Chapter 1
She didn't know how she had gotten there. She didn't even know where she was. She had been following the prettiest bird she had ever seen and had ended up in the Northern forest, the territory belonging to the elves. She should be frightened, for her mother told her at every opportunity that all who were not of fairy race were enemies, especially those of human birth. Fianna was not afraid, how could an evil race of people keep the forest so beautiful? For surely the care they take of the forest shows their patience, tenderness, and love. Fianna thought to herself. So entranced by the beauty of her surroundings that she didn't notice when the bird she had been chasing escaped further into the forest. Still under the intense bewitchment of the forest, it's creatures, and colors Fianna almost missed the sound of something deadly cut through the air with unrelenting speed and what was probably vicious accuracy. Fianna's head turned in the direction of the sound that was so at odds with the peaceful surroundings. It was then that she noticed the birds disappearance. What if it's in trouble? It would be a shame for that beautiful bird to die. She thought already flying in the direction of the noise.
Not being a stupid or foolhardy person Fianna quickly ducked behind a tree when she was close enough to see the people in front of her with ease. They were all golden haired and exquisitely beautiful. They were all laughing, all except one, the most flawlessly beautiful man she had ever seen. They must be elves, I've heard the only race that rivals us fairies in looks are the elves.
"It seems you chose the right spot to win your bet, Legolas cannot take his mind or his eyes off the forest long enough to make a proper shot." One of the elves stated laughingly, Fianna realized that all the elves were laughing at the beautiful one's expense. What had they called him? Legolas, she said the name out loud testing it on her tongue, and the one named Legolas turned in her direction. She held her breath wondering if he could see her, she shook her head she was too small, surrounded by such large things, there was no way he could see her. The one named Legolas slowly let his gaze travel lovingly over the forest before returning his eyes to the target. In that moment Fianna saw the depth of this elf's love of the forest, and decided to protect him at all cost from everything. Fairies had a great love for all things living, the forest and anything that grew in it, most of all. Their sole purpose for being was to make things grow. For someone to love the forest as much as this one did was a rare thing even amongst fairies and that love should be nurtured and cherished not chastised and teased. And Fianna was just the fairy to do the nurturing and cherishing.
"Legolas, if you but give me what you owe me, we can leave you and your forest to your own devices." Himolas snickered. He was enjoying himself, all elves loved the forest but none so much as Legolas, his love of the forest was notorious and a source of amusement to his attendants, with whom he had grown up with and who were more like brothers than servants.
"I have not yet lost Himolas, so do not count your chickens." Legolas shot back. His attendants were loyal to him, more loyal than they were to his father. He knew why they were teasing him about his love of the forest. It was the easiest way to rile him. And he knew that the reason the bet had been issued and the teasing began was to get his mind off the chastisement that his father had dealt him earlier today for missing a meeting in favor of the forest. He could have told them that they needn't have bothered, he wasn't in need of forgetting or cheering up. He didn't regret not going to an unnecessary meeting and found his trip through the forest today worth his father's anger. He concentrated on the target, blocked everything out of his mind and let the arrow fly and almost hit an insect as the arrow flew with alarming speed towards the bull's eye.
* * * * * *
Fianna bristled at the condescending comment coming from the elf on the right side of Legolas. She sucked in her breath and puffed out her chest. Time to teach this one a lesson. She thought to herself ferociously as she flew in to rescue her Legolas from more verbal abuse. She was almost there when she was stop short as she heard Legolas retaliate. He has a beautiful voice, she thought proud of him for standing up for himself. Maybe he doesn't my help in this after all; the thought oddly disappointed her. She didn't have time to linger on the reason, however, because right then an arrow whizzed past her and clipped one of her wings. It would have killed her if she hadn't dodged; nevertheless she could fill her wing failing as she tried to flap the other one harder to accommodate the injury. She soon got a cramp in her uninjured wing and all she could think as she fell was I'm going down. She smiled at her joke as she fainted from the pain. Unbeknownst to her she landed into a pair of hands.
Legolas didn't know what had caused his need to rescue a bug that didn't have the sense enough not to fly in front of an arrow, except that he was curious, the bug glowed an unusual blue, even in the daylight. Something was almost unearthly about the thing. I don't think it is dead, though it's not moving he thought I'll take it home and fix it's wing and study it before I let it go. Funny . . . now that the glow has disappeared it seems to be an ordinary butterfly. He flipped it over with his forefinger and nearly dropped it. His eyes were obviously playing tricks on him because in his hand there was what appeared to be a tiny elf (pointy ears and everything) with wings. He took his index and thumb fingers and gently knocked away an arm that encircled its legs and grabbed a tiny ankle in between his two fingers and stretched it out examining it out with intense concentration. He saw the wings twitch in annoyance lying against each other. From what he could see she was beautiful and precious, having an almost child like innocence in her face and yet the tiny curves (seen when he stretched her legs out) seemed well developed.
"What have you got there Legolas?" Himolas asked thinking his friend had lost it. It wasn't like the prince of the Northern Mirkwood to study something as insignificant as a bug for so long with such intensity.
"It seems I have found a fairy." Legolas sounded awed and he hadn't taken his eyes off the creature. His friends immediately surrounded him.
"I thought they were extinct."
"I thought they were legend."
"Leave it to Legolas to find such a creature."
"Yes I had imagined he had already discovered all of the forest creatures."
They all seemed to be talking at one time, and as Legolas watched the little fairy became agitated by all the loud noises. Then and there Legolas decided that he would protect her at all cost and from everything. "Let's return home," he said and as his attendants began their chattering again and as the little fairy started twitching he added one word: "quietly." No one spoke for the entire ride back home.
She didn't know how she had gotten there. She didn't even know where she was. She had been following the prettiest bird she had ever seen and had ended up in the Northern forest, the territory belonging to the elves. She should be frightened, for her mother told her at every opportunity that all who were not of fairy race were enemies, especially those of human birth. Fianna was not afraid, how could an evil race of people keep the forest so beautiful? For surely the care they take of the forest shows their patience, tenderness, and love. Fianna thought to herself. So entranced by the beauty of her surroundings that she didn't notice when the bird she had been chasing escaped further into the forest. Still under the intense bewitchment of the forest, it's creatures, and colors Fianna almost missed the sound of something deadly cut through the air with unrelenting speed and what was probably vicious accuracy. Fianna's head turned in the direction of the sound that was so at odds with the peaceful surroundings. It was then that she noticed the birds disappearance. What if it's in trouble? It would be a shame for that beautiful bird to die. She thought already flying in the direction of the noise.
Not being a stupid or foolhardy person Fianna quickly ducked behind a tree when she was close enough to see the people in front of her with ease. They were all golden haired and exquisitely beautiful. They were all laughing, all except one, the most flawlessly beautiful man she had ever seen. They must be elves, I've heard the only race that rivals us fairies in looks are the elves.
"It seems you chose the right spot to win your bet, Legolas cannot take his mind or his eyes off the forest long enough to make a proper shot." One of the elves stated laughingly, Fianna realized that all the elves were laughing at the beautiful one's expense. What had they called him? Legolas, she said the name out loud testing it on her tongue, and the one named Legolas turned in her direction. She held her breath wondering if he could see her, she shook her head she was too small, surrounded by such large things, there was no way he could see her. The one named Legolas slowly let his gaze travel lovingly over the forest before returning his eyes to the target. In that moment Fianna saw the depth of this elf's love of the forest, and decided to protect him at all cost from everything. Fairies had a great love for all things living, the forest and anything that grew in it, most of all. Their sole purpose for being was to make things grow. For someone to love the forest as much as this one did was a rare thing even amongst fairies and that love should be nurtured and cherished not chastised and teased. And Fianna was just the fairy to do the nurturing and cherishing.
"Legolas, if you but give me what you owe me, we can leave you and your forest to your own devices." Himolas snickered. He was enjoying himself, all elves loved the forest but none so much as Legolas, his love of the forest was notorious and a source of amusement to his attendants, with whom he had grown up with and who were more like brothers than servants.
"I have not yet lost Himolas, so do not count your chickens." Legolas shot back. His attendants were loyal to him, more loyal than they were to his father. He knew why they were teasing him about his love of the forest. It was the easiest way to rile him. And he knew that the reason the bet had been issued and the teasing began was to get his mind off the chastisement that his father had dealt him earlier today for missing a meeting in favor of the forest. He could have told them that they needn't have bothered, he wasn't in need of forgetting or cheering up. He didn't regret not going to an unnecessary meeting and found his trip through the forest today worth his father's anger. He concentrated on the target, blocked everything out of his mind and let the arrow fly and almost hit an insect as the arrow flew with alarming speed towards the bull's eye.
* * * * * *
Fianna bristled at the condescending comment coming from the elf on the right side of Legolas. She sucked in her breath and puffed out her chest. Time to teach this one a lesson. She thought to herself ferociously as she flew in to rescue her Legolas from more verbal abuse. She was almost there when she was stop short as she heard Legolas retaliate. He has a beautiful voice, she thought proud of him for standing up for himself. Maybe he doesn't my help in this after all; the thought oddly disappointed her. She didn't have time to linger on the reason, however, because right then an arrow whizzed past her and clipped one of her wings. It would have killed her if she hadn't dodged; nevertheless she could fill her wing failing as she tried to flap the other one harder to accommodate the injury. She soon got a cramp in her uninjured wing and all she could think as she fell was I'm going down. She smiled at her joke as she fainted from the pain. Unbeknownst to her she landed into a pair of hands.
Legolas didn't know what had caused his need to rescue a bug that didn't have the sense enough not to fly in front of an arrow, except that he was curious, the bug glowed an unusual blue, even in the daylight. Something was almost unearthly about the thing. I don't think it is dead, though it's not moving he thought I'll take it home and fix it's wing and study it before I let it go. Funny . . . now that the glow has disappeared it seems to be an ordinary butterfly. He flipped it over with his forefinger and nearly dropped it. His eyes were obviously playing tricks on him because in his hand there was what appeared to be a tiny elf (pointy ears and everything) with wings. He took his index and thumb fingers and gently knocked away an arm that encircled its legs and grabbed a tiny ankle in between his two fingers and stretched it out examining it out with intense concentration. He saw the wings twitch in annoyance lying against each other. From what he could see she was beautiful and precious, having an almost child like innocence in her face and yet the tiny curves (seen when he stretched her legs out) seemed well developed.
"What have you got there Legolas?" Himolas asked thinking his friend had lost it. It wasn't like the prince of the Northern Mirkwood to study something as insignificant as a bug for so long with such intensity.
"It seems I have found a fairy." Legolas sounded awed and he hadn't taken his eyes off the creature. His friends immediately surrounded him.
"I thought they were extinct."
"I thought they were legend."
"Leave it to Legolas to find such a creature."
"Yes I had imagined he had already discovered all of the forest creatures."
They all seemed to be talking at one time, and as Legolas watched the little fairy became agitated by all the loud noises. Then and there Legolas decided that he would protect her at all cost and from everything. "Let's return home," he said and as his attendants began their chattering again and as the little fairy started twitching he added one word: "quietly." No one spoke for the entire ride back home.