Chapter 5!
"Father, she has told us her name and where she hails from why must we keep her locked up?" Legolas cried angrily marching around the corner after his father.
"Legolas I do not wish to hear another word of this. Please make yourself useful and change into something clean, we have visitors."
Legolas stopped. There was something his father was not telling him, Mirkwood had few visitors and certainly his clothes were presentable. "Who is visiting?" He asked suspiciously.
"You shall find out when they arrive, in about an hour or so," Thranduil said walking down the corridor.
Legolas still frustrated about not being informed stormed to his quarters and took a long bath.
Legolas was just putting on his boots when he heard a loud crack of thunder and a bang.
Quick to investigate, Legolas when downstairs and to the front door. He heard another bang. This time he was sure some one was at the door.
Opening it he was a tall figure dressed in a long blue cloak.
"Who are you?" Legolas pried, raising an eyebrow.
"I am Nathea, the king sent for my services," she said tossing back her hood to reveal a gypsyish looking elf; she had long red hair with bright blue eyes that sparkled and coy red lips.
Legolas stepped aside and let the woman in.
"Ah Nathea I see you have arrived. Welcome. Come we have found the last one," Thranduil said entering from a set of stairs.
"I see she took her time did she not?" Nathea laughed then looked serious, "I believe you have some artifacts to show me?"
"Ah yes certainly right this way." The king said leading the she-elf out of the hall way.
The king stopped and turned to Legolas "Legolas would please bring Erika to my study we have matters to discuss." Then he turned and continued to walk with Nathea. Legolas nodded and went to fetch the elf.
As he walked he wondered how Erika was feeling it had been 2 days since he had last visited her. He walked along the hallway when he heard a light hearted song.
"I'm spewing up my baby bumble bee, wont my mommy be so proud of me?" Legolas winced as he got closer to Erika's cell, it was an annoying song. The nasal-ish tone was getting on his nerves.
"Hello Erika," Legolas said, swinging the cell door open.
Erika's head whipped around and her mouth closed quickly. "Hello Leggie long time no see eh?" She said glaring at him.
Legolas ignored the comment he did not understand and noticed what position she was in. "What are you doing?" He questioned looking at the elf that was standing on her bed swinging on the bars across the window.
"Nothing," she replied quickly, letting go of the bars and jumping off the bed.
The window shuddered as she landed on the floor and all of the bars fell out from the window, tumbling to the floor.
Erika was quick to react; jumping on the bed she hoisted herself onto the window sill and scrambled out of the window. She was almost out the window when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her legs and pull her back in. Erika grabbed for anything she could hold on to but alas there was nothing.
She screamed as she was dragged back in the window, all she could see, was herself breaking all her teeth as she fell on the floor.
Instead of landing on the hard floor she felt something soft.
'I must have landed on the bed,' she thought has she opened her eyes. As soon as she did open them she shut them again.
She saw Legolas looking at her wide eyed in a sitting position on the floor next to her bed.
"Hold on, if you're not holding me up then who is?" She questioned, and then she looked around. "AUGH! I'M FLYING!" Erika yelled as she flapped her arms in the air. As soon as she did this the spell was broken and her plummeted to the ground. Guess who she landed on?
"Great another bad habit to add to the list," she muttered as she rolled of Legolas.
Legolas stood up and offered his hand to Erika, she gratefully accepted it.
"How did you do that? Are you a sorceress?" He questioned looking at her wearily as if she were a poisonous snake.
"I don't know it just happened, like someone told me to do it and I did," she said rubbing her arm.
'Maybe this has something to do with what father said before," Legolas thought to himself. Then he looked up. "My father wants to see you know in his study."
"Why? What did I do now?" She snapped. She was probably going to get the death sentence, she wasn't sure if they had one in Mirkwood.
"I don't know we had better hurry though." Grabbing her arm he led her out of the cell.
They walked in silence to the king's study. The two came up to a magnificent dark wood door and Legolas knocked twice before getting a muffled. "Come in."
Legolas pushed open the door and was met by his father at his desk and Nathea sitting on a red sofa.
"Thank-you Legolas, come in Erika," the king said gesturing at a two red chairs. "Please sit down, you too Legolas."
Erika and Legolas took a seat in the chairs and faced the king.
"This is Nathea, I have brought her along to discuss your weapons Erika. Whose are they?"
Erika looked coldly at the king before saying, "mine."
"Can you read elvish?" He asked kindly ignoring her glare.
Erika shook her head.
"On your bow and sword it has an inscription," Nathea said bringing out Erika's sword. "Who gave you these?" She questioned.
"They were passed down to me from my mother," Erika said simply, not wishing to give away her position.
"Did you know who your parents were?" She asked looking through Erika with the piercing eyes.
"No and how do you know they are dead?" Erika demanded standing up, her eyes narrowing.
Nathea sighed and sat back. "Sit down child, I am about to tell you about your history.
"Many ages ago Mirkwood forest was not the dank dark beast infested place it is now. It was a beautiful woodland of green and life. The reason for this was it had four guardians."
Erika groaned and rolled her eyes, she hated urban legends.
Nathea smiled at him and continued. "These four guardians were nymphs; each one had its own element with powers that helped protect the forest. There was the nymph of water, which protected the streams, rivers and made sure the forest never got thirsty. The nymph of earth, who looked after the trees and animals that helped everything grow. The nymph of fire, who made sure no evil, came to the forest and always lit the way for lost travelers and the nymph of air who made sure the seasons changed and the forest was safe." Nathea paused.
"For thousands of years Mirkwood was a prosperous happy place. Then there came time of great unhappiness when Sauron forged the one ring.
Mirkwood was attacked and the guardians perished. The ring of power was eventually destroyed. Alas Mirkwood's guardians were gone forever and Mirkwood became what it is today. There was a great council of mighty wizards and elves, they cast a spell which sent the essence of each of the guardians to the next of kin, in a hope that Mirkwood would once again return to its former state.
As an extra precaution the kin were sent to the other realm where they would return when it was time."
"That's a very touching story but what the hell does it have to do with me!" Erika questioned.
"Calm yourself." Nathea said sharply. "The inscription on your sword and bow is a very old form of elvish, I am one of the few who can read it, it says: Aranel, Nymph of air passes her gift to her only kin Erika the future guardian of Mirkwood."
There was a long silence, and then the king spoke. "Do you have any idea of what importance you are to the elves?" He said looking at Erika; in fact everyone was looking at Erika.
"No but I'm guessing something like Jesus." Erika was getting sick of being told she was important, yet she recalled she was locked in a cell for six nights with a toilet beside her bed. She wasn't that important to them then.
"Who is Jesus?" Legolas questioned.
"Has anything strange happened to you Erika? Something you couldn't explain?" Nathea asked ignoring Legolas.
"No-" Erika started but Legolas cut her off.
"In the cell, she flew." Erika glared at him, Legolas glared back.
"I see, Erika you ARE the nymph of air Leader of and one of the guardians of Mirkwood. Welcome home." Tharanduil said smiling.
Erika stood up. Everything was happening too fast, her grandmother had died that wasn't even her grandmother, she had been captured by some blond men who claimed to be elves, she was thrown in a cell for six nights and now she was told that she was a nymph that had to protect Mirkwood, a place that shouldn't even exist!
It was too much for Erika to handle.
Erika made a lope for the door and ran through it slamming it behind her. She ran down the hallway and down a flight of stairs and then another and another. Erika could hear the footsteps of the others gaining on her.
Erika jumped on the railing of the stairs. If she was really a nymph then she should be able to fly. She looked around to see Legolas running down the stairs to her. Taking a deep breath she jumped.
Erika could see the stairs at the bottom coming closer and closer. Erika shut her eyes tight and concentrated on floating she could feel herself slowing down. her feet lightly touched the ground.
Erika opened her eyes and smiled. It had worked. Then she felt a wave of dizziness come over her then darkness.
So what did you think? I got so wrapped up in this chapter I loved it so u tell me if you love it by reviewing.