Chapter 28

Ember slowly opened her eyes. She had curled up into a ball, and she gently stretched her legs, sighing tiredly. Someone (she hoped a healer) had changed her into a soft green tunic and matching leggings. She still felt weak from the spider venom, but her shoulder seemed to be on the mend, more stiff than sore. She knew only elvish medicine could be responsible for that. She turned her head to find a pair of porcelain blue eyes studying her. "Man cerig hi?" she asked warily. Legolas smiled, reaching for her hand. She shrunk back from his touch and he frowned.

"Av-'osto, selenin," he said, gently reaching for her again. "Goston angin. You were asleep for almost 2 days." She hesitated, but allowed him to clasp her hand in his as she slowly sat up, wincing slightly.

"Nidh!" she muttered, and he helped steady her on the bed. They sat quietly beside each other, before she all of a sudden punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Yuula! What was that for?" the elf groaned, rubbing his arm.

"I don't know, let me think: maybe for capturing me and my friends, for bringing us here, for trusting Lindir!" she said angrily. "Shall I go on?" Legolas watched her, a bemused expression on his face. "Where are they, Legolas?"

"They are in the dungeons. The leader had a meeting with my father…but it was not very productive." She rolled her eyes, knowing very well how a conversation between Thorin and Thranduil would have gone. A knock came from the door, and Legolas rose as Lindir entered the room. Ember glared in anger, and Lindir could literally feel her power push him back.

"Ember," he tried peacefully, then winced as he felt the fury in her eyes. Legolas stared at them in confusion, they had once been close friends.

"How DARE you!" she snarled, and he flinched, her words tiny daggers. "You attack me, then betray me?" Legolas could feel the temperature in the room rising, waves of heating flowing from Ember.

"It's not like that," Lindir mumbled, realizing that no excuse would save him.

"If you value your life, I suggest you leave NOW! EGO!" she roared, as a wave of heat burst forth from her, causing him to stumble back out the door. She slammed it behind him, breathing hard, as Legolas looked at her in shock.

"Yuula…what was that?" he asked breathlessly. She clenched her fists at her side, struggling to reel her power back in. That short burst had tired her greatly, and she knew she had not fully recovered from the events in Mirkwood. She was missing a vital part of her soul. Her One. Sitting back down on the bed, she sat with her knees huddled up to her chest, as the tears began to fall. Legolas approached her, distressed to see her so upset. "Yuula, talk to me. Tell me everything," he murmured, wrapping an arm gently around her. "We will figure this out together." She sighed, then nodded.

"Before I begin…I have to know. Is Kili all right?" She knew she did not have to explain who she meant. Legolas held her close.

"He has a concussion, but a healer was sent and said he should awaken soon." She dropped her head, struggling to contain her emotions. "You love him." Legolas stated quietly.

"He is my One," she replied softly. Legolas gazed at her, knowing what that statement truly meant.

"Tell me the story, Yuula. I will do what I can to bring you together again." She smiled at him, and began telling him about the Company, leaving out all traces of Bilbo. As much as she trusted her cousin, she did not trust his father, and felt she needed to keep that secret, just in case.


Kili moaned softly, slowly returning to consciousness. His head pounded, and the room spun. He opened his eyes, settling on his brother's worried face. "Welcome back, nadadith," Fili whispered, holding their foreheads together gently. Kili struggled to sit up, and Fili pressed him back onto the cot. "Lie still, nadadith. We are in no rush. It's not like we can go anywhere," Fili said bitterly. Kili sank back onto the cot, while Fili brought a wood cup to his face. He drank slowly, the cool water delicious to his parched throat.

"W-what happened, nadad?" he muttered. Fili sighed, taking his brother's hand.

"What do you remember, nadadith?" he asked cautiously. Kili frowned, concentrating on remembering.

"The forest….spiders….EMBER!" he suddenly shouted, leaping from the cot. Fili caught him as he stumbled towards the cell door, dizzy and lightheaded. "Where is she, Fili? My vol kaon? My ONE?" Kili was beginning to panic, beginning to throw himself at the cell door.

"It's all right, nadadith," Fili soothed. The other dwarves saw him fighting to calm his brother. They shouted at him, trying to quiet him.

"It's all right, Kili," Ori called.

"You must relax, Kili," Bofur said worriedly.

"Keep him calm, Fili!" Oin cried. "He has been out for too long to be straining..."

"KILI!" Thorin's voice thundered, silencing everyone. Kili stopped his struggling, his eyes searching for the voice. Thorin's blue eyes met his, and he took a deep breath, resisting the urge to break free from Fili. "It's all right, lad, Ember is safe." Kili stared hard at his uncle, the hole in his soul screaming at him to find her. Finally, he sank back into his brother's arms, too tired to protest any further.

"Tell me what happened," he intoned, and as Fili got him settled, Thorin proceeded to tell him everything that had transpired. Kili shook with silent rage when Thorin told him of the meeting with Thranduil. "He means to keep Ember here?" he asked incredulously.

"Well…he seems to feel she is his kin, lad," Balin said.

"Not possible. She is no elf. She is part human, part dwarf."

"Yet, the elf called her his cousin," Fili reminded him.

"And she is," a soft voice spoke up. Fili looked to the cell door, to see Tauriel standing there. "Yuula is the adopted daughter of Lord Elrond. Therefore, she is seen as kin to him. When she was younger, she spent time here in the Greenwood. Legolas and my Lord Thranduil see her as a cousin." She stopped at the surprised look on their faces. "I felt that you deserved to understand why they are so protective of her," she said simply. Kili made to move to the cell door, and Fili steadied him.

"Is she all right?" Kili's eyes begged her the elf quietly. Tauriel could see the love he had for Yuula, and nodded.

"She has been taken to the healers. Legolas is with her now." She watched as he struggled to contain his emotions.

"Can I see her?" Tauriel frowned. As captain of the Guard, she had some leeway with the prisoners under her care, but even she could not allow him near the King's family. Could she? Maybe she could sneak the girl down here during a night patrol. She glanced at the Fili, his blue eyes staring at her intently. She softened her gaze and made a decision.

"I will see if I can arrange a visit." Kili smiled his thanks. "I will also ensure the healer returns to check on your progress." Kili sighed, returning to the cot, his head throbbing. Fili hesitated, then reached out to the elf, taking her hand in his.

"Thank you, my lady," he whispered, laying a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. She blushed furiously, her green eyes shocked at his gesture. However, seeing his sincerity, she smiled softly.

"It is my pleasure," she murmured, and she quickly left the dungeon. Fili watched her go, a strange feeling coming over him. He saw Thorin eyeing him curiously, and he moved back to sit beside his brother.


Hours later, Legolas covered Ember with a soft blanket. She was exhausted from her tale, and had faded off to a troubled sleep. He stroked her brow, then left the room, locking the door behind him. Her story had given him much to think about. This power that she spoke of, he knew that his father would want to use it for his own purposes. What most disturbed him was Lindir. When he had arrived from Rivendell, he had never mentioned the true reason for his arrival. They had been told that he had angered Lord Elrond, that it was a private matter, and that he was to remain in Mirkwood until Lord Elrond sent for him. Lindir, however, had requested an immediate meeting with Thranduil, and upon emerging from the meeting, Lindir had been treated almost like royalty. Now Legolas understood why. His temper flared as he thought of the Elf forcing himself on Ember. Although Ember had made it clear that she felt that her power was to blame for his transgression, no excuse could warrant such behavior. He decided to seek out the Elf, before heading to his father's chambers. He approached Lindir's quarters, rapping hard upon the door. Lindir opened the door warily, and was shoved back into the room by Legolas. He was slammed against the wall as Legolas fought to control his anger. "Avam nathlad 'werth min daur vîn," Legolas snarled. "Gi fioun!" Lindir shoved the blond elf away from him.

"Lasto nin, Legolas," Lindir begged. "I am no betrayer. I never meant to hurt her, it was uncontrollable. Her power-"

"No, you do not get to blame her. It is only because you were rejected so often that it built up inside. She did not want you, she made this clear several times, yet you continued to pursue her. YOU forced her to protect herself unconsciously, and then finally attacked her!"

"U-thand!" Lindir yelled. "She seduced me! She-" He stopped, as Legolas howled with bitter laughter.

"Yuula? Sweet, innocent Yuula seduced you? Even you must see how ridiculous that sounds. She trusted you as her friend, but you were not satisfied with that! To be her friend is a treasure as precious as gold, yet you threw it in her face!" Lindir looked stunned, realizing the words were true.

"I…it was that dwarf! If only he…" Lindir stammered, but Legolas shook his head.

"He is her One." Lindir froze. Even though an Elf lives for thousands of years, they only ever truly love once. He had not known that dwarves did as well. It was the most absolute of all Elven laws to never bring harm to another's One. He dropped to his knees, regret in his eyes. Legolas watched as his friend fully understood what he had done. Finally, he pulled Lindir to his feet, leading him to a small table and chair. Lindir sat as Legolas poured him a glass of wine.

"De melin," Lindir whispered. "I couldn't believe that she did not feel the same. When she arrived in Rivendell, bleeding, unconscious, I swore to myself that I would protect her, and tell her how I truly felt. Instead…I nearly destroyed her." He dropped his head into his hands. "What have I done?" He suddenly jerked his head up, meeting Legolas' eyes. "We have to get them out of here, Legolas! Boe de meriad!" A small flame of panic showed in his eyes.

"Protected from who?" Legolas said, already knowing the answer in his heart.

"Your father. He…he plans to use her. For what I am not entirely sure, but...we can't let that happen!" Lindir rose and began to pace.

"We must come up with a plan, Lindir. Tell me everything that you told my father." Lindir paused, then nodded.

"Goheno nin, mellonin." Legolas smiled.

"You need to ask that of Ember," he replied. "But…savo amdir. She still might let you live..." Lindir's eyes widened as Legolas laughed.


Ember awoke as the door to her suite opened. She rose in confusion as the door closed on its own. "Bilbo?" she whispered hopefully. The hobbit pulled the ring from his finger and rushed into her arms. "Oh Bilbo, you are safe! I was so worried!" The hobbit smiled, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I was worried for you, Miss Ember. Are you quite alright?" he asked worriedly.

"It will take more than a few spider bites and an arrow to stop me," she grinned. He patted her hand.

"I have only a few moments, I have tried to locate the dungeons, but…" she stopped his rambling with a soft finger to his lips.

"To get to the dungeons, head down this corridor, turn left, take the staircase down four levels, then turn right, then left again." He stared at her in surprise, and she laughed. "It's a long story, but let's just say this is not my first visit to the Woodland Realm."

"Is there any message you wish me to pass on?" he asked cheekily. She blushed.

"There is, but I would have to show it to you, and I don't think Kili would like that!" She grinned as the hobbit turned a bright shade of red. "Bilbo, when you return, we will think of a way to get out of here. I am sure Legolas will help us." A knock at the door startled them, and she quickly gestured to Bilbo to put his ring on. She eased the door back to see Thranduil before her. She paled noticeably, and he smirked.

"Am I interrupting, Yuula?" His words dripped from his tongue like honey. She backed up slowly into the room, wrapping her arms about herself. She had always been uncomfortable around Thranduil, he had known she was half dwarf and his disdain for her heritage was obvious. He stalked into the room, looking about suspiciously. "I thought I heard you speaking to someone." She shook her head slowly, turning to the small table and chairs. He followed her, then turned as the door closed softly. He frowned, then turned back towards her. "Sevin dhaw?" he asked, gesturing to the chair.

"Ben iest gîn," she said quietly. He sat down regally, and invited her to do the same. She noticed that he avoided looking directly at her, never keeping his eyes in the same place. She sat quietly, awaiting the inevitable confrontation.

"Let us talk plainly. I understand you have become rather powerful. Indeed, I am surprised I never knew of your gifts before." His tone indicated his anger over this deliberate omission.

"I was unaware of them myself until recent events," she replied.

"I am fortunate that Lindir was able to provide me with such useful knowledge. I must insist on a demonstration of such talents, if only to prove his claims." Ember slowly shook her head, a dangerous move. Denying Thranduil was not something one did lightly.

"I will not show you anything until you release my companions. They have done nothing wrong. Release them, and I will be glad to give you a brief demonstration. But I will not be used as a weapon, my Lord," she said softly. He slammed his hand down on the table, and she flinched.

"I will know how strong you are. If what Lindir has told me is true, then you will be able to provide much needed protection and defense for my kingdom. Now, show me!" A fire of anger rose up in Ember, and she struggled to contain it. She raised her eyes, surprised that he held her gaze. She poured herself into the gaze, struggling to overpower him.

"You wanted a demonstration…" she murmured as he drowned in her gaze. "You will free the dwarves and allow us to leave…" Thranduil gasped, as he felt the words thrust into his mind. His blue eyes met hers, now deep navy.

"I-I will…f-free…" he struggled, his own power pushing back against her. Ember felt herself tiring, but she pushed harder. Suddenly, her door burst open as Legolas and Lindir raced into the room. Distracted, she blinked momentarily and Thranduil leapt to his feet, gasping for breath. The younger Elves froze at the sight of their King so flustered. Thranduil could not help the dark smile that came to his lips. "Indeed," he panted, "You are powerful." Ember sat on her bed, a headache creeping behind her eyes. Thranduil headed to the door, the spun around. "In 10 days the Feast of Starlight will be upon us. You will accompany me to the celebration. I will expect further demonstrations at that time to show our kingdom how protected they will be. If you refuse, I shall execute your companions." As he regally stalked from the room, he paused by Legolas and Lindir, who bowed their heads in acknowledgement. The door slammed shut, they turned to Ember, who sat silently, tears in her eyes. Legolas approached her, wrapping an arm about her shoulders. She eyed Lindir, who stayed near the door.

"Yuula, don't despair. We will figure out a way-"

"No, selenin. I will not risk their lives. As long as I cooperate, he will not harm them," she said in a defeated tone. Lindir strode forward, and grabbed her hand.

"You cannot give up, mellonin. We will figure out a way for you to escape…ALL of you." She looked up into his eyes, surprised at his words. She saw no anger, no jealousy and no betrayal, only the concern of her once dear friend. She knew whatever damage her power had caused him, he was now free of it.

"Lindir, my friend," she said with a soft smile. "There you are."


Man cerig hi? - What are you doing here?

Av-'osto, selenin - Do not be afraid, cousin

Goston angin -I am worried about you

Nidh! - Ouch (that hurts)

Nadad/Nadadith - Brother, Little brother

Avam nathlad 'werth min daur vîn - We don't welcome betrayers into our forest

Gi fioun! - I am disgusted with you!

Lasto nin - Listen to me

U-thand - that is false/lie

De melin - I love her

Boe de meriad -she needs to be protected

Goheno nin, mellonin - Forgive me, my friend

Savo amdir - have hope

Sevin dhaw? -May I/Do I have permission

Ben iest gîn - as you wish

So...I am not very happy with this chapter. It took me forever to write, and I am not sure if it is the way I truly want it, but I need to get moving on the story. I am excited for the next few chapters. I haven't decided what to do with Fili/Tauriel...any opinions? Please review! I own nothing but Ember.