Chapter 1

Fantasy

I awake in a forest, the floor scattered with leaves of a familiar tree. A forest once beautiful, lush and green, now dark and shadowed with evil. Though through the dark there seemed to be a light, pure and white like the stars. It was warm and welcomed me, but I did not try to stand, I felt as if I should let someone help me up.

Out of the light a silhouette appeared, that of a man. No, not a man- male, yes, but not a man. I was sure of this though I could not understand why. He carried a bow in his right hand, and his hair appeared long and lightly coloured. As he spoke his voice seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't place it.

"Are you hurt?" He asked in a soft voice, and as he crouched down the light fell on his face. Long, blonde hair with a small elegant plait on either side, just behind his ears. His ears that had an unusual point to them. Elf, the thought came into my mind. His eyes were blue like a cloudless sky on the perfect sunny day.

He still looked at me, concern written onto his perfectly symmetrical face. I felt no pain but lifted my hand to examine it- I felt I had to. My hand was pale and thin, my nails perfectly and naturally manicured.

"I seem fine," I finally replied and looked at him again, "Though I'm quite confused as to how I got here."

I blinked a few times before he stood up and stepped back slightly, offering me his hand. Hesitantly I took it and he pulled me to my feet with ease, my feet which I felt unusually weightless on.

"You fell off you horse, Princess." He explained simply and the concerned look that had faded briefly found its way back onto his face.

Something about this entire moment felt so familiar, yet alien to me. Legolas, a thought found its way into my mind. His name, and with the thought of his name came a feeling of warmth and love. Princess, I realised he had called me. I needed only his first name to completely it entirely. Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood.

I was looking upon a Prince- no, not a Prince. My Prince. My thoughts were beginning to come together, though still pieces were missing.

"Yes, of course. I may have hit my head." I said and placed my hand on my forehead, though it did not hurt. Somewhat instinctively I ran my hand through my hair. My beautiful brown hair that had not a flaw to it.

This was strange, yet I smiled. I seemed perfect, and so did he.

"We should go back now. Will you be able to ride your own horse?" Legolas asked as he put his bow on his back- he carried a quiver with at least a dozen arrows and two finely crafted daggers. I glanced over his shoulder to see two horses grazing tamely, adorned with beautifully and skilfully made tack.

One was slightly bigger than the other; flawlessly white with a light brown saddle that had elegant golden markings, a bridle that served as armour for the horse, glittered slightly gold in the light. The other horse was smaller, but still tall. Chestnut adorned with a white and silver saddle and silver bridle without armour. Its face was almost completely white.

My thoughts conflicted- I felt capable of riding a horse yet the thought also scared me.

"I…No." I answered and with that my mind was bombarded with memory. Falling off a horse at the age of 13 and fracturing my spine. Almost being trampled on by a tall horse, rearing aggressively.

The memories were not of this world however. My heartbeat quickened and my legs gave in and I fell to the ground, my head hit the forest floor with a loud thud. The layer of dead leaves did nothing to help the impact. The world became alien and my vision faded into blackness, though my eyes were not closed.

The first sound I heard was a rhythmic beep that drowned out all other sounds. Opening my eyes was a difficult task; it felt like the life had been drained out of me. I let out a weak groan, and finally my eyes opened to the sight of a plain, white wall. I was in a hospital bed, a needle stuck into my left hand, attached to a drip. The room smelt of disinfectant- an overwhelming and slightly sickening smell. The wall to my right had a large window which was closed.

The beeping which I heard was that of the heart monitor which was beside the drip. It was unusually difficult to move and I felt drowsy. The drowsiness clouded my senses and I battled to hear, my vision was still adjusting to the bright ceiling light above my bed.

I looked down at my body, my right arm wrapped tightly in a bandage. A sinking and sickening feeling came to mind as I remembered how I got here. A very, very dark day for me, and my breath shook as I let out a dreadful sigh. I had attempted suicide, and obviously failed.

Yet my parents weren't by my hospital bed, praying that I wake up, without brain damage. Of course they weren't, they were part of the reason I was in this situation. School was the other half. Home was Hell, school was Hell- my life was Hell. I had tried to escape, without success.

My dream came back to me and I wished I could close my eyes and fall back into that world- though I didn't know what world it was. Obviously it wasn't from this time; it had Princes and Princesses and Elves. That was my favourite world which I longed to live in. There was less judgement and need to be as perfect as you do in this world.

I sighed and looked out the window of my room; the clouds blocked the sun and seemed to give the world an ominous feeling, like some terrible thing was going to happened. My hearing was clearing now and I could hear the hustle and bustle from beyond my door: nurses, doctors and visitors going about their business. No one cared to check in on me though. Of course.

I questioned if this was all a nightmare and I would awake once again on the forest floor, or back at Mirkwood, with my Prince waiting anxiously for me to open my eyes. For a moment I felt it possible but shook the absurd thought from my head. No. This was my life and Legolas was nothing but a dream.

Still though I wanted to escape this crumbling reality, so I closed my eyes gently and relaxed my muscles, trying to ignore the heart monitor which beeped incessantly by my bedside. Thankfully, the needle in my hand felt imaginable and I felt weak from the medication which they pumped into my veins. Sleep found me rather easily and I drifted off into my imaginary world again.