Bel felt the sun on her face and turned towards it. She kept her eyes
shut and enjoyed the smells and the sounds of the wood in the morning. She
had never been in a place like this, and it wasn't as bad as her mother had
made it out to be. In fact, she couldn't see anything bad about it at all.
She smiled for the first time in months, and for a moment her problems were
far away. Bel leaned forward, stretching out the muscles of her back that
had cramped up over night. It was a minute before she noticed him, the elf
who was sitting as still as stone, watching her every move. She froze, not
knowing what to do.
Bel had never seen an elf before. She had always imagined them as women clad in white with magical powers. Never had she thought that there were boy elves. But there he was, as clear as her own hands. His blue-gray eyes were fixed on her and they were deep with knowledge gained over many years. In all her travels Bel had never seen a being as fair as the one in front of her. She didn't move, hoping not to frighten him, but he was so still that she wasn't even sure if he was breathing or not.
Suddenly he stood, lifting himself from the ground in one fluid motion, and offered her a hand up. "Good day," he said in a voice that was almost as soothing as the sounds of the creek. "I have startled you. Please forgive me. My name is Legolas, son of Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood." He paused, expecting her to offer her name, but Bel was afraid, and she wasn't sure if she could trust him. It was the old fear creeping back. Legolas sensed her fear and searched for words to put her at ease. "You have strayed far into my land and you are lucky that it was I who found you first. Some are not as welcoming as I am."
Bel was hesitant to touch him. She eyed his hand like he was going to strike her at any moment, but when she looked up into his eyes she knew that he would not harm her. She took his hand and he helped her up. Bel was a head shorter than Legolas and next to him she felt even smaller.
"You are lost. I found you yesterday. And have followed you since. I can offer you my help. If you are willing, we will travel to the house of my father. He will know how to help far better than I can." Legolas paused, and saw the play of emotions on her face. He thought it to be almost comical. Yes, humans were interesting creatures. Bel considered the elf and his offer. It was true. She was lost. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to return from whence she came. But there was her brother to think of. Was he still lost in the wood? Where had he gone? Or had he been caught again? Maybe the elves could help her. She decided that she had no other choice but to trust him.
"I will go with you. I will go with you to see your father and to seek his counsel. I desire above all things to find my brother whom I have lost in these woods. If your father can help me, then I will go with you."
"Very well. We must leave immediately. You have drifted far and we must retrace your steps and cover much ground. We will travel south until we come to the path that is used by my people. From there we will follow the path until we reach the house of my father. There you will be welcomed and find rest. But now, we will go." He turned from Bel and started to walk back along the creek. She sighed and followed. He was kind and friendly towards her, but as she walked along, every now and then she glanced over her shoulder, making sure that they were not being followed. The threat from her past was still to near, and she wasn't sure if she would ever escape it.
Bel had never seen an elf before. She had always imagined them as women clad in white with magical powers. Never had she thought that there were boy elves. But there he was, as clear as her own hands. His blue-gray eyes were fixed on her and they were deep with knowledge gained over many years. In all her travels Bel had never seen a being as fair as the one in front of her. She didn't move, hoping not to frighten him, but he was so still that she wasn't even sure if he was breathing or not.
Suddenly he stood, lifting himself from the ground in one fluid motion, and offered her a hand up. "Good day," he said in a voice that was almost as soothing as the sounds of the creek. "I have startled you. Please forgive me. My name is Legolas, son of Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood." He paused, expecting her to offer her name, but Bel was afraid, and she wasn't sure if she could trust him. It was the old fear creeping back. Legolas sensed her fear and searched for words to put her at ease. "You have strayed far into my land and you are lucky that it was I who found you first. Some are not as welcoming as I am."
Bel was hesitant to touch him. She eyed his hand like he was going to strike her at any moment, but when she looked up into his eyes she knew that he would not harm her. She took his hand and he helped her up. Bel was a head shorter than Legolas and next to him she felt even smaller.
"You are lost. I found you yesterday. And have followed you since. I can offer you my help. If you are willing, we will travel to the house of my father. He will know how to help far better than I can." Legolas paused, and saw the play of emotions on her face. He thought it to be almost comical. Yes, humans were interesting creatures. Bel considered the elf and his offer. It was true. She was lost. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to return from whence she came. But there was her brother to think of. Was he still lost in the wood? Where had he gone? Or had he been caught again? Maybe the elves could help her. She decided that she had no other choice but to trust him.
"I will go with you. I will go with you to see your father and to seek his counsel. I desire above all things to find my brother whom I have lost in these woods. If your father can help me, then I will go with you."
"Very well. We must leave immediately. You have drifted far and we must retrace your steps and cover much ground. We will travel south until we come to the path that is used by my people. From there we will follow the path until we reach the house of my father. There you will be welcomed and find rest. But now, we will go." He turned from Bel and started to walk back along the creek. She sighed and followed. He was kind and friendly towards her, but as she walked along, every now and then she glanced over her shoulder, making sure that they were not being followed. The threat from her past was still to near, and she wasn't sure if she would ever escape it.