Okay, I have much to say, so let's get on with the formalities, shall we?

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd be doing much more creative things than writing about them.

Series: Yes, this can be read on its own, though I suggest having read Heart of the Matter first. However, if you're confused, just ask and I shall explain.

General author's note: It starts out pretty much the same way. . . torture, angst. . . 36 pages of that, and each chapter is about six pages long. So after chapter 6, (Oh, it just turned demonic, didn't it?) there is a huge twist! So please, if it seems too much like the others, just give it until the end of chapter six before you give up on it, okay? I would also like to reiterate that I LOVE THRANDUIL! Thranduil is a good guy! Just read through it, okay? Trust me. This shall also be slightly AU. . . it's possible, in the world of Tolkien, but never actually did happen, so I suppose I need the AU label this time. AND grrrr, stupid formatting. May have to resurrect Brouhaha.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"What are you signing up under, Legolas?" Elrohir leaned over his friend's shoulder, looking at the list in his hands.

"Lord Elrond, how many are we allowed to compete in?"

Elrond smiled knowingly. "As many as you want to, Legolas, but remember, even the best of elves cannot possibly compete in all of them."

"I wouldn't dream of it, my lord." He turned his attention back to the list.

"Well, what are you competing in?"

"Why are you so anxious to find out?"

Elrohir rolled his eyes. "So I know what to sign up for. If we don't compete in the same thing, how can I beat you?"

Elladan laughed. "No, he wants to know so that he can sign up for something different and not have to face defeat."

"Not true!"

Legolas smiled humbly. He looked at the list again. There weren't that many events; he could do all of them.

"Here is my list, my lord. Do I have your permission to go find Estel?"

Elrond nodded once. As soon as the prince was gone, the three elves huddled around his entry sheet.

"By Vala, he did it," was Elrond's only comment.

"Well that's that, sign me up for the last three events. He'll be far too tired to beat anyone in those."

"Uncertain of our abilities, are we Elrohir?"

The younger elf smiled. "Face it, he's better than either of us."

"I'll admit it, though you know why, don't you?"

Elrohir nodded. "Spends far too much time trying to please his father."

Elrond cut in. "Elrohir, that's enough."

"Sorry, Ada. He's horrible though. The better Legolas gets, the harder his father pushes, and the harder Legolas tries. It won't ever end for him, Ada."

"Which is why it is our job to not remind him of what he faces at home."

"Yeah, sure. Here's my list. Who else is competing?"

"The usual," Elrond muttered as he took the lists from both of his sons. "Estel thought he might give it a go this year."

"He won't stand a chance against two elves such as we," Elrohir said, smiling broadly.

"Indeed, and who was it that beat you in a duel last week?"

Elladan stifled his laughter as Elrohir reached for his list again. "I don't think I'll be competing in swordsmanship after all."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Legolas walked slowly in the woods surrounding the elven city. He breathed deeply, allowing his body to adjust to the Rivendell atmosphere. Once again, he felt relaxed. He did not feel like he would disappoint anyone by walking a bit slower than he should, like he so often did at home. He had to admit it to himself: he did not want to return to Mirkwood. It wasn't his father, as so many expected, but his duty as a prince. He wasn't allowed by his people to relax.

"What's this, an elf, caught unaware?"

Legolas turned, startled, but not alarmed, by the sudden voice. A smile touched his lips. "Good evening, Estel. How does the day find you?"

The man shrugged. "Where are you off to?"

"To find you."

Aragorn regarded the elf. "You seem deep in thought."

"That's a very nice observation."

"Good thoughts?"

Legolas thought for a second. "It depends on who you are."

"For you?"

"I'm neutral. They are both good and bad."

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "Never go to the elves for counsel..."

"For they will say both yes and no. I know. I did not mean to."

"Okay. So are they good or bad for me?"

"Good."

Aragorn pretended to look shocked. "Was that a definite answer?"

Legolas shoved his friend away. "Now who's being sarcastic?"

A sudden thought struck Aragorn. "I have to enter the tournament! I completely forgot to sign up!"

"Come back to the halls with me, then. Elrond still has the lists."

The young ranger nodded, retracing his steps. "So you signed up already, I'm sure. What did you enter under?"

"Enough."

Aragorn shook his head. "The time trials, at least? I know you entered that one."

Legolas nodded. "Although, I do not like being timed."

"Oh, quiet with you. I don't want to hear any of that self doubt your father puts in your head."

He knew he offended the elf, who had a high opinion of his father. He couldn't help it. Legolas was easily the best archer in the competition, and he would not have his friend putting himself down. He knew that he was the only one who did not like Thranduil, and he wasn't sure why. He really had no basis for his feelings. Even the twins knew that Legolas' striving was not caused by his father, but by himself.

Legolas did not say anything to the man. He wanted to defend his father, but it was a battle he did not feel like engaging in with the human. He only disliked Thranduil because the elf king didn't like humans. In general; of course there were exceptions, and if Aragorn would get past his feelings, he would learn that. He looked up as Aragorn spoke again.

"Ada! Please, is it too late for me to sign up?"

"The deadline was sunset, Estel."

The ranger's eyes drifted towards the windows, where the first stars were just appearing in the hazy mists of twilight. His shoulders fell.

"However, I will assume that Legolas was keeping you, otherwise you would have been here sooner."

The elf's eyes darted towards Elrond, as did Aragorn's. He winked at both of them. "Do it quickly Estel. Legolas, may I speak to you?"

Aragorn looked between his friend and his father before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"He signed up for all of them, Estel."

Aragorn looked at Elrohir as he and his twin entered the hall.

"Pardon?"

"Legolas entered every event."

"No. Surely he'll be too tired."

Elladan shrugged. "You try telling him that. He's convinced that if he doesn't compete in all of them, he'll be failing someone's expectations of him."

"Someone should expect him to lose."

Elladan laughed at his adopted brother's thought. "What good would that do? Well, other than killing him. If he loses, he'll fail someone, and as such if he wins. That would torture him more than any orc ever could."

Elrohir smiled. "We really should not be having this much fun at his expense."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Please, Legolas, have a seat."

Legolas spoke as he obeyed the command. "Lord Elrond, please. I know what you would say, and I will not change my mind."

"You do not know what I will say, my boy, for I was not going to ask you to change your mind. Now, if you don't mind, may I ask how things are going at home?"

Legolas sighed. Every time he let his guard down, someone had to bring back everything that stressed him. "Well, the spiders seem to be edging in closer of late, but the guards have managed-"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I know. I... I saw Mithfalas in the Golden Wood. And again when I visited Aragorn in the North."

"I know."

Legolas said nothing in response to the elf's knowledge. "He was so perfect, however long ago. Father adored him, and said so many times how he was proud to hand the crown down to him. And then he was exiled. And so, understandably, Father is pushing me harder so that I will be able to take over when he is gone. But... he is so convinced that I am going to fail him."

"Now, Legolas, has he ever actually told you that?"

The younger elf did not say anything for a minute. He dropped his gaze to the floor, and sighed. "No. Never. He's told me quite the opposite, actually, on several occasions."

"And you don't believe him?"

"I think, my lord, more correctly, that I am afraid I will fail him."

Elrond smiled. "Your father could not be more proud of you. He's told me so on several occasions, Legolas."

The young elf's eyes flashed momentarily. "May I be excused? I wish to retire."

"We have not even served dinner, Legolas."

"I am not hungry." Legolas would not meet his gaze.

"You may go."

Legolas stood, and bowed like a civilian. "Thank you, my lord."

Elrond sighed as the elf left. He had noticed small changes in the elf. He had always pushed himself, but never to this degree. Thranduil had first alerted him of it, asking for his opinion. For now, he had no ideas. Legolas wasn't helping him, either. He could never get this entire subject out in one conversation. Every time he tried, Legolas closed in on himself, blocking his emotions from the world. "I'm sorry, young one."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Hey Legolas! We're both in the stationary target competition! Legolas?" Aragorn tried not to look offended as the prince pushed past him, barely acknowledging him. "Legolas, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, Strider. Leave me be."

Aragorn sighed. "Did I say something?"

"No, my son."

Aragorn spun at the unexpected sound of his father's voice. "Ada?"

"It was me. Have you noticed a difference in him, since you last saw him, even?"

"No," the human's said innocently. "Should I go talk to him?"

"No, Estel. Leave him be. Let him think. I have a feeling you will not see much of him until the events."

The man sighed again. "He's so frustrating sometimes."

"I know. Be gentle with him. He has a lot of weight on such young shoulders." Elrond paused. "I will have someone take him dinner."

"I'll take it to him."

His father shook his head. "No, I think I will let Elrohir do that." He frowned at his son's downhearted look. "They have a bond that I think not even you have come close to. Yet, but you will, I can feel it."

"I understand that, Ada. I just worry for him."

"As you should, onya. As you should."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Legolas did not move when he heard a soft rapping at his door. He only continued to stare out the balcony window. The same balcony that he had shared so many times with Arwen, in the same room, sitting on the same bed. That bed, that they had both sat on as children, swearing their purity to each other, the bed they sat on as adolescents, swearing to keep that purity until they were wed. The bed that was the home of their nightly ritual. Legolas sighed. He remembered, so many times, being wide-awake in the deep hours of the night, waiting for Arwen to come in. And she would always come. Without ever saying a word, she would crawl under his covers, snuggle close to him, and he would wrap his arms around her. They would stay like that for hours, until she left again for her own chambers. They were careful, for a long time, not to get caught, in case anyone thought something was going on that wasn't. After a while, it stopped mattering what everyone else thought.

Then it stopped. She stopped coming in, he stopped staying awake, waiting for her. And then they stopped talking.

"Legolas."

The prince started at the hand on his shoulder. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had not noticed Elrohir enter the room. "Legolas, I brought you food."

"I am not hungry."

A large growling noise came that made Legolas wince. Elrohir raised an eyebrow. "Not hungry, hm? Well, I'll leave it for you then. Perhaps you are more in the mood for talking?"

"You don't waste time beating around the bush, do you?" The words had more bite than Legolas had intended.

"I just want to know what's wrong. Aragorn brought you to us, injured, helpless, after your little Northern adventure, and you were happy and cheerful. Now. . . you're just. . . angry. What are you so angry about, Legolas?"

Legolas took a deep breath. Explaining things to Elrohir meant he would fully have to comprehend them himself. He knew that would raise emotions he did not want to deal with. If he just pretended that things were fine, they would be. Everything would be fine.

"Legolas, please talk to me."

"I'm the reason Ada had to exile Fal."

"No, that is strictly between Mithfalas and your father. It had nothing to do with you." Elrohir was surprised by the answer, but did not miss a beat.

"It's not just that. I'm just so. . . bored with Mirkwood. Being a prince. That's why I like it here so much. I can forget my status."

"You're here to have fun, Legolas. Forget about your worries."

"There's something more, Elrohir. There has been a shadow of dread weighing heavily on my heart. I'm not sure where it is coming from, or what it pertains to, but it worries me. I have felt eyes on me, lately."

Elrohir could think of nothing to say. He finally managed, "You should ask Father about it. He might be able to see something."

Legolas looked at his long time friend. "Thank you for the meal, and for your ever faithful ears."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Where is Legolas?" Aragorn was pacing, and Elrohir was quickly growing annoyed.

"He's coming, don't worry."

"He's signed up for everything. He won't miss it," Elladan agreed with his brother. "Stop pacing. You'll wear yourself out."

"The race is last, isn't it? He'll be far too tired for it."

"No, Estel. He'll be fine. He's done this before."

Elrohir smiled. "Many times before."

The young human let his shoulders fall. "It's started. He'll miss it."

One of the judges began introducing the contestants, one by one, as they walked slowly out of the preparation tent.

"Elladan, son of Elrond." The Noldor elf smiled, and strolled out.

"I'm next, then." Elrohir said. Aragorn wished him luck before his name was called.

"Elrohir, son of Elrond."

It was his turn next. There were about five families between that of Elrond and Thranduil, which bought Legolas only minutes.

"Estel, son of Elrond." Aragorn looked over his shoulder one last time, then entered the forest where the crowds had gathered.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Remember, end of chapter 6!

To my lovely reviewers from the last chapter of HotM:

Deana: Lol, I love the "wow." It makes me so happy! See? The wait for this was much shorter than I expected, lol. Enjoy! PS. Mithfalas is probably never going to die. As much as I like to torture with that thought, it will probably never happen, lol.

Jazi: Lol, you've already been responded to, but I am still cracking up at that picture!

Miffy: Yo, Oil of Olay! My name may be funny, but at least it's not a skin care product!

I know, I know, but what are we gonna do with these two?

Faerlain: Lol, I got this up long before I planned on. And Fal isn't dead, but he probably won't show up here. Don't be embarrassed! I love them! They're hilarious!

Sky14: Oooh, haven't seen you in a while! Welcome back! Lol, that's cool, I hold on to small details and authors are always like, that's not important! And I still try to figure them out, lol.

Lindahoyland: Ah, thank you so much for the sweet review! I really hope you like this one!

:D : I said "savvy" after every sentence for the longest time! I enjoy major angst too, I just find it difficult to write. Oropher has been fixed. . . in future stories, at least. Apparantly "Orophir," though Tolkien did write his name spelled both ways, was confusing people because it looked like Orophin, Haldir's brother. . . so yes, we got him taken well care of! Sorry about the grammatical errors as well. . . I don't use a beta, so I do realize things like that will happen. Thank you for pointing those out!

NaughtyNettie: Thank you for the compliment! I try to make my stuff easy reads. I don't want to lose people. . . just going for the quick entertainment. Thanks!

F h c: Ah, I'm so glad you said they were getting monotonous! I was thinking it, but no one was saying anything. Like I said, this one has a twist, and there's really no torture after chapter 6, just angst and a new storyline. Hope you like! Glad you liked the preview!