Mirkwood Forest

Ryder forgot how much snow there was. It was only natural for the snow to remain untouched in Mirkwood Forest since no one treaded here—or was supposed to, anyway. Luckily, she wore thick socks inside her snow boots and packed a few essentials like a flashlight, extra clothes, and some energy bars in case she got lost and hungry. The main item in her bag that meant her survival was the weapon she brought that belonged to her roommate.

She felt bad for going through Emi's drawer and taking one of the knives from the collection set her father gave her, but she had no choice. And one could never be too careful in Mirkwood Forest. It was the only thing close to a weapon she could use to protect herself with. Emi would most likely have a fit if she knew Ryder took the object, not to mention, upset with her for even attempting to go into the woods alone. But she would deal with the ginger-haired girl's wrath when she had to.

It might have also been foolish to wander the area without clearly thinking of the risks involved. Sard never mentioned what time he and Colin were supposed to meet, therefore, the only plan Ryder had was to wait until nightfall and make her way inside, not knowing where to look.

The pouring snow that made the area a white blur full of shadows wasn't a good sign either. Anything could jump out at her and she wouldn't even see it until it was too late. Ryder knew she should turn back but she'd already gone so far.

She was also hesitant to use her flashlight in case someone saw her approaching and ambushed her. Only the moon peaking from behind the clouds was her source of light. Off in the distance, she heard a faint howl.

Emi's roommate wasn't sure if it was a real howl from some kind of animal or if it was the wind playing tricks on her. The warning signs around the forest said wild animals lived here so it couldn't be the spirits people talked about. Or could it? She's also never had to defend herself from an animal attack. Could she now if she had to?

Deeper and deeper into the woods Ryder went with no idea where Sard and Colin's rendezvous point was. Her prints on the snow behind her slowly disappeared, no thanks to the falling powder. A small rush of panic finally crawled up her spine. What if she couldn't find her way back? Or worse? Would she be another statistic, another tragic story of a girl found dead in the woods?

The blue-eyed girl shook the negative thoughts away and became even more determined to find the truth in the secret meeting. If her fate was to never leave Mirkwood Forest, then she would at least try to get some answers on this spontaneous expedition.

After hiking downwards, hoping she didn't trip and rolled down like a snowball, Ryder stopped to see where she was. Nothing in the woods looked familiar, especially since it was her first time seeing any of its surroundings. Looking up, she searched for the Northern Star and succeeded.

Thanks to her father, she wasn't navigational-inept like some girls. If she ever lost her way, her father taught her how to figure out which way she was going. And right now, she was headed east.

Trusting she would find her way back to this area, Ryder took out Emi's knife and carved an X on the tree stump as a marker. Tying her red scarf around it seemed too obvious. If someone found it before she got back, they could remove it. The scarf was also a dead giveaway that some trespasser was snooping in the woods.

A couple of more yards ahead, faint voices filled the air. Ryder hid behind a tree so she wouldn't be seen. She inched a few trees closer to get a better look at the figures that slowly came into view.

There was some kind of faint light, much less brighter than a flashlight. It gave off a white glow in the middle of the circle where the people stood. Ryder couldn't tell what it was. She guessed it was some kind of lantern placed down on the snow that gave off the kind of light it did.

Five figures were in dark hooded robes that covered their faces. One talked in a low voice and pointed to another as if accusing him of something. Ryder concluded that the agitated figure was Sard, even though she couldn't see his face. He was bigger than the rest and had the barbarian's built. The one who stood by his side she assumed was the boy with the long bangs. The other three stood on the opposite end with their backs to her.

Ryder strained her hearing to pick up their conversation through the gusty wind that made her hug herself even tighter from the chilly weather.

"You're taking too long Fenlock!" Sard roared with the wind. "I'm tired of sneaking around this place with fey dust and staying on my best behavior. I want my revenge!"

"All in due time."

"I wasn't talking to you, servant," Sard addressed the figure to the right. Ryder couldn't see his hands through the long sleeves of his robes but she could tell his hands were in a fist, probably to keep from striking at the larger boy. Judging also from his voice, it sounded like Colin.

The hooded person in the middle placed a hand on his companion's shoulder to calm him. She noticed a huge ring on his middle finger that was black and gold with a letter in the middle she couldn't identify. After Colin seemed to relax, the hooded figure with the ring removed his hand and placed it back at his side.

Whatever this person was saying, Ryder couldn't hear him. He didn't raise his voice like Sard to make sure those in the circle heard him. But Sard also had a booming voice to begin with. She only knew he was speaking because of his slow and calm hand gestures.

Sard scoffed at his words and pulled down his hood. "You frails always think you can boss us around. We're built stronger than you in every way," he said with a mocking tone in his voice.

"Stronger, maybe. But not smarter," the figure on the left with his back to Ryder finally spoke. Something about his voice also sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. Sard took a step toward him but his hooded companion blocked him with his arm.

"I dare you to say that again," Sard narrowed his eyes. His dark eyes looked instantly darker instead of lighter in the warm glow of the light in between them.

"Calm down, Sard." The person next to him took his hood off as well. Ryder saw it was the boy with the long bangs. "We can't afford any trouble out here."

"Don't tell me what to do Marrak," he replied, slapping his arm away.

So that's his name…Marrak. Ryder thought to herself.

"You should listen to your friend," said Colin, removing his own hood.

"Look. Just tell me when I can kill her and the rest of them," Sard rolled his eyes.

"It's not going to be that easy. There are too many eyes around campus. Even when your prey is alone, there never seems to be help that far away."

"Then why not start with the help?" Marrak asked. "It shouldn't be that hard."

"Don't underestimate the enemy," warned Colin. "You don't know what you're up against. Not with their…natural abilities." Both Marrak and Sard laughed at his words.

"These skills they possess mean nothing to Torgar's People. I could break them in two before they even blinked," Sard boasted.

"Yes, perhaps. But not there," Colin shook his head. "Not in these lands."

"That's why let me use this already!" Sard took out the small vial Ryder saw him with earlier.

Colin sighed wearily. "Using that now would be an unwise decision. In doing so, you would lose your revenge."

Sard glared at him. "You forget that we don't have patience like you do. We do what we want, when we want, and take what we want."

"Breaking the Law means eternal banishment. Is that what you want?" Marrak asked his friend.

"What are you? A frail or a—"

"Look," Colin cut him off. "Trust us or don't trust us. It's up to you. But this plan has been brewing much longer than you've been alive. By diverting from the plan and giving into your…natural instincts, you'll never achieve what you want. Trust in that."

The barbarian gripped the small bottle in his hand and after a moment, shoved it back in his pocket. "You really think that I need your potion? I can carry out my revenge like child's play without it. Plus Grayson's a mere little frail."

"Yes. A mere little frail that had you on the floor in an instant," Colin reminded him. "Don't underestimate her. She probably doesn't even know what she's truly capable of yet."

This was too much for Ryder. The thought of Sard wanting to kill her made her heart want to run for the hills. Could she really take him on if he tried to attack her with the kind of intent he had? She's never fought anyone in self-defense outside of her training. The acupuncture points she targeted on him was an automatic reflex out of anger. Ryder wasn't so sure if she could do it out of fear.

Before another heart-pounding thought could enter her mind, she raced away from the group and tried to remember the way she came. Not paying attention to the snow-covered ground, her boots crunched on twigs and shrubs.

"What was that?" Marrak looked around. Sard, Colin, and the other two figures turned in her direction. Fortunately, the falling snow and darkness made it difficult for them to see her.

Sard sniffed the air. "It's a female." He let out a growl, discarded his robes, and ran after her.

The light behind her extinguished and everyone scattered. Ryder had no idea if they fled to save themselves from being found out or if they strategically moved into the forest to capture her. Whatever their intentions were, Sard was on her heels. He was much taller with longer legs and the climb up the hill wasn't easy.

Ryder also kept slipping down because of the snow she kept sinking in. The hill didn't seem that far up in the beginning. Everything ahead of her was covered in darkness and she couldn't see where the forest leveled because she was still too far down.

"There you are." Sard stopped at the bottom of the slope with an excited, animalistic grin. His eyes appeared to shimmer in the light of the moon as it slowly came out for a brief moment behind the dark moving clouds. She tightened her beanie and hood hoping he wouldn't be able to tell it was her while she scrambled on all fours to find a more even terrain. "Where are you going…pretty little thing?"

Her eyes widened. He knew it was her. The husky boy took slow, big steps up the hill, sliding back a few inches each time like she did. Ryder screamed out wishing someone would hear her. The snow soaked through her gloves from digging her way up, all of her muscles working until they were sore. Just as she was about to give up, she finally made it up the hill, panting and trying to fill her lungs with cold crisp air.

Keep moving! Keep moving! She willed herself.

With the energy she had left, Ryder stood up from her crawling position and ran as fast as her tired feet could carry her. She swung her backpack to the font and unzipped it, rummaging blindly through its contents until she felt the object she was looking for wrapped in a handkerchief.

But then, suddenly, she was struck down by a snowball—hard—in the back of the head that sent her flying forward, her backpack and its contents scattering in every which way. She moved quickly on all fours again toward the item wrapped in the handkerchief that had what she needed. Her head was cold, wet and throbbing, but she didn't have time to think about that now. Grabbing the object with success, Ryder unfolded it, only to be lifted in the air by her right leg.

She screamed again. Sard's grip on her was incredibly strong and it felt like he was trying to crush her bones. The pain was excruciating. Gritting her teeth, she held the knife firmly in her hand. Twisting her body and her ankle in the process, she was able to cut Sard on the arm. He yelled out, muttering something in a language she didn't understand and dropped her on the ground.

Pain vibrated throughout her body as she cried out in distress. If this was going to be her end, she wasn't going to give up without a fight. Her father taught her to always do your best, and if wasn't meant to be, then at least you tried.

At least I tried… She said to herself.

Ryder was going in and out of consciousness and her muscles felt heavy like lead. She managed to roll over on her front and saw Emi's knife lying next to her. The cold snow was welcomed on her cheek as she stared at it. There was blood on the knife, but it looked thicker and darker than any blood she's seen before. It almost looked like black tar.

Stalking over to her, Sard rolled her onto her back again. She was too weak to protest or make another sound except for a soft whimper, her entire body grown numb from the cold. Sard was also becoming a blur through the falling snow that turned into droplets on her long lashes as she blinked.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that," he said, looking at the tear she made on the flannel shirt he wore under his black robes. "But it won't help you live."

Although her movement had slowed, Ryder still tried to grab for the knife. Sard picked it up with ease before she barely had time to lift her arm. "You won't get away with this," she whispered, her breath labored.

"But I already have," Sard grinned again. "Too bad you'll die before you even know why you're so important." He raised the knife in the air to strike at her. Ryder shut her eyes, prepared for the end. She said a silent prayer for herself and for everyone she could think of in the small amount of time she had left.

But she never felt the piercing stab of the knife. Instead, a whizzing sound filled the forest and a sudden gust of air flew past her. Ryder quickly opened her eyes, surprised to see an arrow protruding from Sard's shoulder. He dropped the knife and clutched his wound.

"Damn Krehvir! This isn't over yet!" He ran away in the opposite direction.

Kre…what? Ryder wondered, exhaustion taking over.

A bright light flashed in the distance and almost instantly it stopped snowing. She should have felt relieved but she wasn't. None of her limbs obeyed her mental commands and she could barely keep her eyes open. Her lids felt so heavy and all she wanted to do was sleep.

She faintly heard someone call her name, like someone trying to wake you from a dream. Ryder smiled to herself thinking that was it—just a dream. None of this was real. She was in her warm room asleep in her comfortable bed, simply dreaming of the forest.

Groggily forcing her eyes open, she expected to see Emi asleep across from her, but she didn't. Instead, it was cold and dark. This wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare.

A blurry figure with long blonde hair hovered over her. "Ryder…Ryder…can you hear me?"

She blinked at him in a daze. "Le…Legolas is that you? What are you doing…in my dream?" She closed her eyes again, the last bit of strength leaving her body.

"Ryder! Ryder…don't…" His voice started to sound farther and farther away. "Ryder!" Her eyes shot open like she was caught napping on her desk in class. "Stay with me," he caressed her cheek with his warm fingers. His touch was the only thing she could feel amongst the darkness.

"Legolas…" she struggled to say. She wanted to tell him she'd do her best but the only reply she managed to give were tears spilling down the sides of her face.

"Quickly! We need to get her into the Houses of Healing. She doesn't have much time."

"I will carry her. The wind can carry me faster than you on a night like this."

Ryder felt herself carefully lifted by Legolas and transferred into someone else's arms that were bigger, stronger—arms that felt solid like a rock. She wondered who it was.

"Please hurry." These were the last words Ryder heard before a big gust of wind pushed them upward like a kite.

Her hair blew in the wind and whether or not it was cold she couldn't tell. Her entire body was cast in numbness. She heard birds flying, their wings flapping close by, but what why would birds fly so close to the ground? She struggled again to open her eyes and see what was going on around her, but it was still a dark blur.

Whoever carried her was a big man with long black hair, a square, hard face and…pointed ears? His skin color was none she's never seen before either. It was like a dark, bruised complexion making her wonder if he had a skin condition. There were also no trees around them or the feeling of this person running. His movements were steady and swift, as if they were gliding on air.

Slowly cranking her neck to look at the ground, Ryder jerked in his arms with fear. The reason why she couldn't feel the motion of someone running with her in their arms was because they weren't running, but flying.

"Put…put me down!" she weakly demanded.

"Please, Lady Ryder, stay still and save your strength. I will not harm you. We're almost there," he said.

His face came in and out of focus. One minute he looked like a man, the next, like a monster of some sort. "What…what are you?" she asked bewildered.

"A friend. Now rest." And as if on command, sleep finally took over.

x x x

The cold night grew warmer and lighter as Ryder basked in it with her eyes closed. There were voices around her saying different things she couldn't understand. One thing she sensed was how worried they sounded. What they worried about, she didn't know.

A sudden tingling sensation rolled from the top of her head down to her fingers tips then to her toes. There was a painful pressure on her leg and she struggled to get free, but she couldn't. Something held her down.

Her eyes wouldn't open either. It was like finding yourself tangled under your blankets, trying to get free from a night of sleep, except you couldn't get out from underneath. She screamed out, struggled to move freely. Her mind told her she was drowning and needed to fill her lungs back with air.

The voices finally disappeared except for one. It was a soft, gentle voice that told her she was safe and had nothing to fear. In order to find peace, she had to let go of the darkness and walk toward the light.

What light? She asked, but the words stayed in her mind.

There was an unexpected light just ahead, blinding her to where she had to look away. The light was warm and inviting. Something kept pulling her toward it like a hand outstretched for her to take. She reached out to it. It pulled her somewhere quiet and serene where she was able to relax her muscles. The pain in her ankle vanished and she now felt light as a feather.

Voices began to fill the room again. Light flickered on her closed eyelids making her wonder where she was. Ryder felt a little more conscious now but she still couldn't will her eyes open.

"She's stable now, but she'll still need a few days of rest."

"Thank you Lord Elrond."

Lord Elrond? Ryder was surprised to hear his name.

"I'll stay with her."

"You need to go on patrol, Legolas."

"No," defiance was clear in his voice. "If I had just been there—protected her—this wouldn't have happened."

"You can't blame yourself, sire. If anyone…I should have been looking after her."

"There is no one to blame. Ryder has a free, stubborn spirit. Much like her mother. She would have done what she did no matter if the situation was different."

There were so many voices around her she couldn't tell who belonged to whom. They started to swirl together and she felt herself drifting again. Who was there with her? What did they mean? Where was she? Question upon question filled her head to the point that she thought her brain was going to explode.

Someone whispered something in her ear, "Quel kaima." With these words, her mind silenced and in a dreamless sleep she fell.

Ryder turned in her sleep for a more comfortable position. Everything around her was fluffy like she was on a bed of clouds. Creeping warmth played with her eyes, stirring her from slumber. Slowly opening her eyes one by one, she saw the sun sneak through the heavy drapes left partially open.

When fragments of the night in Mirkwood Forest flashed before her after she was fully conscious of her surroundings, Ryder bolted up right, pain stabbing at her temples. "Where am I?" she asked aloud, gazing around the dark room she didn't recognize. She laid in a king size bed full of white fluffy down pillows and a duvet to match. The bed had a canopy with crimson cotton curtains tied to the posts.

Searching the rest of the room with her eyes, there was a round wooden table with a tea set placed on top of it, a closet and dresser also made of wood, and a Persian rug that decorated the floor. It was a simple room, but had an elegant, Victorian feel to it. There was no clock on the walls so she didn't know what time it was. Or what day, for that matter.

Swinging her legs on the edge of the bed, she noticed a bandage on her right ankle. Touching it gently, she remembered how Sard picked her up with one hand and squeezed her leg until he almost crippled her. She placed her left foot down, then her right, to test how weight would feel on it.

There was still a slight tinge of pain but it was bearable. Now standing upright again, she looked wide-eyed at her attire. She was dressed in a long silk night dress, one she didn't own or would ever think of wearing. But fortunately, she still wore her own underwear.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked no one in particular, exploring the room. To the far end was a bathroom with a few toiletries for her to use, but none that actually belonged to her. Sighing, she walked over to the window and opened the drapes to see where she was.

The view overlooked a part of the school, mostly the quad. Looking further down, she seemed to be on the second level, a gate separating the entrance to her current dwelling from the walkways to the different buildings. Ryder gasped when she realized where she was people watching. It was through a window in Legolas's quarters.

Now she knew what he saw when he stared outside, observing the people as they passed by. No one glanced in her direction—but not that they could see her staring at them anyway—and continued on their way to class. She wished she knew what time of the day it was. It finally stopped snowing and many of the walkways appeared to be clear of previous flurries that covered the ground.

"You're awake," a voice by the door startled her.

She put a reflexive hand on her heart when she turned. "I didn't even hear you enter."

"Sorry. Startling you is what I was trying to avoid," he said with a crooked grin. His mouth remained partially opened as he examined her figure with blue, vibrant eyes. Ryder hugged herself and looked away, suddenly feeling very naked and vulnerable in the thin garment. Legolas cleared his throat and smiled again. "You must be hungry. Here." There was a small tray in his hand she hadn't noticed him carrying full of cheese, bread, grapes and apple slices he placed on the table next to the tea set. "If you want something more substantial, let me know. I'm more than happy to get it for you."

"No, this is fine…thanks."

"My pleasure."

"You didn't by chance…dress me. Did you?" She had to ask.

Legolas's eyes grew big for a moment. "Oh, no. Of course not. I respect your…privacy and would never dishonor you in any way. Emilia was the one who bathed and changed you. There are fresh clothes for you to wear in the dresser and closet. Emilia put them in there this morning before she went to class."

"Class?" Ryder exclaimed. "What day is it?" He looked hesitant to answer. "Legolas…what day is it?" The warning tone in her voice meant she wasn't in the mood for games.

"Today is Tuesday. A little half past two."

"What? Tuesday…afternoon? You mean I've been asleep for three days? Then that means I've also missed three finals! Crap." She had two finals on Monday and already missed her morning final today. "I might still be able to make my final at two-thirty if I hurry."

Quickly moving to the dresser, she found her underwear, bras, and socks neatly folded in separate piles. She blushed when she saw her things and wondered if Legolas also saw what was in here. Ryder turned to face him.

"Ryder… I don't think—"

"Would you mind…leaving?" she cut him off, not really paying attention to what he wanted to say. "So I can change? I only have a few minutes."

"Ryder…"

"Legolas, please," she begged. "This is really important to me." Ryder hadn't forgotten the crazy event she lived through, but right now, all she wanted to do was focus on taking her remaining finals and passing her classes this semester. Unlike most Universities that went by quarters, MU did two semesters per year. Once she got her classes out of the way, then she would go back to figuring out what the hell happened to her.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. Your finals have been postponed."

"Postponed?" she asked confused.

"My father has spoken to your professors. They've agreed to let you take them during the winter break to give you more time."

"More time for what?" Ryder snapped at him, feeling irritable all of a sudden.

"Well, for starters, your ankle hasn't fully healed yet. You also have a slight concussion. The school physician will have to clear you before you can take your exams."

"I'm perfectly fine," she said, a wave of dizziness hitting her as she took a step toward him.

"Ryder!" He caught her in a flash. She didn't even see him move. Legolas helped her back to bed so she could rest. "Trust me on this. If you want to get better as soon as possible, don't overexert yourself. I'm here to take care of you." He sat at the edge of the bed and caressed her cheek. "I'm only down the hall if you need anything."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked curiously. "Shouldn't my uncle or his servants be the ones taking care of me?"

Thranduil's son smiled sheepishly. "Yes, perhaps they should. But I insisted. The closer you are to me, the better I feel."

His words made her blush. She averted her eyes toward the window. "Legolas…that night in the forest…what I saw…what I heard…Sard…"

He placed a gentle finger on her lips. "We'll talk about what transpired that night soon enough. For now, just rest and gather your strength. If you won't do it for you, please do it for me."

"On one condition."

"Name it."

"When I'm better, you answer all of my questions. Truthfully."

Legolas raised an eyebrow. He was quiet for a moment, as if considering whether or not he would agree to her request. Ryder met his gaze head on. She wasn't going to back down. If he wanted her sitting like a helpless damsel in this room, then he had to compromise.

"Very well. I will answer what I can."

"You promise?" she eyed him.

"Yes, I promise," he chuckled. "I never did understand why promises were worth more than being honest about one's answer."

"One's answer isn't always the truth."

To her surprise, he kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door so she could go back to sleep. She hadn't felt tired after she woke up, but being back in bed made her groggy again like she was on some kind of sleeping pill.

Before Legolas shut the door, he turned to her. "I hope my answers will be truthful enough for you."

x x x

Author's Note: Hope you liked!

Translation: Quel kaima = Sleep well

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