Chapter 1

He ran swiftly through the trees, never making a sound as his feet hit the earth again and again. A flock of birds were startled by him and his companions, and he looked up towards the sky as they flew up through the tree tops. He wanted to climb the nearest tree and watch them rise up into the pure blue sky. He longed to peer out of the dense forest, to feel the wind blow through his long golden blonde hair, and to feel the sun against his face. How nice it would feel to let the world fall away for just one moment. But he had a job to do.

A pack of orcs had been spotted by a scouting team earlier in the morning, and he had been sent out with five others to wipe them out. As they neared a clearing in the forest they could hear the sound of orcs grunting loudly to each other. They had found the camp. "What a miserable breed of creatures these orcs are" he thought to himself as he took to the lower branches of the trees surrounding the field, along with his companions. There were few of them there in the camp, only about 25, and many were in various stages of sleeping and lounging about.

Looking through the branches surround him, he spotted the other members of his party. One of his generals nodded to him that they were ready. He silently reached back and grabbed an arrow from his quiver. Quickly nocking it, he aimed and shot it straight through the nearest orc's neck. There was a moment of silence as all of the orcs turned to look at their dead companion. Then the chaos broke out. The elves dropped from the trees, arrows whistling through the air, as the orcs ran towards them with their axes raised. The battle lasted only a matter of minutes, and soon the elves were collecting themselves and their weapons. A few of them rummaged through the small stash of supplies in the center of the camp. There wasn't much of value to be found, but there was some fresh meat. It was well into the afternoon, and they were all hungry after spending the past few hours traveling. A fire was started and the meat was cooked and shared among them. The leader of these elves sat farther way from the group, and was wiping the blood from one of his long knives with the bottom of his rich green tunic. His armor glistening in the sun and reflecting off a badge, claiming him to be the captain of the Greenwood army.

"Legolas, we need to be heading back soon. The scouting party from the south will surely be back now with news of these orc camps," a member of his party called coming over to him. It was a long time friend of Legolas', and someone he called on quite often to lead when he wasn't able to.

He put his knife away and motioned to the others to clean up. Within a few minutes, they were away, running through the forest.


Legolas sat alongside his fellow warriors in one of the many great rooms in the palace of Thranduil, the Elvenking of the Woodland Realm. He sat near the window and stared off, paying little attention to the conversation that was taking place. These orc camps and their growing proximity to the elvish kingdom were of great concern to him, and it was his duty as Thranduil's son to see to the halting of the orc's advances. But he had little patience today for these talks. They had been going on for nearly a month and close to nothing had been done. He wanted to be out there seeking the camps out and taking care of them himself. Not sitting discussing them in a committee.

But by his father's decree he could not go. So there he sat, staring out the window. From where he sat he had a good view of the narrow bridge that connected the Greenwood forest to the kingdom, it stretched hight above a sparkling blue river lined with grey stones that made the river dance and swirl. On the other side of the river bank the forest ran on for miles and miles. A pathway wound from the bridge across the miles of forest to the far plains.

He was staring at the river, watching the water shimmer in the sun, when he saw them. A group of about 30 elves came sprinting from the forest and towards the bridge and doors of the kingdom. Legolas stood "Father, I believe we have some company." Glancing at his father, he swiftly walked out of the room and down the halls towards the main gate, shouting for the guards to open the doors. When he reached the entrance hall a guard approached him.

"My lord, these are warriors escorting a councilor sent from Lord Elrond of Rivendell. They wish to speak with your father immediately."

He looked over the group of elves. They were all clad in tan-brown cloaks, with dark blue leggings showing at the bottom. Although it was warrior's clothing, it had a gracefulness to it that could only come from Rivendell. Looking closer at the elves assembled before him, he began to notice a few familiar faces. The elvish prince had fought in many battles and in a few he was able to battle alongside some of the other kingdom's finest. There were many other faces he didn't recognize and one in particular stood out. She stood near the back of the group, but she was impossible for Legolas to miss. Her beauty was subtle yet so perfect. Her long brown hair fell in waves down her back, and her light brown eyes seemed to smolder as she returned his gaze. Legolas was just about to permit them in when one of his guards called out. His head snapped up and he noticed movement though the still open gates. A pack of orcs were running out of the forest towards the gates with their weapons raised.

"They're attacking!" someone yelled.

Legolas was in motion. He pushed through the gathering of elves, and ran out the gates, a small sword raised in his hands. In a swift motion he had the first orc he encountered tumbling off the side of the bridge and into the river below. The others drew their weapons behind him and soon they were pushing the pack of orcs off the bridge and into the forest entrance. As they spread out along the bank or the river, Legolas spotted the she-elf nearby. He began to work his way over to where she was. Soon they were fighting side by side, moving together in rhythm. One of Legolas' men found his way through the battle, over to him, and handed him his bow and a quiver. He quickly handed his sword over to the other elf for his own defense and began to shoot.

These were the things he lived for. He enjoyed the rush of the battle, and this time, the she-elf beside him. She could keep an even pace with him, and her accuracy with a sword was unmatched. She was fighting once particular orc and with a kick, sent it flying backwards. In that instant another came up behind her and was about to deliver a potentially fatal blow when it fell backwards, dead. She spun quickly around to see the dead orc. Legolas lowered his bow as she realized what had just happened and turned to look at him. Their eyes met and neither one could look away in that instant. Somehow time seemed to stand still for a moment, and the battle around them a distant noise. Her attacker had recovered from her kick though, and lunged forward. Lost in the moment, she didn't see it coming right away. She was barely able to lean back in time, and the tip of its sword lightly cut the skink of her cheek as it past by her face. They both snapped out of their trance, and her own sword took of its head a moment later.

The fighting continued for just a short time longer. Legolas had begun to count his kills in his mind. Eight, an arrow in the neck. Nine, an arrow stabbing through with his hands. He only made it to number 14 before the fight was over. Looking up he saw the she-elf brushing herself off, a trickle of blood oozing from the cut on her cheek. He wanted to go to her, but it was safer to get everyone inside the walls of the realm before more orcs arrived. He rounded up the group of elves from Rivendell and brought them forth through the gates, and in to meet his father.