Chapter 4

"Legolas," she whispered hoarsely, "Where am I? What's happening?"

"It is alright Tally. You are safe. Gandalf brought us here after you were attacked. You were badly hurt. You were attacked with poisoned knifes, but luckily with a bit of medicine I'd never seen before, "he said motioning to the drip in her arm, "we saved you. I shall go tell Gandalf you are awake."

"Legolas, you have to help me," she grabbed his hand in earnest, wincing at the pain sue to the cuts in her finger, "They.. they.." she couldn't say the word, "I have to get it out of me. I can feel it growing inside of me. I feel dirty. There is dirt all over my skin. I want to get it off." She started scratching at her forearms, opening some of the wounds. He held her wrists apart firmly, trying not to cause her pain.

"You do not appear dirty to me. You are brave and kind and strong. I have seen people die with less poison inside them than you. I will go and tell the doctor, Josiah, who has been attending to you what has happened."

Legolas left Tally unwillingly, and as he shut her door, he could hear the tears begin to roll down her cheeks. With as little emotion and detail as he could, Legolas explained the situation to Josiah, who immediately set about finding the solution. He always kept a supply of emergency contraception, for the farm girls who spent too much time frolicking in haystacks he often told himself. He would have given anything not to have to administer it to the girl lying in his spare bedroom. It was bad enough that it happened, but orcs? He shuddered at the thought. Sometimes he wished he had never got involved with Gandalf, the old man he had met in a village pub on holiday as a young man, but then he always was looking for excitement at that age.

Later that day, when Tally has exhausted herself crying and then slept some more, Gandalf brought two more chairs into her room. He set one down next to Legolas, who was still by Tally's side, and motioned for Josiah to sit there. He sat on the other, facing them. He smiled at Tally, "We have not been introduced. My name is Gandalf. I am a wizard. It is I who called him here by sending a message to my past self, and so it was I who sent him here. The reason is that the remaining surviving elves are under attack, so are the humans, although they don not understand the danger which is upon them. Legolas is a Prince, the last remaining member of royalty, he must lead the armies against the Enemy."

"Who is the Enemy, Gandalf? And what about my family? Why didn't you choose any of them? Why are they not here?"

"Legolas, you were the best warrior of your family, you know that. You are the best for this job. As for your family," Gandalf looked straight at the elf before him, "I am sorry to tell you that they were killed in an attack on Mirkwood by legions of orcs and goblins. Most of the Royal Family was killed as they slept. The few that escaped were captured and tortured. Only one escaped from the dungeons. He is not capable of telling us much of what happened or who the Enemy is but all we know is that is a force of old, almost as strong as Sauron. We must fight Legolas, we must fight."

Legolas was stunned. He didn't know what to say. He felt Tally squeeze his hand in support. He could feel her glassy eyes boring into him and the eyes of Gandalf as well. Legolas cleared his throat, "I will do what ever it takes to avenge the deaths of my family and friends and help my people." Gandalf only nodded in response. He then turned to Tally. His face softening as he said,

"My dear, I am sorry for what has happened to you. We were not coming for you quite yet, although your fate is entwined in this as much as Legolas'. You are descended from Aragorn and Arwen. In you runs the blood of elves and the kings of old. You and you family.."

"I have no family. They are dead. Car crash when I was ten." Tally said bluntly looking and the wall to the left of Gandalf

"You are then the last surviving relative of the line of Kings. The blood is very mixed, but you have many of the characteristics. You are light and quick on your feet when you wish, your hearing and eye sight are superior to many of your fellows and you, you Tally are immortal. Your birth was forecast long ago. It is a part of lore long forgotten by most. It seems the Enemy has too, or you would have not been spared.

In the time of need, a young girl shall come

Part Queen, Part Elf She shall bind the darkness till her death should come

There is much more, but I do not think it is necessary for you to hear it. Needless to say, this is your war too. You have apart to play although you know not what." Gandalf stopped mid sentence. "Legolas, go quickly, look out of all the windows and tell me what you see."

Legolas jumped up and was gone no longer than half a minute. "There are orcs. Three bands of about ten. Two are coming each way up the lane to the house and one coming up the meadow. We only have a few minutes!"

"Quick, we must use the passage Josiah. Help Tally down there. Legolas we must make ready to leave quickly. Find food and place it in this pack. You must take what is left of the balm for Tally as well. I do not know how they have found us."

Josiah helped Tally up and into a small back room. He pulled up the rug to reveal the door into the old farm house cellar. It lifted up to reveal a set of steps down to a small, dank basement. Tally you see no passage. They were followed down by Legolas and finally the old wizard, who closed the door behind him and used his magic to replace the rug. He walked to the end wall, touched it and muttered words to himself. A door appeared, opening silently. They hurried in and it shut silently behind him, just as they heard breaking glass in the house above. Legolas handed his pack to Gandalf and picked up Tally who was too weak for a march down a passageway. Josiah was very able for his age and they went along at a quick pace, their way lit only by some small light coming from Gandalf's staff. Tally was too weak to stay awake, she fell asleep, protected by Legolas who didn't seem to find her weight too much of a burden.