[Witch_Queen]

Thranduil looked around and noticed that all the elves were there and accounted for. His nephew was there along with all the others he had talked to during the past few days. Everything had gotten out of hand at his house. Legolas for the past few days had been trying to talk him into letting him go along. Thranduil turned around and looked all the spectators.

Thranduil turned back to the gate and began walking towards the forest. His fate still unknown to him. He could hear his wife at home crying. He hated to leave her in such a dangerous time but he couldn't trust any one else. He wasn't going to send his son or his nephew into a fight in which he didn't know the enemy very well. He then realized that Melen had spoken to him. "To tell the truth I have no idea how long this will take." He coud feel his cheeks burning and knew he was blushing. "Legolas and the rest of the men will see to it that the spiders don't harm any of our women and children. Melen you have nothing to worry about." He then turned to face the rest of the men. "I don't know how long we shall be gone. Hopefully it won't be long, but remember that Legolas is here for guidance and he will reign in my absence. We have fathers and sons leaving their family, I can't make this a promise, but I will do my best to return them to their wives and mothers alive."

Thranduil was at a loss for words. He knew the spiders would try to attack the city while he was gone. The spiders aren't as stupid or coward as he had thought. He knew who he had to blame. At that moment his thoughts when back to the dwarves. He knew in his heart that they didn't mean anything by it but he couldn't help but be mad at them. What else was there for him to do now. "We must leave you now, let us not leave you as rivals or friends but let us leave you as our own family. At this moment forgive those who go to fight in your stead and for your life. After all we don't know what this road has ahead for us."

Thranduil turned back to the gates. His heart only sinking deeper in his chest. He carried little with him including his bow and swords. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see that his good friend Uragonia was there. Along with him was his son Runia. "I thought you would never come Uragonia. Yet you surprise me like always. I am glad to see you." The older elf smiled and began to laugh. "Oh Thranduil, my king you didn't actually think I would let you go off to who knows what death. Indeed you must have drank too much last night. Was the celebration that bad?" Thranduil motioned for the others to follow him. His friends words stuck in his mind. Death? I had thought about it alot here lately. What the others don't know will only hurt them more. He motioned for his nephew to come join him at the front.

"Lossenfirithion, I need to tell you something. The others shouldn't know." The young elf nodded his head. "Last night a few spiders were spotted outside the city gates. Luckily they were killed before anyone else was hurt." Thranduil paused after realizing what he had just said. " Urquania, Eruever's wife, is gone. She dissapeared before we could tell her about her husbands death. I fear that she was taken by the spiders. If we find a trace of her, the others are to keep their mouths sealed. If word gets back to Mirkwood about this then we will have alot more problems on our hand."

Deep down in his heart he knew he was putting a heavy burden on his nephew. "You can't even tell your son. For it will only trouble his soul even more. The one thing we don't need is restless men." The trees around him began to blow in the wind. He figured that in the next couple of days they would at least find a few of the spiders. Thranduil remembered that he was never informed on where exactly Eruever's sword was found. Now he was worried even more. He wasn't worried for himself, he was worried about his men.