Making An Impression To An Elven King

You were on an errand for Radagast, he wanted to know why so many spiders were appearing in the forest Mirkwood. You took your knife, bow and arrows and your trusted sword and went on your way.

Seeing as Radagast and you had lived near Mirkwood, you did not take your horse Midnight. You ventured in the forest making sure not to touch the water around here. Radagast had informed you that the water was as dark as night and should you even drink from it, you would fall asleep. That bit was not the scary bit though. Apparently, Radagast had also told you that when you wake up, you would not remember your name, let alone what you did last week, Tuesday.

No, you were playing it safe by staying well away from any water in this forest.

As you walk deeper in the forest, you noticed it was getting dimmer but that didn't stop you as you were made of studier stuff and a little light loss was nothing to worry about, right?

You come across the dreaded water and you made sure not to touch it. It was not as easy as you'd liked as the light in the sky was to you, ebbing away. Suddenly you heard a sound and you automatically look up and saw a massive spider slowing desending towards you.

You knew there was something evil about these spiders but you had no idea they were that big. There were nearly as big as Radagast's Rhosgobel rabbits, though you knew the rabbits were not evil, these creepy crawleys were though.

Grabbing your bow and arrow you quickly place your arrow in the bow and aim for the advancing spider. You fired your arrow and knew you hit it as you heard the spider cry out in pain. The spider fell and you quickly stepped out of the way. You didn't want a dead spider fall on top of you, especially as they could still sting you.

There were more of these spiders coming from all sides of you and you quickly replace your bow and arrows and took hold of your sword, knowing that your arrows would only help you for a little while. You heard movement from above you and you instinctively thusted your sword upward and pieced the skin of yet another spider. The fight was now on.

You began the sword dance, as you skillfully kill many spiders but you knew when one spider was taken care of, another would take its place. You knew this was ridiculous and had to leave the forest. So while you sliced another spider you quickly made a dash for it knowing full well they were chasing after you.

A spider very nearly went for you but an arrow had pierced one of the many eyes of the spider, knocking the spider sideways. Taking this as a sign, you stabbed the spider in the chest, making sure it was dead, before running of once more.

Even more arrows were flying past you and you wonder what was happening. You run into a clearing and for a second you took a change and slowed down and waited for your heart to return to normal. Yet another arrow flew past you and you were beginning to think that whoever was firing them out, were aiming for you, instead of those spiders.

"If you value you life, Miss, I'd suggest you keep running!" a voice close behind you said, causing you to raise your sword in a defending pose.

You don't turn around however as you knew he was right, you had to run, taking a deep breath you began running again, knowing full well you were being followed by someone else now as well as the spiders.

Another spider blocks your escape and you groan. Using your trusted sword you watch the spiders movement before you make your move. As the spider nears you, you dodge out of the way and manage to cut of one of its legs, big mistake! The spider suddenly turns and manages to sting your arm with its teeth causing you to groan out in pain.

With the last of your strength, you push your sword right in the spiders stomach, before you fall to your knees in defeat. Having a last look around you, the light around the forest was now gone and in it's place, was complete darkness. You felt achy and very sleepy before nothing.

o0o

You slowly open your eyes to a bright light. Had you died? You tried sitting up but felt very woozy and you lay back on the pillow.

'No, not dead,' you realised 'If I was dead, I would never feel like this.'

You feel sleepy again and you close your eyes, hoping the ceiling would stop spinning when you reopen your eyes.

o0o

You wake up to a sound, opening one brown eye slowly, you look to the source around this strange bedroom and see movement to your left. Opening your other eye now, you try and focus on the advancing movement.

For a second there, you really had thought you had died. Sitting across from you was a blonde haired angel. He was watching you with his ice blue eyes. You were surprised to see relief etched on his face.

"I see you have finally returned to us."

You blink a few times trying to assess your mind on where you really were. You try and sit up, though slowly this time, remembering the last time you tried to sit up. The angel got up and helped you. He rearranged the pillows, so you could lean back on them but in a sitting position.

The angel, sat back down, though his eyes never left yours. It was like he was waiting for something. You furrow your eyebrows, wondering where you were.

"Are you still in pain?" The angel asked you, noticing your arched eyebrows.

"N-no," you whispered, realising your throat felt funny, it felt all dry and scratchy "May I have a drink of water?"

"Of course." he replied, standing up.

You watch as he made his way towards the dresser at the far end of the room. You take in the room, the whole room was made of wood and stone which you noticed had carvings of some sort on it. When you were feeling better, you would look closely at these carvings, you decided.

Returning your attention back on the angel, he was now pouring water from a jug into a gold goblet. He placed the jug down and made his way towards you again, holding the goblet in his elegent, slender hands. He handed you the goblet, which you gracefully accepted and took a sip.

As soon as the water hit your throat, you were relieved. Your throat no longer felt awful. Taking another sip, you were beginning to feel a little better than you did before.

"Thank you for the water." You say to him.

The angel had sat back down and you knew he was watching you again. Looking at the gold goblet, you whispered,

"Where exactly am I?"

"You are in The woodland realm." he replied calmly, observing you carefully.

"The woodland realm!" you replied.

The angel nods.

"My son found you, unconscious by my borders. You are very lucky to be alive."

You suddenly remembered fighting all those spiders in Mirkwood, before you, yourself got bitten by one. You didn't want to outstay your welcome as you knew Radagast would get worried for your safety.

You move the bed covers from your body and attempt to get out of the bed.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I can not stay here," you began moving your legs to the edge of the bed "Ra-Radagast must be worried sick about me."

"He knows you are here, spider slayer," the angel remarked, getting up and pushing you gently back in the bed "He has been informed. There is no need to overexert yourself."

You take in his appearance, he had long blonde hair, oval shaped face, thick black eyebrows, a very straight nose. He was wearing a long silver robe, with black trousers underneath it. It was his eyes that had caught your attention though, the blue pools of his eyes had seen a lot of things, you realised, you could tell he had seen things that had hurt his handsome face.

Shaking your head for your mind to return to the present, you lick your lips and say,

"Forgive me for sounding a little rude here, but who are you?"

You saw a faint glimmer of a smile on his face as he tilts his head to his left, watching you intently.

"I am King Thranduil, you are in my realm."

You look back at him in shock, you had heard that name before, but only in passing. Gandalf once mentioned that there was a King in the northen parts of Mirkwood forest and that he always questioned everything. Gandalf had explained to you, that should you ever met King Thranduil, you should always speak the truth, as the King hated liars. He had a tendency to place strangers in his cells if he was not happy with the answer he wanted to know about.

You continue to watch him, as he sits back down on his chair.

'King Thranduil,' you thought to yourself 'An Elven King, not an angel. I am so naive!'

"I suposse you will place me in your cells now!" you say to him, averting your eyes from him now.

"Why would I do that?" querryed Thranduil "I know you pose no threat to me."

"How can you be so sure?" you ask him, looking up and meeting his piecing blue eyes.

"You are a friend of Mithrandir." he replied.

"Gandalf!"

Thranduil nods his head slowly.

"Yes, though I have always thought him a little odd, he has been a friend of mine for a very long time," you watch him carefully, listening to his soothing voice "That and the fact you know Radagast, who has been pestering me for your recovery status."

"Radagast is a dear friend of mine," you smile to yourself "Is he here?"

"No, he seemed to be distracted the last time I saw him. Do you realise he keeps several birds in his hat that he is wearing?"

You nod your head , smiling to yourself.

"Yes, Radagast loves nature and animals."

"He is a little strange," remarked Thranduil "He was more worried about you than his birds in his hat. He seemed unaware that a white subtance was trailing down his left side of his face."

"Oh dear!" I reply.

"Yes!" agreed Thranduil "I told my guards to take him to clean himself up but Radagast went in a strange mood. His eyes looked glassy, like he was in another place altogether."

"Unfortunately," you began "he does zone out like that a lot. I do not know where his mind wonders of too but, normally if I am around, I gently guide him to a chair and wait for him to return to the real world...I do hope he is alright though!"

"I'm sure he is fine, spider slayer!" smiled Thranduil.

You look at him with a confused look on your face.

"That's the second time you said that," you shifted a little in the bed, trying to get comfortable "Why do you call me that?"

Again Thranduil tilts his head while watching you. It looked like he was pondering what to say.

"My son Legolas informed me that there were over one hundred dead spiders while he was searching my borders," he began "He wanted to know who or what had killed them when he spotted you, killing yet another spider. Legolas knew that many spiders were near you now and took matters in his own hands."

You vaguely remember the many arrows that passed through you that day you were killing those creepy, evil spiders.

"Legolas saw you keel over," continuted Thranduil "and he quickly finished of killing the spider that were near him, before running to your aid. You have been here for several weeks."

You look at him with wide eyes.

"Several weeks," you could not believe that "I need to explain to Rada-,"

"You are going nowhere," interrupted Thranduil "not until you are completely well."

"But-,"

"But nothing," Thranduil said "There were a few times we had nearly lost you. You need to gain your strength. You should also rest."

"Strangely enought," you began, "I'm not tired."

Thranduil raised his right eyebrow at you.

"Then perhaps you could explain why you were in my forest to begin with!"

You look at your hands while you contemplate how to explain yourself to the King of Mirkwood.

"Well," You began "Radagast and I had noticed unusual activity near where we reside and we both searched for answers."

"What do you mean?" asked Thranduil.

"The animals you see, were becoming ill. We wanted to know what was causing this sudden change in many of the animals behaviour. A little futher from where we live, I had found something on the plants, it was a black mass and the plant that had this mass on it was dying."

You took a sip of water again before continuing.

"I informed Radagast of this and I showed him, he took a phial and using a twig, he put the black mass inside the phial. I remember watching Radagast look for clues in his books as to what this mass was but he could come up with nothing...It was around this time that Sebastian grew ill."

"Sebastian?" querryed Thranduil.

"Hmm, Sebastian is Radagast's favourite hedgehog," you reply notiching Thranduil roll his blue eyes "Radagast tried everything to help him out but, Sebastian was very unresponsive and he died."

You close your brown eyes remembering that scene like it was only yesterday.

"Radagast was besides himself," you began again, opening your eyes "so he used an ancient spell for which I had never heard before and it was while he was doing this spell that I noticed something crawling on the roof and windows, the normal colorful home we both reside in, was growing darker and I knew something was not right."

"Had it something to do with Radagast's spell perhaps?" asked Thranduil, watching you intently.

"I believe Radagast's spell could have heightened what was already there, but I don't think the spell he was using was of evil doing," you pause thinking of those strange shadows in the cottage "No, the spell Radagast was using healed Sebastian."

"You mean the hedgehog was revived?"

"Yes," you reply nodding "As soon as Radagast uttered the spell he was using, we both watched in wonder as Sebastian regained his bearings and was more or less back to his usual self once more."

You took another sip of water before adding,

"The things outside our home, which we later discovered were spiders, had disappered and the darkness went as well but, we both knew the problem was not over," you took a deep breath "Radagast wanted to know what were spiders doing on our roof and he suggested I investigate while he went to another venue. He knew there was something lurking in the forest and I did what he suggested and the rest you now know."

Thranduil watched you carefully and then frowned.

"Radagast put your life at risk!"

You shake your head.

"No, Radagast knew I could take care of myself, he was not to know what was about to happen."

"And yet, here you are, recovering from a poison that very nearly claimed your life!" exclaimed Thranduil sounding angry. "He should be punished!"

Again you shook your head.

"No, Radagast had no idea I would get caught by one of these spiders. Please, do not punish him." you pleaded with him.

You watch Thranduil, wondering what was going through his mind.

"Very well," he finally said "but if he ever does this kind of thing again, I will banish him from ever entering my realm!"

You just continue to watch him and you were surprised to see him smile at you. His smile made him more likeable you realised.

"You should get some sleep, spider slayer." said Thranduil.

"Please stop calling me that, I do have a name you know!" You point out to him.

Thranduil tilts his head and watched you.

"And what is your name?"

"My name is Tatiana, your highness." you reply softly to him.

"Please call me Thranduil, Tatiana," smiled Thranduil getting up "Sleep, we shall talk more later."

You watch Thranduil walk towards the wooden doors and he opened it, he turned around and saw you watching him and smiled again.

"Sleep Tatiana, I shall return later with some food and drink."

Thranduil then bowed his head and left the room, leaving you to your thoughts again. You leaned back on the pillows wondering where your weapons had disappeared too, before sleep overtook you once again.