Legolas walked along the palace walls, looking at the ivy growing along the
walls. Nanaylia walked beside him, unusually quiet.
"Legolas, I don't want to go back there again," she suddenly requested of him.
"I don't blame you. I don't want to go back there. It's scary. Especially those things that we encountered. What are they?" agreed Legolas.
"I don't know but what can we do now that Father doesn't want us to go anywhere alone?" wondered his sister.
Legolas shook his head, now knowing what to do. They knew of the guard's presence behind them and they didn't mind anymore since what had happened a few days before.
"How about we ask him that we go for a horse ride but we don't go around that area?" wondered Legolas, hoping she would like the idea.
She obviously did for her eyes lit up in excitement. She nodded, causing her brother to smile.
"We wouldn't have to go that far. Just far enough out to satisfy our curious needs," she told him.
Legolas nodded as they hurried to find their father.
***
Manlin walked through the palace halls, wondering when the best time would be to begin his plan. He thought best that he do it immediately so that the children were out of the way very soon. He evilly smiled at the thought.
'They will be out of the way and Thranduil will no longer be a problem in my plans to take over this kingdom,' he thought to himself. 'I have it all planned out and they will fall right into it.'
It was then that the brother and sister could be heard down the hall from him. They were running and laughing as they headed towards the older elf. He smiled for he hoped that he could lead the children into a situation that could cost them their lives.
"Let's go find Father and ask him about that. I'm sure he'll let us do this!" he heard Legolas say.
"Yes, let's go find him! If he allows us to go for this horse ride, we could possibly ask Chimone if she wants to go as well," suggested Nanaylia. her face having a smile.
Manlin smiled at this information.
'Maybe...' he thought as he stopped by a window. He looked at a vase on the sill, filled with flowers. He picked one out of it and took in the smell. 'I can get something done on that ride that they take. If their father allows to go on this, of course. He will see his precious children die and he will then wilt away like this flower will eventually.'
Manlin quietly laughed as he walked into the distance, away from the vase. The flower that he picked up was now on the floor, destroyed.
***
The two elflings hurried up to their father's room. They stood outside it, wondering who should be the one to knock and ask him.
"You ask him," Legolas told his sister.
"Me? Why me?" she wondered.
"Because he'll listen to you," Legolas said.
"You should ask him since you're older than me," Nanaylia retorted.
"Why don't both of you go in and ask him?" came a female voice.
Both turned around to Chimone standing behind them, hands behind her back.
"Mony!" the two cried.
They both hugged her and she laughed as they did so.
"Whatever you want to ask your father, go in and ask him. I feel the worst he can say is no," she assured them.
The brother and sister smiled before Nanaylia knocked on the door and heard a 'come in.' Chimone watched as the two siblings walked into the room.
Legolas was being the brave one as he walked up to their father.
"Ah, Legolas, Nanaylia, how may I help the two of you today?" Thranduil asked them.
"Father, Nanaylia and I were wondering if we could go out for a horse ride today," Legolas replied, sounding a bit shaky.
Thranduil could sense their slight uneasiness asking him about it and he smiled.
"Of course you can," he replied before climbing to his feet. "It's been a long few days."
The two smiled as the two of them hurried out of the room, Thranduil following them.
***
Soon, the three of them were on their way for a ride in the countryside, with three guards joining them.
"Any particular place you want to ride?" Thranduil asked them.
"Anywhere but that one forest. It's scary," Legolas replied.
"I wouldn't let you go there even if you were accompained by myself or guards. That is a dangerous place and remember that you are never to go there again. I personally don't want to talk about the 'Dark Forest' again," Thranduil told them.
"We won't," came the quick reply from the two of them.
***
Manlin walked up to Shentree, Banside and Sathed in a large cave.
"I have good news for the three of you creatures," Manlin told them with a smile.
"Hey, hey, hey. Remember now, we're gargoyles, not creatures," Shentree told him, Banside nodding in agreement.
Manlin stared at her with a cold look in his eyes.
"Except you can call us creatures! We don't mind you calling us that! Of course not!" she quickly added as Banside appeared to be a bit alarmed.
"I'll let you off with that one but don't forget who's in charge here. Remember that I do possess dark magic. Those potions and spells are very good you know. They come in handy all the time," the elf told her. "Well, with what I was going to say. Those two brats and their father are out riding now. If you think you can get at least the two young elves dead, it'll be good. I'll even be there to help with a few tricks that are up my sleeve."
The three nodded before Sathed began to laugh at the idea. Banside and Shentree both looked at with smiles on their faces before heading out.
***
Thranduil led his two children towards a ravine several hundred feet from the castle. Legolas and Nanaylia were both amazed by this place for they had never known about it.
"This is a beautiful place! How long have you known about this place Father?" wondered Legolas.
"Since before the two of you were even born. I even brought you both here soon after each of your births. I had planned to bring both of you back here and with what happened a few days, I decided to bring the two of you out here when you asked," he replied with a small smile. "This is where your mother and I used to come all the time."
The two also gave smiles as they glanced at each other. Now they saw why their father asked the two guards to stay behind.
"We are both happy that you brought us here," Legolas told him as they rode on.
***
Shentree, Banside and Sathed looked over the three royals and their guards. They were in the trees above them. Their wings slightly quivered on their backs, their hair was long and black and their skin appeared to be a bit scaly.
"I never thought it'd be this easy!" Shentree quietly said to the others.
The two nodded in agreement as they made their way through the trees, following the three. They looked around and spotted Manlin crouching on a small cliff nearby. He gave a small nod before lifting his hand and bringing it down, a cloud of smoke slowly appearing on the ground below him.
***
Thranduil suddenly began to glance from side to side, as if sensing something was wrong. He stopped the horse and the siblings immediately stopped theirs.
"What's wrong?" wondered Legolas.
"There is an evil around here. I can feel it," he quietly replied. "I am unsure where it is coming from but I do know it's here."
"I thought you were the only one who knew about this place," Nanaylia said as she slowly became nervous.
"I am the only one still alive that knows about it. Your mother and I used to come here all the time before she died," came the reply.
The horses began to back up, as if sensing the evil presence as well. It was then that they heard a growling behind them and they turned to see wolves behind them, preparing to attack.
"Where did they come from?" wondered Legolas as they managed to start their horses.
The three moved to get away from the horses, who were slowly gaining on them. What they didn't see were the three gargoyles leading the wolves in the proper direction, forcing them to go the way they were going but the wolves didn't appear to need anyone leading them.
Thranduil looked from side to side, as if trying to find something.
"This way!" he finally yelled at them, pointing the way.
He led them down a path. He hoped he could get his children away from the carnivorous animals. The king led Legolas and Nanaylia down the path until he saw the ground suddenly drop down. He stopped his horse as did his children. They turned around to face the animals still following them. Thranduil tried to figure out a way to get out of the way until Legolas glanced into the forest and saw a path leading away from the animals.
"This way!" he cried as he led his horse towards the path.
His father and sister looked over at Legolas before following him. The three followed the path as the wolves seemed to become closer and closer behind them until it managed to catch up with them. As it did so, Nanaylia's horse decided to rear up, causing its rider to fall off its back. She fell onto the ground, her head hitting against a rock. She cried out in pain and her brother and father heard her.
"Nanaylia, I'm coming for you," Legolas called to his sister.
Legolas went back for her as his father protested.
"Legolas, Nanaylia, no!" he cried as he reached out for him.
But Legolas ignored him as Nanaylia lay motionless in the grass. Legolas hurried to her side and knelt beside her.
"Nanay," he quietly told her.
When he didn't get a response, he gently picked her up and faced where he came from only to see the wolves now surrounding him. All were growling at him. He began to step back, not seeing the hill behind him.
"Legolas! Nanaylia!" Thranduil cried again. "Watch out!"
Legolas noticed the incline at that moment but it was too late. He tripped and started to slide down the hill but he managed to catch the root of a nearby tree. He hung onto his sister as she began to stir a little. She stared at him through partly opened eyes.
"Legolas," she whispered as she saw his grip weakening. "We're not going to make it."
"We can do this! We are going to make it!" Legolas told her but his grip was ever loosening .
"I love you Legolas," was all she said before his grip broke and they rolled down the grassy hill.
TBC...
"Legolas, I don't want to go back there again," she suddenly requested of him.
"I don't blame you. I don't want to go back there. It's scary. Especially those things that we encountered. What are they?" agreed Legolas.
"I don't know but what can we do now that Father doesn't want us to go anywhere alone?" wondered his sister.
Legolas shook his head, now knowing what to do. They knew of the guard's presence behind them and they didn't mind anymore since what had happened a few days before.
"How about we ask him that we go for a horse ride but we don't go around that area?" wondered Legolas, hoping she would like the idea.
She obviously did for her eyes lit up in excitement. She nodded, causing her brother to smile.
"We wouldn't have to go that far. Just far enough out to satisfy our curious needs," she told him.
Legolas nodded as they hurried to find their father.
***
Manlin walked through the palace halls, wondering when the best time would be to begin his plan. He thought best that he do it immediately so that the children were out of the way very soon. He evilly smiled at the thought.
'They will be out of the way and Thranduil will no longer be a problem in my plans to take over this kingdom,' he thought to himself. 'I have it all planned out and they will fall right into it.'
It was then that the brother and sister could be heard down the hall from him. They were running and laughing as they headed towards the older elf. He smiled for he hoped that he could lead the children into a situation that could cost them their lives.
"Let's go find Father and ask him about that. I'm sure he'll let us do this!" he heard Legolas say.
"Yes, let's go find him! If he allows us to go for this horse ride, we could possibly ask Chimone if she wants to go as well," suggested Nanaylia. her face having a smile.
Manlin smiled at this information.
'Maybe...' he thought as he stopped by a window. He looked at a vase on the sill, filled with flowers. He picked one out of it and took in the smell. 'I can get something done on that ride that they take. If their father allows to go on this, of course. He will see his precious children die and he will then wilt away like this flower will eventually.'
Manlin quietly laughed as he walked into the distance, away from the vase. The flower that he picked up was now on the floor, destroyed.
***
The two elflings hurried up to their father's room. They stood outside it, wondering who should be the one to knock and ask him.
"You ask him," Legolas told his sister.
"Me? Why me?" she wondered.
"Because he'll listen to you," Legolas said.
"You should ask him since you're older than me," Nanaylia retorted.
"Why don't both of you go in and ask him?" came a female voice.
Both turned around to Chimone standing behind them, hands behind her back.
"Mony!" the two cried.
They both hugged her and she laughed as they did so.
"Whatever you want to ask your father, go in and ask him. I feel the worst he can say is no," she assured them.
The brother and sister smiled before Nanaylia knocked on the door and heard a 'come in.' Chimone watched as the two siblings walked into the room.
Legolas was being the brave one as he walked up to their father.
"Ah, Legolas, Nanaylia, how may I help the two of you today?" Thranduil asked them.
"Father, Nanaylia and I were wondering if we could go out for a horse ride today," Legolas replied, sounding a bit shaky.
Thranduil could sense their slight uneasiness asking him about it and he smiled.
"Of course you can," he replied before climbing to his feet. "It's been a long few days."
The two smiled as the two of them hurried out of the room, Thranduil following them.
***
Soon, the three of them were on their way for a ride in the countryside, with three guards joining them.
"Any particular place you want to ride?" Thranduil asked them.
"Anywhere but that one forest. It's scary," Legolas replied.
"I wouldn't let you go there even if you were accompained by myself or guards. That is a dangerous place and remember that you are never to go there again. I personally don't want to talk about the 'Dark Forest' again," Thranduil told them.
"We won't," came the quick reply from the two of them.
***
Manlin walked up to Shentree, Banside and Sathed in a large cave.
"I have good news for the three of you creatures," Manlin told them with a smile.
"Hey, hey, hey. Remember now, we're gargoyles, not creatures," Shentree told him, Banside nodding in agreement.
Manlin stared at her with a cold look in his eyes.
"Except you can call us creatures! We don't mind you calling us that! Of course not!" she quickly added as Banside appeared to be a bit alarmed.
"I'll let you off with that one but don't forget who's in charge here. Remember that I do possess dark magic. Those potions and spells are very good you know. They come in handy all the time," the elf told her. "Well, with what I was going to say. Those two brats and their father are out riding now. If you think you can get at least the two young elves dead, it'll be good. I'll even be there to help with a few tricks that are up my sleeve."
The three nodded before Sathed began to laugh at the idea. Banside and Shentree both looked at with smiles on their faces before heading out.
***
Thranduil led his two children towards a ravine several hundred feet from the castle. Legolas and Nanaylia were both amazed by this place for they had never known about it.
"This is a beautiful place! How long have you known about this place Father?" wondered Legolas.
"Since before the two of you were even born. I even brought you both here soon after each of your births. I had planned to bring both of you back here and with what happened a few days, I decided to bring the two of you out here when you asked," he replied with a small smile. "This is where your mother and I used to come all the time."
The two also gave smiles as they glanced at each other. Now they saw why their father asked the two guards to stay behind.
"We are both happy that you brought us here," Legolas told him as they rode on.
***
Shentree, Banside and Sathed looked over the three royals and their guards. They were in the trees above them. Their wings slightly quivered on their backs, their hair was long and black and their skin appeared to be a bit scaly.
"I never thought it'd be this easy!" Shentree quietly said to the others.
The two nodded in agreement as they made their way through the trees, following the three. They looked around and spotted Manlin crouching on a small cliff nearby. He gave a small nod before lifting his hand and bringing it down, a cloud of smoke slowly appearing on the ground below him.
***
Thranduil suddenly began to glance from side to side, as if sensing something was wrong. He stopped the horse and the siblings immediately stopped theirs.
"What's wrong?" wondered Legolas.
"There is an evil around here. I can feel it," he quietly replied. "I am unsure where it is coming from but I do know it's here."
"I thought you were the only one who knew about this place," Nanaylia said as she slowly became nervous.
"I am the only one still alive that knows about it. Your mother and I used to come here all the time before she died," came the reply.
The horses began to back up, as if sensing the evil presence as well. It was then that they heard a growling behind them and they turned to see wolves behind them, preparing to attack.
"Where did they come from?" wondered Legolas as they managed to start their horses.
The three moved to get away from the horses, who were slowly gaining on them. What they didn't see were the three gargoyles leading the wolves in the proper direction, forcing them to go the way they were going but the wolves didn't appear to need anyone leading them.
Thranduil looked from side to side, as if trying to find something.
"This way!" he finally yelled at them, pointing the way.
He led them down a path. He hoped he could get his children away from the carnivorous animals. The king led Legolas and Nanaylia down the path until he saw the ground suddenly drop down. He stopped his horse as did his children. They turned around to face the animals still following them. Thranduil tried to figure out a way to get out of the way until Legolas glanced into the forest and saw a path leading away from the animals.
"This way!" he cried as he led his horse towards the path.
His father and sister looked over at Legolas before following him. The three followed the path as the wolves seemed to become closer and closer behind them until it managed to catch up with them. As it did so, Nanaylia's horse decided to rear up, causing its rider to fall off its back. She fell onto the ground, her head hitting against a rock. She cried out in pain and her brother and father heard her.
"Nanaylia, I'm coming for you," Legolas called to his sister.
Legolas went back for her as his father protested.
"Legolas, Nanaylia, no!" he cried as he reached out for him.
But Legolas ignored him as Nanaylia lay motionless in the grass. Legolas hurried to her side and knelt beside her.
"Nanay," he quietly told her.
When he didn't get a response, he gently picked her up and faced where he came from only to see the wolves now surrounding him. All were growling at him. He began to step back, not seeing the hill behind him.
"Legolas! Nanaylia!" Thranduil cried again. "Watch out!"
Legolas noticed the incline at that moment but it was too late. He tripped and started to slide down the hill but he managed to catch the root of a nearby tree. He hung onto his sister as she began to stir a little. She stared at him through partly opened eyes.
"Legolas," she whispered as she saw his grip weakening. "We're not going to make it."
"We can do this! We are going to make it!" Legolas told her but his grip was ever loosening .
"I love you Legolas," was all she said before his grip broke and they rolled down the grassy hill.
TBC...