happening.... all those years of planning and dreaming of avenging his son's death it couldn't fall apart like this! Not now when he was so close!

With a cry of rage , Harnach grabbed the guard's dagger and flew at his captives. Aiming the blade at the younger elf's heart, Harnach prepared to settle his score once and for all.

TBC

I know I'm evil, but I love it!

Don't worry I have plenty of ideas and inspiration and I will not let my muse fall captive again!