AN: Well...I don't have much to say today. It's a bit shorter than usual (sorry, just how it happened to end up) and we are starting into the action...hope you like it :) A big thank-you goes out to my wonderful guest reviewers and to the rest of you as well. Thank you for reading and continued support and interest!

Chapter 17:

Within seconds of slipping through the hidden door and peeking round the corner of the throne base, Emily knew she was not at all were she was supposed to be, yet she couldn't seem to retreat more than just ducking back behind the base once more. This of course lead to listening in on what was taking place.

"My lord, we have no were else to turn! Our children are missing, we cannot recover them without help! Please, have you no pity?" The spokesmen was saying.

Thranduil did not reply immediately, but Emily could feel the tension in the air grow with each second that passed and every tiny whisper of the elf-king's cloak upon the floor was like a word of warning.

"Tell me, what do you expect my people to do?" Thranduil asked in a mellow tone, laced with a coolness that Emily recognized to be dangerous. "You come claiming to be so desperate as to beg for my help, and yet I know that you do not share all that you know concerning the disappearance of your children...a commonality that surrounded pleas for us to come rescue individuals outside our lands in the past. I am confident the leaders of your settlement and the next one over will know what I refer to..."

"Then you will not help us?" the man asked with a touch of bitterness in his voice.

"This matter is beyond my boarders and therefore out of my authority." Thranduil answered quietly. "We cannot help you. Should the children appear here, then yes, we will recover them if possible and return them home, but anything else is out of our hands."

"How can you refuse!?" A thinner man leap forward, causing the guards to tense. "My daughter is eight years old! She's all I have and is god knows where-"

"Trinion. Enough." The spokesmen hurried to hush his friend. But Trinion would not be silenced.

"Please! She's just a little girl! Just a baby like the others! You must help us!"

Thranduil turned to the man, eyes shining with compassion, but he could not be swayed.

"I cannot act at this time, Trinion, even if I wanted to." He told the father gently. "Now, unless there is more you wish to share, then I wi-"

"Elves are all the same! You care for none but yourselves and hid within you magic walls while the rest of the world toils and dies around you! We are merely mortals to you and you see yourself above us for that! What do you care if one more insect dies!?" Trinion howled, voice cracking with pain. "You have no mercy, no compassion and no pity! We should never have come!"

"Trinion!"

"No! No, Sudry! I will speak, for by refusing to help us he has as good as killed my child himself and it is clear he cares little for her life!"

The air went deathly still. Not a soul dared to breath in the face of such an accusation. Even the distraught father seemed to sense the danger he was in should he continue to speak and feel silent. Emily couldn't help herself from peeking round once more to catch a glimpse of her grandfather. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw he was facing her way, but it levelled out once more when she saw that his eyes were closed.

Everything about his posture spoke of barely contained rage and with each second the ticked by it became more and more of a guessing game if that temper would surface. Finally the elf-king drew a deeper breath and opened his eyes just as Emily disappeared once more (praying he hadn't seen her).

There was another long pause before Thranduil spoke again, this time his voice was ice, yet steady and fatally calm.

"You come to my halls seeking help and claiming to share all that you know of the matter...and yet you lie to me repeatedly. I read it clearly in your faces. In light of such insolence and deceitful conduct, you still except me to take you at your word and blindly rush to your aid? You, a people who have encroached upon the territories of others and engaged in numerous squabbles for centuries? You expect me to lead my people into the situation without sufficient details and risk their lives for only half the story? Without the truth there is nothing to convince me this is not yet another scheme to gain more for yourselves. Should one of you be willing to tell me the truth, I will listen. Until then, you will be show to your rooms and be leaving tomorrow."

With a flick of his wrist, Thranduil motioned for the 'guests' to be lead away thus leaving the king standing alone a moment before turning on his heel and sweeping off with stiff fury.

"Psst! Emily!"

Emily jumped out her skin and turned from staring after her grandfather to see Merenith and Sidhel poking their heads out of the doorway and beckoning her to come back. She fled back to them and refused to answer their questions when they asked what she had been doing.

"It isn't a good idea to eavesdrop, Em. Not on the king's business. Odhron doesn't like it." Merenith told her as they continued on their hunt for the furry beast known as Reisa, apparently guessing what had happened.

"I'm hoping he didn't know I was there." Emily admitted softly, head still reeling from what she had witnessed.

"I would not count on it. It is difficult to hid one's presence from him." Sidhel commented and Emily groaned internally.

What she had seen and 'felt' in the air was just the grand finale of the first part of the conversation, and she hadn't been there for that. She would have been interested to hear it, however all she knew for certain was that she wasn't sure why her loving, compassionate grandfather would ignore the pleas of humans in need of recovering their lost children. The detachment and coolness that he had emitted was so troubling it sent a chill all over her. Surely he didn't really not care? Did he? Just because they were humans, and not elves?

I'm half human...more human than elf right now...where does that leave me if he doesn't care about mortals?

She shook herself a little and peeked round the next room as the three 'hunters' split off once more, following a promising trail of shredded fabric.

Don't be silly...he loves you. He told you not doubt that and you promised to try not to!

Her steps slowed once more as she rejoined the others. They were very near to the king's study(were she suspected he might have gone) and Emily both wanted to avoid seeing Thranduil at the moment, and also desperately wanted to speak with him.

"I'll check daerada's study for Reisa." Emily volunteered hesitantly as they neared the next set of rooms.

"Are you sure? You might want to wait a while..." Merenith cautioned, somehow knowing that Emily must have seen the king awfully angry.

"I think...I think it'll be ok."

"Alright..." Merenith said reluctantly.

"Relax, mellon nin." Sidhel calmed, resting a hand on the wild haired elleths shoulder, his height only somewhat dwarfing the already reasonably tall elleth. "It isn't as if Emily were you going in there after doing something terribly foolish that put herself and others in danger. He won't be cross with her."

Behind the door of the study, Thranduil paced as he fumed with great frustration over the audience with the humans. It had not gone as he wished and the outcome was merely resentment and ill feelings between both parties.

A knock at the door sounded timidly.

"Come." he said sharply, not bothering to turn round. The barefooted whisper of Emily's soft tread reached his ears and the cool rage inside of him quieted as she approached hesitantly. He could feel her watching him, debating if she should speak and her apprehension pierced his heart. Sighing heavily he turned to face her and asked gently, "What is it, Emily?"

The communication in her pleading eyes told him instantly why she was there before she ever spoke. It was inevitable after what she had overheard. He had seen her for a brief moment when she ducked back, but her presence always shone brightly to him in his mind. He knew she was there instantly when she came out the passage. The family bond between them was growing with each passing day, though he highly doubted she was aware of it. Perhaps it was just as well at this point. She was so easily disconcerted by the more hidden elvish traits and Glorfindel had told him of her nervousness over the idea of being able to sense another inside her mind. To one who grew up with such things being natural it would not be so troubling, but Emily knew nothing of what it was like to sense another with her feä and mind. Or at least, she thought she knew nothing of it. The elf king had felt her unconscious brush of his mind in the throne room when she was 'testing' the waters. Even now she flicked and flitted around the edges reading the 'aura' around him and gauging his mood.

"Daerada," she began, her voice quavering slightly with anxiety, but her chin set with purpose. "I don't understand...why...why aren't you going to help them? Why...why would their lives be any less important than ours? Why are you acting like you don't care that children are missing...because I can't...I can't believe that..."

Thranduil surveyed her as she spoke, face remaining an impenetrable mask. Then he turned from her without a word and began to move away towards his wine glass.

"Daerada!" her timid voice took on a desperate note when she felt he was dismissing her. It begged for an answer and he knew it was unlikely that she would accept the one he offered. Closing his eyes in pain, he replied quietly, "It is none of my concern. These events are outside of my boarders, therefore out of my authority. I cannot act in this matter."

"But-"

"Emily." he said sharply, finding his patience waver under the heaviness of his heart. Her plea's only added to the sorrow he harboured, thus igniting irritation within him. He was glad his back was turned, for it meant he didn't have to see her eyes when she recoiled at his tone. He felt her falter and then a wave of determination settled in the air as her stubborn streak surfaced.

"But they came to you for help..." Her voice almost accused him.

The elf-king drew a deep calming breath before turning coolly to face his grandchild. She stood her ground, face set with a spark of defiance but her eyes flickered with uncertainty and fear that was beseeching him not to be angry with her.

His hard gaze waned and then softened as she bit her bottom lip so hard that he feared she would draw blood. Thranduil found himself suppressing another heavy sigh as he crossed the room to stand just in front of her. Reaching out to catch her chin in his hand he used his thumb to gently encourage her to stop biting her lip.

"Daerada...please...don't you care at all?" Emily asked, voice taking a anxious, imploring tremor that Thranduil loathed to hear directed at him. His brow furrowed as pain flashed through him and he struggled to contain the frustration that boiled up inside, losing some of it and allowing it to lace his voice.

"Of course I care, Emily." he said, voice nearly strangled with the irritation. "Do not for a moment misinterpret my inaction for lack of concern! It pains me terribly that these children are missing, but it does not change the fact that I cannot take action at this time."

Seeing the mix of relief, shame and anxiety that had appeared on Emily's features at his cold rage, he swiftly disarmed the storm, quieting it for the time being as he continued in a softer tone, "And do not assume that the anger you sense is directed at you, penneth. It is not, but rather I find it extremely frustrating when there is nothing I can do, even if I want to."

She hung her head and blinking hard. It wasn't difficult to guess that she still had more to say, but was reluctant to do so.

"But, why? Please. I don't understand why..."

Thranduil smiled sadly as he took in her nativity and innocence.

"Unfortunately, the matters of men are not always what they appear, penneth. There has long been a history of underhanded politics between the two settlements in the area these men came from. It is not uncommon for them to steal each other's children as bargaining tools to get what they want. No matter how appalling that is, it is between them. I cannot be the mediator of their petty squabbles when I have my own people to care for, and I have no treaty with either party that would demand I take action."

"But, what if it isn't that? What if something else happened to them?"

"Until I have evidence that says otherwise, or one of our guests decides to be more honest and tell me the whole truth of this affair, there is nothing to be done...apart from what I have done in the past."

Emily tilted her head questioningly in a very 'Thranduil' manner, making the elf-king smirk unexpectedly.

Answering her silent question, he said smoothly, "In the past, I have...expanded the area in which my warriors and sentinels patrol. Sometimes these patrols will...happen...across a child that is being kept against their will and thus intervene."

"Oh. Ok, that's good." Emily stated with more contentment.

Thranduil's smirk widened as he looked down at his youngest grandchild.

"I am pleased that you approve, Queen Emily..." He said dryly with a raised eyebrow.

Emily's eyes went huge. "Oh! No! That isn't what-"

"I know, penneth. Peace, I am only teasing you." Thranduil laughed gently, the cold rage inside retreating for the time being and replaced with warmth as Emily case him a mock glare before she slipped forwards and mutely initiated a hug. Her grandfather quickly enveloped her into a cocoon of his rich outer robes and held her close, while planting a kiss upon her crown.

"Emily." He said whilst still holding her captive.

"Yeah...?" Was her reluctant and muffled reply. A smirk ghosted across Thranduil's face, for they both knew what he was going to say.

"I must request that in the future you refrain from eavesdropping on audiences in the throne room."

"I didn't mean to." Emily offered lamely and feeling like she was six. "It just kind of...happened..."

"Oh? And how did it 'just kind of happen', penneth?" Thranduil asked, mellow tone ringing with amusement.

"I was looking for Reisa because she has fallen from Clare's good graces...again...daerada, have you seen my bad pup?"

"I have."

"Really!?" Emily pulled away hopefully. "We've been looking everywhere for her!"

"She's currently hiding under my desk." Thranduil said with a small sigh. "I am afraid I came across her 'killing' Clare's cloak and about to start in on one of the pillows on the couch. We...had a rather pointed conversation about such behaviour. Needless to say she is very remorseful and hid herself until my mood lifted."

"Oh dear! Poor Riesa!" Emily giggled nervously, flicking a quick look up at Thranduil. He smirked.

"I would not worry too much, melui indyo. She and I had a very similar conversation concerning the chewing of chair legs in this study, and she survived. I think you will find she is sleeping at the moment."

Emily moved to the other side of the desk and peered under it. Sure enough her puppy was curled up and snoring away.

"Reisa!" Emily called. "What are you doing, you nutty turd blossom!?"

The lab puppy opened her eyes slowly and then bounced out joyously upon seeing her mistress, picking up the blanket she had been sleeping on in her mouth and wriggling in circles around Emily.

"Are you suppose to have that?" Emily asked, taking the blanket from the dog gingerly.

"She is." Thranduil answered, picking up his glass of wine. "That is one of hers. We keep it here for when she comes to keep me company during the day."

"Is that where she goes when I'm gone!? I had wondered!"

"Yes, she is a welcome distraction at times." Thranduil laughed, bending over slightly and crooning softly to the pup in elvish when she trotted over apologetically to him. The reaction to the words was comical. The dog leapt enthusiastically in the air, so high that she licked the end of the elf-king's nose and then went racing round the room when she landed on her feet again. He spoke again, this time with mirth filled sternness and the creature came to a quivering halt at his feet, gazing up adoringly at him with her tongue hanging out the side and ears perked up.

"I wish she would listen to me like that." Emily lamented. "Then maybe Clare wouldn't drag me away from fun and food to go hunt her down when she's been bad. She demolished one of Clare's paintings and ate her paint brushes too..."

"Reisa!" Thranduil scolded half-heartedly. "We discussed this!"

The puppy let loose a groaning warble as she flopped over on the ground submissively showing her tummy.

Thranduil chuckled and crouched down to play with her silky ears, encouraging her to sit upright once more and try licking his hands. He cast a sideways glance at Emily and informed her, "She told me that she forgot how to be good, that she was bored, that Clare left her door open and in that her defence, she was left unsupervised."

Emily laughed. "And what about running off with Clare's cloak?"

"She thought perhaps Clare wanted to play and was very disappointed that she didn't."

Reisa suddenly leapt up and pounced on her blanket, shaking it violently and then dropping it at Thranduil's feet, looking up hopefully at him. A twinkle lit the elf's eye and he looked at Emily with a sly smirk.

"Would you like to see what ends up happening when she keeps me company and I have had enough of working?"

"Uh...yes!"

Thranduil took the blanket, quickly began to wrap it round and round the dog's middle, tied the ends loosely before letting the wriggling mess of fabric, and legs go. Reisa stumbled about blissful happiness 'fighting' with the blanket until slowly but surely she freed herself.

Emily watched with opened mouthed amazement before bursting out laughing. "Oh my gosh, she loves it!"

Thranduil's deep toned chuckled joined hers as Reisa dramatically rolled free of the last piece of blanket and then dragged it back to the feet of the elf-king begging to do it again.

"She also enjoys a good game of hide and seek, however we do not have time for that. Let us take this wretched creature back to her room and return to the feast." Thranduil turned then to look over Emily head to toe with approval as his countenance softened greatly and he remarked gently, "I know you dislike dresses, Emily, but you do very lovely in them."

For the briefest moment, without having Clare there to compare herself to, Emily actually believed the statement to be true. She smiled shyly and took the arm her grandfather offered murmuring softly, "Thank-you, daerada."

They opened the door of the study to find Sidhel and Merenith waiting uneasily on the other side. Merenith leapt back behind Sidhel as if she had been stung the second the door opened, eyes round and instantly looking guilty. Emily wondered if she had been listening at the door and grinned quietly to herself. Sidhel merely straightened his relatively broad shoulders and stood staring ahead at attention awaiting his king's command. He also appeared to be purposely ignoring the fact that Merenith had ruffled his robes on the way past when she grabbed hold of him to launch behind and was seemingly oblivious to the fact that his dark auburn hair appeared as though he and Merenith had been scuffling moments earlier.

"And what might be happening out here?" Thranduil asked placidly, eyes twinkling lightly.

"We were waiting for Emily, hir nin." Sidhel said respectfully.

"Indeed...and was that all that was happening, Sidhel?" Thranduil wanted to know, tilting his head to one side questioningly.

"Merenith...and I..." Sidhel began, almost hesitating and flicking hazel eyes down to meet Merenith's briefly, "We were settling a disagreement before she was allowed to do as she wished..."

"Which was?" Thranduil turned to Merenith.

"Listening at the door, hir nin." Confessed the elleth.

"Tell me," the elder elf compelled with sharpness, "How many times have I-"

"Many, hir nin." Merenith blurted, then ducked her head at the eyebrows raised in her direction and added. "Though, not as many times as you have told me not to interrupt you."

Thranduil shook his head and laughed softly, warmth flowing from the sound. "Ai, penneth! What am I to do with you? And you, Sidhel! This will make the fourth incident in one day that you have been involved in a wrestling match. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Merenith lifted her head and grinned brightly, nudging Sidhel triumphantly in the ribs.

"It must be the weather and company I keep, hir nin. Merenith and Rusgon are rather trying at times." Sidhel said innocently, yet again resolutely ignoring Merenith.

"I see...is that what the trouble was..." Thranduil gave him a long stare, until Emily could have sworn the ellon went a very tiny shade of pink. "Well then, perhaps you and I should later discuss how to better mange one's temper in such warm and humid weather...perhaps then you would be less likely to be so easily motivated to be a disruptive influence?"

"If you deem it wise, hir nin." Sidhel answered with a bow, this time actually turning a proper shade of red.

Smirking, Thranduil walked with Emily and lead the younger elves down the passage as Reisa bounded ecstatically beside them. "Oh, yes. I do deem it wise, penneth."

Behind the king and Emily, Sidhel seemed to wince a little and Merenith shot him a gleeful look that cause him to soundlessly smack her lightly across the back of the head.

The feast lasted long into the night and by the time Emily went to bed, her head was spinning with laughter, song and dance (not that she danced with anyone other than Merenith and the twins). She hadn't had the nerve to dance with Legolas when he asked and she had only danced about with the twins because they tricked her into it.

Merenith was just too infectiously fun to not twirl around with in a remote corner of the great hall, a fact that she was teased for by her 'dejected' uncle.

Her mother had left early on, escorted by Medlinor and looking happy but utterly exhausted. Obviously she was still recovering slowly from her illness so Emily wasn't surprised Aewnith had been tired out after only an hour or so. She herself was so tired now in the wee hours of the morning that it is possible her head hadn't even touch the pillow before she was lost in sleep.

The paths of dream she travelled remained fairly tame and fearless until she was just about to wake naturally for the day. It was then that she stumbled across a dream so real and disturbing it was unlike anything she had ever encountered.

At first it was very similar to the one she had her second night within the palace walls, in fact that similar dream had been reoccurring for several nights now, though not quiet as bad as this.

She was trapped in a dark place, it was thick with overgrowth and the air was moist with a foul smell and metallic taste of blood. A woman was laughing a high, insane, hysterical cackle and from above she could see the many eyes of spiders watching her. They hissed and spat in the shadows, waiting for the signal to strike.

Emily struggled forwards, breaking free of the vines and roots that tangled themselves around her feet, clawing at her as though determined to keep her from her destination.

What was that again? She didn't know. She just knew there was so little time and she was on her own. No one would be coming in time to save her. It was up to her. So very much depended on her!

Suddenly she was at home, back on earth and everything was so normal. She was going to her summer job, bidding her parents good morning, discussing where she was going to live in Guelph that year for school since she didn't want to live in residence...her wish had come true and here was her boring ordinary life back at her finger tips. She turned blissfully to walk out the door and found herself back on the overgrown path again in the gloomy darkness.

The path widened and became smoother as she fought her way out, leading her down into a torch lit tunnel. Children's wails and cries rolled in echoes up through the opening to reach her horrified ears. In the shadows there was the crack of a whip and a cry of pain and all the while the gleeful voice of the woman.

Then the scene changed and she was in a cave deep beneath the ground, staring into a large dark blue and green stone. The colors swirled within it as it hummed with such great power and energy Emily feared it would tear her apart.

Such terrible knowledge and cost lay with that stone. It was unexplainable why she knew this, but as she gazed at the object clasped tightly in her hands, she was certain it was either her salvation or her doom. Possibly both.

There was a terrible howl of agony behind her, but she could hardly manage to turn around to see what was happening. By the time she did, there was a body of a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

"Estel!" Emily cried, not knowing how she knew, but fear seizing her and begging the heavens that it wasn't true. "No! Estel!"

Her plea bounced off the now empty cave and she was plunged into darkness. Death hung in the air around her...

Loosing a whimpering cry, she stepped with frantic bravery into the darkness in an attempt to find her friend. She stumbled, falling forwards.

Strong hands caught her up before she hit the ground, drawing her into the warmth of the embrace and calling her back from the abyss of the dream.

Emily struggled with a frightened cry at the touch until she heard a familiar voice accompanying the feeling of waking.

"Emily. Av-'osto. Tolo dan nan galad."

It was all very disorienting, for she was no longer in her bed, or in her room. Instead she was aware that she was standing in a corridor crying and had buried herself in the warmth of someone's arms.

Now the warmth was gently pulling away from her quivering form. Emily knew distinctly that she wanted to stay where she was, and her hands gripped the material of their tunic tightly in protest. A hand carefully cupped her cheek, lifting her face.

"Emily?" Glorfindel asked softly, searching her face with an intense look of observation and worry. The girl blinked slowly and then released a frightfully weak gasp of air as she tried desperately to control the choking tears welling in her eyes. She drew a ragged breath, and then her knees suddenly gave way, causing the balrog slayer to scope he up and cradle her shaking body in his arms.

"What happened!? Is she alright?" Legolas demanded as he rushed to the ancient warrior's side. "I felt her distress all the way down the passageway!"

"No...she is not well. She was sleepwalking as well as having a nightmare..." Glorfindel's voice resonated quietly through the corridor as he turned quickly and began to move. "We best take her to-"

"No!" Emily interrupted suddenly, fighting against Glorfindel's arms. "No! Glorfindel, I need to speak to daerada! Please! It's important, something's has happened to Estel!"

"I beg your pardon?" Glorfindel said in amazement, effortlessly maintaining his grip on her. "What has happened to Estel?"

"Something terrible! Please, Glorfindel, I saw it! We have to do something!" Emily's voice broke with a note of such distress it tore at the heart of any who heard it.

"Alright!" Glorfindel soothed, "Alright, penneth. Do not cause yourself further distress. We shall go to see Thranduil, and no, you may not walk on your own at this time. You very nearly collapsed to the floor a moment ago! Come now, it isn't far."

Too weak to protest this humiliating and reoccurring situation of being carried like a babe, Emily gave in and shut her eyes as she fought to break free from the fear and dread that lingered on.

Glorfindel carried her still quivering form up the hall to Thranduil's study, a place where he could commonly be found these days and where the golden haired elf knew his old friend was in quiet conference with Elrond. Legolas followed in a troubled silence behind, his fair features hiding nothing of how moved he was by his niece's outburst.

"How did you get so far, penneth, without anyone seeing and stopping you?" Glorfindel mused aloud as they went.

"She uses the back, hidden passages that I showed her so often now she must have a map inside her head of them by now." Legolas told him. "We're going to have to keep a closer eye on her if she keeps sleepwalking. It took me years to learn to control it..."

"Yes! I recall that!" Glorfindel said with a fond smile. "Seems to me there was a significant space of time in which neither your mother or father were willing to let you out of their sight when you drifted into slumber."

"Yes, well...Faervel was worse than I." Legolas shrugged, still too distracted by Emily's words to find proper humour in the situation.

It would seem that Thranduil was expecting them, for before they even reached the great door of his study, the elf-king had opened it and was waiting, leaning against the frame of the door with his arms folded. Upon seeing the state Emily was in, he moved swiftly to take charge of her when she insisted that Glorfindel put her down.

"What seems to be the trouble, melui indyo?" Thranduil asked tenderly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her into the room.

With frantic urgency, Emily swiftly began to spill every detail of the dream as her grandfather made her sit down in her usual spot by the fireplace, all the while listening gravely. He took it in calmly and when she finally stopped babbling he said reassuringly, "These are dark tidings, to be sure, penneth. But you must not worry over them. Dreams are fickle things and are not always to be trusted. Sometimes, no matter how terrible, a dream is just a dream..."

"And even still, should this dream be a true vision of what is to come, it is unlikely to be happening at this very moment, penneth." Elrond added quietly as Thranduil moved away for a moment to begin pacing. "Such things are often rare."

"No! You aren't listening to me! It's not just a dream! I know it isn't!" Emily cried with frustration, missing the fact that they were indeed taking her seriously. Tears spilling over as she leapt shakily to her feet. "Something is very wrong, I...I just know! Why don't you believe me?"

"Emily..." Thranduil chided, turning to her sternly.

"I don't understand, daerada." Emily pleaded, stepping past the edge of merely distressed into the waters of hysteria. "Why aren't you listening to me!?"

"Do not accuse me of something you know to be false, Emily." The elf-king intoned sharply. "I have listened to every word and believed each one."

"It was real, daerada!" Emily wept in protest. "I know it...in...in my core...Estel...and it has something to do with those kids that are missing...please, daerada..."

Her vision swam and the room went blurry as thick tears poured from her eyes.

"Oh, penneth." Her grandfather crooned compassionately, all sharpness vanishing from him as he crossed the floor back to her. "Come here, melui indyo. Hush."

Allowing herself to be drawn close and huddling in the embrace, Emily sobbed out her fear and frustration.

"Emily, do I not have your trust?" Thranduil sighed softly.

Emily hiccupped and nodded, "Yes. You do, daerada, but-"

"Then I need you to trust me with this, penneth. You have told me of your dream and it is not a matter of whether I believe you or not, for I know well you speak the truth, but rather the matter of what is to be done. This is not something you need trouble yourself over, melui. We will take care it. I will not have you tearing yourself apart from the inside out over this matter. Now...do you believe me, Emily? Have you listen to me?"

His words washed over her as if it were a sweet melody, calming her and instilling confidence within her anxious heart. Emily cling to him tighter and nodded.

"I'm sorry, it was just so real, daerada. I can't shake it..." Emily whispered, listening to the steady beat of the elder's heart and drawing strength from the sound.

"I know, penneth. I know." Thranduil soothed, looking over her head at Elrond and Glorfindel once more. They shared a moment of silence conversation, agreeing that this was no mere dream. Some ill will was at work, just as they had suspected. "Emily I want you to go with Legolas now. No, do not try to argue with me. Go with him and try not fret any longer. All will be well."

There was a very long, thoughtful silence after Emily was taken away. It was Glorfindel who broke it nearly an hour later.

"And so it would seem that it is as we have each quietly feared. The unrest, the missing children and small yet dark presence of black magic growing in the south of the forest..." Glorfindel trailed off and Thranduil picked up where is friend left off.

"They all point to some new evil at work."

"I do not believe this new threat is of the magnitude of Sauron, but it is not something to be taken lightly...but as of yet...there is little to go on." Elrond sighed. "A powerful stone of which I have never heard the like, portals, children enslave in some deep cavern, a insane sounding witch, spiders, and Estel..."

"And somehow Emily is wrapped up in the middle of it..." Thranduil growled, pacing in agitation. "Is there to be no rest for the poor girl? What has she done to deserve such a multitude of turbulent events in the space of one year? I have half a mind to never let her out of my sight for fear of losing her or being forced to watch her endure yet another trial."

"If she was gifted the dream and it was a true vision, then there will be little you can do to stop her involvement, Thranduil." Elrond stated slowly. "Some things are already set in motion that cannot be stopped."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Glorfindel asked, ramming his fist into his palm and taking up pacing as well.

None had a chance to reply, however, for it was then that they were interrupted by Elros. He came with one of the men from the previous night, one who had stayed in the background and said very little, but Thranduil had remembered him. He had been fidgety and looked as though he dearly wished to speak.

Now he entered nervously but with such resolute determination that Thranduil couldn't help admiring the man somewhat.

"You wished to speak with me, Master...?" Thranduil began, waiting patiently for the man to share his name.

"Brefew, my lord." The woodsman replied, bowing respectfully. "I...I wish to share all that I know, but I must warn you that it is very strange and in doing so I am risking the lives of many. If word should get out that I spoke with you.."

"Rest assured of our digression, Master Brefew." The elf-king stated mildly, though with a certainty that put the human at ease.

"It's like this, my lords." Brefew began. "Many moons ago a woman appeared in the woods, a woman who it was clear dabbled in dark magic...a very powerful witch. It is she who has taken the children. Of this we know for certain. She appears through magical doorways on occasion, and we have seen her lure a few of the children away through the very same door. Puts some kind of enchantment over them so they walk through without question, never to be seen again. And her retribution is swift against any who oppose her. The pain she is able to inflict with her curses and spells...she is the reason we have not told the whole truth, for she has an intense hatred for elves and we fear what she will do to our children if she knew we had come seeking your help and told you of her...she warned us against speaking any word about her to anyone...said she would know and punishment would be swift..."

Brefew paused, having paled somewhat while speaking. "I have a son, ten years old. She took him six days ago. I watched it happen and was helpless to stop her. I am risking his life by being here...so please, is there nothing you can do? Surely such a creature cannot be allowed to continue..."

Meanwhile, in the forest returning from practicing archery with Merenith, Emily was again brooding over the dream. She had returned to the royal wing with her uncle and had calmed enough by then to insist on going about her day like normal. Reluctantly, Legolas had agreed and sent her to the archery fields with Merenith.

"Sometimes dreams are just...really vivid, Em." Merenith offered as they walked.

"It wasn't just a vivid dream." Emily said through clenched teeth. "It was...horrible...that's what."

"Hey! Merenith!" Tirnel called, "Where do you think you are going!? You haven't cleaned up your mess properly! Get back here!"

Merenith rolled her eyes. "I'll catch up in a minute, ok? Then we can see what my daerada has for us in the kitchens!"

"Ok." Emily smiled a little and watched as Merenith run back up the path to the clearing.

Heaving a large sigh, Emily kicked a stone as she meandered down the trail towards the gates. Being with the others had helped, but it still didn't completely erase the uneasy feeling deep within her gut.

The hair on the back of her neck prickled. She stopped.

Something was...off...

The trees stood terribly still for a breezy day and there was not a single bird or critter stirring amid the branches. A breath of warm air that was not the wind swirled about the forest floor a few feet in front of her and there was a familiarity to the haunting notes that rang softly into the silence, whistling and humming at eerie pitches. An almost sickly sweet smell drifted to her nose and Emily felt her mind become foggy with each breath, but it happened so quickly she didn't have time to consider that perhaps she was in danger.

Transfixed, Emily watched as a portal the size of a single doorway formed, shimmering with it's own light in the shadows of the trees. The haunting song drew her, beckoning her closer step by step with incautious curiosity. It enticed her, flirted with her, and called with such sweet temptation. It was like the part of her brain that told her not to go towards strange magical forces in the middle of the woods no longer existed and the desperate desire to just go a little closer sang in her ear.

She was inches from the surface of the shimmering door, and it was like looking through gently moving water into the world below. There was a warm inviting fireplace, a table, chairs. Reaching out her hand she went to touch it.

"EMILY! STOP!"

All of the sudden she was jolted halfway back to having the presence of mind to question why she was so close to this thing, and withdrew her hand sharply, looking dazedly over her shoulder at Merenith and Tirnel who looked on with such dismay that she felt a quiver of fear roll through her. It fought against the phantom like melody that clouded her mind and whispered to her to cross over the threshold to the other side.

"Emily, come away from there!" Merenith cried in a high panicking voice as she and her brother speed down the hill towards her.

Caution stirring further in her hazy thoughts, Emily turned and made to step away. It was then that she realized that the foot of the portal had vine like tendrils that had wrapped themselves around her ankles, slowly forcing her feet backwards. She tripped and at the same moment she heard her name being cried loudly, then all went black as the cold of the portal seemed to swallow her up and she knew no more.

AN: Dun. Dun. DUnnnnnnn...I know. I know. Another cliffy. They just kinda happen! I'm sorry...a little bit...ok, maybe not...I haven't decided yet. Right...not that I'm begging for more reviews here, cuz you have all been wonderful, but they really do help me write faster and stay motivated to keep telling this story, so :) Review if you can! I off to plot the next chapter! :)