Chapter One

"Orcs! I hope we will see orcs! Or spiders!"

With her flaming hair swirling around her, Tauriel did two quick spins across the room then leapt onto the bed with her her arms outstretched, hands gripping imaginary knives. Her green eyes blazed.

As her shenanagins jostled the mattress Aeila looked up from the leather-bound text she'd been reading. She could not believe her ears. Spiders? Really? Little elves were not supposed to daydream about spiders. She snapped her book shut then folded her arms. "We don't want orcs Tauriel. Or spiders." Aeila couldn't stand the tiny furry spiders that crept around the forests of Imladris. If the beasts of Mirkwood were as terrible as the stories said... "No, we especially don't want spiders," she repeated, shivering.

The younger elleth was still standing on the bed, legs apart and hands now perched defiantly on her hips. She was staring loftily off into the distance. "Why not? I'd protect you, Aeila. You know I would." One hand strayed from her hip to dramatically draw an make-believe sword from an invisible scabbard.

Aeila laughed. "You are very brave." She smiled and fondly patted the youngling's leg. If only she were as brave. "But you know the stories, just like I do. I think it would take several strong elves to protect us from those spiders." Absently she imagined Elrond's two sons wielding their mithril-tipped blades against the eight-legged beasts. She had never seen a real battle but she did sometimes spy on the elf warriors as they practiced in the training glen. It was... fascinating. In a way. The fighting, not the warriors. Aeila felt her cheeks tingle.

Tauriel turned quickly and in one move that was pretty complex for a elleth of her age, rolled across the floor and poised herself with one leg outstretched. In her arms was now obviously a pretend arrow and cocked bow.

"But you won't be going anywhere if you don't finish packing," Aeila reminded her, gesturing at the mess of garments and other belongings that were scattered across their cluttered bedroom. This had been her room for many years, and part of her felt sad to be leaving the place she had lived for so long.

The rest of her felt only excitement to finally be leaving Rivendell and seeing the world. Once when she was very young, her parents had taken Aeila on a trip to visit her grandparents in Lothlorien. But she'd been only an elfing, and that was centuries ago. She could hardly remember it now. She had spent most of her life safe in the hidden valley, helping her brother raise his spirited daughter. And though her heart still belonged to the rocky forests and sparkling falls of Imladris, she often dreamed of the world beyond, and of those great, mysterious elves in the ancient stories. She'd read about them in books.

Aeila loved books.

"Books!" Tauriel groaned, lighting kicking at Aeila's sack of belongings that sat in a heap next to her bed. "You're not hauling your books all the way to Mirkwood, Aeila?"

"Not all of them."

The little elfing made a very unlady-like sound through her nose. "You read too much."

Aeila shook her head. They'd had this argument over and over again. "One can never read too much," she insisted. "Books have magic in them, if you'd only care to look. What about the tale of Glorfindel? You love that story."

Tauriel blinked. "And you can tell it to me every time I ask. So why should I bother reading?"

"Never mind." Aeila picked up her book and tried to look annoyed but she was laughing inside. Somehow Tauriel had inherited her father's features and his attitude; she was like a small version of him, but with red hair. In fact Aeila entirely blamed Valion for his daughter's 'love of war'. He was a feisty, reckless, and competitive elf, always eager for a chance to spar. Verbally or physically. He could be very annoying sometimes, but Aeila loved him. She didn't know what she would do without him.

That was the main reason she was tagging along on this sojourn to the Great Forest.

"Are you ladies nearly ready?"

There was her brother standing under the arched doorway with his sword swinging on his belt and his green cloak hanging from his shoulders. Apparently, he was ready. Aeila made a helpless face and pointed at his daughter who was still slaughtering imaginary goblins and had not finished packing.

Valion took his daughter by the arm. "Get your things together," he said gently, but firmly. "We have less than half an hour. What have you been doing all morning?" He gave Aeila a smile that implied he knew she'd been reading instead of working, but he did not say so out loud. Aeila smiled back at him. He really was a very dear brother, and she wished he would smile more often. Many times she had wondered if he would someday find another elleth to fall in love with. Then maybe he would be happy again. But he was mostly interested in weapons and craftsmanship, and never had any time for females.

Just like Aeila had no time for males.

Where had that come from? Honestly, Aeila. She had plenty of time on her hands, it was just that all the males her age seemed to see her as a child, or at least they treated her like one. No, that wasn't fair. It was more that all the elves her age felt like... cousins to her. She'd grown up with them and it was hard to see them as potential lovers, even now that they were grown and perfectly handsome.

She sort of had a thing for Elrond's twins, everybody did, but it was more respect than anything else. They were at least a millennium older than her, and they exuded power in everything they did. Of course they could be as wicked as Elrond's daughter when it came to pranks, but they still held a mantle of maturity that none of the younger elves could.

"Where are your thoughts Aeila? Your eyes look lost." Her brother was standing directly beside the bed now, he had Tauriel's belongings in a bag slung over his shoulder.

Aeila gave a little shrug. "My mind likes to get lost in thought," she said vaguely.

He offered her a hand and helped her rise from the bed. "My little scatter-brained sister," he sighed, shaking his head. This was the closest he ever came to teasing her, by giving small insults that were not meant to sting. In fact, she could almost swear he meant them fondly.

"It is only that so much will be changing," she insisted. "I was thinking of my friends here in Rivendell and how I shall miss them." It was mostly true.

"You still have time to change your mind, though you know I hope that you will not," Valion looked straight at her, his grey eyes questioning.

She took his hand. "No, brother. I have not changed my mind. I am ready for this." She was. She felt ready. And she also felt like something was about to happen, something far greater and more wonderful than she could imagine.

The road to Mirkwood was long. Most of Aeila's days were spent sitting on a horse's back and watching the horse in front of her as they slowly trudged on. They were not alone, but traveled with a group of about thirty others. At sunset each day they would stop and make camp for the night, and Aeila would help gather wood for the fire and herbs for the meal. After supper she would lie with Tauriel close in her arms and they would gaze up at the sky and debate about how many silver stars had been mirrored on Gil-Galad's shield. And then when the rest of the camp was quiet, Aeila would take out one of her books and sit very close to the fire. Those days were pleasant.

Then they came to the forest. And for one very long, uncomfortable night, they camped in a rooty-floored spot where the trees grew so thick you could not see the sky, let alone the stars. The air felt very close and thick. Aeila didn't like it. She did not like it at all.

"I can't breathe," Tauriel waved a hand in front of her face. "It's stuffy."

"Yes." Aeila tried to fan the sleepy elfling. It was almost sweltering, except the air was cold instead of warm, and it was the strangest combination. She wondered if all of Mirkwood was like this. She hoped not. She was not sure she could last more than one day without breathing the air.

Sleep was almost impossible with all the roots sticking into her back, and when she finally did sleep, her dreams were haunted by huge, insect-like eyes that peered at her from the shadows of the trees. She awoke panting and sitting upright with her heart racing. Aeila glanced at her brave niece who was still sleeping soundly. Couldn't she be as brave as an elfing? She sighed as she slowly laid back down onto her pokey bedroll. Maybe if she'd stop reading so many books about the confusticated spiders, she would sleep better.

It seemed she had just closed her eyes when the camp began to rouse for the day. Was it morning? It was impossible for Aeila to tell because almost no sunlight could get in through those thick trees, not even at midday.

She heard a twig snap and turned to see Valion approaching, he'd been on watch duty most of the night. "Aeila. Good, you are up. Our guide wants to make an early start today. We will reach the city before nightfall."

"I am so glad," Aeila sighed. Her feet felt bruised from walking and her legs felt bruised from rubbing against the saddle for so many hours. On top of it all she was liking this forest less and less. The thick air almost seemed to make her feel light-headed.

Her brother patted her shoulder. "Let us eat," he said. "And then we will be on our way."

It took another seven hours travelling through that dark, dismal forest and then almost out of nowhere, they stepped into a clearing and there were beautiful carven figures rising up out of the earth, and a large patch of golden sunlight fell down to the forest floor, almost blinding her.

"It's the sun!" Tauriel shouted.

"Yes." Aeila could feel the gentle warmth of it on her face and she sighed in delight.

"Just across the bridge now," called the guide. He looked worn and as ready as any of them to be coming home.

Home. This would be Aeila's home now. She stared down at the glossy river as their horses trotted over the bridge. Leaves were scattered across the water's surface, leaves that were such a bright yellow it seemed that little pieces of sunlight had fallen right down from the sky to lay there, tumbling in the current.

They passed through great stone doors and once they were shut, Aeila realized how cool and crisp the air was. She also noticed that it was dark, with most of the light coming from candles or lanterns and very tiny sunholes high above. This was a huge, beautiful city, but very unfamiliar. Overwhelmingly unfamiliar.

Aeila slipped off the horse her and stifled a gasp. Her thighs burned with pain. Like fire. Her backside was going numb. She groaned. "I do not wish to look at another horse for at least a decade," she murmured to Tauriel as they waited for their baggage to be unloaded. She could not remember her body being in so much pain. Everywhere hurt!

"Father, Aeila, where is our home?" the elfing asked.

"We must walk a ways to our new house," Valion answered, and Aeila felt her heart sink.

Tauriel glanced up at the many staircases and bridges. "But where is it?" she asked.

"Someone will be here to guide us."

"Are you sure?" Aeila asked a little desperately. She did not feel like standing around waiting. Nor did she feel like sitting down. Her legs were aching so badly that she could almost feel tears coming to her eyes.

"Yes," her brother nodded. "I was promised very fine chambers, as well as a guide who will be staying with us for a few weeks while we learn our way around. It was all a part of the agreement."

The agreement. That was how they were even here in the first place. The Captain of the Guard had made a special request that Valion come to help with training in weaponry, specifically archery. He was going to be a teacher for an elite group of the King's guards.

Aeila shifted from one aching foot to another as she watched the rest of their company disappear until they were the only ones hanging around outside the stables. She was trying no to be impatient but she was in pain and it was only getting worse.

Thirty minutes passed and still nothing. Aeila's legs had started quivering like jelly and she was definitely feeling light-headed though she couldn't blame it on the close air now.

She was definitely feeling annoyed.

"There you are." A very tall, slender elf stood in front of them, he was dressed in a simple forest-green tunic and black breeches. Very sleek, shiny hair was braided back from his face and fell down his back. It was bright, beautiful hair like spun sunlight. And the elf had a very nice face, so nice in fact that Aeila realized she staring and quickly looked away.

"Greetings," her brother bowed his head. "I am Valion of Rivendell."

"I know who you are," the stranger replied in a surprisingly curt voice. He seemed almost annoyed though Aeila couldn't understand why. After all, he had not been the one waiting around for forty minutes, had he? "I apologize," the stranger continued formally, although he didn't sound like it. "The King was busy and neglected to send your guide. I hope you have not been waiting long."

"No," Valion lied politely.

Aelia wanted to roll her eyes. He could pretend to be nice all he liked but she knew on the inside he was even more annoyed than she was. He was not a patient elf, and considered himself pretty important, especially now that he was to train the King's soldiers.

"Good." The stranger turned and gestured with one arm. "If you will follow me?"

He led them in silence. Aeila felt lost immediately. Every staircase looked the same, every lantern glowed from an identical carve in the wall. She blinked several times and hurried to keep up with their long-legged guide.

"Actually we waited for a very long time," Tauriel finally burst out. "We waited and waited until Aeila didn't think anyone would come."

"Tauriel." Valion whispered under his breath.

Their guide slowed his pace. "Truly?" he asked. "I am sorry about that." He glanced down and gave the elfing a very small smile. "The King has been very busy today. As a matter of fact, I don't think he even knows you're here yet. I saw one of the guards who'd arrived with you, so I knew you must be waiting. Finally I decided to come myself."

Aeila wasn't sure to feel embarrassed about her unkind thoughts or feel more upset than ever that the King obviously did not care tuppence about her or her renowned warrior of a brother. She settled for studying the strange elf's broad, well-shaped shoulders as he walked. His hair swished perfectly behind him, the straight blond strands catching the light like gold. Who was he? She glanced down and pretended not to notice the muscles of his thighs that could plainly be seen through the thin material of his leggings. He was built very nicely, all elves were. Maybe it was just his beautiful hair that made him seem attractive.

At last he led them into a series of rooms that linked together and were nicely lit and decorated. There were rugs covering the stone floors and beautiful windows carved through the walls so that one could see out into the rest of the underground city. It almost seemed too beautiful, too perfect to be called a home.

The blond elf stood beside the door. "This is it. I hope it will be to your liking."

Aeila plopped her bag down onto the ground, she felt certain she had a welt on her shoulder where the strap had been hanging for the past hour. She felt very grubby and tired and wished the stranger would go so that she could fall onto the bed.

"Your proper guide will join you tomorrow and he will be able to assist and provide anything you need. If that is all, I shall take my leave of you." He bowed stiffly and then turned to go.

"Thank You," Aeila said, although she was so tired that her tongue felt thick in her mouth.

He paused on the threshold, turning so they could see his profile, "...you are welcome."

"I'm Tauriel," Tauriel quickly announced. She liked this new elf very much, he was handsome and wearing two very beautiful kives in addition to an empty quiver on his back. He looked like a good fighter. "Are you a great warrior?" she asked, half because she wanted to know and half because she wanted an excuse to make him stay a little longer.

He gave her a real smile then, one that lit up his eyes. It was brief though. "Tauriel. I hope I am a good soldier, but I would not call myself a great warrior." He raised his eyebrows. "This very morning my own Father announced I need to improve my swordsmanship."

Tauriel smiled at him. "Do you?"

"Yes." He shrugged. "I prefer the bow. I cannot help it."

Since when did Tauriel know how to talk with strange, handsome elves better than Aeila did?

"There is an assembly in the courtroom. I must leave you or I will be late." The elf bowed, though a little less stiffly than before. He turned to go.

"Wait, good soldier!" Tauriel called, halting him. "What is your name?"

He glanced over his shoulder, settling his blue eyes on her. "Little Tauriel," he smiled. "I am Legolas."