PROLOGUE

FOUR MONTHS AGO

She was sitting on the window seat, sewing up a tear in one of Legolas' vests when the orcs attacked Mirkwood. Almost instantly, she had a flashback to the day that Legolas had taken her around the entire castle, explaining to her where to go and what to do if there was any sort of invasion or attack. She could hear his low, lulling voice in her head at the moment the castle began to violently shake and shudder, objects teetering and falling to the floor in the bedroom.

"If you are in the bedroom, get under the bed."

Belleruraina dropped Legolas' vest and fell to her knees off of the window seat. Quickly, she crawled on her hands and knees towards the bed. She lifted the bottom of the quilt and scurried underneath, moving to the back and center. She laid down flat on her stomach, her hands covering her head in case the bed were to collapse on top of her. The stone beneath her face became warm and moist with her quick, hot breaths.

All that she could think of was her betrothed. She worried as she wondered where he was and if he was okay or not. Her chest began to ache painfully as her mind raced. She wanted to get out from underneath the bed and go find him, but she knew better than that. If she found Legolas, she knew that she would be a distraction to him, and could get him injured or killed. She knew that, though she hated having to, waiting underneath the bed for him to come to her was best.

Almost absentmindedly, one of Belleruraina's hands had drifted to the chain around her neck. Hidden inside of her dress, around the chain, was a wooden whistle. Legolas had given it to her when word of orc armies had spread to Mirkwood. He had a whistle as well, and had come up with a code to go along with them. If Belleruraina heard a whistle blow twice, she was to blow hers once in retaliation, and vice versa. That way, they could locate each other safely and discreetly.

Belleruraina closed her eyes and tried to decipher all of the sounds her elven ears picked up on, but there was too much chaos to even try. She could hear hundreds of elven footsteps, as well as hundreds of orc footsteps. Elven footsteps could only be heard by other elves, for they were that quiet. She hoped that a pair of those footsteps she heard belonged to Legolas. She clutched the chain at her neck tighter.

Suddenly, the door to the bedroom opened. Belleruraina's free hand went to her nose and mouth. She covered them both to quiet her breathing. She knew from the moment the door began to creak open that there were orcs entering the room. Their stench was overpowering, and Belleruraina could feel her eyes watering as her nose hair began to burn. But she remained quiet and still.

There were two pairs of footsteps. Belleruraina could tell by their footfalls that one of the orcs was of average size, while the other was smaller. They both carried the scent of blood on them. The smell sent shivers running up and down Belleruraina's spine. She tried to sniff for Legolas' scent on them, but his scent was already in the bedroom upon other things.

"Look." One of the orcs spoke suddenly, the smell of his breath filling the air along with the stench of his body odor. Belleruraina heard his footsteps closer to the bed. "Someone is here."

Belleruraina remembered that she had abandoned Legolas' vest. She silently cursed herself for having been so stupid. She prayed that her vital mistake wouldn't cost her life. Though she wanted to move further from where she could tell the orcs were standing, she didn't dare move an inch. She continued to try to muffle her breathing with her hand. She knew the only thing saving her from the orcs smelling her out was that hers and Legolas' scents covered the bedroom.

The footsteps then went on to crisscross the room. Belleruraina guessed that they were searching for her. She could hear them knocking over furniture.

"Whoever was here mustn't be any longer." The other orc finally said.

"Wait a second." The orc that had spoken first suddenly said. Suddenly, Belleruraina was extremely aware of a presence beside the bed. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the quilt moving at the front of the bed. "We've got you whoever you are. If you come out now, we'll make things easier for you."

Belleruraina had a choice to make. She believed that she had already made it subconsciously before she actually had. She realized that the hand that had been clutching the chain was already fisted around the whistle inside of her dress. She fumbled it out and raised it to her lips. Closing her eyes, Belleruraina took a deep breath before she blew on the whistle as hard and for as long as she could.

All at once, the bed was lifted up and hurled towards the wall. A grimy pair of hands found Belleruraina, and hoisted her to her feet. A hand came out of nowhere and struck her hard across the face, ending the whistle. Belleruraina would have fallen to the ground from the force of the blow had the first pair of hands not been holding her.

"Give me that!" The orc that had hit her snatched the whistle up, the chain breaking painfully free from Belleruraina's neck. She watched hopelessly as the orc crushed the whistle easily in his large fist.

"We have a pretty one here." The orc that was clutching the front of Belleruraina's dress in his fists spoke up. He licked his dry and peeling lips with a dark, oozing tongue. Spit dribbled down his chin. "What's say we take a peek under her dress?"

Belleruraina reacted immediately, surprising even herself. Her knee collided with the orc's crotch, emitting a violent reaction. He used what strength he had left, before falling to his knees, to throw Belleruraina easily across the floor. She slid painfully across the stone floor and into the bed, which was broken from having been thrown into the wall.

"You'll be sorry for that one sweet." The other orc said with a menacing laugh as he approached Belleruraina. "Over and over again."

It wasn't meant to be so. It was then that the door was broken off of its hinges. It flew into the room and landed noisily on the floor. When the orc that was about to grab Belleruraina turned to see who had broken down the door, he caught an arrow in the eye. The arrowhead was embedded deep inside his eye, the shaft swinging back and forth slightly as the orc instantly fell backward with a thud.

Belleruraina felt the most wonderful of feelings as she saw Legolas enter the room. The features of his face, which were usually serene, were enraged. His blue eyes were sharp enough to cut through stone as they set their sights on the orc who was still on his knees from Belleruraina's blow. Without his feet barely touching the floor, Legolas crossed the room to where he knelt. In a single movement, he had unsheathed his sword and cut the orc in two.

It was amazing how quickly Legolas' face changed as he turned his attention towards Belleruraina. His eyes, which had been razor sharp before, were soft, but concerned. He sheathed his sword as he went to where she lay.

"Belle." Legolas breathed her name as though he were releasing a sigh of relief. His hands found her face as his eyes searched her body. They found scrapes along her knees and elbows from having skidded across the stone floor, and the bruise that was already beginning to form on her cheek from having been struck. "Belle are you alright?"

"Yes. Yes, now that I know you are alright." Belle couldn't help but lean her face into one of Legolas' palms, relief flooding through her at seeing him alive and unharmed.

"Come, I must get you to safety." Legolas allowed his thumb to brush affectionately across her skin before releasing her face.

His hands found hers as he helped her to her feet. His mind had been focused on getting Belle out of the castle, until he had her on her feet. He let his other emotions take over as he fiercely embraced her. His strong arms held her close to his body, his hands clutching at her hair. Belle gladly mimicked his behavior. Her arms were around his neck in a second, her face buried into his tunic front.

"I did not think I would reach you in time. I felt as though I could not run fast enough after I heard your whistle." Legolas spoke in rushed sentences, his voice husky and thick with emotion as scenarios played out in his head of him not reaching Belle in time to save her.

"I was so worried. I feared something had happened to you." Belle answered, her own mind playing painful 'what ifs' in her head. She began to gasp and choke on the air as though she were drowning.

"I am fine. You are fine. That is all that matters." Legolas replied, trying to change the tone of his voice to soothe Belle. He slowly released her, and she did the same. He looked into her eyes, his hand reaching up to cup her face. "I am going to get you out of here. Nothing will harm you, not as long as I draw breath."

Belle nodded. She believed his words. Legolas had demonstrated before her very eyes that he was strong and capable of protecting her. She let what she had seen and what he told her comfort her. She regained her composure.

"Come." Legolas took his hand from Belle's face and started for the door. "I am taking you to the cellar, where there are already many elf-maidens and elflings. You will be safe there while we fight off the orcs."

Legolas put his back to the wall. He carefully looked around the corner and out into the hall. When he was satisfied that it was clear, he motioned for Belle to follow him. She watched him pull out his bow as he walked briskly down the corridor.

When they reached the end of it, Legolas repeated his cautious actions. He immediately put his hand out, signaling Belle to stop. She pressed her back against the wall where she stood. She watched as Legolas notched an arrow. Then, he moved swiftly from his place against the wall, and released the arrow upon whatever had been around the corner. Belle heard the orc fall to the ground, and then heard the ones that had been with him running in their direction.

She watched how quickly Legolas was able to pull arrows from his quiver, and how even more quickly he released the arrows from his bow. Belle listened to each orc fall after Legolas had hit them. There had been five, counting the first one he had put down.

Legolas then motioned for Belle, and she quickly ran to his side. They stepped over the orc bodies as they made their way down the hall. Belle could feel orc blood on the bottoms of her bare feet. She tried to wipe them off on the stone floor so that she wouldn't leave footprints.

Suddenly, both Legolas and Belle could hear orcs yelling at the end of the hall in the direction in which they were headed. They both stopped dead in their tracks, though Legolas took several steps to the side to stand in front of Belle. She watched his fingers find an arrow and pause on it, waiting.

Then, Belle saw something be thrown into the hall in their direction. The next thing she knew, Legolas had grabbed her and pinned her to the wall. His chest was at her back, his arms covering her head while his legs tried to align with hers. They remained that way for a moment before Legolas released Belle.

She looked at the floor, trying to find the source of Legolas' sudden actions. A few feet away from where they had been, there was a bomb. Her eyes widened when she realized that she and Legolas could have been killed. But she saw that the fuse had gone out, a miracle.

The next thing that Belle knew, Legolas had killed the two orcs responsible for throwing the bomb at them. From there, they quickly made their way through the many halls and corridors towards the location of the cellar. The stairs leading down to the cellar were practically at the heart of the castle, since that was where the throne room and feast hall were located. They were able to reach the cellar without any more encounters with orcs.

"Belle, I want you to listen to me." Legolas put away his bow after he had made sure that there were no orcs approaching. He gently took hold of Belle's arms. "Go down to the cellar. You need to stay put there. That is where you will be safest."

"Legolas where will you go?" Belle asked, always thinking of him before herself.

"I need to join the rest of the elves in fighting off the orcs. There are many elf-maidens and elflings that are still out in the community that need to be brought to safety."

Belle couldn't find any words that she felt would be appropriate to respond with. She merely nodded numbly, and received the same kind of nod in return.

"I love you Belle."

When Legolas said those words, Belle lost control of herself. She launched herself at him, her hands clutching desperately at his tunic. Tears that she hadn't known had formed streamed down her cheeks. She began to sob, the same choking and sputtering sounds erupting from her mouth.

"No…don't. Don't…don't…leave…me." Belle managed to choke out amidst her hysterics. Her evil mind picked up where it had left off in the bedroom, playing horrifying scenes of Legolas being murdered. They did nothing to help her current situation.

"Belle." Legolas' voice was calm but stern. He pried Belle off of him, but she continued to break down in front of him. He grabbed her arms once more, this time more roughly. He shook her once. "Belleruraina."

It was clear that his voice had reached her on some level. Though she continued to shake, and though tears continued to fall down her face, any kinds of noise that had been coming from her stopped. Her eyes focused on his.

Legolas held her face for the third time since finding her. He held it meaningfully in his strong, calloused hands. He made sure that he had Belle's attention before he spoke again.

"I will come back for you." He promised, his voice completely sincere.

Only when Belle nodded in response did Legolas lean down to her level and kiss her forcefully. His closed lips tasted the salty tears that had trickled down her face and found her lips. He reveled for a moment in the feeling of their lips pressed against one another's before he pulled away from her completely.

Then, without another word, Belle watched as Legolas turned and ran in the direction of the doors leading out of the castle.