Hi Everyone, this is the sequel to 'First Impressions Don't Always Count' (possibly the worst title imaginable I know), but it can be read alone, however, there are references to it that may confuse you if you haven't read it. Actually this first chapter may totally baffle you if you haven't read it, but future chapters will be more open. Don't be fooled by this first chapter, it won't be a clone of the last story and as it hints, will be much darker than the last. I think a: 'Mwahahahaha' is appropriate. All together now… If you have read the last story, then you will be fully aware of my eccentric randomness, and to any new readers: "Hi, I'm Alice – note the incredible amount of thought that went into my pen name, I'm English, approaching my tweens, no, I haven't read the books, yes, I fully intend to, yes, I am fully aware that I am rambling and yes, I do know that you don't care. I have a habit of doing that. There is a story around here somewhere…"

Title:  An Assassin's prize

Rating: PG-13, will go to R for reasons that'll become clear.

Summary: The twins and Legolas return with confirmation of Elrond's worst fears. Young Estel is unwittingly in grave danger, can they protect him or will their mysterious enemy strike?

Disclaimer: This is Tolkien's world, these are his characters etc, he knows it, you know it, and I know it. There are characters however, that are mine – they're the ones with the really dodgy names.

Author's Note: As with 'FIDAC' I have intentionally changed a couple of details – Gilraen was killed at the same time as Arathorn, and Aragorn was witness to his father's murder. I'm sorry if that doesn't agree with others' perspective of this plotline, but it's necessary.

Reviews, as ever, are very appreciated. If there is anyone who is willing to help me with some Elvish in future chapters, I'd be very grateful.

Chapter One: A Long Awaited Return

Lord Elrond gazed across the room at his foster son with a heavy heart. The young boy sat in front of a large book, his dark locks ruffling in the gentle breeze, but he wasn't reading, and instead was staring out of the open window in the hope that he would see them racing across the plains toward home again. They had moved their lessons from the cooler retreat of the gardens to the more stuffier confines of Elrond's study, which Estel had insisted the reason being that he did not wish to risk damaging the books, but his father knew it was really so he could keep a lookout for the party's return. It was plain to see that he missed them terribly. He too, missed his sons, but that was not the only reason he wished them a swift return.

For it had been months since they had departed in late March, and now the sun shone high and bright in the late summer sky. The month of August was more humid and sticky than usual, and the distracted boy's brow glistened with sweat in the late morning heat. As angry as he was with his brothers, he longed to see them again. Elladan said they would be gone a month and they had been gone nearly five. He was bored. He missed them; his foster father and Gandalf were great company, but it was not the same. His hair clung to his face and neck stubbornly, sighing; he sunk his head into his clammy hands and tried to read another passage. An hour or so passed slowly, and the day just seemed to get hotter and more gruelling with every second. He played idly with a white leather bracelet that one of the maids had given him; so far away in his daydream he didn't notice that Elrond had joined his side.

"How are you doing?" He asked quietly, startling his foster son.

He looked up with sleepy eyes. "I am sorry, father. I cannot seem to concentrate in this heat." Estel replied apologetically.

"It is alright, little one, I understand." He gazed out of the window for a moment and smiled. "Why don't you go down and help the servants prepare for our weary travellers' return." His father suggested, pointing him in the direction of the three small figures approaching in the distance.

His foster son furrowed a brow and followed his finger, looking out above the treetops to see them and his heart rejoiced. Estel's eyes lit up and he grinned for the first time in days. Kissing his father briefly on the cheek, he dashed past him and sped down the stairs.

Legolas looked up into the trees dreamily, watching the birds twitter through the branches and the brilliant rays of sun burst through the leaves. The fair elf was a little weary, the past few months had been hard work with no time to rest and looked forward to sleeping in a comfortable bed that night. Legolas smiled. It was good to be back, even if they'd had little luck in their task. It had been many months since they had departed and joined with some of the Rangers, they had travelled over many unfamiliar lands and were met with little favour. For Rangers were usually regarded with distain to those who didn't realise their importance, and elves were rarely met with trust in the lands of Men. Glorfindel had stayed with Fraener and Hovan to continue the search, which he desperately hoped would not be in vain. Shaking his head sombrely, his thoughts returned to his surroundings again and upon noticing he'd fallen a little way behind his friends, he galloped to their side once more.

They reached the Ford, the Bruinen running lazily along the rocks, soothing their horses' hooves as they crossed. Much to their relief, they were finally at the borders and rode under the shade of the pine trees, the overpowering aroma heavily mingled in the sultry August air. It was a slow pace, and a much welcomed pace at that, riding in a relaxed silence, they let the beautiful elven song that whispered around them ease their fatigue and hearts. As they continued along the wooded path, Elladan looked up to see his young foster brother sitting up in a tree at the end of the path with a very sullen face. Their eyes met and the elf smiled warmly, but Estel continued to scowl. Elrohir and Legolas suddenly noticed him and rode more quickly until they all stood at the base of the old Oak he was perched in.

"Why so glum, little brother, do you not welcome our return?" Elrohir smiled.

"You are late." He replied flatly. "I seem to recall you saying you would be back in a month and it has been five, or have you lost the ability to count in your long absence?"

Elladan and Legolas chuckled and were met with a reluctant smile from Estel.

"It is good to see you too, brother." Elrohir replied dryly, as the lean youth clambered down the tree without his former elegance, landing with a slight bump.

"I see you have still yet to master any grace." Legolas smirked.

Estel frowned, but his eyes shone with his usual good humour. "I have only been walking without crutches for a month and today is the first time I've climbed a tree since the accident, so admittedly I am a little rusty, elf… anyway, you have no right to mock my grace - I heard you all from miles away, at one time I expected another company of Dwarves appear through the trees."

"Ah, but we are not trying to be quiet, we care not if anyone hears us here."

"And I was not trying to be inconspicuous when I climbed down. You have had five months to discover some wit but you seemed to have failed miserably, my dear wench." He grinned playfully.

"You certainly look well, little one, I swear you have grown. How do you fare?" Elladan interrupted.

He turned, ducking away from Legolas' attempts to swat him across the head. "I am well and soon I will be towering above you all! You must tell me of your adventures, it has been so dull without you all!" Estel smiled as climbed onto his brother's horse. "And where is Glorfindel? Is he with the Rangers? Why were you away for so long? And where did you go?"

"You ask too many questions, Estel. We are tired." Elrohir replied.

"Forgive me, will you tell me after you have rested then?"

The three elves glanced at each other uncomfortably and didn't reply.

* * *

The hours passed and evening approached, although it was still so light, it would have been hard to guess the time if the delicious smell of dinner being prepared wasn't wafting through the valley. Legolas strolled through the forests, basking in the peace of Rivendell, away with his thoughts as the chorus of nature buzzed around him. He had awoken after a brief rest, but had found neither his twin companions, nor their younger brother in the house and so had decided a walk would help clear his mind. The soothing coolness of the grass against his bare feet eased any last traces of weariness inside him. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, Estel appeared with a toothy grin.

"Estel-"

"Shh!" The young boy whispered, before scampering up the branches of a tall Beech tree expertly, disappearing into the dense foliage twenty feet up and beckoned the elf to join him.

Legolas pulled himself up silently and quickly, and joined Estel, who was dressed only in a pair of loose shorts; the scars from the warg attack were still prominent on his chest despite his deep tan. His dark hair had curled into sweaty, greasy ringlets in the blistering summer heat; even in the shade of the canopy, it was uncomfortably warm.

"You have certainly improved since our meeting this morning. What are we doing up here?" He asked quietly.

"I wanted to speak with you… and I beg for your honesty." His tone was subdued, sounding unnatural to his usual joviality. "We have not known one another long, but I think you will be more honest with me than my brothers in this situation."

Legolas frowned; the youngster's expression was unnerving. "What is wrong?"

"I may be young and in many ways naïve, but I see more than you think… or hope." He whispered, a strange sadness in his eyes that concerned him even more.

"Estel, I'm afraid I do not understand. What is troubling you?"

Estel stared into his eyes in silence, before looking down with a sigh. "Legolas… have I done something wrong?"

The elf smiled gently. "Why would you think that?"

"Everyone is looking at me strangely. It is not obvious, just sideways glances or when they think I'm not looking. Especially my brothers - they smile and talk as if nothing has happened but then I can see them glancing at each other with sombre eyes. Have I offended in some way?" He asked meekly. "I'm afraid I have outstayed my welcome in Rivendell."

"Do you really believe that? Estel, you have revitalized this kingdom, Lord Elrond loves you as a son and the twins as a brother; their feelings have not changed and they will never do so. It is all in your mind, you silly human." He smiled, ruffling Estel's hair affectionately.

Estel looked down at his hands, his shoulders a little hunched. He opened his mouth to reply, but was halted by the appearance of a rather disgruntled wizard searching furiously for him. The bronzed child's frown eased and was replaced by his usual cheeky grin and motioned for him to be silent as Legolas cocked an eyebrow in curiosity.

"He thinks I have hidden his staff." He murmured.

"And have you?" Legolas smiled, keeping his voice down.

Estel shook his head. "I am not brave enough or foolish enough to part a wizard from his staff… It was my brothers."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

He shrugged, peeping through the leaves to see the wizard edging closer. "It is revenge for the fireworks."

"Of course." Legolas smirked before manoeuvring himself to sit beside the youngster on a particularly sturdy branch so he was out of sight. He held a finger up his lips and they both fell completely silent. Gandalf was only a couple of feet away now and was muttering under his breath irritably as Estel desperately tried to suppress his giggles. The elf bit his lip and felt completely still as the wizard gazed up into their tree for any signs of Estel.

"I know you are around here, Estel. Give me back my staff and I will not throttle you with it!" He cried out.

Legolas bent down from his stance and picked up and old nut that had settled there in the seasons before and straightened without making a sound or ruffling a leaf. Glancing down at the old wizard, who had strayed to another tree a yard or two away, he smiled wickedly and threw it as far as he could. Estel heard the slight crack as it bounced off a tree, as did Gandalf, who spun around, striding toward the noise with a menacing smile and went out of sight. Estel breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Legolas quietly. They calmed a little and watched with amusement as the old wizard let out of cries of: 'Got you!' and 'Aha!' followed by a somewhat disappointed grunt. The blonde elf handed him a nut, and he duly obliged by throwing it in the opposite direction, which sent Gandalf storming back on himself, passing under their tree once more.

"We must move." Estel motioned for them to move on and the elf followed him as they leapt from the tree silently and tiptoed away. They had almost reached the safer reaches of the thicker woodland when Estel stepped on the fallen needles from the Pine trees and let out a low squeal of pain.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Gandalf bellowed from behind.

"Run, Legolas!" Estel giggled before they both raced past the tree trunks. Gandalf gave chase as they ducked under low branches and leapt over logs and boulders. Much to their surprise, he kept their pace and pursued them as the Last Homely House came into view. Legolas scrambled over a bramble and narrowly missed tripping over an old tree root.

"Call yourself graceful, Legolas?" Estel laughed from behind. "You are doing well, my dear wizard! But you must understand – I have not got your staff!"

Gandalf didn't respond apart from letting out a rather strained growl.

"Separate!" Legolas cried.

"You lazy elf!" Estel puffed as he followed him to the right of the courtyard and into the gardens. "You just want to split up because you know he'll follow me!"

The elf laughed and ducked into the wilder part of Elrond's gardens. "You're smarter than you look!"

They both slowed and noticed Gandalf was no longer behind them. Estel leant against a thick tree trunk and caught his breath.

"Where is he?" He gasped.

"I'm not sure, he may have given up or he may be about to jump out on us!" Legolas laughed lightly.

"The second one I think." A menacing growl said as the wizard leapt out from behind a bush at the young human.

Estel screamed with surprise and just about managed to jump out of the way and he and Legolas ran off onto the path once more, toward the house, with Gandalf very close behind, grasping out at him and only missing by inches. They sped into the courtyard and toward the open door before Legolas suddenly stopped.

"Wait, why am I running? He wants you, not me." The elf laughed, although didn't find the brief clip around his ear from Gandalf as he chased Estel into the house, nearly as funny. He strolled in a second later, watching as the wizard followed the poor child down the long corridor toward the Hall of Fire.

"I thought we were a team, and you have abandoned me! You traitor!" He heard Estel cry as he avoided the grey wizard's lunge.

"What is going on, Legolas?" A calm voice asked.

He turned to meet Lord Elrond's rather bemused gaze. "Gandalf suspects your foster son has stolen his staff." Legolas replied casually.

"I see… and has he?"

"No, my Lord, your other sons must take credit for that one." He smiled           

The older elf rolled his eyes. "I should have known; they act as if they are Estel's age." He muttered, before taking a couple of steps downch ack in a month and it has been five, caoy and rode quicker until they all stood at the the corridor after them. He noticed Legolas grin and frowned. "You are just as bad, Legolas son of Thranduil… if not worse. The incident with the bucket will not be forgotten, even if Estel's sleeping potion overshadowed it at the time." He broke into an amused smile.

"But the sleeping potion did not even work." He replied, a little puzzled.

Elrond watched him for a moment, his smile widening. "Indeed." He stared at the blonde elf for a moment. "Remind Elladan and Elrohir of our counsel tonight, I trust you have not forgotten, but they seem to be preoccupied with childish pranks at the moment and it may have slipped their minds."       

"I doubt it would have." The blonde elf replied quietly. "Estel suspects something is wrong; he thinks he no longer welcome here."

Elrond turned his wise head sharply and nodded. "I feared as much, I should speak to him and try to ease his worries."

* * *

There was a feast held in their honour that night, but there was a strange atmosphere as they celebrated and told Estel of their adventures in the wilder lands. Most of what they told him was true, but there was half-heartedness in their voices that raised the youngster's worries once again. It was terribly trying; they had left so abruptly and now were being unusually secretive around him. He had gone to bed with his heart weighing heavily, and spurned Elladan's offer to sneak in a midnight snack and tell stories under their sheets as they used to do. His rejection had hurt Elladan and he regretted that, but their secrecy had made him uneasy and he just wanted to be alone.  

He laid in bed in a kind of half-slumber, too warm to relax properly. The fierce sun had finally set but it was just as muggy and uncomfortable for Estel as the day had been, his sheets were pushed down his body and clung to his legs. Even the slight breeze, which had made it just about bearable, had dropped so the humidity was even more stifling. He tossed and turned until finally his weariness overcame the heat and his worries and he drifted off into an exhausted slumber.

Downstairs however, any fears could not be eased with sleep; Elrond sat in his old leather chair as Legolas, Gandalf and his twin sons, joined him in his study. The windows were open, but it remained airless, and so was unpleasant even for the elves, despite the heat's ineffectiveness on them. There was a nervous tension among them and they sat in silence for a moment.

"What news is there?" Elrond asked in a low voice.

"Little." Elladan replied solemnly. "While we were in Gondor, Glorfindel got more word that the enemy knows where he dwells and is coming, we have searched tirelessly but we could find no trace. The Rangers will continue."

"They would leave no trace, they are too clever. Can we assume they are already near?" Gandalf whispered gravely.

"We will have to, if they know he is here, then I doubt they would hesitate." The older elf replied solemnly. "His life is great peril, we cannot let him out of our sight."

"That is an impossible task, father. Estel has an energy and a spirit that cannot be stifled." Elrohir said, glancing at his brother, who nodded in agreement.

"I stupidly promised him a day at the Bruinen tomorrow, but we cannot risk it now. He will not understand – is already suspicious."

"With all due respect, my Lord, I suspect that his curiosity will get the better of him and he will venture too close to the borders alone, if we do not go." The blonde elf explained.

"I agree, a strike would be risky if we are present, and it may ease his thirst for adventure for a while." The grey wizard nodded. "If we restricted it to nearby the Ford, then we are still far away enough to for it to feel like an adventure, but we are close enough to Rivendell to raise the alarm if needed."

Elrond slumped back into his seat with a heavy heart, he didn't want to place his foster son in any danger, but they were right, Estel did wander off alone and that could cost him his life. Even if they locked him up, he could find a way out. 

Legolas sighed. "Maybe we should tell him."

"How can we? What would we say? 'By the way, Estel, did we mention that you were Isildur's heir and heir to the throne of Gondor, and because of this, there's a price on your head and now they know where you are.'" Elladan whispered sharply. "It isn't an option."

"He is right, Legolas. We cannot place that burden on him, we must let him enjoy his childhood free from the pressures of what his adult life will bring." Elrond explained quietly.

The troubled elf grimaced, they had no choice; Estel would become frustrated and more determined if they restricted his freedom, and that could result in his capture and certain murder.

They would have to risk it.  

To Be Continued?

Well, what do you think? Should I carry on?