When the Snow Falls Red
Chapter 14: A Stroll in the Woods
Don't own.
Sorry about the slowness of updating. I got back from band camp and I was so burned out I didn't want to do anything but sleep, then I've had a busy week what with school starting back up, having homework already, and marching band taking up most of my life. I'm heading up north right now, with a laptop, so I'll keep writing, since I know what I'm doing now.
If Thranduil could control the weather with his emotions, there would be a thunderstorm, hurricane and tornado happening in his room... at the same time.
He was storming forward towards a very scared Haldir, his face red with anger, and his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. When he looked like he was about ready to kill Haldir, a strange expression came over his face. Haldir recognized this expression, as he had been in the service of the Lady of the Wood for a long time. Galadriel was talking to him in his mind.
Haldir watched as the red disappeared from his face, and his eyes went back into his head. Haldir smirked.
"I am sorry, Haldir. I overreacted." Thranduil said, casting his eyes to the floor.
"'Tis alright, My Lord. Now that you have clamed yourself, shall we go to the Hall of Healing?" He asked. Thranduil nodded and calmly followed the elf out of the room and down the hall.
Náessë looked around, and saw that the coast was clear. She moved to a door and pushed it open. She stepped inside the room and shut the door quietly, well, as quietly as it would. She turned back around and looked around the room she was in. It was a bedroom. The heavy curtains were drawn, so there was no sunlight streaming into the room. She moved to the windows and threw open the curtains, and the rays of sun filtered into the room. She looked around. She could see dust particles roaming through the air. It was obvious that they came from the curtains, meaning they hadn't been moved in a while. She knew full well that Aranel liked to keep his curtains open during the day.
She continued to examine the room, and the sight was confusing to her. The bed was made, perfectly. There were no creases in the blankets or anything. She also knew that by now, the candles in the room that were replaces weekly should be about half way burned, but they were still perfect and new. She moved to the desk and looked at the papers. Some of them were unfinished and dated to several days ago. "Strange." She whispered to herself.
She went back to the door after her examination of the room, and she started to pull open the doors when she heard voices. She knelt to the floor and listened. It was two servants, a girl and a boy. They were holding hands. Náessë knew these two as the ones who were in love. A kitchen girl and a cleaning boy. They were talking.
"Strange things have been happening in the kitchen." The girl commented.
"Like what?" The boy questioned.
"Well, food has been disappearing. Also, Prince Aranel has been coming frequently to take more food. When asked, he just says he is going with the Princess and Prince to the archery fields and they were going to eat out there. It wasn't so strange at first, until I started noticing how much he was taking. The amount he was taking could feed several people, almost too much for just three." The girl said.
Inside the room, Náessë brought a finger to her chin in deep thought. Strange. Aranel taking food? That wasn't like him. He always claimed that food made his arm slow, and he wouldn't allow it when ever he was facing off against Legolas.
She listened, but their talk turned to servant gossip. She waited until their voice were faint, and she slipped out of the room, closing the door. She knew now that something wasn't right.
Aranel was rushing through the forests, when he finally came to a clearing. His pace slowed, and he walked through the trees. There was four elves sitting around the fire, looking at the flames, silent.
Although, they heard him come through the trees, so they turned their attention to him. They grinned.
"Why hello, Your Highness." Saeros said, sarcasm almost dripping from his words. Aranel raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"Do not worry, for in time, you will be calling me that." He said. "Aranel, and the rest of that good for nothing family will pay." He growled, taking a place on the ground between Searos and Daeron.
"Have they been buying your act?" Feanor asked from across the fire.
"I think so... well... except for that wretched girl Náessë. I think she is suspicious." He sighed. "Sometimes when Thranduil is talking to me, I forget to answer to Aranel. I'm not used to it." He said, staring into the flames. The four heads nodded, and the group fell silent.
As Náessë was walking through the hall, she heard footsteps. She turned, and saw Thranduil and wait a minute... Haldir? What was he doing here? She moved aside as Thranduil rushed past her, but Haldir stopped. "What are you doing here?" She asked him, blushing slightly.
"I traveled here with Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel." He said, the same light pink blush appearing on his cheeks. They smiled at each other.
"Oh. What's going on?" She asked. Haldir's expression changed and he became serious.
"We found Legolas in the woods. He was attacked by wolves, from what we can gather. He may also have a head wound." He told her. Náessë's hands flew to her mouth and she took a step back. Attacked by wolves?
"Wait... where did you find him?" She asked.
"Not too far from the edge of the woods." He replied. To his surprise, Náessë suddenly whirled around and ran down the hall after her father. Haldir shrugged to himself and followed.
"relindë was already cleaning Legolas's wounds with the help of Galadriel when Thranduil burst into the room, soon followed by Náessë, then Haldir. Celeborn was sitting quietly against the wall, watching the scene. Before any words could be said, Náessë grabbed her father by his shoulders.
"Ada! Where is Aranel?" She asked. Thranduil shrugged.
"The last I saw him he said he was going out to find Legolas." He said. "Shouldn't he be back by now?" Thranduil asked. He looked to Galadriel.
"We did not see him." She said, then went back to helping "relindë. Thranduil looked at Náessë, and he could see in her eyes the mix of fear, worry, anger, and urgency. She clenched her fists, then turned and fled from the room. The room fell silent.
"Haldir, would you please follow her. See that she doesn't get hurt." Celeborn said, standing from his place and moving beside Thranduil, laying a hand on his shoulder. Haldir bowed.
"Yes, m'lord." he said and moved from the room.
Náessë burst into her room, grabbed her cloak and threw it about her shoulders. She took some thin gloves from a shelf and slipped them on over her slender hands. Then she left her room, and made her way to the stables.
Haldir was close behind her. He finally caught up with her at the stables. "I was instructed to come with you." Haldir said. Náessë nodded, paying no mind. She had to get into the forest, and soon. The stable elf brought out Náessë and Haldir's horses, and the two elves mounted and sped off into the forest.
After about fifteen minutes of riding, Náessë slowed and closed her eyes. Haldir watched her. She was listening to the trees. He always marveled at the way that the children of Thranduil were so in tune with the trees. Náessë opened her eyes and looked at him.
"I am not as good as Legolas at talking to the trees, but they say there is something disturbing them that way." She said, pointing off into a very dense section of the woods. "They say the horses will not be able to make it through." She dismounted, and tied her horse to a tree trunk. Haldir did the same, and soon, the two of them were making their way into the dense part of the forest.
The light was lessening as they moved further, and the trees looked menacing, like they were angry. The only sound their could hear was the soft rustle of leaves of the trees high above them. Náessë, who was leading, fell back to walk along side Haldir. Haldir sensed that she was afraid, so he held out his arm, and she gratefully took it.
Saeros lifted his head and listened. Something wasn't right. He looked to his master. "Sir, someone is coming. Actually, two people are coming." He said. Their master stood.
"Spread the fire." He said.
"But sir.."
"Do it! Do not argue with me, or will you be taken back to the palace! Spread the fire to the dead trees and brush. Then get away. Otherwise, you will burn, or die of suffocation." He said. The four nodded, and watched as their master left them, then they went to work.
He moved along quietly until he heard soft voices. He recognized one to be Náessë, but the other was unfamiliar. Finally, he climbed into a tree, and looked around. He saw two elves making their way through the forest. One of them was indeed Náessë, but the other blond elf, he did not know who that was.
As he waited silently, their talking stopped. "Something's wrong." the blond elf said.
"Yes." Náessë said quietly. Náessë turned her face up and looked into the trees. She spied someone standing in the trees. "Aranel! Is that you?" She called.
Náessë watched as Aranel dropped from the trees. "Hello Náessë." He said. He just nodded to the other elf, since he did not know his name.
"Aranel! Where have you been? I thought you came out here to look for Legolas?" Náessë asked.
"I did. I couldn't find him." Aranel explained.
"That's because Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn found him. He was attacked by wolves!" Náessë almost screamed at him.
"Oh." Aranel replied. Then, he turned, and sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?" He asked. Náessë too sniffed, as well as Haldir.
"Smoke!" Haldir cried. The three of them ran into the forest further, and they felt the heat of the flames, then saw the wall. It was a huge wall of flames, leaping up into the trees. Náessë screamed. Haldir grabbed her arm before she could run to the fire, to try to put it out. He knew there was nothing she could do.
"Haldir! Let me go!" She cried. Aranel made note of this. His name was Haldir.
"No princess! There's nothing you can do!" He cried back to her. Aranel walked up behind them, and he shoved Haldir in the back, causing him to fall to the ground. He grabbed Náessë's shoulder.
Náessë looked up. This feeling. It wasn't new. Something she had felt before... before she was shot by the arrows. She gasped.
"I knew you were on to me. Now you must die. Farewell, sister." He spat, and shoved her closer to the fire. Haldir jumped up to try to save her, but Aranel took out a hidden dagger and put it through his chest, then pulled it back. Haldir stumbled, and slumped to the ground. Náessë screamed. Aranel ran to the flames, picked up a large stick, then spread the fire into a circle around Náessë and Haldir. Laughing, he threw the burning stick to the ground, and left.
What a nice ending. I'm sure I've confused the hell out of you, but you might be able to figure it out... soon. If not, you'll find out in the next chapter. No worries!
Reviewers:
crimsonskye: Thanks, I'm glad you think so.
aroswein: I'll try, but torture isn't my forte. Sorry. Yes, Haldir is here! Everyone can rejoyce!
Beling2: Haha aren't twists and turns awesome?
KissTheRainGirl12489: Well, ok band camp wasn't that bad, but oh well... haha. It would be BETTER with my friends. Heh.
LittleCrazy1: I'm glad you like this story. Hehe. I have some fans who like torture, and then some who don't. EEK!
Kelsey: All your questions will be answered very soon.
Later-
Blue September Rain