Chapter One

The soft grating sound of a knife ripped through the carrot, before knocking against the wooden board was the only sound that reached the ears of a lone elf. She sighed leaning forward to yank open the window, letting in the soft breeze. The Elleth scratched at idly at her forehead, listening to the wind in the leaves, the soft chirping of the birds, the lazy trickling of a nearby pond, the crunching of gravel beneath one's soft padded feet.

The elleth paused in her work at the latter, footsteps, she had lived a rather secluded life in the forest has now for hundreds of years. Few knew of her whereabouts. A smile form on her lips at the thought Lord Elrond, Gandalf, and Thranduil were the only ones who knew where she lived now perhaps, it was one of them.

Leaning further against the counter to looked out the window, sighing in disappointment when it was no more than a messenger, Alea tried to hide from her disappointment. Who was she kidding? She was told to move here from the three of the people closest to her and has heard nothing from any of them since, what would make today different. The messenger passing by was a complete coincidence, throwing the knife into the sink harder than necessary Alea stormed upstairs to shower, to escape from the reality of her situation, to escape the heart-ache, to escape all the hurt that raged inside.

Alea never heard the messenger walk up to the door, nor the knocking that followed, perhaps she did but ignored it not really believing.

It was only when she came back downstairs to finished preparing dinner that she noticed the parchment envelope upon the floor, slipped partially underneath the door. Hurried footsteps led Alea curiosity getting the best of her, flipping the letter over she was met with the light, leisurely script spelling out her name.

In a flash Alea had the envelope torn to shreds, she would know that writing anywhere, Thranduil.

Alea,

It is time now that you return to us here in Mirkwood, I will be awaiting your return upon the weeks end, at night fall. Beneath the full moon, we will talk more.

I expect you to see you soon.

King Thranduil

Alea read the letter over and over again, trying to understand something and anything her mind went whirling back to the day she had left Mirkwood.

Flashback

Thranduil had his back turned to Alea as he poured himself a glass of wine. He tried desperatly to hide his own feelings on the matter at hand.

"Why now, you promised I could stay here! I don't want to leave, I am happy here...please." Alea begged with the King.

"It is time you left, Lord Elrond told you this would be temporary, and now the time has come for you to leave." Thranduil replied, managing to keep all emotion out of his voice.

"Please... I love him... don't make me leave everything behind..." the elleth cried, trying to make him change his mind.

"As he loves you, but this is for the best, this is what must happen." Thranduil forced out, he knew he was ripping his son and this elleth apart and knew how it would cause them both heartbreak but there were far larger issues to deal with.

Alea sighed, blinking back tears.

"Tell me than, just tell me why! For nearly three thousand years I have done as you, Elrond, and Gandalf have asked and still I know nothing, please!"

"It is not time," his voice was stern and sharp.

"Fine, am I to go back to Rivendell than." Alea asked, swipe a hand along her cheek wiping away the tears, she tried to hide the pain in her voice.

"No, you will not return to any Elven city," Thranduil snipped out throwing back his wine in a single gulp, before quickly pouring himself more.

These words had stung the elf more than she ever thought possible, all her life she jumped around from Rivendell, to Lotherien, to Mirkwood and back again. Where would they expect her to go now. "Where than, where am I suppose to go?"

Thranduil said nothing for a moment, until a new set of foot prints sounded behind them.

"Gandalf!" Alea cried out about to run to him, when he held up his hand for her to stay put. "Please Mithrindir, make him hear reason."

"You know of the location details." The grey wizard asked the great Elven King paying the elleth no mind.

"I am," Thranduil answered, bowing his head ever so slightly to Alea before turning and leaving the room, knowing he would not see her again for hundreds of years to come.

"Thranduil!" Alea yelled for him to come back, but he never did.

For Thranduil the pain was too great, he loved her like a daughter to send her away hurt. Knowing what the future held for her, he knew it was for the best, or so they all hoped.

"Come we must leave." Gandalf called waving for her to follow him out.

Alea nodded a few tears escaping as her defenses as they left Mirkwood and her entire life she built there behind, "Can I say good-bye to Legolas first."

"No! We leave now, there is no looking back." Gandalf mounted his horse, as he swung her up on to the horse with him.

"Please," Alea pleaded.

"We cannot," Gandalf answered and with that they were gone in a flash.

End Flashback

As Alea read the letter over and over again, the bile began to rise up in her mouth while it was true she would do anything Thranduil asked of her she grew tired of these games, for nearly three thousand years she jumped around from city to city at their whim, begging and pleading for more information never getting anything in return just that they did it purely for my safety... till the time was right.

And so it begins again, Alea rolled her eyes as she prepared a bag leaving her life behind yet again. Alea vowed to herself that she would be returning to Mirkwood for no other than the reasons the King needed her for. Alea did not want to return for Legolas, she would not, could not let herself get close to him again only to be ripped away once more when one of them saw it fit. The heartbreak would be too much.

Nodding in determination Alea swung the back over her shoulder heading to out, mentally preparing herself for whatever lay in store.

Author's Note; Sorry I've been away for awhile, and am back and into the full swing of writing again. However, after having stopped writing for a time and coming back my mind drew a blank for everything I was working on and I literally stared at documents for a good hour with little to no succues so this is what came to be after staring at a blank page. I promise to not give up on my other stories to lol.

Love you all

Ivy.