~Chapter 1~
Midnight leaked through the windows, and nothing but silence stirred in the night. Moonlight danced in the streets of the elvish city. A tall, slender elf sat upon a windowsill, peering out into the night. His blonde hair cascaded down his back. His tunic and boots were grey, and his leggings green, his blue eyes wandered through the mysterious night, filled with remorse. He was royalty, but you could hardly tell from his actions, for he was not the type to brag.
"It's quite late." Said a familiar voice from behind him. Legolas snapped his head towards the threshold. He was relieved to see a tall, rugged, figure with black hair falling to his shoulders.
"Aragorn, my apologies, I did not expect to see you up still," Legolas said, turning his fair face back to the windowsill.
"Well, I couldn't sleep." Aragorn said, stepping slowly into the room.
The elf prince did not respond, he only looked out into the mysterious night of the city.
"Legolas…" there was a long pause. "I do have good news for you." He continued. Legolas stared out into the mysterious night for a second longer before detaching himself from his own imagination.
"What good news do you bring Aragorn?" he asked, his lips curling up slightly in an awkward smile.
"Did you know that it's been two years since we returned from our journey?" Aragorn said, leaning against the stonewalls of the large room.
"How could I ever forget?" Legolas responded, his sincere smile transforming into somewhat of a sarcastic one. He leapt up from the edge of the window, making no sound when his feet returned to the ground.
"Well I have just gotten word that the hobbits will be visiting Rivendell tomorrow," Aragorn said, hoping to bring Legolas to so much as a real smile.
"Good, I hope to see them in the morning, for I am going to retire to my bed now," He said, puling a thin cloak over his shoulders.
"We both know that you are just going to stare out that window all night Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, struggling to keep his tone mellow. "You haven't done anything else since Leóna left!"
Legolas turned quickly to Aragorn. His hand fell to the long knife on his bed, but he did not close his hand over it. Narrowing his pale blue eyes he said, "you know not to talk about her Aragorn."
"She left four months ago Legolas! You need to face that she left knowing that her death was inevitable!"
"She's not dead!" Legolas said, sorrow lingering in his voice.
"Legolas, no one who followed that mission made it back, Leóna is long gone."
Legolas turned away from Aragorn. He knew in his heart that Leóna did not make it back; he had even seen the horse return without a rider and coated in crimson. His heart belonged to the beautiful Leóna of Rivendell, with her long brown hair falling in waves at her waist, her deep ember eyes that could catch your heart and never let go. When she informed Legolas of her mission to wipe out the last of the orcs through middle earth, he couldn't accept it. Leóna had to leave in secret, leaving Legolas without a word of goodbye.
"Well Aragorn, you should probably return to Arwen." He said calmly, his heart aching with memory of his loss. He turned away from Aragorn and stared at the ground.
"Legolas I'm sorry." Aragorn said, taking a step towards Legolas. Legolas shied away from him, taking a step towards the edge of the room. Aragorn sighed, his green eyes drifted to the floor as he turned to the threshold.
"Goodnight Legolas." He said in a disappointed tone as he walked into the hall.
Legolas stared at his feet for a while, feeling sorrow build up inside him. He finally looked up at the window where he spent his lonely days and nights. Legolas began to walk to the window, but stopped himself when he reached the windowsill. He ran his fingers down the familiar surface with a sigh.
Long gone, he thought silently. The elf lie down on the bed and shut his eyes tight.
~Chapter 2~
Sunlight leaked into Legolas' waking eyes. He felt his bed below him and realized his accomplishment. He pushed off the cloak and sat up. This was the first night I've slept peacefully.
Legolas grabbed a comb and brushed over his long white-golden hair. He spun on his heels and made his way through the hall, feeling quite social today. He felt the cool breeze from the river splash at his face and closed his eyes, basking in the fresh morning. Legolas opened his eyes and a small smile lit up on his face.
"Eh-hem" called a comforting and quiet voice behind him, "I do believe a hello is in order," It continued.
Legolas looked over his shoulder and saw a hobbit, and not just any hobbit but Frodo Baggins. He looked like the same young hobbit, with brown curls, big blue eyes, and of course his cheery smile that only a hobbit could conceive (although it rarely showed since they set off to destroy the ring). Legolas turned his body around and received an embrace from the hobbit.
"How has the shire been?"
"Oh, its fine… fine… but I miss the adventure and the new sights as much as I would miss my own head if it left me!"
"Of course!" Legolas said, smiling at the young lad.
"So Legolas, how's Rivendell treating you, And how about Leóna, she is the reason you are here and not in Mirkwood, correct?" Frodo asked, tilting his head a bit.
Legolas' eyes drifted to the ground and his smile dropped. His heart felt as if it had fell out of his chest.
"I'm hoping to return to Mirkwood soon," he struggled to say. Frodo nodded, understanding Legolas' silence.
"Legolas!" A voice exclaimed excitedly. The elf prince turned sharply to see two more old friends, Pippin and Merry. Pippin ran to Legolas, who bent down to hug the little one.
"Pip, don't startle him!" merry called out. Legolas chuckled lightly and stood back up.
"It's been too long!" Legolas said, his smile lighting up again. Legolas looked up to see Aragorn approaching, along with Samwise Gamgee.
"I see they found you," said Aragorn, delighted to see his friend happy. Legolas turned to Aragorn. He looked off to the side where the river was and stared, his smile dropped and a worried expression replaced it.
"Legolas, what's wrong?" Aragorn asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. Legolas did not respond for he did not know, something felt wrong. A woman's scream echoed from the streets, and horse hooves slamming against the ground followed closely behind. Legolas pulled his bow out quickly and ran towards the scene. One, Two, Three men on horseback intruded their way into Rivendell. They all carried torches, burning bright orange, even in the broad daylight. Legolas drew an arrow and pointed it at the cherry bay Andalusian bearing a tall bare chested man with tan skin and short brown hair. He let the arrow go, puncturing the horses throat. The horse fell with a terrible screech. The other two riders reared their horses up and turned to the elf, galloping in his direction. Legolas reached back to grab and arrow and felt nothing. He pulled out two long knifes and gripped them by the handle. A man reached Legolas and drew his sword. He looked similar to the first man, only he rode a bay andalusian and had a long brown braid down his back. The man was now close enough for Legolas to see his almond shaped brown eyes, glaring at him with the passion of battle. He swung at Legolas, missing him by and inch. Legolas spun around, dodging the man's sword effectively. He stuck his knife into the right leg of the rider, causing him to fall off his horse. Legolas stood above the man, watching him grimace in pain.
"LEGOLAS!" called pippin frantically. Legolas turned to see Aragorn and the hobbits with two horses and four ponies. He looked at pippin, confused on his tone. He turned back around and felt a hard jab in the back of his neck. He fell limp to the ground, shocked on how someone actually got through his enhanced senses.
He opened his eyes through the excruciating pain to see a woman standing above him. She had golden hair that fell in long curls to her waist, her skin was tanned by the sun, and she was wearing a long skirt the colors of flames, which followed behind her like a shadow. She had a tall, and lean but athletic body. As the woman got closer, Legolas could see her icy blue eyes with golden flecks framing her pupil looking over him. She looked at him like a predator would look at its prey. The woman was beautiful. He tried to push himself up, but he felt too weak to move. The woman dragged a sword behind her; She swung it and stopped right before his throat.
"Will you bow to the Phoenix Queen?"
~Chapter 3~
Legolas' pain was fading, but he still felt weak. He sat up, breathing heavily.
"Hmm… I've never caught an elf before." The woman said, keeping her sword at legolas' throat.
"Who are you?" Legolas asked through his heavy breaths. The woman ignored Legolas' question and continued to examine him.
"Drogon!" she called, keeping her eyes focused on the elf. A man rode up on a Friesian horse. He was tall and muscular, but he seemed to move gracefully. He had copper-colored skin and a long black braid reaching his mid-back. His eyes looked as black as his horse. He dismounted and stood next to the woman.
"Yes my love?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair from her face and stepping closer to her. With her free hand, the woman pushed him away.
"Pack him." She said, lowering her sword slowly. She turned away and whistled sharply. A white andalusian mare came racing to her side, whinnying softly. The woman mounted the horse and kicked her foreword, speeding out of Legolas' vision. The man kicked Legolas back. he fell to the ground, grimacing in pain. The tall man binded Legolas' arms and swung Legolas over his shoulder. Legolas struggled a bit, but every time he moved an excruciating pain shot through his body. The elf was swung onto the back of a horse. The man stood over Legolas, making sure he was secure on the horse.
"Where are you taking me?" Legolas asked, looking into the man's dark eyes.
"You will be tested." The large man said simply, turning away from him. Legolas noticed the man's scar that winded from his right pectoral to just before his throat. Tested, For what? Legolas thought to himself. He watched as the large man mounted the horse and began to ride fiercely. He focused on the direction of the horse and tried to imagine where he was being taken to.
~Chapter 4~
It had been about four hours of riding when the horse finally stopped. Legolas felt the man dismount the horse, and before he knew it he was pushed off the horse. The elf landed on his right side, he let out a groan of pain as his back throbbed. The man slapped his horse on the thigh and it took off with a thundering whinny. Legolas felt a large hand on his shoulder, as the man picked him up and made him stand. He saw a camp up ahead, with a billowing fire towering over the campsites. The sun was about to go out of vision, and the bright orange flames contrasted with the royal blue sky.
"Walk," Said the man in a harsh voice.
Legolas walked slowly, trying to ignore the excruciating pain shooting through his body. He heard drums pounding as he approached the fiery campsite. Legolas' eyes drifted from the fire to the mortal men standing and sitting around it. The flames illuminated their eyes, revealing their fear. The drums echoed in the distance as riders, looking the same as the ones Legolas had seen today, approached. A kick sent Legolas falling to the ground. He caught himself on his hands and sat down next to the men by the fire. He felt the air carrying the warm and smoky air of the fire. The drums stopped all together as the woman Legolas had seen back in Rivendell approached the fire. She circled the fire, eyeing the mortals like a nazgûl eyes its victims. The drums started up again, pounding in Legolas' head. The woman started to move her hips, causing her skirt to mimic the movement of flames. The eyes of the figures around the fire lit up with fear, and desire. The woman closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the sky, breathing in the rising smoke. She seemed to be controlled by the music, unable to control her own free will outside of the motion. Her movements were hypnotizing. The woman let her eyes open and caught on those of a young man, sixteen at most. Fear poured into his face, leaving him pale as bone. He was a skinny boy, well underfed. He had shaggy brown hair falling on his forehead, and he seemed to be shaking. The woman sauntered over to the fire, and beckoned the boy to follow her. Legolas reached back for his long knife, but realized it had been taken. The woman shook back her long blonde hair, bending backwards as the drums sped up. She looked at the boy (who was still sitting in fear.) and smirked. The boy stood up slowly and approached the predator with little caution. She lifted up her hand, placing it on the boy's shoulder. Her other hand followed and she held on to his neck. Legolas felt the need to spring to action, flying an arrow into her chest if he had one, but he could not get up. One reason was his injury, but there was something else, some other reason he could not attack this woman. The woman continued to dance, tightening her grip on the boy's neck. A sinister smile grew on her face as she walked around the boy, stepping in sync with the drums. She slid her hands up to his chin and threw his head. With a sudden crack the boy fell limp in her hands and she let his body fall to the earth, Legolas flinched.
The woman spun around and fixed her eyes on Legolas. She approached him, still moving with the beats of the drums. She circled him, and the people around him scattered away. Legolas stayed calm and kept his eyes foreword. The woman jabbed her hand into Legolas' back with a loud crack. The pain drained from him as he stood up and faced the smirking woman.
"You need to stop this."
"Oh, I've only just begun," she said, gripping is shoulder tightly and dragging him out from the shadows of the fire. She began to circle Legolas again, only this time she seemed to be more controlled to by the beats of the drum. Legolas turned, not letting her out of his site. Different drums started to beat, and men howled like wolves from behind him. Legolas took a closer look at the woman, studying her heart-shaped face, lightly tanned skin, and deep-set eyes. The inner half of each eyebrow slanted sharply downward, framing her eyes. Her eyes were static blue streams upon a glare of depth so deep, you could be consumed by her eyes alone.
"Dance with me." She whispered, picking up speed in her movements as the drums and howls did. Legolas smiled a bit, feeling quite embarrassed.
"You're a sick person," He said, stepping backwards. The woman stepped closer to Legolas, only inches away from him.
"C'mon, it's just like fighting, and I know you are good at that. My two dead warriors prove it," She said, resting a wrist on his shoulder. Legolas smirked. Ill play her game, for now, he thought. Legolas pushed her away, and watched as she came right back in a graceful twirl. He caught her and began to complement her movements. He felt her heart pounding next to his chest, as the howls got louder. The rhythm of their bodies was as trance inducing as the intoxicating air their sensual bodies emitted toward one another. This was not merely breathing; it was communicating with warmness deep within each other's bodies.
The drums and howls came to a sudden stop, and all Legolas could hear was there deep breaths. The woman's hands were on Legolas' face, but she let them drop to her sides. Everyone around them waited patiently for her next move.
"He will keep his life," said the woman. The area boomed with whispers.
"Who are you?" Legolas asked, out of breath still.
"I have many names, but around here they call me the phoenix queen." She said, her smile growing.
"Why is that?" Legolas asked. The woman let out a small laugh and pushed past Legolas, walking towards the fire. She climbed the pile of branches and stood inches away from the flames. The flames flicked towards her, beckoning her to come closer. The woman stepped into the pit, letting the flames engulf her. Gasps filled the area, as the woman emerged, her body untouched by the flames. The fire illuminated her. The woman looked at Legolas, flashing him a smile. He was left breathless by her beauty; he had never seen any creature more valuable, more precious. Legolas' eyes drifted away from hers and caught the eye of something else, the elvish writing on her high back, just above her shoulder blades. He squinted hard, and studied the marks. Legolas' breath escaped him as he recognized the writing. It was the same writing that taunted those of men years ago… the same writing that the one ring bore when illuminated.
