Return to the Light
Disclaimer: Legolas is not mine (wish he were though), some of the places are not mine but everything other that that is mine! Oh and for my friends sake of insanity: Roses are Red Violets are Blue Me no own, So you no sue!
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Chapter 1
Fainu looked at the tall blonde haired person slipping in the shadows of the forest that was the home of her people; she fiery blue eyes tracked him easily as he moved. She moved to follow him, her black cape wrapped tightly around her. Suddenly he stopped and turned, his bow drawn right at her. She had seen all she needed to see, this stranger was an elf, and even though she was an elf as well he was a serious threat to her. For thousands of years her kind had been hunted, and they had dwindled and been forced to live near their greatest threat to be safe from the deadly aim of the other elves. She ducked and ran as the arrow whizzed by her. She growled under breath and pulled out her small throwing dagger, she spun and threw it at the pale elf that was chasing her.
He dodged it and drew another arrow this one catching the hood of her cloak and driving into the tree behind her. She undid the fastening and raced on, leaving the protective cloak behind, hoping that she would be able to return and claim it again. Fainu continued on hearing the archer behind her. Dodging around trees, her movements were quicker with the loss of the cloak. Her heart raced, why must she fear them they had the same struggles as her people. An ancient darkness had arisen; their way of life would soon change forever. She continued on through trees constantly listening for the drawing of arrows, and the snap of a bow string.
Fainu stopped, he was quiet, but not quiet enough, she turned quickly, drawing her dagger and deflected his arrow that had been intended for her head. His eyes held surprise at her skill. Fainu silently thanked her father for the extra training; she knew that she couldn't outrun the arrows anymore. The pale elf drew another arrow and aimed for her head. Looking directly into the face of her foe Fainu drew a breath quickly, preparing to defend herself at a shorter range than she was use to. He looked at her, and lowered his bow; he had never killed an elf before, much less a woman. Her quick action and skill had led him to believe he had been tracking one of his kind. Fainu was surprised at his actions but did not release the dagger.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Fainu hissed, not sure about why the elf wasn't firing upon her.
"I am Legolas Greenleaf. And I am here looking for the remainder of the dark elves that once lived here. Do you know of them?" The pale elf said calmly.
"All who live near Mordor know of the Dark Elves. But why do you search for them?" Fainu said deftly spinning her dagger so that this Legolas couldn't see the elvish script on its blade.
"It is said they know more about Mordor and the wards of the Dark Lords than most of the Vala. I am in need of their knowledge." Legolas said frowning, unsure of where these questions were going.
"You seek their knowledge? Then I suggest you watch at whom you draw upon." Fainu smirked and tucked her hair behind her ears. Legolas' eyes narrowed, "So you are a dark elf. That would explain a lot."
"For an elf you seem a bit slow when it comes to putting one and one together." Fainu frowned and walked up to him, now sure that he wasn't going to fire another arrow at her.
"I thought you were an orc with the way you ran from me." Legolas said firmly setting his jaw.
"An ORC! First you fire arrows at me and then you insult me, and you want my knowledge of the Dark Lords. Is there anything else you'd like your highness?" She growled as she moved closer to him, unsure of whether or not to see if he could do anything with a knife up close.
"Well you do have one thing right." Legolas said backing away slightly.
"I'm right about what? You being stupid or royal?" Fainu smirked as she looked up at him. She froze another snide comment caught mid-speech when their eyes met. He looked down at her and frowned even deeper.
"I am the Prince of the Mirkwood Forest. I suggest you watch your tongue a bit. For an elf you aren't very well mannered." He leaned closer to her face. The smaller Dark elf's eyes widened slightly, and she moved to take a step away, but Legolas grabbed her shirt and held her. "You'd be best to learn to hold your thoughts until you know what it is you speak of."
"And you as well!" Fainu snarled remembering the dagger in her hand. She spun it and held it under the pale elf's chin. "For you to don't hold you're thoughts well."
Legolas let the female elf's shirt go and stood looking at the now seething elf. He waited for her to move, but she stood still looking at him in annoyance. "Leave." She finally hissed putting her dagger back in its small scabbard. "You will not have the knowledge that the Dark elves possess." With that she raced past him. "And I suggest leaving now. The orcs that guard Mordor are coming." She called over her shoulder, as she returned to where she had thrown her knife. Legolas turned, and followed quickly.
"Why should I leave?" He asked as he raced to catch up to her.
"Because you arrows are useless here. And you insulted me." Fainu said as she picked up the knife she had thrown before.
"And you insulted me, what difference does it make?" Legolas said looking around for the orcs that she said were coming.
"In the Dark elf society there are only a few people that are taught all of the history of our race. The rest are taught most of it and given fables for the rest of it. I'm one of the few that knows the truth. And the others would not tell you anything if I told them I was insulted by you. Even if you were a Dark elf." Fainu said as she stood from retrieving the knife. "You see I am the youngest daughter of the leader of my people." She pulled the arrow out of the tree and threw her cloak back over her shoulders and fastened it. She turned and smirked at him slightly before running off towards her home.
"You're a woman, you're basically an elven princess, and you're out here alone?" Legolas shouted as he watched the girls retreating back.
"Deal with it Princy!" Fainu called back over her shoulder.
Legolas shook his head and ran after her, "You know I would appreciate it if you at least told me your name, since you know mine but refuse to use it." He called as the dark elf quickly went darted between the tight spacing between the trees.
"I thought I told you to leave?" She called back slowing all the more so that she didn't have to twist her head around to talk to the elf.
"You did tell me to get lost. But I still need the information that I came here for or I can not return." Legolas said as he caught up with her, he didn't know how she managed to slip through some of the spaces that she had.
"If I tell you my name will that make you go away?" Fainu asked, as she held out an arm and stopped. Legolas pushed against her arm slightly and looked at her.
"Why are we stopping? And no it won't make me go away, and I won't until I get what I need to. And that includes your name now." He said.
"Well then I suggest that you follow me and don't go in front of me. You will get caught in the traps we've set for the orcs." Fainu rolled her eyes and walked on.
"Why are we walking now?" Legolas asked confused at the sudden change in pace.
"Because you don't seem to be able to slip through small spaces like me. So I have to take the long way for you." With that she led on.
"Please tell me you name that way I don't look like a complete fool when we get to your home." Legolas asked following her exactly.
"You mean you don't want me saying that I brought back the Mirkwood idiot?" Fainu half growled with annoyance.
"No I don't." Legolas frowned indignantly.
Fainu rolled her eyes. "Fainu. Now shut up so I can listen for orcs."
The two elves walked on in silence. Legolas watched the forests as he followed the elf. He watched the cloak swirl behind the dark elf, he smirked slightly, he had never seen a female elf so independent, Arwen was the closest that he could even begin to compare. But she wouldn't dare insult anybody nor would she lead another elf. Suddenly Fainu spun and he walked right into her. She snarled angrily. "Quit watching me and start watching the forests, its bad enough that I can feel your breath on my back while we're journeying but I will not stand for you simply watching me walk." She frowned and turned back. Legolas shut his eyes, he hadn't even realized how closely he had been following her, but he knew that she was right. He followed a bit further back, and watched the forests; finally Fainu stopped again right in front of a shear cliff face.
"Why are we here?" Legolas asked looking up at the towering wall."
"This is home." Fainu said rolling her eyes. She bent near the stone and whispered softly in Dark elvish. Suddenly the stones moved away and opened to a dark tunnel. "There is only one place elves don't look for elves. In mines." With that Fainu stepped forward. She walked forwards; a knife was placed under her chin and one under Legolas'. Fainu frowned and glared at the holder of the knife. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Who is this pale elf that you bring with you to our realm?" A deep voice asked, his face hidden by the black cloak.
"I am Legolas Greenleaf of the Mirkwood forest." Legolas frowned and looked to the figure that held the dagger under his chin.
"You brought one of our enemies here?" The elf snarled at Fainu.
"He didn't kill me when he had the chance to. And he knows who I am, and he still didn't try to force me to bring him here. He's looking for knowledge not skins." Fainu hissed back. The cloaked elf by Fainu hissed something that Legolas couldn't understand and put away his dagger, the dagger under his chin never left though. Fainu turned and looked at him, "Itheal enough." Slowly the blade lowered and disappeared from sight.
"Watch him closely Fainu or I'll have your hide instead of pretty boy."
"Shut up Itheal." With that Fainu motioned to Legolas before walking on. Soon the mines became too dark for him to see anything.
"Fainu?" Legolas asked as he stopped.
"What now?" The Dark elf turned and looked at the prince, he stood still glancing about.
"Where are you?" Legolas asked looking in the rough direction of her voice.
"I'm two feet in front of you." Fainu took a step closer to him; the pale elf's eyes darted back and forth in the dark not focusing on her even though she was less than a foot from him now. "You can't see in this sort of darkness can you?"
"No. I've never been in a place so black." Legolas continued to glance around.
"Don't worry." Fainu grabbed his arm. "I'll lead you until we get to the main chamber." With that they walked on in silence. Every once in a while Legolas would hear whispers from nearby and Fainu would hiss a reply back but he never saw anything of the exchanges. Suddenly there was a dim light in front of him and he could make out faint outlines of elves in the shadows and parting from in front if Fainu.
"Who are theses people?" Legolas asked softly.
"They are the last of the Dark elves. We are nowhere near extinct." Fainu said dropping his hand and walking on. "I'm glad you can see, people were starting to spread rumors about us already." Fainu walked on the lighting the tunnel slowly increasing. Suddenly a little girl raced up to the Dark elf that was leading him deep into the cliff.
"Fainu!" The little elf wrapped her arms around the Dark elf's legs. Fainu waited until the young elf had released her before she bent over and returned the hug. "Guess what I did Fainu!" The young elf chirped happily.
"What did you do?" Fainu asked smiling at her older sister's daughter.
"I gotta bull's eye twice!" The young girl said.
"Really?" Fainu smiled at the little girl and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm proud of you. Are they still in the target?"
"Yup I made daddy leave them there." The little girl beamed at the older dark elf proudly. Suddenly she saw Legolas and froze. "Who's he Fainu?" The little elf looked terrified.
"He's okay Nurefwina. He isn't like the elves in the stories." Fainu said calmly and rubbed the girls back in soothing circles.
"How do you know that?" Nurefwina asked grasping the older elf.
"Well I'm a pretty young Dark elf. Don't you think that if he was going to do anything he would have done it to me?" Fainu asked the little girl.
"Yeah, but-"
"No buts Nurefwina." Fainu said standing up and picking up the little girl.
Legolas looked at the little girl sadly, he didn't even know these stories but he knew that the stories were telling of the elves outside of this forest. The little girl watched him carefully as she held tightly to Fainu. Within five minutes they had walked though to the end of the tunnel, before him lay a vast hall, light beam flooded the entire room and trees grew in the hall, houses were built both on the ground around the trees and in the canopy. They reminded him of Rivendell and Lothlorien, the beauty of both captured and magnified. He stood soaking in the beautiful elven city.
"Why do you look so shocked?" Nurefwina asked looking at him strangely. Do you not live in a place like this?" The young elf looked over at him. Fainu glanced over at him.
"No I live in a place much like this but I was told that Dark elves didn't live in the same sort of place as I did." Legolas said still looking over the majestic trees that grew almost as up to just above the opening that they were standing in.
"Lovely. We had better go to see my father before he sends his best men out to see if the rumors are true." Fainu said as she walked forward. The three elves wandered through the paths that had been built in the canopies. Legolas looked at everything quickly, the entire society was beautiful, he couldn't believe some of the things that they said, nor did he understand completely other things.
"What's your name pale elf?" The young elf asked finally asked, he curiosity over coming her fear. This elf wasn't anything like the elves in the stories that she was told by the wise ones.
"I'm Legolas." He said as he looked at the little elf and smiled slightly.
"That's a strange name." She said before she tapped Fainu on the shoulder. The dark elf set her down and continued onward. Nurefwina waited until Legolas was walking beside her, "Where do you come from?" She asked looking up at him.
"I come for Mirkwood Forest." He smiled slightly at the girl.
"Do they have lots of orcs there?" She asked glancing at the weapons that were strapped to his back.
"Yes we did. There use to be more before the last war but now they are almost all gone. Every once in a while there is a large group spotted." Legolas said calmly as he followed Fainu.
"Really? We have lots of Orcs here sometimes they get really close to here and then Fainu and the other hunters have to go out and fight." Nurefwina said with wide eyes.
"Fainu is a hunter?" Legolas asked, he had heard of the hunters from the stories of the dark elves, they were fearsome when they wanted to kill. "Don't they normally travel in threes though?"
"Yeah she travels with Itheal and Quelithal." The young elf said happily as she raced towards Fainu.
The three traveled fast, Legolas was surprised at how fast Nurefwina moved for her size. Finally they arrived at another tunnel on the far side of the chamber and Fainu entered it with out hesitating, this one was lit by flames that hung from the wall in beautiful bowls. When the emerged from the tunnel they were in another chamber filled with trees much like the other chamber but there were more houses in this one, water trickled down the walls and there was a small clear lake in the center. Fainu didn't even pause this time she just kept walking. Nurefwina and Legolas followed as quickly as they could,
"Fainu is worried." Nurefwina said softly to Legolas. "If she doesn't talk to grandpa then she and you could end up in a lot of trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Legolas asked with a confused look on his face.
"I don't know what they'll do to you but.I don't want them to hurt Fainu." The little elf hung her head. Suddenly Fainu stopped.
"Come here Nurefwina." She said softly. When the small elf finally got to her she scooped her up and continued on whispering in dark elvish to the girl. Legolas suddenly felt bad for following her, she had told him to leave, and know she was going to her father to try to talk to him. Suddenly guards were all around them and they took Nurefwina from Fainu and pushed Him with the flats of their long knifes. Legolas watched in horror as Nurefwina shrieked in terror as Fainu had a blade put to her throat. Legolas froze as another was placed upon his throat.
"I should have gotten rid of you at the entrance." Itheal growled at Legolas.
"What do you think your doing Itheal?" Fainu frowned as she slowly moved to take out her own dagger. Suddenly the dagger was gone from under her chin and made a cut on her arm Fainu spun and threw a knife into the arm that held a dagger under Legolas' chin and held her own dagger and defended herself against the dangerous swings of Itheal. Legolas had pulled out both of his long knifes and had deflected another dagger that was aimed for his head, he didn't want to harm these elves that would just make their stories true and he didn't want that. Fainu lunged forward and cut Itheal across the stomach. The dark elf froze; he hadn't thought that one of his hunting partners would ever attack him, least of all Fainu. "I have not yet talked to my father. He doesn't know my side of the story. Let us pass or I finish you." Fainu snarled, Legolas stood behind her his knives ready to defend himself yet again. Itheal snarled back, but stepped aside. The group of elves with him held their weapons away from Fainu. She turned and grabbed Legolas, with that the two walked towards where her father was. Legolas followed her quickly and looked at the deep cut on her forearm, blood dripped onto the floor as she speed up.
"You're wounded." He said softly reaching for the arm.
"No kidding. That's why I have to hurry, or I might not get to my father before I pass out." She growled, and blinked back the darkness. She was close to were she needed to be, Legolas caught up to her and grabbed the wounded arm and held it tight. "What are you doing?" Fainu asked as she pushed open the large white doors that were between her and her father.
"If you bleed to death how am I going to get home." He said calmly as she continued on.
"Fainu I'm glad Itheal-why is he still alive?" Her father hissed angrily.
"What I want to know is why you sent Itheal to kill me!" Fainu growled back pulling her wounded arm away from Legolas. Her father froze, at the sight of the wound.
"Itheal did that to you?" The dark elf king stood and walked down to his daughter.
"Yes, that was the first blood drawn." Legolas said as he watched Fainu weaken.
"Who said you were to speak for my daughter?" The dark elf grabbed the wounded arm and began to heal it. Fainu cried out in agony as she dropped to the floor unconscious. "Guards take him to a holding cell until Fainu wakes up. Make sure that he is treated well." With that the king let go of his daughters arm and went back to hi throne. Legolas looked at the dark elf; he seemed to have aged dramatically within the last few minutes. He watched as another dark elf cam and took Fainu away as a guard led him out of the room.
"Will Fainu be alright?" He asked the guard.
"For now. Until her father decides what to do with the both of you." The guard said as he put the elf prince in a small cell.
Disclaimer: Legolas is not mine (wish he were though), some of the places are not mine but everything other that that is mine! Oh and for my friends sake of insanity: Roses are Red Violets are Blue Me no own, So you no sue!
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Chapter 1
Fainu looked at the tall blonde haired person slipping in the shadows of the forest that was the home of her people; she fiery blue eyes tracked him easily as he moved. She moved to follow him, her black cape wrapped tightly around her. Suddenly he stopped and turned, his bow drawn right at her. She had seen all she needed to see, this stranger was an elf, and even though she was an elf as well he was a serious threat to her. For thousands of years her kind had been hunted, and they had dwindled and been forced to live near their greatest threat to be safe from the deadly aim of the other elves. She ducked and ran as the arrow whizzed by her. She growled under breath and pulled out her small throwing dagger, she spun and threw it at the pale elf that was chasing her.
He dodged it and drew another arrow this one catching the hood of her cloak and driving into the tree behind her. She undid the fastening and raced on, leaving the protective cloak behind, hoping that she would be able to return and claim it again. Fainu continued on hearing the archer behind her. Dodging around trees, her movements were quicker with the loss of the cloak. Her heart raced, why must she fear them they had the same struggles as her people. An ancient darkness had arisen; their way of life would soon change forever. She continued on through trees constantly listening for the drawing of arrows, and the snap of a bow string.
Fainu stopped, he was quiet, but not quiet enough, she turned quickly, drawing her dagger and deflected his arrow that had been intended for her head. His eyes held surprise at her skill. Fainu silently thanked her father for the extra training; she knew that she couldn't outrun the arrows anymore. The pale elf drew another arrow and aimed for her head. Looking directly into the face of her foe Fainu drew a breath quickly, preparing to defend herself at a shorter range than she was use to. He looked at her, and lowered his bow; he had never killed an elf before, much less a woman. Her quick action and skill had led him to believe he had been tracking one of his kind. Fainu was surprised at his actions but did not release the dagger.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Fainu hissed, not sure about why the elf wasn't firing upon her.
"I am Legolas Greenleaf. And I am here looking for the remainder of the dark elves that once lived here. Do you know of them?" The pale elf said calmly.
"All who live near Mordor know of the Dark Elves. But why do you search for them?" Fainu said deftly spinning her dagger so that this Legolas couldn't see the elvish script on its blade.
"It is said they know more about Mordor and the wards of the Dark Lords than most of the Vala. I am in need of their knowledge." Legolas said frowning, unsure of where these questions were going.
"You seek their knowledge? Then I suggest you watch at whom you draw upon." Fainu smirked and tucked her hair behind her ears. Legolas' eyes narrowed, "So you are a dark elf. That would explain a lot."
"For an elf you seem a bit slow when it comes to putting one and one together." Fainu frowned and walked up to him, now sure that he wasn't going to fire another arrow at her.
"I thought you were an orc with the way you ran from me." Legolas said firmly setting his jaw.
"An ORC! First you fire arrows at me and then you insult me, and you want my knowledge of the Dark Lords. Is there anything else you'd like your highness?" She growled as she moved closer to him, unsure of whether or not to see if he could do anything with a knife up close.
"Well you do have one thing right." Legolas said backing away slightly.
"I'm right about what? You being stupid or royal?" Fainu smirked as she looked up at him. She froze another snide comment caught mid-speech when their eyes met. He looked down at her and frowned even deeper.
"I am the Prince of the Mirkwood Forest. I suggest you watch your tongue a bit. For an elf you aren't very well mannered." He leaned closer to her face. The smaller Dark elf's eyes widened slightly, and she moved to take a step away, but Legolas grabbed her shirt and held her. "You'd be best to learn to hold your thoughts until you know what it is you speak of."
"And you as well!" Fainu snarled remembering the dagger in her hand. She spun it and held it under the pale elf's chin. "For you to don't hold you're thoughts well."
Legolas let the female elf's shirt go and stood looking at the now seething elf. He waited for her to move, but she stood still looking at him in annoyance. "Leave." She finally hissed putting her dagger back in its small scabbard. "You will not have the knowledge that the Dark elves possess." With that she raced past him. "And I suggest leaving now. The orcs that guard Mordor are coming." She called over her shoulder, as she returned to where she had thrown her knife. Legolas turned, and followed quickly.
"Why should I leave?" He asked as he raced to catch up to her.
"Because you arrows are useless here. And you insulted me." Fainu said as she picked up the knife she had thrown before.
"And you insulted me, what difference does it make?" Legolas said looking around for the orcs that she said were coming.
"In the Dark elf society there are only a few people that are taught all of the history of our race. The rest are taught most of it and given fables for the rest of it. I'm one of the few that knows the truth. And the others would not tell you anything if I told them I was insulted by you. Even if you were a Dark elf." Fainu said as she stood from retrieving the knife. "You see I am the youngest daughter of the leader of my people." She pulled the arrow out of the tree and threw her cloak back over her shoulders and fastened it. She turned and smirked at him slightly before running off towards her home.
"You're a woman, you're basically an elven princess, and you're out here alone?" Legolas shouted as he watched the girls retreating back.
"Deal with it Princy!" Fainu called back over her shoulder.
Legolas shook his head and ran after her, "You know I would appreciate it if you at least told me your name, since you know mine but refuse to use it." He called as the dark elf quickly went darted between the tight spacing between the trees.
"I thought I told you to leave?" She called back slowing all the more so that she didn't have to twist her head around to talk to the elf.
"You did tell me to get lost. But I still need the information that I came here for or I can not return." Legolas said as he caught up with her, he didn't know how she managed to slip through some of the spaces that she had.
"If I tell you my name will that make you go away?" Fainu asked, as she held out an arm and stopped. Legolas pushed against her arm slightly and looked at her.
"Why are we stopping? And no it won't make me go away, and I won't until I get what I need to. And that includes your name now." He said.
"Well then I suggest that you follow me and don't go in front of me. You will get caught in the traps we've set for the orcs." Fainu rolled her eyes and walked on.
"Why are we walking now?" Legolas asked confused at the sudden change in pace.
"Because you don't seem to be able to slip through small spaces like me. So I have to take the long way for you." With that she led on.
"Please tell me you name that way I don't look like a complete fool when we get to your home." Legolas asked following her exactly.
"You mean you don't want me saying that I brought back the Mirkwood idiot?" Fainu half growled with annoyance.
"No I don't." Legolas frowned indignantly.
Fainu rolled her eyes. "Fainu. Now shut up so I can listen for orcs."
The two elves walked on in silence. Legolas watched the forests as he followed the elf. He watched the cloak swirl behind the dark elf, he smirked slightly, he had never seen a female elf so independent, Arwen was the closest that he could even begin to compare. But she wouldn't dare insult anybody nor would she lead another elf. Suddenly Fainu spun and he walked right into her. She snarled angrily. "Quit watching me and start watching the forests, its bad enough that I can feel your breath on my back while we're journeying but I will not stand for you simply watching me walk." She frowned and turned back. Legolas shut his eyes, he hadn't even realized how closely he had been following her, but he knew that she was right. He followed a bit further back, and watched the forests; finally Fainu stopped again right in front of a shear cliff face.
"Why are we here?" Legolas asked looking up at the towering wall."
"This is home." Fainu said rolling her eyes. She bent near the stone and whispered softly in Dark elvish. Suddenly the stones moved away and opened to a dark tunnel. "There is only one place elves don't look for elves. In mines." With that Fainu stepped forward. She walked forwards; a knife was placed under her chin and one under Legolas'. Fainu frowned and glared at the holder of the knife. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Who is this pale elf that you bring with you to our realm?" A deep voice asked, his face hidden by the black cloak.
"I am Legolas Greenleaf of the Mirkwood forest." Legolas frowned and looked to the figure that held the dagger under his chin.
"You brought one of our enemies here?" The elf snarled at Fainu.
"He didn't kill me when he had the chance to. And he knows who I am, and he still didn't try to force me to bring him here. He's looking for knowledge not skins." Fainu hissed back. The cloaked elf by Fainu hissed something that Legolas couldn't understand and put away his dagger, the dagger under his chin never left though. Fainu turned and looked at him, "Itheal enough." Slowly the blade lowered and disappeared from sight.
"Watch him closely Fainu or I'll have your hide instead of pretty boy."
"Shut up Itheal." With that Fainu motioned to Legolas before walking on. Soon the mines became too dark for him to see anything.
"Fainu?" Legolas asked as he stopped.
"What now?" The Dark elf turned and looked at the prince, he stood still glancing about.
"Where are you?" Legolas asked looking in the rough direction of her voice.
"I'm two feet in front of you." Fainu took a step closer to him; the pale elf's eyes darted back and forth in the dark not focusing on her even though she was less than a foot from him now. "You can't see in this sort of darkness can you?"
"No. I've never been in a place so black." Legolas continued to glance around.
"Don't worry." Fainu grabbed his arm. "I'll lead you until we get to the main chamber." With that they walked on in silence. Every once in a while Legolas would hear whispers from nearby and Fainu would hiss a reply back but he never saw anything of the exchanges. Suddenly there was a dim light in front of him and he could make out faint outlines of elves in the shadows and parting from in front if Fainu.
"Who are theses people?" Legolas asked softly.
"They are the last of the Dark elves. We are nowhere near extinct." Fainu said dropping his hand and walking on. "I'm glad you can see, people were starting to spread rumors about us already." Fainu walked on the lighting the tunnel slowly increasing. Suddenly a little girl raced up to the Dark elf that was leading him deep into the cliff.
"Fainu!" The little elf wrapped her arms around the Dark elf's legs. Fainu waited until the young elf had released her before she bent over and returned the hug. "Guess what I did Fainu!" The young elf chirped happily.
"What did you do?" Fainu asked smiling at her older sister's daughter.
"I gotta bull's eye twice!" The young girl said.
"Really?" Fainu smiled at the little girl and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm proud of you. Are they still in the target?"
"Yup I made daddy leave them there." The little girl beamed at the older dark elf proudly. Suddenly she saw Legolas and froze. "Who's he Fainu?" The little elf looked terrified.
"He's okay Nurefwina. He isn't like the elves in the stories." Fainu said calmly and rubbed the girls back in soothing circles.
"How do you know that?" Nurefwina asked grasping the older elf.
"Well I'm a pretty young Dark elf. Don't you think that if he was going to do anything he would have done it to me?" Fainu asked the little girl.
"Yeah, but-"
"No buts Nurefwina." Fainu said standing up and picking up the little girl.
Legolas looked at the little girl sadly, he didn't even know these stories but he knew that the stories were telling of the elves outside of this forest. The little girl watched him carefully as she held tightly to Fainu. Within five minutes they had walked though to the end of the tunnel, before him lay a vast hall, light beam flooded the entire room and trees grew in the hall, houses were built both on the ground around the trees and in the canopy. They reminded him of Rivendell and Lothlorien, the beauty of both captured and magnified. He stood soaking in the beautiful elven city.
"Why do you look so shocked?" Nurefwina asked looking at him strangely. Do you not live in a place like this?" The young elf looked over at him. Fainu glanced over at him.
"No I live in a place much like this but I was told that Dark elves didn't live in the same sort of place as I did." Legolas said still looking over the majestic trees that grew almost as up to just above the opening that they were standing in.
"Lovely. We had better go to see my father before he sends his best men out to see if the rumors are true." Fainu said as she walked forward. The three elves wandered through the paths that had been built in the canopies. Legolas looked at everything quickly, the entire society was beautiful, he couldn't believe some of the things that they said, nor did he understand completely other things.
"What's your name pale elf?" The young elf asked finally asked, he curiosity over coming her fear. This elf wasn't anything like the elves in the stories that she was told by the wise ones.
"I'm Legolas." He said as he looked at the little elf and smiled slightly.
"That's a strange name." She said before she tapped Fainu on the shoulder. The dark elf set her down and continued onward. Nurefwina waited until Legolas was walking beside her, "Where do you come from?" She asked looking up at him.
"I come for Mirkwood Forest." He smiled slightly at the girl.
"Do they have lots of orcs there?" She asked glancing at the weapons that were strapped to his back.
"Yes we did. There use to be more before the last war but now they are almost all gone. Every once in a while there is a large group spotted." Legolas said calmly as he followed Fainu.
"Really? We have lots of Orcs here sometimes they get really close to here and then Fainu and the other hunters have to go out and fight." Nurefwina said with wide eyes.
"Fainu is a hunter?" Legolas asked, he had heard of the hunters from the stories of the dark elves, they were fearsome when they wanted to kill. "Don't they normally travel in threes though?"
"Yeah she travels with Itheal and Quelithal." The young elf said happily as she raced towards Fainu.
The three traveled fast, Legolas was surprised at how fast Nurefwina moved for her size. Finally they arrived at another tunnel on the far side of the chamber and Fainu entered it with out hesitating, this one was lit by flames that hung from the wall in beautiful bowls. When the emerged from the tunnel they were in another chamber filled with trees much like the other chamber but there were more houses in this one, water trickled down the walls and there was a small clear lake in the center. Fainu didn't even pause this time she just kept walking. Nurefwina and Legolas followed as quickly as they could,
"Fainu is worried." Nurefwina said softly to Legolas. "If she doesn't talk to grandpa then she and you could end up in a lot of trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Legolas asked with a confused look on his face.
"I don't know what they'll do to you but.I don't want them to hurt Fainu." The little elf hung her head. Suddenly Fainu stopped.
"Come here Nurefwina." She said softly. When the small elf finally got to her she scooped her up and continued on whispering in dark elvish to the girl. Legolas suddenly felt bad for following her, she had told him to leave, and know she was going to her father to try to talk to him. Suddenly guards were all around them and they took Nurefwina from Fainu and pushed Him with the flats of their long knifes. Legolas watched in horror as Nurefwina shrieked in terror as Fainu had a blade put to her throat. Legolas froze as another was placed upon his throat.
"I should have gotten rid of you at the entrance." Itheal growled at Legolas.
"What do you think your doing Itheal?" Fainu frowned as she slowly moved to take out her own dagger. Suddenly the dagger was gone from under her chin and made a cut on her arm Fainu spun and threw a knife into the arm that held a dagger under Legolas' chin and held her own dagger and defended herself against the dangerous swings of Itheal. Legolas had pulled out both of his long knifes and had deflected another dagger that was aimed for his head, he didn't want to harm these elves that would just make their stories true and he didn't want that. Fainu lunged forward and cut Itheal across the stomach. The dark elf froze; he hadn't thought that one of his hunting partners would ever attack him, least of all Fainu. "I have not yet talked to my father. He doesn't know my side of the story. Let us pass or I finish you." Fainu snarled, Legolas stood behind her his knives ready to defend himself yet again. Itheal snarled back, but stepped aside. The group of elves with him held their weapons away from Fainu. She turned and grabbed Legolas, with that the two walked towards where her father was. Legolas followed her quickly and looked at the deep cut on her forearm, blood dripped onto the floor as she speed up.
"You're wounded." He said softly reaching for the arm.
"No kidding. That's why I have to hurry, or I might not get to my father before I pass out." She growled, and blinked back the darkness. She was close to were she needed to be, Legolas caught up to her and grabbed the wounded arm and held it tight. "What are you doing?" Fainu asked as she pushed open the large white doors that were between her and her father.
"If you bleed to death how am I going to get home." He said calmly as she continued on.
"Fainu I'm glad Itheal-why is he still alive?" Her father hissed angrily.
"What I want to know is why you sent Itheal to kill me!" Fainu growled back pulling her wounded arm away from Legolas. Her father froze, at the sight of the wound.
"Itheal did that to you?" The dark elf king stood and walked down to his daughter.
"Yes, that was the first blood drawn." Legolas said as he watched Fainu weaken.
"Who said you were to speak for my daughter?" The dark elf grabbed the wounded arm and began to heal it. Fainu cried out in agony as she dropped to the floor unconscious. "Guards take him to a holding cell until Fainu wakes up. Make sure that he is treated well." With that the king let go of his daughters arm and went back to hi throne. Legolas looked at the dark elf; he seemed to have aged dramatically within the last few minutes. He watched as another dark elf cam and took Fainu away as a guard led him out of the room.
"Will Fainu be alright?" He asked the guard.
"For now. Until her father decides what to do with the both of you." The guard said as he put the elf prince in a small cell.