Aaaaah! What an abomination! Some things should be stopped before they're even started. What am I talking about? Why that truly utterly dreadful version of 'light my fire' as 'sung' (and I use the term 'sung' very loosely indeed) by pop idol will young. I'd say it was evil – but that would be a compliment. Burning is too good for the copies of that song. Jim Morrison of The Doors must be spinning in his grave… So this chapter is dedicated to Jim. This one's for you – because I'm feeling sorry for you after your song was desecrated. Still ain't mine. No change there then.

Light My Fire.

Veborion walked behind me virtually silently. Every so often I would turn around to check he was still there and he was always smiling. Smiling in a kind of 'yes I'm smiling because I want you to like me because you're saving my life here' as opposed to the 'I'm smiling because I like you' way.

"Sometimes," I muttered as I looked up at the sky "Life sucks."

***

Gradually it became dark and I'd had enough. I stopped and set about making a fire. At which I failed miserably. I sighed.

"Vebby," I said frustrated by my lack of fire-lighting skills, "Do the honours." I gestured towards the pitiful attempt I had made.

Seconds later the wood was alight.

***

I leant against a tree and tried to get comfortable. I was tired. No, actually I was shattered. Unfortunately for me, Veborion had forgotten that I was a mere fangirl and was suggesting that we put more distance between the Palace and us.

"For the FIFTH time the answer is NO."

"But we should try and get as far away as possible…"

"I said no."

"But it would be wise to…"

"I. SAID. NO."

"But could we just…"

"NO."

"But what if…"

"NO."

"But why…"

"Look Vebby dearest," I said through clenched teeth. "I said NO. What part of NO don't you understand?"

Veborion slouched down against a tree in defeat.

"Good. Now we'll rest here and move on tomorrow. How's that sound?"

"I still say we should move tonight."

"You wanna go? Be my guest." I grinned as I saw the expression on Veborion's face. "Look, if you aren't tired, why don't you do something useful like go out on watch?" Veborion got up and wandered off to check our safety. "At last. Peace and quiet."

I should have known it was too good to last.

***

I woke up to the sound of shouting.

"Fangirl! Fangirl! Argh! Fangirl! HELP!"

"Vebby?" I asked and got to my feet trying to wake up.

"Fangirl! Help!"

I figured out where the noise was coming from and made my way towards it. "Vebby if you don't have a damn good reason for waking me up you are going to be in serious trouble."

"HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPP!"

I realised that he obviously did have a good reason and began to run towards where the yelling was coming from. "Vebby? Where are you?" Finding things in a forest in the middle of the night was clearly not one of my strong points.

"Fangi…" Veborion's voice was abruptly cut off. And I was getting worried.

I crashed through the forest and was confronted by Veborion fighting against several shadowy figures. And then it dawned on me who the creatures were. They were the creatures I had promised to help wipe out the race of elves.

"Oh dear." I took a deep breath. "Hello boys!"

***

"Congratulations!" The leader declared. "You have brought us the elf prince."

I smiled weakly and risked a glance at Veborion's face. He looked furious. Fortunately he was gagged and as yet was unable to express his fury, for which I was most grateful.

"Yeah, well y'know, I said I would help. Wasn't easy mind…"

"But it is done now. Better than we ever hoped. We suspected that you would betray us."

"Me?" I asked incredulously. "Never."

The leader seemed pleased. And he was. Until that fateful moment when Veborion's gag worked loose. Oops.

Idiot.

************************

Oooh! What's gonna happen next? Well if I had my way something nasty to the person who thought it was a good idea that 'light my fire' should be covered by that, that… *author wanders off muttering to find her book on torture to mete out appropriate punishment* R&R as usual please folks!