(Thank you all again for your support. Hope you like the new chapter!)

Legolas was trapped. Somewhere deep down, he knew he was dreaming. He knew he was in the middle of a nightmare. But he couldn't get out. They wouldn't let him. He was trapped in his own mind and out of all the prisons or cells that Legolas had come across, the one his own mind created must have been the worst.

He was terrified and he hated himself for it. He loathed the fact that his whole body was trembling in fear and as soon as the begging words tumbled out of his mouth, he felt sick. Sick of his own weakness and his own despair. But he couldn't help himself.

"Please…Saes…stop! No more.. please, no more…" His voice was reduced to a mere whisper. He no longer had the energy to shout. After all that he had been through, Legolas could tolerate much pain. More than any Elf or Man could endure. But this wasn't so much about the physical torture. If there was one thing that Legolas could not stand, it was darkness and loneliness. Especially loneliness. And his capturers knew exactly how to make the young Elven Prince feel as if he was the last person left in a dark and hopeless world.

For days they would lock him in a tiny cell; a cell too small for his body, so he would have to crouch down until his legs started to cramp. There was no sound and the deafening silence pressed on Legolas' shoulders like a concrete block. He could only hear his own breathing, the beating of his heart and the blood streaming through his veins. And it drove him mad.

After Legolas had been locked in there for days on end, with no food or water, his capturers would take him out and do terrible things to him. They would beat and cut him; they would lash out on him with their whips; they would even touch him in places that terrified the young Prince. But that wasn't the worst of it. It was in the beginning, but after his mind had been crushed by the blinding darkness, what hurt the most were the lies they told him. The emotional torture. With every time they locked him in his cell, Legolas found it harder and harder not to believe what they told him. That he was a disgrace to his people. That they had abandoned him. That there was nobody who cared for him. That this was no more than he deserved. They would tell him that because of his failure, his father had died. That he would also lose those most precious to him. And each time, Legolas started to hate himself more. He wanted to die.

Even in sleep, he could no longer find rest. The darkness would haunt him and bring him back to that weakened, terrified part of himself.

"Please, stop… Let it be over, isn't that what you want eventually?"

They only laughed at him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, apart from the laughter, Legolas could hear someone calling to him. He knew that voice. He trusted that voice and he wanted nothing more than to let it sooth him. To let it take him away from this torturous place that his mind was trapped in every single night. Estel. His hope.

"Please… Estel, help? Make them stop… Please?"
A face appeared in front of him. One he knew too well, though he wished he didn't. Distorted and ugly with a smug smile and a dangerous glint in the eyes. Legolas feared this face beyond anything. This was the face that broke him. The face that reduced him to a mere shell of what he once was. He was trembling again. Cold sweat gathered on his brow and trickled down his back. He wanted to scream, to cry, to hide. He no longer wished to fight this face or the person that belonged to it. Because it would only bring pain and misery if he did. He had lost that will to fight long ago and no matter how he tried, he could no longer find it.

The trusted voice sounded louder now, drowning out the laughing faces of those surrounding him. It was pleading him – no begging him, to return to the light. To wake up.

I'm trying, Estel. Legolas thought miserably. I'm trying… Where are you? I cannot find you… Please? Please, help me? The Mirkwood prince was vaguely aware of the small moan that escaped his lips as he tried as hard as he could to fight his way back to the light. Aragorn's voice got louder and louder and after a while, Legolas could not even hear the sounds of those who wanted to hurt him. He felt someone shake him firmly by the shoulders; he heard someone demanding him to open his eyes.

And then he did.

Aragorn's heart was breaking. He had been trying to wake Legolas up for ten minutes now, but every time he thought he was close to pulling his friend back, Legolas seemed to fall back even deeper into his nightmare. The young ranger was sure that the Elf could hear him. He knew, because every time he called Legolas' voice, the prince turned his head slightly towards him and begged him to help. To find him. To make 'them' stop.

Aragorn was on the point of taking harder measures to wake his friend, when Legolas started to tremble and shift more in his sleep. He was whispering Aragorn's name over and over again and somehow Aragorn knew he was fighting his way back to the light. He gently continued his coaxing words, demanding his friend to open his eyes.

When they finally did, Aragorn's heart skipped a beat at the raw fear and pain that shone through them. He had seen Legolas in a vulnerable state many times, but never like this.

Legolas needed a moment to focus on his surroundings. He stared straight through Aragorn for a second, not really seeing him, but only taking note of the warmth and light the waking world offered. When his eyes finally focused on his best friend, something in Legolas' heart broke and before he knew it, a raw sob tore its way out of his throat. And then another, and another. Legolas let himself be pulled into the protective embrace of his friend and buried his face in the curve of Aragorn's neck. He wasn't really crying, there were no tears. But he was so relieved to see Estel's face at that moment, that he needed this time to collect himself. He needed to hold his friend; to hear him; to touch him; to smell him… Just to make sure that he was really here and no longer trapped in the darkness of his nightmare.

After what must have been only a few minutes, Legolas pulled away and fell back on his pillows. He dragged one arm over his eyes and breathed deeply a few times. He felt immediately ashamed of himself and he dared not to look his friend in the eyes again. Somewhere deep down he knew of course that it was ridiculous, because Aragorn would never feel ashamed of Legolas… But the young Mirkwood Prince had only a little pride left after everything he had been through, and he desperately wanted to hang on to that.

Aragorn, always observing and knowing Legolas better than anyone, maybe even better than his own father, knew exactly what the prince was doing and tried to break the tension.

"Nightmare?" He asked dryly, in a voice that hinted humor, yet concern.

It had the desired effect.

Legolas let out a bright, surprised chuckle and pulled his arm away to look at Aragorn, who was smiling back at him.

"No, not at all…" He said quietly, his voice still a little hoarse, "Why would you think that?"

Aragorn grinned and squeezed Legolas' shoulder reassuringly. Neither of them said anything for a while, not because they didn't know what to say, but because they both felt comfortable enough in each other's silence. Legolas smile faded after a few minutes and he turned to look at his friend. "Is it any use to tell you I'm feeling okay now and I don't need to talk?"

Aragorn snorted. "Not at all… But I will not press you into talking about this right now, mellon-nin. I only wish to tell you that talking about it may help and that I am here for you. Always."

Legolas' hand found Aragorns and he weakly squeezed it, feeling grateful and loved. "Thank you… Not now…" He whispered tiredly. He did not know how long he slept, but he still felt exhausted. The nightmares didn't give him a chance to rest properly.

Aragorn nodded. He wished Legolas would talk to him, but if there was anything he had learned from his friend in the past, then it was not to press him into it. Legolas would come to him in his own time. When he was ready. Of course, Aragorn could coax him into sharing his experiences, but he would never force his friend to tell him. It had the opposite effect of working.

"Very well…," he said quietly, while he carefully lay down next to Legolas on the bed, draping one arm protectively around his friend's shoulders and pulling him close. It had took them a while for Legolas to be comfortable with Aragorn being this close to him, but Aragorn had always known that Legolas longed the attention and he was happy to give it to him. To make him feel safe.

Legolas easily relaxed into Aragorn's touch and leaned back a little, so that his head was resting against his friend's shoulder. They didn't speak for a while and just lay next to each other in silence. Legolas was slowly drawing strength from his best friend and he suddenly regretted not contacting Aragorn sooner.

"My father will be here in a couple of days," Aragorn said quietly after a while. "And I believe he has taken Elladan and Elrohir with him. I apologize in advance for that.."

Legolas smiled and closed his eyes. "Don't. I haven't seen them in a long while. It would be nice to have some pranks in Mirkwood again. Everyone has turned so serious here in the palace…It couldn't hurt to see my friends and family smiling again."

Aragorn frowned sadly. He was sure that, though he had to admit that Elladan and Elrohir had their funny moments, Legolas' friends and family weren't so somber because of the lack of humor in the palace. He kept his mouth shut, however, not wanting to trouble Legolas more than he already was. Besides, he was sure that his best friend knew very well why everyone in the palace had gotten this serious.

Legolas suddenly chuckled. "Do you remember the last time they came to visit? You were already here, but you hadn't send word about your arrival to your family yet, so I guess they were worried. I still remember the look on father's face when he caught them decorating my rooms with pink flowers. They somehow had him convinced that I actually asked them to brighten up my room a little, because the pink colors reminded me of spring and sweets and I presumably loved sweets… Late that night father came to my room with a box full of candy... You know he doesn't like to be made fun of, even though it was actually me who was being pranked."

Aragorn smiled. It was good to hear Legolas laugh, even though he knew his spirit wasn't fully in it. "I remember… And instead of speaking to my brothers about it, your father decided to reprimand me, instead of them, because I should be able to control those two. As if that is even possible…"

"Tell me about you three?" Legolas mumbled soflty. "I know you've told me a lot already, but it is always amusing to hear and I could use some lighthearted stories right now…"

Aragorn pressed a light kiss on the top of Legolas' head and nodded. He knew it was a big deal for his friend to admit that he needed something light to hear. "Aye, I can do that, my friend. You but have to ask. Just close your eyes for me and try to rest…"

Legolas did as he was told. He smiled contently as he listened to Aragorn's voice and the stories he had to share about his childhood with the twins and Lord Elrond. They were carefree and humorous and they allowed Legolas' mind to focus on something else than the pitch black darkness that tried to enfold him so often now. For a second he feared falling asleep and thus having to face the nightmares again, but somehow, with Aragorn so close to him and his friend's voice so nearby, he believed he could keep the darkness at bay. Slowly he drifted off into the world of Estel when he was still a young boy and he dreamed that he had been a part of it.

Aragorn noticed the difference in Legolas' features the minute he fell asleep. He wondered for a second if he should wake his friend, but Valar knew Legolas needed the rest and he seemed to be comfortably resting right now. Aragorn made sure he was in constant contact with his friend. He kept talking to him and every now and then he squeezed his shoulder or rested his chin on the top of Legolas' head. He refused to fall asleep himself. If this was what Legolas needed to get through the night, then this was what Aragorn would do.

TBC.

(Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!)