Chapter Four: Darkness

Dearest Ariella,

I have needed to inform you that we all miss you very much and wish for you to return home. Arimir and his family send their love as well. Artemis has been very lonely without you, so if you could please write back as soon as you receive this letter. We look forward to your return. A special surprise is waiting for just after you receive this letter.

Amin mela lle, Uncle Elrond.

"This is wonderful news!" Ariella said smiling Legolas looks to her.

"What is melamin?"

"My uncle wishes me to return and I want you to come with me. Come I wish to see my surprise that my uncle had told me about!" Grabbing his hand she rushes out of the study and into the gardens through the hallways and down the long corridors, and past the spiral staircase and finally to the entranceway. A there stands her elven cat Artemis. "Artemis!" Ariella screamed. He lets out a giant roar or joy.

I have missed you little princess how I had yearned to hear your voice once again! He said running to her hugging her with his enormous paws standing on his hind legs.

Oh you have become bigger I remember you were not as tall as I was in your true form. She complimented his great size.

Little one you must pack your things we are to leave soon, we have received ill news of trouble on the borders of Rivendell. A dark shadow has been lurking over the kingdom. Your uncle as well as many others back home wish for you to return.

"This is wonderful oh I've missed you all so much come we must leave immediately!" Ariella said grabbing Legolas's hand. Ariella begins to rush to the door her hand in his but she comes to an abrupt halt. Turning around to see Legolas's leg caught within Artemis's jaw. "Artemis!" Ariella yelled.

Who is he? I do not like him he took you away from me and you never came home he will pay for making you and I suffer for so long! The cat's enormous fangs wrapped tightly around the elven prince's leg.

"Artemis this is Legolas, now let him go please I beg you my friend. He did not make me stay I chose to stay with him because he loves me, and I love him." Ariella said affectionately. Loosening the grip on Legolas's leg Artemis looks at Ariella sadly.

Does this elf mean more to you than me? You would choose him over me, after all that I have done for you. Am I to be forgotten and left in the shadows? I love you as a father loves his daughter and I will not loose you so easily. I have protected you throughout your entire lifetime have our times together meant nothing. You speak of love and yet you fail to realize that I myself have shown you all the love you could ever want. I have watched you grown to be the beautiful elfling princess you see in the mirror. Artemis finishes and he sheds tears of sadness. Ariella releases her grip from Legolas's hand and crouches down to Artemis.

Artemis my love, you have been my protector ever since I was a young elfling child. Nevertheless, I have grown into a young woman, and your wisdom has led down many paths towards the right directions. Do you remember when I was a young girl I once told you that I wish to leave Rivendell and travel the world with you at my side? I still wish for that to happen with all my heart, but another shall be joining us on that journey Legolas. I love him with all my heart but I love you and him in two very different ways. You will always be my protector, my elven cat remember all elven pets and their owners are bound together forever by love and friendship. You have always been a member of my family. Always protecting me, guiding me, revealing to me new things. However, it is time that you let me go. In addition, no you will not be left in the shadows for I could never leave someone I love behind. You forever and always will be in my heart. I love you Armis. Ariella kissed his forehead. He lets out a light growl; sounding almost like a laugh, he does this at the use of his old nickname. For when Ariella was still a baby she could not say Artemis, instead she would say Armis.

I love you Ella and as long as he is good to you and never brings pain to your heart. I will protect the both of you as if you were my own children. Now come we have lost much time, your uncle wishes us to come home as soon as possible. Artemis said nudging her into the palace along with Legolas.

Gathering their things, they bring only the necessities. Each elven royalty bringing their choice of weapon. Ariella with her giant boomerang and Legolas with his elven bow that Galandriel gave to him. The two climb a top of Artemis's body Legolas unsure of the safety. Riding high into the midnight sky Ariella feels as if she could capture a star by just reaching out into the air. They reach the edge of Mirkwood's forest. An ominous presence is lurking all about them. Ariella can feel that hair on the back of her neck standing on ends.

"Legolas there's something in the air can you feel it?" Ariella begins to ready her weapon. A blood-wrenching scream is heard near the end of the forest.

Legolas is the first to see the hideous monster of immeasurable size. The monster is a giant spider. Knocking off Ariella first its teeth embedded deep within her chest. Using her boomerang Ariella slices off half of the monster sending the both of them flying into the air. Blood flying in the air out of Ariella's chest the Celeb Loki comes' flying out, the half centipede swallows the jewel and its body becomes restored. Legolas aims his bow at the monster, releasing his arrows the same time Ariella releases her boomerang. Their weapons hit the monster at the same time, but as Legolas's arrows hit the monster, they also hit something very important, the jewel. His arrow sends the jewel flying through the air luckily Ariella using her power of telepathy retrieves the jewel, placing it back within her body her wound quickly heals. Catching her breath, she looks at Legolas.

"What was that?" Ariella's breathe coming back slowly.

"Lord Spider he was killed many years ago by my father, what was that thing that came out of you?" Legolas asked helping her up.

"The Celeb Loki I am it's protector, I have been told that all races of Middle-Earth wish to posses the jewel but only I can withstand its power. Your brother told me that long ago Caspia yearned for the jewel and its evil power. For it does not work for good but only evil, even the most innocent and uncorrupt person will give in to it's will their soul being destroyed in the process. Only the cala quessir can posses the jewel." Ariella explained to the confused prince. "And what do you mean killed many years ago by your father? If he was killed them how come we just killed him now?"

"I do not know I want to assume is has everything to do with that jewel that you just embedded in your body," Legolas explained.

"Boy I hope not because if so we're all in a lot of trouble" Ariella feels her stomach turning her insides.

"Come we must leave this place and reach Rivendell before morning the sooner the better." He said.

Within a matter of hours, they arrive in Rivendell all tired but happy to see sanctuary. Ariella runs throughout the palace searching for her uncle and finds him talking amongst a council of races. Rushing to him, she explains all that has happened within the past hours. Sadly, her uncle tells her that he already knows of what she posses and has known for all her life.

"If you have known then why didn't you tell me?" Ariella yelled with anger.

"Because my child I did not wish you to bare the burden too early, although you bare it I did not wish you to loose your mind worrying over it. I thought I was doing the right thing, I was trying to protect you," Lord Elrond said.

"The right thing for who atar me or you! If you knew you should have told me, rather than have me find out from a complete stranger. Who by the way is the one who is supposed to protect me, Seolas Legolas's brother. It is not the way I found out that bothers me so, but rather the way I was so ignorant in all the trouble that would follow it. Legolas and I were attacked at Mirkwoods borders by a giant centipede that by the way bit off my chest and ripped out the jewel until Legolas and I retrieved it and killed the monster!" It is becoming clear that Ariella is hysterical.

"Ariella you must calm down. I will tell you everything." Motioning the other races to leave sitting he takes in a deep breath. "Ella your mother was the chosen one to posses the Celeb Loki, but after she died she had to choose another. You being her daughter were the most obvious choice, but at the time of her death, you were too young. Therefore, instead of killing you she had the jewel lay dormant within your body until you turned three thousand. Yesterday. Then all was to be revealed." Lord Elrond explained.

"I don't understand where did it come from?" Ariella asked now more curious along with Legolas, their curiosity caught them.

"Long ago before your mother was born. I was a young elf boy. A sorceress named Cassiopeia created the jewel. Tainted with her hate and cruelty the jewel grew more beautiful with each life she took. She bore a child Caspia who would inherit the jewel in the matter of Cassiopeia's death. Your great grandmother Andrasia a high elf one of the first, killed Cassiopeia and took the jewel. It was later discovered that the reason for this is Andrasia's pure heart and her elven powers could withstand and sustain the evil powers. From that day on her bloodline would inherit the jewel after she decided to take the ship the Valanor. After centuries, she then passed it down to your grandmother Astrasia, who then of course passed it down to your mother Arielstial true Arielstial was not her daughter she still possessed the pure heart, the high elven blood needed to sustain the jewels evil power. Each young elven woman received the jewel at the age of three thousand." Lord Elrond took a deep breath once more and then took a small drink of his wine.

"Ok so I understand all this but why does Caspia still live if this happened so many centuries ago?" Legolas asked. "Sorceress's do not live that long, wizards are the only ones to live part of the lifetime of an elf." He reminded.

"A dark secret that has taunted my mind ever since I was a young child. Caspia is my sister your aunt from your fathers side." Lord Elrond said gravely the embarrassment coming over his face. "Your grandfather Atticus gave her a child unwillingly; you see using her sorcery Cassiopeia made herself to look like your grandmother his wife Andrasia. He laid with her and from that time, he gave her a child. After Cassiopeia had revealed her true self to your grandfather, it was too late and from her pregnancy, Caspia was born. Very true she is able to withstand the sands of time because of her hate and her connection to the jewel but also because of her half elven bloodline. You see Legolas Caspia and Cassiopeia share the same bloodline Caspia is always able to know that the jewel is out in the world somewhere just not exactly where. At least back then, now that the jewel has awoken she will be able to sense where ever it is, and hiding will do you no good Ella. At this very moment she searches for the jewel her powers are not strong enough to pin point it yet but soon enough." Tears begin to form within his beautiful elven eyes.

"What's wrong uncle?" Ariella asked reaching for his hand.

"I am afraid that the only way to destroy the jewel is to kill Caspia or the one person who posse's the jewel. We must do everything in our power Ella to destroy her before she kills you, and believe me she will show no mercy. Tomorrow there is to be a council in your honor, all races will be there and you are to attend along with you young Prince Legolas." He smiled to the young prince. "It has been many years since we have last seen each other, not since the time of the one ring. It is good to see you once again my son." Lord Elrond said embracing Legolas in a fatherly hug.

After several hours of detail in all that had happened to Ariella and Legolas. The two explained that they have found love within each other's hearts. Lord Elrond embraced them both and is over joy to see his young niece choose a suitor. After all, that he had been through to push her to choose a companion, all she needed was some time. Ariella is still unable to believe all that she had learned she finds herself within the walls of her library a place where she would often to go and think things through.

Caspia killed her own brother her blood my father. She killed my mother and all for the sake of some stupid jewel in which she covets so greedily. We are bound together by blood. I shall take her life just as she did my father and mother and just as she showed no mercy she too shall receive none, I shall avenge parents and destroy the Celeb Loki. Although one thing I cannot understand, why did she not kill Uncle Elrond? A question that she had pondered for many hours unable to come to a conclusion. Ariella had decided that it was time to rest before the council meeting tomorrow.