Chapter 25: Thresholds

Naneth disappeared into her bedroom and changed into a more formal dress. The dress was a light blue with a white belt at the waist. The sleeves were a similar style to those on my dress. She braided the hair on her crown back but kept the rest free. She then took my hand to lead me out of her rooms.

We turned right to continue going down the hallway to the very end. The cavern felt like a massive maze of corridors as I followed Naneth. When we reached the end of the passage, we took a left before making another right. My head swarmed in confusion with all the directions we were taking.

"Don't worry," Naneth said as we took a right, "you will know your way around sooner or later."

"Why are the halls so confusing?" I asked her.

"I didn't build these halls, your great-grandfather did."

I didn't bother asking her further about these things since it wouldn't do any good. She then stopped in front of two oak doors and opened them. The room consisted of a long table with multiple chairs. Another table had food laid on it.

The elf that I had caught a glimpse of earlier stood to the side of the room speaking with another elf. He wore the same robes that he was wearing earlier, a long coat that appeared to look like silver. Underneath, the elf wore black pants with dark boots that came to about his knees. He then moved his head as we entered the room. He raised his hand to stop the conversation he was having.

"Tauriel," Grandfather greeted her. His voice was deep, harsh, and commanding. His head remained erect as he started speaking to her. His eyes pierced in our direction. They were colder then Ada. I picked up on a few words and phrases Ada had taught me, but couldn't fully understand what he was saying. When he finished, he turned to me as Naneth walked to the other side of the room, "You have traveled a long way."

"Didn't feel that long," I answered matching the same tone of voice as Naneth left with the other elf.

"You have courage but don't let it led you into trouble," he answered.

"What happened to the man who was tracking me?" I asked wanting to know what happened to Gale.

"My guard had brought him to me to interrogate him to uncover the situation from which you are running from," he answered.

"What did you do to him?" I asked again staring him in the eye. Grandfather stared back with equal ferocity if not greater.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to interrogate him," he answered, "therefore, I had him locked into the dungeon." Knowing my concerns, he continued, "Your friend will not suffer any harm other than his insignificant pride. By your leave."

He then left going over the other side of the room. I stood there trying to figure out what had happened as Naneth walked over to me. I turned to look at her.

"It could have gone worse," she answered.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Not many can stand against your grandfather the way you did," she answered.

"Couldn't he have been going easy on me?"

"Perhaps," she answered.

"Will I have to interact with him?" I asked realizing the striking similarities between him and Snow.

"Katniss," Naneth breathed, "it isn't likely you would see him much, but perhaps he would call for you sometime in the near future."

"When will that be?" I asked.

"I cannot say," she answered as she ushered me towards two other children. "Come, you must meet your brother and sister."

The two others walked towards us. My brother stood to be slightly shorter then Ada. He had the same brown hair as I did, but had Naneth's green eyes. My sister seemed to be a picture of Prim.

"Nana," my sister called, "is this my older sister?"

"She is," Naneth answered. "Katniss, your older brother, Calanon, and your sister, Itarill."

I bowed my head when the introduction finished. I turned my head as someone walked up behind me. Grandfather stood there. He offered his arm as Naneth took it. Calanon stretched out his both his arms as Itarill took one. Following Naneth's example, I took the other sleeve.

Calanon escorted her and me towards the table. Grandfather sat at the head of the table as Naneth sat a chair down from him. Calanon lead me to the left side of Grandfather's side. I started feeling uncomfortable being this close to him. Itarill sat on the other side of me. Then Calanon sat across from me next to Naneth. The food was then served while Naneth finished speaking about something with Grandfather.

"Nana is going to be leading a mission tomorrow at sunrise," Itarill whispered to me.

"What?" I asked.

"I am translating for you," she answered.

"Thank you," I answered.

"You will pick it up fairly quickly," she answered.

"Don't the two of you have other things to do?" I asked.

"You mean our lessons?" she asked. "No, we are given time off during the summer months."

Grandfather cleared his throat silencing our conversation. The table was relatively silent as the occupants ate in silence. The environment was similar to the atmosphere that surrounded Ada, Prim, and I when we were eating together.

"How was Lord Aragorn?" Calanon asked me catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Was he in good spirits?" he clarified.

"He seemed relieved when he saw me," I answered.

"His relief stems from many reasons. I assume Lord Aragorn told you that he was within my realm whenever we were born," Grandfather commented.

"It sounds familiar," I answered him.

"The warrant comes from seeing that you were still alive and that your father sent you," Grandfather answered.

"Is Ada alright?" Itarill asked.

"That last I saw him," I answered her. "The same went Primrose."

"You and our younger sister wound up in the same place?" Calanon answered.

"Raised together as sisters," I clarified.

Before Calanon could ask another question, Grandfather interrupted him.

"Calanon, one of my guards told me that you were wandering around the dungeons earlier this afternoon. I thought your father scolded you the last time you were down there."

"Grandfather, I wanted to see the man that managed to-"

"Calanon," Naneth hushed him, "there is no need to be down there."

"I do not need you to irritate our prisoner," Grandfather finished. "I will be interrogating him tomorrow while your mother is combing the woods."

"The prisoner managed to grab hold one of Naneth's knives," Itarill whispered to me.

"I wouldn't be surprised about that," I answered her. "I was friends with him."

"What stopped our friendship?" she asked.

"Ada came back into my life."

Supper ended, and Grandfather dismissed Calanon, Itarill, and me while he finished speaking with Naneth. I followed them as they exited the dining room.

"Katniss," Calanon called, "allow me to escort you to your quarters."

"Thank you," I answered not wanting to wander around the castle getting lost. I then asked something that I wanted to know. "What does Naneth do when she was out in the forest?"

"She is the Captain of the Guards," he started. "She does what Grandfather tells her to do."

"What does Grandfather want her to do?" I asked.

"He is worried that there are others in the forest especially after the altercation between you and the prisoner," Calanon answered. "I would prefer to give you a word of warning, the conversation between you and Itarill didn't go unnoticed from Grandfather. He might ask you about the prisoner since you know him in a way."

"I thank you for your warning," I answered his warning, "but I doubt he would come to me."

"No," Calanon rebutted that statement, "there are things that Grandfather would not speak of for our opinion, but concerning that, I had spoken of, he would."

I didn't return the conversation as he finished leading me towards a set of oak doors. Itarill had disappeared before Calanon had offered to bring me to my rooms. He bowed his head as he opened the doors for me noticing that I was lost in something.

"I hope that you would be able to find what you want that you need," he answered as I entered the room.

I closed the door after giving a word of thanks. I then turned to see a large reception room. A fireplace was situated to the side similar to the one in Ada and Naneth's room. Several chairs were set in a circle around a wooden table. On the wall of a hallway, a bow, quiver, and a pair of blades were mounted on display. I turned down the hallway on the right to see a bedroom with a large bed with a decorative headboard. A desk with several bookshelves to the side. Something on the bed caught my eye. I went other and picked it up to see that it was a tapestry of Ada. I turned to see a hook high enough on the wall for me to hang it up.

After hanging it up, I took a step back to take in the image of Ada. I found some comfort in seeing a familiar face, even though it was depicted on woven cloth.

I started thinking of him and Prim for the first time in days. I started feeling guilty since I neglected to consider them in the past few days. I began to realize that I had commenced forming a strong bond with him. Something in my mind eased a bit considering that Ada by now would have realized that I was safe within his father's care.

"Your father is a brave man," Naneth said as she walked into my bedroom.

"Worried about him?" I asked seeing through her comment.

"There is truth in what you say," she answered. "Katniss you must understand that years ago before I married your father, I had fallen in love with a dwarf."

"Ada told you about-" I stared before she raised her hand silencing me.

"That was not my intention," she answered, "but yes I know. My point was I had suffered from a broken heart from an insignificant affair. I don't think that I would live through the heartache if your father died."

"Naneth," I said remembering what my adoptive mother had been like after my adoptive father had died.

"If you think that I fear that your father will die, you are mistaken," she argued. "I know he would have been killed by now if that was the case."

"Naneth," I whispered, 'as Ada speak to you about the situation-"

"I know of it," she answered. "I also know that you may wish to fight in it."

"I am not sure of it yet," I answered.

"Child, don't dwell on such things yet. I fear a time will come while our prisoner remains with us when you must make your decision."

"Naneth, may I speak with the prisoner?" I asked.

"I might be able to arrange it," she answered flashing a smirk. "I must leave you now. I am needed down in the dungeons."

"If the prisoner causes any trouble," I started before she interrupted.

"He won't" she answered, "he would be caught before he made it past these halls."

Naneth then disappeared past the doorpost leaving me with my thoughts. I scoured through the books that were on the bookshelves before giving up since I didn't understand the language they were written in. I then decided to walk to test the weapons that were displayed.

I picked up the knives and noticed that they were not as bulky resting in my hands as Ada's blades were. The weight was about the same.

I could hear something outside the door. Keeping the knife in my hand, I watched as someone snuck in my room. Gale.

He silently closed the door as he turned around quietly. He looked startled as he stared at me. The shock became stronger when we saw the knife in my hand.

"Catnip-" he began as I cocked an eyebrow up.

"I was told you were locked in a cell," I commented.

"I never imagined seeing you in a dress," he observed. "Seems too formal for you."

"How did you get out of your cell?" I asked twirling the knife around.

"Picked the lock."

"Thought the cells would have been constructed better than that," I answered.

"Wish you could see them, just a door made of bars in a cave," he answered walking towards me.

"You know that you wouldn't make it far before you get caught," I said.

"Katniss, I am begging you to come with me. The people of Panem see you as a rallying point for rebellion."

"Gale, I am not from there. This is my birthplace. This is where I belong."

"This is not the Katniss Everdeen I knew," he remarked grabbing hold of my wrists. I struggled against him before I flicked my wrist with the knife slashing it into his arm.

He let go of me grabbing onto the wound as he backed against a wall. The fire started dying down leaving embers in their wake. Blood was oozing down his arm leaving red stains on the stone floor.

The doors flew open as Naneth and Grandfather entered the room with several guards. Several orders were given, and the guards filed in grabbing Gale by the arms. Naneth gave me a questioning look when she saw the bloodied wound.

"What did you do?" Grandfather asked me with a cold and study voice.

"He grabbed me by the wrist, and I used a knife to get him off of me," I answered looking him dead in the eye.

"Take him to the healers to bandage that arm," Naneth answered with a hint of a hiss to her voice before she muttered a slew of elvish as she walked out the door leaving me with Grandfather.

"Why was he chasing after you in my realm?" he asked cutting to the chase.

"It is a long story," I answered trying to get out of explaining to him.

"I have all night," he answered crossing his arms over his chest giving me a cold stare.

Seeing as I had no choice, I started at the beginning with my adoptive father's death. I kept trying to wriggle out of it, but Grandfather would stop me to get me back on what he wanted to know. I eventually got to the story of how Gale and I met. I then continued speaking about our growing friendship through the years and up until the games. I was careful to talk about other aspects of our lives to help Grandfather understand. When I made it to the part when Ada and I were separated, Grandfather raised his hand silencing me.

I looked into his eyes trying to get a sense of what he was feeling. I only saw coldness in his eyes. I was stunned by the lack of emotion I saw. Ada barely let down his guard, but there was still emotion in his eyes. With Grandfather, there was a void of emotion.

"Tomorrow, I will be questioning your companion," he announced to me. I caught the hesitance in his voice before saying 'companion' but continued, "would you join me?"

"Why?" I asked narrowing my eyes.

"To talk some reason into his head," he answered as he turned to leave the room.

"You would allow him to be near me?" I asked seeing that it was something Ada wouldn't have allowed if he was here.

"Your mother would be there," he answered before placing his hand above my hand with the knife in my hand. "I have reservations about the prisoner trying anything." He then left closing the door behind him.

I quickly placed the knife back in its place trying to forget what had happened here only a few minutes ago. The door opened again as Naneth walked into the room.

"Will Gale's arm be alright?" I asked as I turned to face her.

"You were close with him at one point?" she asked as she walked away from the door.

"In a way, he was my closest friend," I answered.

She smiled before answering my previous question. "Your stroke managed to cause enough pain in order to cause him to get off of you, but it did not cause for any serious injuries to form."

I took a sigh of relief. It was short lived by the thought of being in there whenever Gale would be interrogated tomorrow.

"If you are fearing tomorrow," Naneth began, "the worst that could transpire would be for your grandfather to lose his temper."

"What happens when he does?" I asked.

"He reveals a side of him that he tends to keep hidden," she answered before changing subjects. "Katniss, I would advise you to be prepared. Thranduil knew of your need when you fled from Minas Tirith. He may be planning to take you somewhere to know of your position for the coming war in Panem."

"Where would he take me?" I asked.

"I rather not say," she answered.

"He told you about what he wants to do?" I asked nearly getting angry.

"I agreed with him," she answered catching the hints of my anger.

"I have been told that I would need to make a decision about since Ada started suspecting that it would happen months ago. I fled because Ada wanted me to come here, but I don't know why."

"I could make my own guesses based on the length of the time I had known your father," Naneth answered.

"What would have been his reasons?" I asked.

"I would first guess that he did not wish for you to fight; however, it wouldn't be all too unlikely that he wanted you to make your choice without the pressure from others."

"Wouldn't you want me to fight?" I asked.

Naneth sighed giving hints of confliction about the subject. "As the Captain of the Guards, I would want you to fight and bring justice to what has been done. As your mother, I don't want you to fight."

"Wouldn't Ada have the same concerns as you?" I asked.

Naneth smiled before continuing, "They are the same concerns, but they spawn from him as the Prince of this realm and as your father."

"Is Prim fine?" I asked wanting to bring some closure to some of my concerns.

"She is afraid," Naneth became before I cut her off.

"Reasonably," I answered.

"But she is well and out of danger," Naneth answered before clutching her waist falling to the ground.

"Naneth," I screamed rushing to her side.

"Your father," she answered.

"You said so yourself that they wouldn't kill him," I said.

"No," she answered. "They are not killing him just torturing him."

"It might be meant to try to get to me," I answered.

"Perhaps," she answered.