Tolkein owns LOTR, Meyer Owns Twilight, I don't own any of those things, but I do own a desk fan and a bottle of OJ.
1 Time to go home.
"Cín adar na- na belth- nin!" Charlie sighed rubbing his roughly down his face. (Your father is going to kill me)
Bella grinned sheepishly from her seat on the couch, absently rubbing her hands over and down her knees to pull her legs up in a self comforting manner. "Im'm sorrui, im'll treneri- hon im forced cin!" she responded with a slight shrug and a wry smile. (I'm sorry I'll tell him I forced you!)
Charlie snorted shaking his head, knowing that he'd never deny her, yet worried all the same. "You can tell Renee, no way am I getting into that one," he retorted with a smirk, not many things scared him, yet Renee seemed to have a knack for verbal chastisement.
Bella groaned, she just knew that Renee would kick up a fuss, yet in the end she would have to let her go and choose her own path, just as she herself had, when she parted ways with her and Charlie.
"Cin dont teilien bein!" Bella growled throwing her hands in the air. (You don't play fair!)
"Neither ceri- cin. Princess." Charlie responded with a mock bow. (Neither do you. Princess)
Bella grumbled and stomped to the phone, turning to Charlie as she lifted the receiver, "will you be coming with me, or will you remain here? I know that you have made many friends here, and I shall miss you should you stay."
"I..." Charlie started, looking shocked at the young woman who to all here appeared as his daughter, when in fact she was nothing of the sort and he was merely her protector in this realm.
"No pressure Charlie, I understand you have made ties here, and no man, nor elf really chooses to spend his life trailing after an elven princess, should you wish it, I free you from your oath." Bella stated with a slight smile, before turning back to the phone. It rang 5 times before Renee eventually lifted at her end.
"Bella?" she asked.
"Renee, I'm just calling to...I'm returning home, I miss my father, my brother, I...need to go home.." She stuttered out.
"Why?, why now, it's been years, why would you return to that depressing place, your father sent you here to protect you! What of our sacrifices in coming with you?" Renee ranted.
"I free you from your obligations Renee, Guin-, thui-, n- lain, this is something that I need to do, I can feel it, there is nothing left for me here." Bella replied (Live, breath, be free)
"You're making a mistake nin hiril Ránëwén," Renee replied.
"Ha na- sab- na ech, Lótesse i elena kal- upon tye!" (It is mine to make … may the stars shine upon you)
Bella sighed and handed the phone to Charlie with an apologetic shrug, before turning and heading to her room, to pack those things that she wouldn't leave behind. As she ascended the stairs she grimaced as she heard the scathing tone of Renee berating Charlie over the phone. Her decision was made, as she had told Renee, there was nothing to keep her here, those that had anchored her were gone, and no amount of begging would alter that. He had left her in the most callous of ways in the forest behind this very home, her mortality an excuse for his own failings. If only he had known that her own mortality was greater than his. Having had time to think and review their whole relationship honestly, it was doomed to fail from the start, he was too controlling, too condescending, treating her more as a pet than the love of his life, no...she was far better off without him and chaos and danger that he brought into her life. She was glad that he wasn't her true hearts chosen, she would be incredibly upset if he had been her reason to fade.
There was still the issue of the redhead, Victoria, Bella couldn't in good conscience leave the crazed vampire running free to inflict harm on the innocents that would be left behind. It had been hard enough to hide her true self when James had pursued her, to play the helpless human. It had gone against everything in her make up to allow him to have the upper hand in the ballet studio, allowing the Cullen's to 'save the day'. When he could've easily been taken out had she been true to herself. Shaking her head, she left those thoughts where they belonged, in the past. What ifs and shoulda coulda's had no room here.
Decided, Bella turned to the inconspicuous trunk in the corner of her room and lifted the lid, inside were neatly folded dresses of light gossamer and a hardy set of rugged travelling pants made of the softest leather, with green tunic, a messenger style satchel, knee high boots and a warm cape. Bella swiftly changed clothes, before returning to the trunk for few other items that would soon be needed. While she pulled out the various essentials Charlie had come up the stairs and was stood inside the doorway, watching her intently.
"Cin thír sui if cin're readying an dagr," He stated as he watched his ward dress in the clothes of her kin and strap a long dagger to her belt and two more to her back, as well as her bow. (You look as if you're readying for war)
"I am, I cannot in good conscience leave the red headed leech to reign terror on the innocents here," Bella responded standing tall and proud, her chin tilted in defiance.
"And I cannot let you fight her alone, regardless of your skill," Charlie responded.
"It is my fight," Bella shrugged.
"Baw princess, ha na- mín cost!" Charlie responded pressing his fist to his chest. (No it is our fight)
"Thank you Charlie, bring your sword, we must be swift, and remove her head and burn the body, I wish to return home," Bella responded.
Hours later the two had completed their preparations for their return home, the house in forks had been cleaned and the furniture covered in sheets, Charlie had gone to the station and handed in his resignation effective immediately, a family emergency that needed him to move away, letters written to the Blacks and keys placed in envelopes for them to do as they wished with the house and all that was inside. All that was to go with them, was two small travelling trunks and anything that fit into the messenger style satchels they wore.
"Where shall we meet this leech?" Charlie asked placing his own small trunk down beside the door. He too was now wearing rugged travelling clothes a large broadsword strapped to his back, alongside a long bow and quiver. On his waist two daggers and a set of throwing knives at his back.
"Our best chance for an encounter will be at the Cullen's house, I have no doubts that she knows they're gone and will want to be sure that it is true, before coming for me," Bella replied shrugging her own bow over her shoulder.
"Lets do this, the sooner it is done, the sooner we can leave," Charlie grumbled.
The Cullen house still looked the same, the enormous white mansion in the woods, the full glass windows facing the back, the stream running through part of the vast garden. The once immaculate lawns now over grown and untended.
"She's here, I can sense the malignant evil in the air, the birds have fled, nature is screaming danger, I can smell the urgency," Bella whispered pulling her own sword from its sheath and assuming a defensive stance...called out, "Victoria! I know that you're here! Come face me...COWARD!"
Charlie shook his head from beside her and unsheathed his own broadsword. Standing tall and ready to defend his ward should he need to. "Na i gurth!" He growled! (To the death!)
The red head sprung from the trees, her face a look of malevolence and glee, the human would die bloody and painfully, she would avenge her mate and seek her final death, bathed in the blood of her enemies. So she was taken by surprise when she landed in front of the little mouse and her head fell beside her, she'd not seen the girl move, yet before she could even touch her she'd been incapacitated.
"Well, that was...anti climatic," Bella sighed, pulling a lighter from her satchel.
Charlie grumbled incoherently, he'd hoped for more of a fight, but the red head had been too cocky and Bella had dispatched her with little effort. He grinned as his ward bent to the dismembered head, patted the bouncy curls and dropped the lit lighter onto it. The vampire screamed silently as purple smoke rose into the air, soon the rest of the body caught aflame and it wasn't long before there was nothing but ash left on the grass, and a darkened ring where the flames had caught.
"Let us go home," Charlie said patting Bella on the shoulder and turning her towards the forest, where their trunks remained undetected.
Bella smiled at Charlie, a grin lighting her features as she considered what her father would say about the 'tash'. Smirking to herself she whistled happily as they returned to their things and disappeared into the forest, neither mentioning the brown eyes gazing at them from the other side of the vast lawn of the Cullen's home, where the wolf pack had watched incredulously as klutzy Bella, dressed in some odd leather clothes and carrying weapons dispatched the red headed vamp without breaking a sweat. Little did they know that, this would be the last sight of the 'Swans' that anyone in Forks or the surrounding area would have.
They had taken to the trees once out of sight and using their natural agility travelled miles into the Olympic forest. No soul in this realm would ever be able to track them. The light footed steps of elves rarely left prints.
At the base of Mt Olympus they halted by a ring of stones and prepared to depart back home.
"I think...we need to close this portal permanently Charlie, we can't risk anyone coming here, or using it to get to our homelands," Bella stated, she hated the idea as she said it, be knew it to be true.
Charlie just nodded, his unspoken words enough of an answer, already he was switching into his subservient mindset, that of the protector of the Eleven Princess and not a father figure of the human realm.
Casting a last look at the sky and nature around them, Bella turned to the stone ring and stood in the centre, Charlie and their trunks at her side. Raising her hands to the sky, she gave a prayer of thanks to the Valar and with a last grin to Charlie brought her hands together, sending a blinding white light out from the circle and shock wave of wind outwards like the downdraft of a helicopter. When the light cleared and the wind settled, they were gone and the stones had crumbled.
Their arrival in Middle earth was equally abrupt, a flash of light and then the two elven figures stood where once there had been no-one. Glancing around to get their bearings, they could see that much was wrong since they had been here last. The mountains of Mirkwood were abutted by dense forest, but that wasn't what concerned the two travellers, no it was the webs, enormous webs spread from tree to tree as far as the eye could see. Neither Bella nor Charlie had expected the foulness to have spread this far. Bella remembered a time perhaps sixty years previous when they had fought an infestation of the overly large spiders, at the time, a group of Dwarves under the leadership of Thorin Oaken-shield had been apprehended and imprisoned by her father on their way to reclaim Erabor, somehow they had escaped and succeeded in slaying the Fire drake Smaug, but at the loss of the Dwarven king and his nephews, and almost resulted in all out war between them and her father. It was one of her lasting memories of the old alliance between Elves and Dwarves being honoured as they fought together against an incredible army of Orcs lead by the foul Azog the defiler. Bella wondered if the remaining Dwarves still kept residence in the lonely mountain. Thinking on this also brought to mind of Tauriel, a close friend of her brother and captain of the kings guard, whose heart had chosen the young Dwarven prince Kili, both had perished that fateful day fighting on Ravenhill, Kili murdered by Azog's orcs and Tauriel fading due to his death.
That was also what lead to her father sending her to safety, he feared that dark times were coming and wished not to lose her to those Dark forces. Legolas had refused to leave, he wouldn't leave their woodland realm to a dark fate, but while their father had caved to Legolas, there was no such agreement for her and it was decided that she would be taken to another realm with two protectors, until such a time, that her safety would be more or less ensured. Bella's return now was unexpected and unplanned. She had little doubt that her father would be disagreeable, but it was done and the way was now closed.
"There is still darkness, your highness, I fear that it is worse than what we left behind," Charlie stated with a sigh.
"I fear you're right, Father is not going to be pleased that I'm back," Bella responded glumly.
Looking across the trees, webs as far as the eye could see, Bella was struck with memories of 60 years previously, the forest felt sick. The once great trees that had been home for nigh on 2000 years, gnarled and withered. Bella touched a large Oak, close to the elven circle. It groaned and grumbled at the touch, closing her eyes she chanted healing words, sending love and light forth to the barren wood. "Lords of the air, the water, the light, bringers of the silmarils, hear my plea, heal my hearth, my home, cast out the darkness, banish the sickness from these aged boughs, feel only love," Bella chanted guiding her hands over the dry bark, her inner light pulsing through her fingers and casting an ethereal glow through the wooden boughs. Pulling her dagger from her belt she pricked her finger, then made a small slice into the tree and dripped a few drops of her blood into the bark.
The grey of the deadened tree, gradually bled into a more healthy brown, shoots sprouted from around the roots and new growth leaves from the gnarled and twisted branches. Bella knew this would send word to her fathers guards that someone was in their realm, so she settled at the base of the oak and bid Charlie to join her and wait.
It wasn't long before she heard light footsteps and the displacement of air around them and only moments later were they surrounded by a group of Silvan elves all with bows pointed at them.
"Sister!" A tall blonde elf called lowering his bow and running to lift her from the ground.
"Gwanur!" Bella cheered as he spun her in a circle before lowering her to her feet and meet her forehead with his own. "Cin are bar?" (you are home)
"Im am, a ú- soon farn if i nimloth's are anything na ped- -o,"Bella replied.
(I am, and not soon enough if the tree's are anything to speak of)
"We cleared the spiders out 60 years ago, but recently they have returned and in greater numbers. Father believes them the offspring of Ungoliant. There is talk of a dark force in Dol Guldur, father has banned us from seeking it out," Legolas stated, glancing over her shoulder to Charlie… "Beren," he nodded, "Ecthelion?"
"She remained in the other realm, your sister released her from her service," Charlie replied.
Glancing around the elven circle, Legolas could see that Bella had already done some healing, he smiled, his sister had always been adept in the more arcane arts associated with the lady Galadriel. "You've been busy already sister, even here the air feels less oppressive," he stated smiling at his twin.
"I couldn't bear the sickness I felt from the forest, father should've brought me back sooner, I could've helped before it got this bad!" Bella growled.
"Don't be angry with him sister, he holds a lot of fear in his heart after mother..." Legolas started.
"I understand brother, but this is our home, our responsibility, I cannot and refuse to be protected from all, I feel that...the earth is screaming and we must answer her pleas brother, I couldn't bear it if I was held back from doing my part." Bella sobbed clinging to the taller elf.
"Come sister, lets get you home, father will be surprised but no doubt pleased to see you, it's been a long 60 years," Legolas stated stroking her hair and leading her and Charlie back into the forest, his troupe of elven guards fading back into the woodland and taking to the trees.
The cavernous halls of the Mirkwood king, went deep below the Mirkwood forest, the forest river fed into the long lake and Lake town, where the elves had a long-standing trade agreement, with the humans who had settled there and the city of Dale, that looked over the Dwarven kingdom of Erabor. The elves of the woodland realm were more hardy than those of Lothlorien and Rivendell, more wild than their ethereal cousins, this difference was particularly seen in the architecture of the elven city, the halls of Thranduil carved out of the rocks and natural caverns found in the Mirkwood mountains.
This was no fantasy city like Rivendell, or the ethereal beauty of the talens and the golden mallorn trees of Lothlorien. The halls of Mirkwood were beautiful in their understated practicality, water carved caverns and enormous tree roots bent and twisted in equal partnership, to create a wide open space filled with natural light. Simplistic and natural, made it both intimidating and welcoming. Stepping through the enormous stone doors that opened upon the elven road through the Mirkwood, Bella finally breathed in deep and felt herself at home.
From the carved balcony that overlooked the entrance, her father stood with his guard, awaiting somewhat impatiently on the arrival of the two elves into his kingdom, he'd felt Bella's arrival through his connection with her life-force and the magic that sprung from the elven circle upon her and Charlie's arrival in the woodland realm.
"Adar!" Legolas called as they stepped into the great entryway.
Thranduil looked over the balustrade down onto the assembled elves below, finally resting his eyes on his twins, who stood side by side, arm in arm. To their left Charlie stood with the travelling trunks under his arms and his head bowed.
Thranduil smirked to himself before striding quickly down the stairs where he took Bella in a tight embrace, lifting her slight form from the floor. "We will talk on your return later, but for now….I have missed you daughter, there is much happening right now, your brother will take you to your room, freshen up and join me soon," he said holding her tightly.
"It's good to see you too Adar, do not be angry with Beren, I ordered him to return us," Bella stated with a grin.
"Of course you did, I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did," he smirked at his defiant daughter. "Go freshen up we have guests, your return may just be fortuitous," Thranduil stated directing her to join Legolas on the stairs.
Bella rested her forehead against her fathers, kissed his cheek before running to return to her twin, grasping his hand and running up the stairs.
Meanwhile Beren remained in the large hall, having not been ordered to leave, and thus it was a curious Thranduil who looked now at the trusted protector, his head tilted and face puzzled, "Beren, Cin gar- fin bo cín lip," (You have hair on your lip) Thranduil stated in puzzled curiosity.
"Na deli- amongst men," Charlie replied (To hide amongst men)
"Huh!"Thranduil responded shaking his head and moving back towards the stairs. "Freshen up and reacquaint yourself with your quarters Beren, thank you, for looking after her my friend."
After a short rest and changing into more appropriate clothes to meet guests, Ránëwén (Bella)and Legolas returned to their fathers court, where they were met with an old friend they had not seen in an age.
Glorfindel stood looking out over the great hall, from the side of their fathers personal meeting room, at over 6ft 6 he stood straight and tall, his golden hair pin straight down his back. One hand rested on the low wall that he stood beside, the other bent lightly behind him, a long elvish blade hung from his belt and a pair of daggers cross across his shoulder blade, much like those that Legolas carried.
"Lo!" Bella called as they entered the room, causing the as named elf to turn and smile in joy as the young elleth lunged at him, and wrapping him in a tight hug.
"Sister, let him breathe!" Legolas chuckled from beside her.
"Mae govannen Glorfindel," Bella said stepping back from the ellon.
Glorfindel smiled widely, as he returned the greetings to both Legolas and Bella.
"Cin are a an té o Rivendell," Bella stated questioning the presence of the warrior.
"Ah Ránëwén, I can always rely on you to question something, your curiosity never lessens," He grinned in reply.
"Elrond is calling forth the council, darkness is abroad and its shadow ever grows strong. It is said that the one ring has returned, orcs and other fell creatures roam freely and the last battle of this great age approaches." he stated.
Bella and Legolas, while over 2000 years, where still young and had been born after the last great battles that turned middle-earths lands dark. Neither had been participants when the last great alliances had been forged and ultimately failed, they had however grown with the stories from their father and other elves who had been there, and while they both longed for adventure, neither courted danger when it could be avoided. The last great conflict of their veritably young lives had resulted in the loss of their mother at Gunderbad.
Thranduil, knew all too well the horrors of war, he'd faced orcs, men, dwarves and even dragons. He'd borne the scars and wished only for a quiet life, before he ultimately left for the undying lands.
"You shall both go, I believe in you, this is your time, and your battle, no elf can sit back and wait for it to end. We will prepare for when the time comes, you need only send word, but I'll not leave this forest unprotected for the scum to blacken, so go my children and I shall work to clear out the filth that inhabit our home for your return," Thranduil stated, his fists clenched tightly in both pride and concern for his children.
"Adar, we will honour your name," Bella stated, always better with words than her brother who nodded will stood silently at her side.
"We shall leave immediately, it is many days to Rivendell," Legolas stated clutching his hand to his chest and bowing to his father.
"No gelin idh raid lîn, a no adel len i chwest," Thranduil said embracing Bella and nodding to Legolas. (May your paths be green and the breeze behind you )
Glorfindel watched on proudly, the two young elves will be a great addition to Lord Elronds plan. "I shall come part of the way with you, but I must check something before I join you in Rivendell."
"Your company is always welcome Glo!" Bella stated with a grin making the tall ellon laugh loudly.
"You will bring great joy to those that will need it in the dark days young Ránëwén," Glorfindel responded joyfully.