Thank you everyone for reading this and thanks especially to New-Identity for your wonderful comments and our strange conversations!

As soon as he was sure that the elves wouldn't be returning, Aragorn set off with Legolas in his arms. He ran all day, past the twisted roots of the forest and dodging long, low-hanging branches as he unwittingly headed South, not West.

It was about midday when he stopped. He thought it was midday, anyway; he had completely lost track of time and could no longer see the sun in order to tell the time. He was lost.

If I can't see the sun, then how can I know that I'm headed West? He asked himself. He had been pushing the thought away again and again, but now that he had stopped, it came back. And this time, he couldn't push it away, so he tried to reason with it.

Because I've not turned. I'm headed due West, along the elf path!

Then where is it?

That hadn't occurred to him before. But after all, what was it Tinu had said? He racked his brain, trying desperately to remember. There!

'I'll go first my boy. Better to have an elf in front or you'll lose the path.'

That's what Tinu had said! But the only elf Aragorn had in his company right now was a young, desperately injured and deeply unconscious elfling. Not helpful. Even if he could get the elfling to go first, he doubted he would be able to stand on his feet for long, let alone walk.

No. Aragorn would have to do this on his own. Sighing deeply in an attempt at not panicking, he set down the elfling and stretched, feeling oddly peaceful.

The moment was short-lived, however, when Legolas sat up suddenly, fear shining plainly in his large blue eyes. Aragorn glanced around immediately, trusting the elf's superior hearing, and, grabbing the elfling, darted into the cover of a well hidden ditch.

He took care to cover his tracks, knowing that the elf's hearing would give him enough time to do so before the threat reached him.

As he jumped into the ditch beside Legolas, his human ears picked up what Legolas' highly refined elvish ones had picked up before: footsteps.

He could tell they were elvish footsteps, having lived with the creatures all his life, and his suspicions were confirmed when two elves, wearing the garb of woodland guards, marched past, eyes scanning the surrounding area.

Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief once they had passed before turning to the elf beside him, smiling.

"Hannon le. You saved us once again!"

Legolas turned, his expression somber and pained.

"They're c-coming for me. He'll n-never let me e-escape." His voice was barely a whisper and his eyes darted around as though searching for an escape route.

Aragorn felt a swell of pity for the elf before him, but he remembered what he had seen on that first night. Legolas was a murderer, and he would have to be locked up again, though it broke Aragorn's heart. Unless...

"I need to know something."

Legolas looked frightened at what he probably imagined was coming. Aragorn guessed he was fearing an abusive questioning.

He was right. Legolas was terrified of the human he'd thought was different, the human he'd thought wouldn't hurt him. He curled up and backed away into the earthen wall of the ditch they were still crouched in, closing his eyes against a wave of nausea at the thought of another 'punishment'.

Aragorn followed the elf, suddenly realising what he'd done.

"No, no, ssssh tithen-pen, pân natha mae. I won't hurt you. I'm trying to help you."

He rubbed soothing circles onto the child's injured back, carefully avoiding wounds and bruises, which wasn't easy.

"H-help me? H-how?"

"I need to know why you were locked up so I can prove that there is no reason to lock you up again."

Legolas panicked. "Y-you're going to lock me up again, aren't you? I knew it! I knew I couldn't trust you!" He yelled accusingly. A deep pang of sadness rang through his entire being as he realised that he was just going in torturous circles.

"No, no, I'm not. Calm down Legolas, let me explain." He wiped away the elfling's tears and hugged him close.

"I'm taking you somewhere safe. Somewhere where the bad elves who hurt you won't be able to get to you any more. Somewhere where you will be protected."

"B-but..." Legolas sounded confused. "But I deserve to be punished. Ada said so! And what Ada says goes."

Estel was shocked into silence. This little elfling couldn't be... he couldn't be Thranduil's child, could he? Aragorn had been sure from his connection with nature that he had been a Silvan elf, although he had never heard of even a Silvan elf whose connection to the natural world was so strong, but... Legolas' father was a Sindar elf. Assuming that his mother wasn't, that meant that he was only half Silvan. And yet his connection was so strong, he was so in tune with the world...

Legolas looked up at him with huge blue eyes which were filling with tears. They were blue, like Thranduil's eyes, but held so much more warmth and kindness that it was, until now, impossible to imagine that they were related.

"Your father is King Thranduil?"

"Y-Yes! But I wish he wasn't, I wish he was dead! I wish I was dead!" Legolas seemed to consider his statement for a moment, then corrected himself. "I wished I was dead until I met you."

"I won't ever hurt you like he did, Legolas. I promise. It disgusts me what he did to you. I'm taking you to Rivendell, where you'll be safe."

"R-Rivendell? Do you live there?"

"Yes, Legolas, I do. I live there."

"Then why are you here? Are you- Are you the representat-representative from Lord Elrond?"

"Yes." Aragorn smiled at the elfling in his arms. "But I'm afraid I have to ask you one more thing, I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

Aragorn smiled, then grimaced at what he was about to ask. "What happened with your Naneth?"

Legolas looked ready to burst into tears once more, so Aragorn hurriedly reassured him, "I'm not going to blame you, or treat you any differently for it. Just please tell me the truth, ok?"

"Ok." Legolas took a deep breath, his voice shaking as he spoke. "Nana - Queen Melithan - is d-dead. Because of me. I-I killed her and I can't ever repay her!"

"How, Legolas? How did you kill her? What did you do?"

Legolas' next words broke Aragorn's heart.

"I-I- She died giving birth." He was sobbing now. "She gave her l-life for m-me and I'm worthless! I-I'm u-useless." His next words were a whisper. "I'm a murderer."

Aragorn's eyes began to fill with tears at the words. How could anyone believe that it was Legolas' fault? And more importantly, how could anyone lead him to believe so?

The human glanced down at the elf's left forearm. How could anyone tattoo a lie onto an innocent elfling?

Finally, he managed to control his anger enough to speak.

"Nobody is going to lock you up again Legolas, I promise you that. You have done nothing wrong. You're not a murderer, and you didn't kill your Naneth. You are innocent. That scum that is your father is never going to see you again, never going to hurt you again. Do you understand?"

Legolas nodded numbly. Innocent? Not a murderer? Could it really be true? Could Nana's death not be his fault?

The elf couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. He had lived his whole life away from people, believing that he was a killer. However, he still felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Turning to the human, he smiled.

Thank you to everyone who reads this! Your votes and comments mean more than I can say!

I'm not sure what the next chapter will be yet so it's a surprise! :)

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