Love Never Expected (12/?) Author E-mail: Dragonflyer89@aol.com Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and I do not intend to use or take them as my own. (A/N: I just want to thank Ashley who gave me some of the ideas to my story. Thank you.)

Chapter 12: Surprise Attack

The woman sauntered closer to them, "So, Legolas, did she finish you off, or did she bring you back to life?"

Legolas leaped off the bed and quickly grabbed his sword and positioned himself, ready for battle. The woman chuckled to herself, showing a tooth bearing grin.

"How did you?" Fleur trailed off, unable to comprehend how she had escaped.

The woman turned toward Fleur, narrowing her eyes as if amused of her dumbfounded state. "What? How did I escape? There's actually a very simple explanation to that," her grin grew even wider, now showing the sharpness of her canines. "I'm a magid. I don't need a wand to work magic."

Fleur narrowed her eyes. 'She's bluffing,' Fleur thought. "Then why were you carrying a wand when you didn't need it?"

The woman chuckled again, "I only carry it for emergencies."

"What have you done with Gabrielle?" Legolas finally spoke.

The woman turned her head to him. "Gabrielle? Gabrielle who?" she toyed with him.

Fleur could feel her blood boil as she heard this. Her sister could be in danger and this woman was toying with them! "Where is she?" Fleur yelled at the woman.

Both Legolas and the woman jumped back at Fleur's sudden outburst. Both looked at her with expressions of surprise and astonishment.

"Where is she?" Fleur once again yelled.

The woman blinked a few times before grinning once again. "She's your sister right? Or more accurately, was your sister," she said emphasizing on 'was'.

Fleur narrowed her eyes as she started to breathe heavily. Fleur shook her head, "If you've done anything to my sister I swear I'll."

"Or you'll what? Transform again? This time it won't work. I may not have been ready that time, but I already know what to expect." Suddenly the woman stepped forward and thrust out her hand toward Fleur. There was a loud crack, similar to thunder, and Fleur was pushed against the wall by the invisible force.

"Fleur!" Legolas shouted, running to her aid.

Fleur's eyelids fluttered slightly as Legolas lifted her up from the floor. A small trickle of blood trailed down the side of her face, staining Fleur's pale complexion. Legolas wiped the blood away with his thumb.

"Stupid girl," the woman laughed.

Legolas carefully set Fleur down and turned to face the woman, "You will pay for what you've done." Legolas edged closer to her, positioning his sword in front of himself. The woman just smiled and chuckled as Legolas waved his sword between them. Legolas suddenly heard a faint sound coming from behind him.

"Legolas," Fleur whispered, gasping as she tried to stand up but failed.

"Fleur, stay there and don't move," Legolas instructed her, not letting the woman out of his sight for fear of her escaping.

Ignoring Legolas' commands, Fleur tried once again to stand up, although as had happened before, Fleur lost her footing and tumbled to the ground.

Legolas started slowly walking to where Fleur lay, although like before, not taking the chance of the woman's escape by keeping her in his sight.

Fleur lay a few feet away, gasping for breath and making feeble attempts to stand up. Legolas knelt down beside her and restrained her from making anymore attempts at moving.

"Fleur, don't move. You're wasting your energy. I can handle her, you just stay here until I say," Legolas whispered into her ear. Fleur's half closed eyes moved to look at him. Her gaze met his and they mentally read each other's mind.

'Legolas, be careful. She's more than what she seems,' Fleur told him. 'You can't defeat her alone.'

'Don't worry about me, Fleur. I can handle her,' Legolas replied.

Suddenly something got hold of Legolas' shirt and threw him across the room, leaving Fleur helpless and undefended. Legolas landed on the floor and quickly regained his footing, although he wasn't quick enough to stop the woman from seizing Fleur.

"Come any closer and she dies, Legolas," the woman threatened him. Her hand moved to her knee high boot and pulled from it a long dagger. "Do you know what is on the blade, Legolas?" the woman asked. "Poison. Basilisk venom to be more exact. It's sure to kill anything in under a minute," the woman chuckled.

Legolas halted. How could he rescue Fleur if he couldn't move? Then a thought struck his mind. Bows and arrows, the skills no creature could compare to with an elf. Archery. Legolas looked to beside the four poster bed. There, next to it, lay his ivory bow and oak arrows. He would have to move to reach them, something he didn't want to do right now due to Fleur's safety. He had to do it, it was a win or lose situation, risks had to be taken in order to save Fleur.

As quickly and as smoothly as he could, Legolas dived to the bow and arrows. Grabbing both he set an arrow and prepared to shoot, aiming for the woman's neck as Fleur unwillingly was being used as a body shield. As soon as Legolas let go he heard a high pitched scream he recognized as Fleur's own.

He was too late, the woman had cut Fleur's neck, right above the collar bone, before the arrow hit her in the center of her neck and, letting Fleur go, stumbled to the ground and bled to death.

Legolas dropped his weapons and rushed to Fleur's side, holding her close to him.

"Legolas," Fleur whispered in his ear. "I love you."

Legolas looked at her and she noticed a flow of tears running down his cheeks. "Fleur, you're going to be all right. Everything's going to be all right."