Chapter One
She closed her eyes and drew in a small breath. Soon, she sensed the change in her surroundings as the wind ruffled her hair. This new environment gave her a heavy feeling. Almost as if the air was thicker.
Before she dared to open her eyes, she drew in a small breath. Her senses picked up the flavor of trees. The scene around her flashed before her closed eyes. An ancient forest delimited her. Large trees that towered just about a hundred feet above her almost made her feel small. Nature's every sound filled her ears. Birds flew, nested, and sang happily around the woods. A few small mammals scurried along the uneven underbrush. And the sound of someone breathing. . .
~~~
Legolas had been getting a bit of fresh air when a woman seemed to suddenly appear out of the air. One minute he sat alone and the next, she was there. He was in shock as he looked her over. She did not seem to possess the elven qualities, yet she did at the same time.
He watched as she appeared to absorb her bearings even while her eyes stayed gently shut. Her arms spread parallel to the ground and the wind that had come with her played with her hair.
The wind ceased and her arms slowly dropped to her sides. Her eyes flashed opened and stared straight ahead of her before moving to look right at him, although he knew she could not see him in his place in the trees.
"Who stands in my presence in this domain?" he whisper carried to his ears. Either the question was a quiet thought to herself or she knew his ears would pick up the question.
He waited for a moment before drawing his bow, notching an arrow and jumping from his perch to aim his weapon straight at her. As their eyes met, he couldn't help but wonder if she would disappear just as she came.
"State--"
"Ah, one of the locals I presume," she interrupted, eying him. "I suggest you put that away before you hurt yourself."
Legolas was too stunned to reply, but only gripped the bow tighter. "I demand your name and business, my lady. Then---"
"Ha! Earthling, you demand nothing from me."
Legolas, who was royalty, was not used to being interrupted nor being mocked.
"My lady," he started, patience wearing thin, "I will be forced to shoot if you will not comply." He breathed easier, thankful to have finished his statement.
"What would your king say," she started towards him slowly. "When he heard you shot a sorceress?" The question seemed merely a thought, not a question as it was worded to be.
"He trusts my judgment," he answered taking a step back. "Now, stop and state your name and business."
She ignored his comment and kept her pace. "You must be and elfling. Only elves on this planet would be so demanding yet courageous. Yet, on the contrary, that hesitant step back makes me think you are ill experienced."
"And that small hesitation ins your step leads me to believe you are frightened I might shoot."
His statement caused the mysterious visitor to pause in her tracks. She look at him for a moment and replied, "I am here to see the one who hold power of Mirkwood."
She comes to Rivendell to seek my father? She must be a foreigner-or an enemy. Legolas thought.
"I am the highest you shall see for now." Which is higher than you care to think.
"Do not tell me you are the king of Mirkwood. Ha! Royalty wandering armed in the forests here, even with this threat I hear of. DO you have guards watching from the trees, elfling?"
Ad if on queue, Elladan, son of Elrond, emerged from the trees behind him.
"Legolas, my father would," His eyes followed the arrow point to the woman while he spoke. "Oh. . . hello." He looked back to Legolas. "Are you capturing maidens in the forest again, Legolas?"
"No," he muttered, not removing his eyes from his prey. "I do not capture maidens. And this is no maiden."
"Mmm. . . alright. Then pray tell, what is she?"
"A sorceress is the best I have received."
"A sorceress?" He laughed. "Legolas, you have been drinking too much ale. This," he motioned to her, but his eyes stayed on the prince. "is no sorceress."
The stranger swiped her hand and Legolas released his arrow as out of the corner of his eye he witnessed Elladan thrown against a tree ten feet away. Amazingly, she caught his arrow just as it was about to strike her between the eyes.
"What conjurer of cheap tricks are you?" Elladan asked, startled as he stood, rubbing his head.
"I am no such thing. Now, take me to your king."
"Well, that depends on--"
"Elladan!" Legolas warned as he slipped his useless bow into his quiver. "Tell Elrond we have company."
Elladan stood there for a moment then ran off into the city.
She closed her eyes and drew in a small breath. Soon, she sensed the change in her surroundings as the wind ruffled her hair. This new environment gave her a heavy feeling. Almost as if the air was thicker.
Before she dared to open her eyes, she drew in a small breath. Her senses picked up the flavor of trees. The scene around her flashed before her closed eyes. An ancient forest delimited her. Large trees that towered just about a hundred feet above her almost made her feel small. Nature's every sound filled her ears. Birds flew, nested, and sang happily around the woods. A few small mammals scurried along the uneven underbrush. And the sound of someone breathing. . .
~~~
Legolas had been getting a bit of fresh air when a woman seemed to suddenly appear out of the air. One minute he sat alone and the next, she was there. He was in shock as he looked her over. She did not seem to possess the elven qualities, yet she did at the same time.
He watched as she appeared to absorb her bearings even while her eyes stayed gently shut. Her arms spread parallel to the ground and the wind that had come with her played with her hair.
The wind ceased and her arms slowly dropped to her sides. Her eyes flashed opened and stared straight ahead of her before moving to look right at him, although he knew she could not see him in his place in the trees.
"Who stands in my presence in this domain?" he whisper carried to his ears. Either the question was a quiet thought to herself or she knew his ears would pick up the question.
He waited for a moment before drawing his bow, notching an arrow and jumping from his perch to aim his weapon straight at her. As their eyes met, he couldn't help but wonder if she would disappear just as she came.
"State--"
"Ah, one of the locals I presume," she interrupted, eying him. "I suggest you put that away before you hurt yourself."
Legolas was too stunned to reply, but only gripped the bow tighter. "I demand your name and business, my lady. Then---"
"Ha! Earthling, you demand nothing from me."
Legolas, who was royalty, was not used to being interrupted nor being mocked.
"My lady," he started, patience wearing thin, "I will be forced to shoot if you will not comply." He breathed easier, thankful to have finished his statement.
"What would your king say," she started towards him slowly. "When he heard you shot a sorceress?" The question seemed merely a thought, not a question as it was worded to be.
"He trusts my judgment," he answered taking a step back. "Now, stop and state your name and business."
She ignored his comment and kept her pace. "You must be and elfling. Only elves on this planet would be so demanding yet courageous. Yet, on the contrary, that hesitant step back makes me think you are ill experienced."
"And that small hesitation ins your step leads me to believe you are frightened I might shoot."
His statement caused the mysterious visitor to pause in her tracks. She look at him for a moment and replied, "I am here to see the one who hold power of Mirkwood."
She comes to Rivendell to seek my father? She must be a foreigner-or an enemy. Legolas thought.
"I am the highest you shall see for now." Which is higher than you care to think.
"Do not tell me you are the king of Mirkwood. Ha! Royalty wandering armed in the forests here, even with this threat I hear of. DO you have guards watching from the trees, elfling?"
Ad if on queue, Elladan, son of Elrond, emerged from the trees behind him.
"Legolas, my father would," His eyes followed the arrow point to the woman while he spoke. "Oh. . . hello." He looked back to Legolas. "Are you capturing maidens in the forest again, Legolas?"
"No," he muttered, not removing his eyes from his prey. "I do not capture maidens. And this is no maiden."
"Mmm. . . alright. Then pray tell, what is she?"
"A sorceress is the best I have received."
"A sorceress?" He laughed. "Legolas, you have been drinking too much ale. This," he motioned to her, but his eyes stayed on the prince. "is no sorceress."
The stranger swiped her hand and Legolas released his arrow as out of the corner of his eye he witnessed Elladan thrown against a tree ten feet away. Amazingly, she caught his arrow just as it was about to strike her between the eyes.
"What conjurer of cheap tricks are you?" Elladan asked, startled as he stood, rubbing his head.
"I am no such thing. Now, take me to your king."
"Well, that depends on--"
"Elladan!" Legolas warned as he slipped his useless bow into his quiver. "Tell Elrond we have company."
Elladan stood there for a moment then ran off into the city.