Eldarion had never been this far away from the city before, and he was loving every minute of it. Legolas smiled as he watched the child run ahead a short distance to get a better look. Legolas had no need to lead either of the two horses, for they followed obediently on their own. Eldarion ran back and grabbed Legolas’s hand pulling him faster.
“Come on, Uncle Leg’las! Look! Hurry!”
As he was pulled over the hill, Eldarion pointed to the horizon. A large herd of Mearas galloped along the outskirts of Rohan’s plains. Legolas smiled and looked down at Eldarion whom was nearly shaking with excitement.
“Who’s horses are those? Do you think Ada would get me one?”
Legolas suppressed his grin and shook his head slowly.
“I highly doubt that, little one. Those horses are wild. Very few ever get to ride them. What is wrong with Brethil?”
Eldarion shook his head slowly.
“Nothing’s wrong with her, Uncle Leg’las. But she doesn’t look like the Mass.”
Legolas smiled, but stopped himself from correcting Eldarion’s pronunciation. Instead, he lifted the child up and carried him over to his horse.
“I think we should ride a while don’t you think?”
Eldarion nodded eagerly.
“I’ll race you to the trees!”
“No, no, no.”
Eldarion almost started off when he was stopped by the elf.
“That is the wrong way. That way is west. We need to go north. The forest over there is Fangorn forest. I doubt your Ada would be too happy if I took you there.”
Instead of a gallop, the child began Brethil at a walk. Legolas rode alongside.
“Why?”
“Well,” Legolas smiled. “Your Ada didn’t enjoy Fangorn very much. Neither did your Uncle Gimli.”
“Are we gonna see Uncle Gimli home?”
Legolas shook his head.
“No, not this time. He lives rather far from my home, past the Misty Mountains.”
Eldarion nodded, somewhat disappointed, but he did not complain.
“How long ’till we get to Mirkwood?”
Legolas thought a moment.
“I believe we will enter the woods sometime tomorrow, but we will not reach my home for another two days if not more.”
“REALLY? We’re that close?”
Legolas nodded with a smile. Eldarion looked at Legolas for a moment.
“Can we run for a while, Uncle Leg’las?”
The elf could not say no. He nodded shortly and let Eldarion get ahead of him. Legolas was sure to keep Arod close by Brethil, but at the same time made sure Eldarion stayed ahead and continued ‘winning’. With time Eldarion slowed Brethil down and looked back at Legolas with a wide grin.
“I won!”
Legolas grinned and nodded slowly.
“So you did.”
Legolas’s eyes brightened suddenly, catching Eldarion’s attention. He followed Legolas’s eyes to a forest line in the distance.
“Is that it?”
“It is.” Legolas said softly. “Come Eldarion. The sun will set soon and we need to find a place to camp.”

Little did Legolas know, they were not safe. The whole time, they were being followed.
They thought they did away with me… Fools. But now… Now I can complete my plan. Aragorn, you have made revenge too easy. Now I can get you twice.
As he came across the thought, his eyes darted between both Legolas and Eldarion. An evil smile parted his lips.
What will you think when your ‘best friend’ returns to my side? What will you think when he kills your son?

Legolas’s hand went to his left shoulder and his brow creased. Something did not seem right. He glanced behind him and quickly scanned the terrain. He didn’t see anyone… But that still did not comfort him. Something defiantly wasn’t right.
“Eldarion… Why don’t you ride with me for a while? You can just sleep right here.”
“But why?”
Rather than tell the child the complete truth, he said a different true reason.
“I’m rather anxious to get home and if we do not stop tonight, then we can get there faster. I won’t let you fall.”
Eldarion nodded slowly and for the first time, Legolas noticed exactly how tired the child was. He stopped his horse and eased Eldarion over to his saddle and held him in front of him. He urged Arod forward, Brethil following alongside them. Eldarion looked sleepily up to Legolas.
“Sing me a song, Uncle Leg’las.”
Legolas smiled faintly.
“Any song?”
The child nodded slowly.
“All right. I will sing you the song of Nimrodel. She was an elf maiden from Lothlorien and now a river through those lands is named after her.
An Elven-maid there was of old,
A shining star by day:
Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,
Her shoes of silver-gray.

But from the West has come no word,
And on the Hither Shore
No tidings Elven-folk have heard
Of Amroth evermore.”

Only a few moments passed before Eldarion’s deep, even breathing indicated he was sleeping; yet Legolas continued singing as much as he knew. Even to this day, he could not sing the entire song. He sighed and tightened his grip on the sleeping child to prevent him from slipping and sped Arod up. At this rate, they would be in Mirkwood when Eldarion woke up in the morning and they would be in the Halls by tomorrow night. He glanced back again, just to see a figure retreating southward on horseback. He narrowed his eyes, seeing it was an elf. Seeing an elf just outside of elven lands did not raise his suspicions any, but did not ease his tension either. Why would an elf be hurrying away so fast? He did not know, however, that it was an old enemy going off to regroup.