Author's Note: I'm terribly sorry about the delay. I hit a writer's block again. Plus school has started back. Who

knew being an edcuation major would be so time consuming. Anywho, here is the next chapter. I'm sorry if it

seems a little rushed, but writer's block is a bitch... I made it to the part that I have already written and some of it

is incorporated into this chapter. The other half will be next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 25 –

Thranduil was pleased to see Valia's amazing recovery as she regained her lovely glow and her laughter and smile returned. She was truly at home in Mirkwood and she was constantly busy. Her constantly business was what worried the King the most.

Valia never took any time to rest, because she believed if she stopped to think, she would see Legolas. Valia learned that is she stayed occupied the time seemed to move easily and she would not hurt as much from the absence of her husband.

A month after Valia's return to Mirkwood, Thranduil received word that the Fellowship had been through Lorien. Valia was overjoyed to hear that Legolas was safe and well. Galadriel had spoken to him and Legolas had left a letter to be sent to Valia.

Valia read it to herself every night before she fell asleep.

My dearest and most beloved Valia,

We have traveled a long way, but I am thrilled to be in Lorien for a short time. We are able to rest and Galadriel and Celeborn have been wonderful. I regret to have to inform you by letter that Mithrandir has fallen. Please do not worry, for I am safe and unharmed, but I know how dear of a friend he was to you. I am so terribly sorry for the pain you must feel. He was a fierce ally and a good friend…

My wife, I miss you more than ever. I hope you are safe and well. I keep you in my heart everywhere I go. When I am able to sleep I see you in my dreams. I hope I am in your dreams. Valia, I love you, forever. Wait for me and I promise I will return home.

All of my love, forever, Legolas

Many months past by after Valia had received her letter, but there had been no other word from the Fellowship. Slowly Valia's smile began to fade and her light disappeared again. Thranduil was pleased that Valia would still leave her room and communicate with him, but Valia no longer stayed busy. Instead, Valia spent her time in the gardens watching and waiting for Legolas to come home.

It was in the gardens that Thranduil approached Valia. "My princess, how are you?"

"I miss him Thranduil. I thought I was strong, but I cannot be away from him. My heart breaks more with each day that he is not here."

"I do not want to send you away, Valia, but I think it may be beneficial to you if you spend some time in Lorien. I think Galadriel will be able to help you more than anyone else can."

Valia looked up at the king and tried to smile. "I have no more energy to argue, my lord. If you believe I should go, I will."

Thranduil nodded. "Then I will see to it that you leave for Lorien by the end of the week," he said before he left Valia alone in the garden.

Valia sighed. She was alone again. She was always alone. Her heart ached and Valia wrapped her arms around her chest to protect herself from the pain. Valia stood from the cold, stone bench and left the garden. She walked slowly across the grounds to the large statues of her father, mother, and Legolas' mother.

Valia dropped to her knees and folded her hands in her lap. "Mother, please help me find the strength to survive until Legolas returns. I only ask for your own strength to help guide me through this darkness. I wish now more than ever for your presence and guidance. I miss you and father, and Valain. I yearn for the day when I will see you all again. I love you forever."

Valia was silent as she knelt at the feet of the statues. She stayed there until the setting sun was hardly visible behind the tops of the trees.

It was the same time two weeks later when Valia arrived in Lorien. Galadriel was there to greet Valia.

"Princess, I am so glad you have come. Please follow me, I know just what will bring the light back into your smile."

Valia followed Galadriel through the magnificent kingdom of trees to one of the guest rooms. She unlocked the door and it swung open slowly.

"Legolas stayed here when the Fellowship passed through. I want you to stay here, while you are here. It will help you knowing he was here in this room." Galadriel turned to leave. "Dinner will be later, I will send someone to come a retrieve you. Spend this time to get settled."

With that Valia was left alone again. She sat on the bed and laid her head against one of the pillows. It still smelled like Legolas.

The days passed by slowly in Lorien. Valia spent her time reading in the massive library Galadriel had. The scrolls contained the history of all the races since the beginning of time. Valia also spent time training with Galadriel.

Galadriel never let Valia be alone for long periods of time and spent hours helping Valia hone in her powers.

The summer day was warm and the bright sun warmed Valia's skin as she walked though the gray woods of Lothlorien towards the place where she had been asked to meet with the Queen. She past many other elves she had never seen before. They all bowed down before her. She knew that they knew she was the Princess of Mirkwood, but she wished they wouldn't bow to her. In Lothlorien she was just Valia, she would never be Princess Valia here.

Galadriel waited patiently in the garden of roses for the young elf to arrive. The news Galadriel had to tell her would break Valia's heart. Although Galadriel knew that Valia must know. Valia quietly entered the garden and spoke to Galadriel.

"Queen Galadriel, you wanted to speak to me?" Valia asked in a hushed but steady voice.

"Yes my dear," Galadriel said as she turned to face Valia. "I know many things Valia. One of the many things I know is that Legolas will not make it out of this battle. Even if he does what once was will never be again."

"What?" Valia gasped.

"Legolas will not survive. This battle cannot be won. No one will live. But if he does your love will never be the same as before he left."

"No, no it can't be. No, I will not let him die. No!" Valia raced out of the garden and towards the stables. She jumped on Calandune and raced through the forest.

Valia headed to the one place she knew she could find an answer, Rivendell.

Valia rode for three days when she finally reached Rivendell. She raced her horse up the stone path that was covered in fallen golden, red, and brown leaves of the forest. She jumped off her horse and quickly walked up to the pavilion where Lord Elrond sat.

"Lord Elrond, I know you know that Legolas will not live. I cannot sit by and do nothing. Tell me there is something I can do!" Valia yelled.

Lord Elrond was silent as he thought about Valia's demand. There was one possibility, he had seen it, but it was dangerous and he could not risk Valia.

"Elrond, please! There has to be something… anything!" Valia pleaded.

"There are creatures that live past the Lonely Mountain in the Iron Hills. They are very powerful and have grown in numbers from what they were years ago. They have mysterious powers that can control the most powerful dwarves and elves. They can put you under a trance with their eyes. Their voices can do the same. Once out of their trance their victims don't remember what happened. You cannot win Valia. There is nothing we can do. "

"I will not sit back and let Legolas die. We will die," Valia shouted

"Then you are to go for I will not stop you. I can give them land if that is what they desire. Remember what I told you."

Valia turned, walked across the pavilion and began to descend the stairs. Lord Elrond stopped her when he spoke. Her back was stilled turned towards him.

"Valia," He pulled out a large blue jewel. "This jewel is a gift I received from King Thranduil years ago when Smaug was defeated. Many of the creatures you will encounter in the Iron Hills desire this jewel."

Valia turned her upper body toward Lord Elrond and tilted her head as she spoke. "What are these creatures?"

"Dragons," Lord Elrond said.

Valia gasped.

"I should not doubt you Valia. You can win. You are strong." He handed her the jewel before she continued to descend the stairs.

Valia put the jewel into the saddlebag and mounted Calandune. She turned the magnificent horse to face Lord Elrond. He nodded his head and she bowed hers. When she raised her head seconds later she raised off towards the east.

"I am afraid I have sent her to her death," Lord Elrond whispered.

Valia rode past the Misty Mountains at noon the next day. She stopped and jumped off her horse, and led him by foot to a small stream. She knelt down and splashed water on her face.

When Calandune nudge her with his nose, she got up off her knees and stood beside him. "Calandune we have a long journey ahead of us, but if we don't go Legolas will die and so will all of Middle Earth. It's not going to be easy." Calandune nudged Valia in her shoulder again.

"Alright, alright. I know you won't leave me." He nudged her again. "Alright, you stubborn horse we're leaving."

She mounted and rode off on the trail towards the Lonely Mountain. Valia rode through the night and into the next day, finally passing the Lonely Mountain at dawn. She stopped but Calandune pushed forward.

"Alright Calandune, we'll keep going." With those words they were off again. At noon she reached the beginning of the Iron Hills. She smelled the dragons before she heard them. She jumped off Calandune. She untied the knot holding her sword. She tied the belt that the sword was attached to around her waist.

As soon as she had gotten her belt tight she put the jewel in a pouch that the belt had.

"Calandune you cannot stay. Dragons eat horses. You must run back to Mirkwood and stay there. Do not come back for me." The horse shook his head in disapproval. Valia grabbed the reins and pulled his head to meet her eyes. "Calandune you must go I will be fine." She let go of the reins. The horse shook his head like he understood her and he took off back towards Mirkwood.

A few minutes after Calandune had left Valia felt a breeze growing stronger above her. She looked up at the sky and saw it covered in colorful dragons. They slowly began to descend and circle around her. She placed her hand on the handle of her sword.

A dragon that was smaller than the others landed in front of her with a loud thud. Dust flew up around it. Valia's eyes traveled down the dragon taking in his appearance. He head was large for his smaller body. His large eyes were like blue frozen pools of water. His ears lay down close to his head. The dragon's jaws were slightly apart. Valia's eyes kept moving down him. His wings were tucked under and his muscles under his gray scaly body spread out making him appear larger than he was. His size was not what worried her once she reached the end of his tail it was the spikes she saw. There were at least twenty of them encircling the end of his tail.

"What possessed you to come here my lady?" he asked. Smoke billowed out of his mouth with every word and traveled upward. The other dragons had landed and closed in around her. She counted them turning her head then her body. There were thirty of them around her, all large and all exhaling smoke.

"I came here to ask for your help." Her voice was calm as was her outside appearance, but on the inside she was shaking. "I need your help or my people will die. The war has started and the elf I love will be killed."

"You think we will help a pitiful girl like you" His jaws snapped at her as he walked closer. "Why should we help you? Your kind were the ones who led us to live here, and only here. Many of us were killed. We have no food or water. Why do you come to ask of our help now, when you've done nothing to help us she-elf?"

No one had ever called her she-elf for as long as she could remember and her father had always told her it was an insult when use in a certain way. She was distracted from her thoughts when she heard a great roar and fire went up in the air creating a large smoke cloud.

"Maeyanca." A loud voice made the group of dragons completely silent.

Valia thought of what that meant, piercing jaws, she hadn't noticed his teeth. They looked as if they could go through mithril. She couldn't tell where the voice was coming from but it didn't sound incredibly pleased with Maeyanca's actions. "Why have you treated our guest in this manner?"

"Ancanar, your majesty, I had no idea she was our guest I thought she was an intruder."

Valia heard large heavy footsteps as she began to see the owner of the voice.

"Hush! You disgrace the name of dragons. Any elf who comes upon our lands is our guest until proven otherwise." he looked at Valia.

He was huge, the largest of them all. He was obviously their leader. The dragon was beautiful though. His wings were tucked under also but his body shinned a golden color with blues, purples, reds, and greens glowing from inside his body. He was skinny; Valia could easily see his bones. She knew what Maeyanca had meant when he said they had no food.

Lord Elrond had told her the story of the great dragons that had once roamed free in Middle Earth. The dragons from those times had been marvelous sights to behold, except for those who saw them rarely lived to tell anyone else.

The leader had long legs and sharp claws. His face was unlike the other dragons. They had a cruel hardened look but he did not. His eyes were blue like the other dragons but his were not frozen, his were swimming with emotion. His ears were the same, lying close to his head. His teeth were slightly longer and sharper looking. His tail was beautiful also. It started as gold and then slowly changed colors to red then yellow, green, blue, and finally purple.

"Now my lady I am very sorry for my friends rudeness. Why have you traveled here?"

"She comes to seek our help," A black dragon nearby spoke.

"I did not ask you what she wanted, I asked her." Ancanar roared at him, and then he softened his tone as he spoke to her again. "Now young elf what is your name?"

She knew better than to tell him her name but she had no choice - if she didn't she would be killed. If she did she would probably be killed anyway. She figured if she was going to say her name she might as well say the whole thing "My name is Lady Valia Vewenth Narathen, Lady to the Royal Court of Mirkwood daughter of Lord Mywiel and Lady Morwen, Princess of Mirkwood. I have come here to ask your help. My friends will be killed, as will my people. I would like to receive your help."

"How did you know where to find us?

"I asked a Lord that knew much about you. He, with help of my King put you here in this hole in the earth. I had nothing to do with that for I was not yet born. He said he would not lead me to my death for he has known me since I was born and has been like a second father to me."

Valia wondered if the dragons would really help her or if she and Middle Earth were doomed.

"What is his name?" He sneered.

"You must promise you will not harm him if I say," Valia told them.

"I give you my word Lady Valia."

He had not yet used her name and she was startled by it. "His name was Lord Elrond."

Many of the dragons around her growled and slight streams of fire went out of their mouths at hearing of his name.

"What is wrong?" Valia asked, as she twisted around to study each dragon quickly. It seemed like they had all moved closer.

"Lord Elrond killed our past leader."

"I'm terribly sorry but I am afraid I was not born at the time so I had nothing to do with it."

She heard murmurs of voices speaking to each other. 'Why should we trust her she is one of them.' 'She will turn on us and have her warriors kill us.' 'We can trust her she is young and if we can't we can kill her.'

"Silence!" Ancanar yelled creating an incredibly large puff of smoke in the air. "Why should we help you, what have you done to help us, what can you do to help us?"

"I have done nothing to help you. I did not know you existed. You were an unknown creature to me, a legend, and myth. But I can promise you this." She paused. "I shall not have Lord Elrond kill you. I can present you with more land in this area." She paused again. Should she use the other thing? She put her hand that had remained on the handle of the sword on the pouch that still held the blue jewel. "I also have something that you desire more than land and freedom."

"Do not play games with me she-elf what do you have?" Ancanar raised his voice and stepped towards her.

"I have - I have a… a… a…" Valia pulled out the jewel and presented it to the large dragon in front of her. "I can give you this but only if you help me. Please, please, just help me. That is all I ask of you is to come with me and I can give you land and food and a place to stay." Valia began to cry. "Please help me save my people from the evil of this world. Please help me keep my love alive. Please help me. My people will die. We will die. Nothing good and beautiful will survive this war, just all evil in the world."

"My dear sweet girl, do you not know," His eyes glowed with evil mischief. "we are the evil of this world."

"Will you please help me." Tears had begun to fall on her fair skin, showing her weakness to the dragon. "I have nothing more to give you than this jewel, your life, and land. That is all I can give you. Please help me. Please. Please." She covered her eyes with her hand and continued to sob clutching the jewel to her chest.

"Do not cry my dear." Ancanar placed his claw on her left shoulder.

With this action Valia remembered the stories Lord Elrond had told her of the menacing dragon who lured his prey to him by being kindhearted to them. Elrond had told her of his wings. They were beautiful, large colorful wings that captivated the person who saw them. Elrond had also told her of his looks, but Valia was just a child when she had last heard the story and didn't remember Elrond's description of his looks. Valia looked into the dragon's eyes.

"Show me your wings."

The dragon removed his claws and stepped back from her. He bent his head down and lifted his wings high in the air spreading them out. They glowed in the sunlight, a magnificent array of colors. Valia gasped.

"Yes I am the dragon that Lord Elrond told you stories about. I knew you knew when I placed my claws on you. You must have trust in me that I do not want to kill you, I want to help you."

"You are the one true dragon that lived through all of time, even the killing of Smaug. How can I trust you?"

"You must learn to trust me my dear." He raised his head and stood to his full height. "If I had wanted to kill you, you would already be dead." He again dropped back down to the ground.

"I give you my word that I will not kill or harm you or you may have me killed." he paused then did something Valia never expected. He spoke her name, just as she had said it to him.

"Lady Valia Vewenth Narathen Lady to the Royal Court of Mirkwood daughter of Lord Mywiel and Lady Morwen, Princess of Mirkwood." He stopped and looked her in the eyes. "If we help you, you must give me the jewel."

"Do you promise me. Do you promise you will help?" Valia asked again, hope filling her voice.

"I promise you, Lady Valia."

"Then the jewel is yours." Valia placed the jewel is Ancanar's outstretched claws.

"Well then we must go. Who is going to come with us my Lady? I will let you choose."

Valia looked around at the dragons sitting before her. She pointed to a large black dragon that had spoken to Ancanar earlier. "That is Durwath." Ancanar said as the dragon walked over and stood behind him.

'Dark Shadow' Valia thought of his name. She pointed to another dragon that was a silver color. Again Ancanar spoke his name and Valia thought of its meaning. "Bragoldel." 'Sudden Horror' this continued on.

"Narrauko" 'Fire Demon'

"Duramarth" 'Dark Doom'

"Narmir" 'Fire Jewel'

"Durval" 'Dark Power'

"Maeyanca" This time Valia spoke aloud. "We have already met, in a way. I am glad to have your help on my journey." He nodded to her and stood behind Ancanar with the other dragons.

Ancanar bent down. "Up you go My Lady unless you would like to walk of course." Valia shook her head and climbed onto his back.

"I have one more request."

"Yes, My Lady?" Ancanar asked.

"Please just call me Valia."

"Of course, Valia."

Ancanar began to fly into the air. The other dragons took his lead and did the same.

"Where to Valia?" Ancanar asked her as the other dragons joined them in the air.

"Rivendell."

As a side note, I created the names of the dragons a long time ago, using the appendixs in the back of the lord of the rings book collection my grandmother bought me. I'm fairly positive they are correct, but if I am wrong (because it has been a few years since I translated the names) I'm terribly sorry and would love the proper name.