A/N: So... it's that time of year where my attention shifts from fun things like writing these stories to boring things like writing essays. This is my final year at uni, so I really have to try hard, unfortunately, it means I don't have as much time as I'd like to update these stories. I apologise for that.
On the bright side, Amethyst finally meets Legolas at the end of this chapter.
Enjoy~
After entering the forest it was easy to find the path, though as they progressed it became harder and harder, the air around them seemed to thicken and grow heavy. Their minds grew drowsy, even Amethyst's who was shielded by her Occlumency skills, was not immune though her resistance was far greater, it was down to her to keep them all together as they began mumbling and seeing things. They found the remains of the bridge that Gandalf mentioned, but it is impassable, only a ruin.
Bofur suggested that they swim across, but Thorin quickly reminded them of Gandalf's warning. They tried to find another way across; Kili found some large vines and began to climb over. Thorin told him to stop, sending Bilbo over instead, due to him being the smallest and the lightest. Amethyst stepped up behind him, travelling through the vines easier than Bilbo because of her longer legs. Bilbo only just manages to make it to the other side. He tried to warn the others that something didn't seem right, but the dwarves had already started crossing over.
She took a step away from him, watching the trees carefully and from it appeared a beautiful white stag. She almost mistook it for a patronus it was that ethereal. It watched her, before motioning its head behind him, as though it wished for them to follow, she smiled at it knowing that the stag wished to help them. She heard a familiar whistle of an arrow and the stag shot off, scared away by Thorin.
"Why did you do that?" she turned on him, "that stag was going to help."
"It's bad luck," Bilbo nodded, agreeing with Amethyst.
"I don't believe in luck," Thorin sneered, "I make my own luck."
Bilbo's word were somewhat prophetic for not a moment later Bombur fell into the enchanted river, asleep, he did not wake when they pulled him from the water. Nor when they called his name and tried to rouse him. He had fallen into a magical coma, Amethyst deduced, and though she could have healed him Thorin did not wish to waste time. They built a make shift stretcher, which Amethyst thought redundant, considering in the time it took to build it she could have healed him, nonetheless she cast a weightless charm on Bombur to make carrying him around easier.
"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst."
A twelve-year-old Amethyst and Ron Weasley stood before her, looking around them wildly as the large spiders began their descent. She heard the revving of a car engine and the image disappeared. She shook her head, wondering why she would be remembering that moment. The forest is playing tricks on me, she thought only to watch as Bilbo plucked his finger on a strange looking white net.
"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" the memory of that night in the forest came back to her again and with a startling realisation she grabbed Bilbo's hand, panicked she looked around her.
"What's wrong?" Bilbo asked sluggishly.
"I think this forest is infested," she said just as sluggishly.
"With what?" he blinked, tottering as though he were drunk.
"Spiders," she mumbled.
Amethyst could no longer say how long they had been walking, all she knew was that they'd lost the path and for the past few moments her six year old self had been walking beside her. Except her feet were on backwards and instead of hands she had flippers and the only noise she made was that of mewling kitten. It was all very strange. She asked Bilbo what he thought but he only told her there was nothing there. Clearly Bilbo had gone blind.
"Bilbo," she called turning to her left only to realise the little hobbit was gone and in his place was Thorin. A pink haired Thorin wearing clown shoes. "Thorin! Are you gonna be a clown? Is that why your hair's pink? 's a good look." She patted his head and wondered off. She turned to her six year old self only to find she'd evolved into a Jolteon.
"Jolteon!" she cried rushing forwards to hug the Pokémon. "Where've you been all my life?" She quickly rubbed her cheek against Jolteon's cooing at it and laughing.
"Eh I don't know what a Jolty thing is but you're a strange looking chair," Jolteon told her.
"Don't be silly Jolteon." She cooed pulling away to find her Jolteon had morphed into a mushroom. She pushed the mushroom back thoroughly disgusted and stomped away. "Kagome kagome," she began to sing a song she'd had heard the children of a small village in Japan singing. "Kago no naka no tori wa. Itsu itsu deyaru. Yoake no ban ni…" She flapped her hands up and down as though she were a bird before collapsing into a fit a giggles. "I want a cheeseburger," she declared suddenly, the craving hitting her so hard she could almost taste it.
"We've lost the sun."
The words from one of the dwarves swam around her head and she frowned in contemplation. "The sun is up, you can't lose it silly," she rolled her eyes.
"Up," she heard Bilbo repeat and she saw his curly head looking up, "the sun is up."
"Yes!" she cried happily, "up in the sky, a big ball of flame."
She plonked herself on the ground, cheering as she saw Bilbo begin to climb the tree deciding she would be his personal cheerleader. She was brought out of her cheering and the haze that was over her mind lifted at the urgent brush of her magic. She tilted her head to the side, as if her magic was whispering to her and she was listening. It was warning her that something was wrong. She got to her feet just as Thorin called for the others to be silent. Her magic pulsed almost violently, but she had no time to move before something pierced her lower back and she grew numb.
She was paralysed she realised with a growing horror as she was wrapped up in a spider web, like a fly caught by the predator, she was helpless. Her magic circulated her body, she could not feel it, but it was busy undoing the paralysis caused by the spider. Oh, what would Sensei think of me? Allowing myself to succumb to the forest's enchantments. What an amateur. Amethyst and the dwarves were dragged away and strung up in the nest of the giant spiders, they hissed to each other excitedly no doubt delighting in the prey they had caught. She felt the muscles in her upper thigh twitch and slowly movement returned to her.
Then she was falling, cut down from the branch she had been hanging from by Bilbo, she landed on the dwarves and began pulling her way out of her cocoon. She looked around for Bilbo, marvelling how much courage the hobbit had gained since leaving Bag End. She had no time for a closer look for the spiders had descended on them. She drew her swords, slashing through the first spider with Phoenix and plunging Dragon into the head of the second.
"Kili!" she hears Fili shout as his brother is captured by a spider, she sheathed her swords, drew her bow. Nocking an arrow she aimed and added her magic to the point, she released it, it tore into the spider and hit the tree behind it with a thwack. Kili gave her a grateful nod.
The spiders around them lay dead and they decide to make a break for it, only to find more spiders coming for them, she pulled another arrow from her quiver and drew back the string. She noticed strange movement, not a spider but a figure gliding down the silk of the spider and landing on it to kill it. She almost groans as the figure slides under another spider, slicing it in two, landing before Thorin with his bow drawn and arrow pointed directly at the dwarf. Her own arrow now pointing into that of another male elf, who smirked at her, his own arrow directed at her.
"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf," the blonde one sneered at Thorin, his voice conceited and arrogant, "it would be my pleasure."
I think I shall dub him Malfoy Jr. she thought with a roll of her eyes, slowly to show she meant no harm she made to release the arrow from her bowstring.
"Help!" Kili shouted, surrounded by spiders.
"Kili!" Fili shouted desperate to get to his brother but unable to.
Green eyes narrowed dangerously, in a movement almost too quick for the elves to follow, she had whirled around, pooled her magic into the bow and arrow, and released. It was a violent action, done without the usual precision she took, her arrow tipped with magic lit a path through the darkened forest. It tore right through the spider, eviscerating it, and pierced several tress in its path. For a long while nothing happened, but she could sense the elves' eyes on her and the subtle shift of their arrows. It was unnerving to have so many metal tips pointing at her, but she understood to a certain extent, they had assessed who the biggest threat was. It was her. She laughed awkwardly, and gave a helpless shrug, looking innocent as though she hadn't turned a spider to dust.
"I might have gone a little overboard," she told them sheepishly. The dwarves sniggered but the elves remained as stoic as ever.
Malfoy Jr. approached her hesitantly, reluctant to approach an enemy that clearly had power, yet she was their prisoner, so must be taken captive. He would not risk the lives of his companions should she turn violent. She noted the move, the weariness, but she also saw the courage beneath the coolness of his gaze. Tilting her head to the side, her lips lifted into an amused smile. "I don't bite," she told him, before leaning closer, her smile turning salacious as a playfulness entered her eyes. "Unless you want me to."
Her daring words seemed to snap the blonde out whatever hesitance he had, for he snatched the bow from her hands, ordered the others to be searched and gave her the most unimpressed look she had ever seen. "Take it off."
He meant her swords, but she couldn't help playing with him a little more. "That's awfully forward of you to ask me to strip for you, Master Elf. Rather presumptuous as well. I do not even know your name."
She had the girlish urge to squeal when she saw the tips of his ears turn pink, a flush rose behind his cheeks and he could no longer meet her gaze, it was adorable. As though he were a child that been chastised. His hand gripped her bow, shifting along the wood in a nervous action. He seemed to choke slightly as he tried to respond to her, all in all, his reaction thoroughly satisfied her.
"I did not…" he broke off, looking so very awkward that she laughed, but his embarrassment turned to anger. "I would never ask a mortal to strip. They are such loathsome creatures."
"So now I'm ugly?" She feigned an affronted look, placing her hand on her hips and raising an eyebrow. "Well isn't that nice," she rose her voice, the others clearly able to listen in to their conversation. "First, you ask me to take my clothes off, I deny you and suddenly I am not good enough. What? Am not desirable?"
Malfoy Jr. looked so startled and speechless that she almost pitied him. Almost. She was having far too much fun. "I-I," he stuttered, stepping back, trying to regain his honour. "My father is ki-"
She was gone.
Giggles erupted from her so hard she almost fell to the ground, she did not stop even when the tears streamed down her cheeks or her breath left her in painful gasps. He even used the classic Malfoy line! Oh, Draco, I've found you a kindred spirit!
"As I was saying," he coughed, her laughter had finally subsided, "my father is the king of this realm, as the prince, I would never dishonour you so, not only would it reflect badly upon my own person but it would do so on the Woodland Realm. I apologise if offence was given, I did not mean to imply that you were not attractive, nor that I wanted you to reveal yourself to me. I simply wanted your weapons."
Guilt hit her like a ton of bricks, she had toyed with him because he reminded her so strongly of Draco, but he was not the Malfoy heir. "I know," she said softly, shrugging, "I knew what you wanted. I was just playing with you, I didn't mean to make you all embarrassed and stuff. I'm sorry." Carefully she undid the straps holding her quiver to her back, handed it to him before giving him her swords and dagger. "Be careful with that," she motioned to the dagger, "it was given to me by someone I hold very dear. I'll not forgive you if you lose it."
Legolas did not know what to make of the brazen woman, now residing in his father's dungeons, she was clearly not afraid to stand up to him. Strange for one of the mortal race to be so bold, females usually did as the males told them too, they were painfully submissive and it made them so very boring. Yet, she defied his expectations and teased him, had actually made him blush. When she mistook his words, thinking he had asked her to strip, he could not help but look at her body. So very unlike the slim, almost straight, edges like many elleth like Tauriel possessed. She was curvy, a thin waist and wide hips, long legs and a voluptuous chest. Her clothes clung to her, practical for the movement of a warrior, and so improper for that of a female. It left little to the imagination, all he had to do was picture the softness of her skin, for he was certain it would be soft.
What are you thinking? He chastised himself hotly. She is mortal, and you are picturing most improper thoughts. What of Tauriel?
Tauriel was attractive, with her fire-kissed hair and slim yet strong frame, she was the epitome of the female warrior. The memory of the woman's speed and accuracy when firing her arrow to aid the lone dwarf circulated his mind, the power which had accompanied the arrow had stunned him. That was power, a warrior, and then she'd turned to him with all the softness of a woman and left him feeling like an inexperienced elfling. He saw her power within her endless eyes, her soul so very strong and light called to him, even now, with her so many floors below him, it called to him.
I do not know her name and she affects me so.
"Legolas?" his father's voice startled him out of his thoughts, he looked around him and noted the throne room was now empty. Had he really missed the entire conversation between his father and Thorin Oakenshield? "What holds your attention?"
"One of the prisoners," Legolas began unsurely, reluctant to talk of this with his father.
"A dwarf has caused this distraction within you?" he gave Legolas an incredulous look.
"Of course not," Legolas snappishly replied, "no dwarf is interesting. But the woman who was with them-"
"There was a woman with them?" The king's interest was mildly piqued.
"Yes," Legolas confirmed, his hand twitching over the dagger concealed in his tunic. "She was young, I believe, yet held many weapons of a craftsmanship I have not seen. Far greater than that of any man, I'd say it were of elvish make, if only for the unknown metal within the swords. The style is rather unique too. She is a skilled, far more than an average mortal man."
"So the girl has learnt how to fight and chooses to travel with dwarves, what business is it of ours?" the king laughed. "Are you attracted to her, Legolas? To see a human female, without a proper male escort, is strange I will grant. No doubt it is this that distracts you. Shall I give you some advice? Bury yourself between her thighs, your distraction will dissipate, you need only bed a pretty mortal once before they become tiresome. It is not as if she will be a maiden she travels with dwarves after all."
His callous words bothered Legolas and he found his fists clenching in anger, he did not like the girl's honour being called into question. Nor the suggestion to bed her. Even if he did he was almost positive he would not be rid of thoughts of her. He watched his father stride towards the exit, no doubt to retire to his chambers, and waited until he was at the door before speaking again. "She has powers," he called, "the likes of which I have never seen. It was not dark, nor anything tainted, in fact it felt pure. Good. Twas magic, but not magic of this world. She is different, father, otherworldly."
"Otherworldly? Magic?" the king paused, Legolas could clearly see him connecting the dots to a picture he was not privy too. Realisation sunk into the king's eyes before a gleeful, almost giddy, look overtook him. "Have her brought to my solar within the hour. I think I might like to meet this girl that interests you."
Legolas was left with the feeling of regret, somehow he felt as though he had made a grave mistake.
A/N: Writing their interaction together was hard... I rewrote a million times to try and get the right feel to it. Did it work? Was the shift to Legolas' perspective okay? Writing Thranduil is going to be the hardest thing in my life, I even struggled with his little speech. Wish me luck for that little interaction next chapter .
I know it's short, but I have a lot going on, and I felt like this was a good cut off point. I apologise once again for not updating promptly, I can ask that you all bear with me until I graduate.
Please review.
