Chapter 1

The sun had risen to its peak amongst the clouds signaling the hour of noon. In the silence of surrounding foliage, boots worn out from use and old age trudged on the cold dirt. Bard sighed at the contents he held in his hands, his bow and half empty quiver strung over his shoulder as he turned around to look at the forest behind him.

It had taken him hours, having to go deeper into forest this time to find game to hunt. It was indeed strange, forests across Lake Town usually flourished with creatures both big and small, yet…he sighed again and looked at the pair of dead rabbits dangling from his grip. They would have to make do with what scraps of food they could find especially since the coming winter this year would be hard on them. Bard got into his boat which had been docked on the shores of the forest and proceeded to steer his way back to Lake Town.

Bard's face grew grim upon sighting the outline of the small town that he called home for the longer parts of his life. Once it had been a thriving community full of laughter and better days until that day, ten years ago when the dragon had swept in from the north and changed their lives for the worst. Of course, while he could blame Smaug for the calamity and destruction that befell Esgaroth and the once glorious city of Dale, he could not fault the dragon no matter how foul it was for the greed and injustice that festered in Lake Town.

The bowman was drawn out of his thoughts as he sighted something floating in the water. Moving to the edge of the boat to get a closer look, he peered through the fog which had settled in the air. It looked like a body…of a woman.

Without haste Bard steered his boat closer and used his paddle to draw the body floating the icy water, with luck she may yet be alive though he did not count on it, the water was too cold for anyone to last in. Pulling her on his deck, he turned her over and was met with an astonishing sight that left him dazed. The woman in question, and he had checked her ears to be certain she was human, was indeed very fair to look upon with pale skin and an even paler hair.

Bard quickly pressed his fingers to her neck to check for a pulse and felt relief, there was a pulse but it was weak and then began to thump lightly on her chest. After several thumps later, the woman coughed up water as her eyes darted around in alarm. Bard stepped back watching quietly with his guard up in the event that she decided to attack him.

Jolting up and backing away from the strangely dressed man, the woman looked around wheezing and seeming slightly confused, a fact that Bard noted.

"Calm down milady, I assure you I mean no harm" said Bard who gently stretched his hand out as a means to allay her fears while he approached her slowly. The woman stilled as she looked at him, her stance turning tense, and her blue eyes sparkling with caution as she spoke.

"Who are you? Where am I? What is this place?" her voice shaking slightly from fear and obvious confusion. Bard raised his arms up in a gesture of peace, he knew any sudden movements from his end would alarm the strange woman before him and with a calm and clear voice answered.

"I am called Bard milady…from Lake Town, I found you floating in the water and thought you dead which luckily isn't the case at the moment"

"Lake Town?" the woman looked to the side, her eyes squinting further in confusion. Bard sought to calm her down, the chill and her near death experience must have left her disoriented. He moved closer to her and in the blink of an eye a sword formed from what he guessed was ice by the way it gave off a very cold feel, was held to his throat.

"Stay back!" the woman shouted as she held her sword to his throat. Bard swallowed, tensed and cautious as he took a step back, whatever this woman was, she was clearly not as harmless as he had originally thought. The woman, distrusting of him moved closer to him, her icy sword still within reach of him.

"I know not this Lake Town you speak of Sir Bard, I've travelled across the three great kingdoms of the continent and I have never heard of a town called 'Lake Town', perhaps you were unclear of who I was before but as the situation speaks for itself, I'll ask again…where am I?" the gleam in her eyes had turned deadly and Bard understood the seriousness of the situation, however that did not change the fact that he didn't understand what the woman spoke of.

"I assure you milady, I do not know of this continent or these great kingdoms you speak of, a few leagues from here, rests Lake Town and I do not think pointing a sword to the man who just saved your life would get you the answers you're looking for" Bard's gaze hardened whilst he stared at her, beautiful or not, he didn't take kindly to having his life threatened but what bothered him most was her strange ramblings and her even stranger ability…who was this woman?

"How do I know I can trust you?" the woman still held her stance, unwavering despite having held a sword for long.

"I saved your life so I think that should serve as a fair trade" Bard spoke coldly as he turned around to the oar of his boat, it was getting late and he needed to return before Bain and Sigrid came out to look for him. He would leave the woman to do as she wished but his guard remained up.

He heard boots walking closer behind him and turned to see the woman moving to his side, she raised her hands up to show she meant no ill will as her sword melted away into the wind.

"You will forgive me, my actions are warranted with good cause. I do not know where I am or how I came to be here" the woman came to stand by the edge of the boat, still weary of the man beside her.

"These are dangerous time milady, one can never be too careful" Bard said understanding as he looking ahead and steered, whilst he was glad they had resolved their misunderstanding, how would he explain the presence of a strange woman on his boat upon their arrival at the docks, the master of the town would definitely demand an audience with his new 'guest'.

"Milady, I will need you to at least tell me where you came from and how you ended up in the lake" said Bard who continued to steer, maneuvering his boat passed the ruins in the fog as he waited for the woman to answer.

The woman dazed stared at the cold and icy waters, her mind resurged in memories of the last events before everything went black, the cold had no effect on her body and yet a chill slivered down her spine.

Flashback

The bells sounded their alarm as the city residents fled for safety, the guards ensuring the nobles were safely evacuated from the courts and palace halls. All had been taken away to safety… all save her.

"Your majesty, your majesty we must leave now! The knights can't hold it off-"a roar erupted in the air shaking the palace walls.

"Gilford, my people's safety and survival are my only priority" the woman who had taken off her silver crown and donned a less extravagant light grey overcoat and heeled boots to match, turned and walked away in the very direction royal guards were trying keep her from. The man, Gilford along with the rest of The Queen's royal guard ran after her, pleading for her to see reason.

"You're Majesty! You are being unreasonable, as Queen of Cor Alvaron, it is our duty to ensure your safety!" The Queen walked sturdily as though no words had been spoken and Gilford in his utter fear and desperation spoke.

"You are the last remaining heir of your bloodline! If you die…the bloodline of King Arden and of this kingdom dies with you!" The Queen stilled in her movement, her fists clenched as she heard the beast roar again and city crumbling before her. She turned around and looked at Gilford, the man who had been her friend right from childhood and eventually her closest aide. Gilford had guided her through a relatively peaceful reign and had protected her viciously both at court and at the battlefield.

"You would have me run whilst my children scream and cry for their Queen…for me" she looked at the commander of the Royal Queen's Guard square in the eye and though he remained silent she could clearly see the answer there.

"from the moment I wore the crown of this kingdom, I swore to graves of Late King Arden and Late Queen Lorelia that I would protect my people with all that I am…that oath hasn't changed Knight Commander" The Queen's impassioned speech matched the fire burning in her eyes, she would die first before she saw Cor Alvaron destroyed.

"Then you leave me no choice" Gilford sighed, signaling to the knights as they moved to intercept the Queen, no matter what he said Leanna would not listen and were he not a man of sound mind he was sure to shiver under weight of her aura. He was the Knight Commander, regardless of her feelings which didn't go unnoted by him and though on any given day he would follow her to battle, today was different and the foe they faced was unlike any other they had ever faced before. Yes, she was Queen, but to him she would always be his Leya and he'd rather perish than lose her.

Understanding their intentions, Leanna shot her arm out and ice rose from the floor, wrapping and twisting around their feet as it trapped them in place. She then looked at him, Gilford who had stared back in return. Her heart almost skipped at the plea and confession in his eyes and smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry Gil" Leya whispered, then turned and ran.

"Leanna! No!" Gilford screamed desperately chipping to break the ice from his feet.

Leanna ran up the stairs of the already crumbling bell tower and reached the top. The bell had ceased its ringing some time ago, having been blown away. Waving her hand behind her, the ice quenched the fires that had been burning around her and then she saw it, the beast that had brought terror and destruction to her kingdom….a dragon.

Flashback Ends

"Milady…" Leanna startled out of her thoughts turned to the man who had rescued her, she sighed and spoke.

"Leanna El Alvaron"

"Pardon?" Bard responded confused at the words she said.

"My name…" said Leanna as she leaned on the edge. Bard nodded as he focused on steering for clearer waters. Leanna looked around their surroundings, she then spoke.

"And regarding to how I came to be here…I do not know, all I remember was everything going dark as I fell into the water and waking up here" said Leanna as she clutched her arms. Bard reached down into a box next to him and picked up a cloth.

"Here, it's not much but it will keep you warm for now" said Bard as he threw the brown cloth to Leanna, who caught it and nodded gratefully as she threw it over her shoulders. They could see the docks from here and knew they would soon approach the toll gate.

"I do not know what your story is but there are guards up ahead and when we get there, there will be questions so follow my lead and do as I tell you" Bard spoke in hushed tones as they drew closer. Leanna nodded and drew the worn and dirty cloth over her head, trying to draw as little attention as possible.

They reached the toll gate and Bard stopped the boat as he heard the guard at the gate call for inspection. Bard smiled charmingly at the guard who came out to meet them.

"Oh Bard is that you?" The guard called cheerily to Bard who smiled warmly in return.

"Evening Percy" Bard nodded as he spoke his greeting.

"Anything to declare?" Percy asked as he peered at the woman sitting by the oar watching him quietly, his eyes flicked back to Bard and his eyebrow raised in question. Bard looked stealthily to Leanna well aware of Percy's attention on her.

"Percy this is Linda, her home was attacked by orcs near the borders of Mirkwood and seeks to find shelter here in Lake Town" Leanna upon hearing the name Bard had given the toll guard, stood to her feet, clutching the shawl tightly and feigning a look of fear as a mask to her attire which would no doubt look very strange and suspicious to the guards.

"Ooph, nasty business that is, real lucky ya made it alive all the way down 'ere" Percy said taking the gate pass from Bard and receding back into the room.

"Indeed" said Bard who turned to Leanna, Leanna returned his gaze with a calm one of her own. The sound of boots approaching drew their gazes back to the guard Percy who returned with the gate pass and an approval stamp on it.

"Well you ave a good evening Bard, Miss" Percy nodded as he returned the pass back to Bard.

"And to you as well Percy" responded Bard as he grabbed his oar and began to steer towards his house, seeing as they were in the clear, Bard breathed out his sigh of relief, thankful of not having to run into Alfred today. They surely would've had more to deal with had he shown up.

Leanna discreetly looked around her, it was a town she had never heard of, much less seen before but there was another matter that unsettled her greatly, while the name Bard gave the toll guard was false, he spoke of another name, a placed she surmised to be real…Mirkwood, another place she had never heard. One thing was certain, Leanna knew she was no longer on the continent much less anywhere near home. The boat stopped by a small house on what seemed to be the edge of town and she watched Bard turn to her and jerk his head up, silently telling her to follow.

Bard grabbed the sack full of kill he had made from his hunt for the day and moved up to his front door making sure that his guest followed. Upon entering, screams and small bodies collided with Bard as he braced himself and chuckled.

"Da! We waited for you all day, where have you gone?" said Tilda who continued to clutch her father's garments. Bard entered into the house and Leanna followed closing the door behind, the noise of the door closing brought all three children's attention to the woman who quietly removed the cloth she had been wearing and stood waiting by the door.

"Da? Who is this?" Sigrid, the eldest of his children asked as she cast a glance to Bard and back to the woman which she quickly noted was very beautiful. Bain had been staring at her, but unlike his sisters didn't hold back his admiration from his gaze.

"Children, this is Leanna, Leanna these are my children…Sigrid, Bain and Tilda" Bard quickly made the introductions and placed the sack of his kill in a bowl by the window.

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you all" Leanna bowed her head in greeting, watching the apprehensive looks on the children's face. Another factor she had failed to put any attention to was the possibility of her savior having a family, which would easily explain the kills she saw on the boat she was on.

The smallest of the trio, came closer to her, clearly curious about her father's guest. Leanna smiled gently at the little girl who blinked at her.

"You're really pretty ma'am" the girl, Tilda said bashfully as her cheeks grew red. Leanna blinked, quite surprised at the unexpected admission from the little girl. She smiled even brighter and bent down to respond.

"No prettier than you lovely Lady Tilda" she spoke softly as she watched the girl giggle.

"Are you a noble or some sort of elf princess?" The older girl Sigrid, which she guessed to be the eldest, held her younger sister back in a protective grip. Leanna smiled, this one had a sharp eye.

"Sigrid!" Bard scolded, his eldest daughter tended to have a sharp mouth and a bold attitude to follow, he looked at Leanna who shook her head apparently unaffected by the question. However, he would not deny he had been secretly curious of her bearings. Her attire for one spoke of a comfy livelihood, such fine cloth could never belong to common folk and manner of speech or behavior didn't speak of poor origin either.

"What gave it away?" Leanna smiled fully aware of how she looked, her garments may have been simpler than the dresses she wore during official duties and functions but it made certain to reveal to any who saw her, her status whether she was in or outside the palace premises, Clovis the royal dressmaker had made sure of that.

"You don't look like a commoner, you don't even talk like one which makes me wonder what in the world you're doing in this washed up town or in our house" Sigrid stared at the woman her father brought home, showing her stance of clear distrust.

"Sigrid you're being rude to Da's guest" Bain spoke up for the first time since the woman's arrival and Leanna smiled gently at him.

"It's quite alright Sir Bain, and yes it is true that I am no commoner" said Leanna as she took the seat Bard offered her, Bain stepped forward offering her a cup full of hot liquid to which smiled, grateful for the warmth it provided.

"So will you tell us, who you are and where you come from? Lady Leanna" Bard asked as he stood cleaning and chopping a rabbit into the pot hanging over the fire.

Leanna looked at him over the rim of her cup, seemingly in a debate; she looked at the hot liquid which turned out to be some type of tea, its steam wafting slowly into the air.

"As I said before, my name is Leanna El Alvaron" said Leanna. She shuddered out her breath for the next words would determine whether this man, Bard along with his children could be trusted.

"And I was Queen of Cor Alvaron, one of the three great kingdoms".