Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, J.R.R.Tolkien does!

A/N: Point of view changes again between Legolas and Aranel!

A/N: And thanks for reviewing again guys! Just to clear some things up, yes she is in Mirkwood and after the war, I know Gandalf is still around but I needed him for his wisdom I suppose. Sorry J.R,R.Tolkien for messing around with your plot!

Chapter 4: From Darkness into the Unknown

Aranel had now spent 3 days in her dark cell. To her it felt like an eternity and she could imagine herself emerging, if she ever did, as some strange almost transparent white, thin being with big eyes from trying to see in the dark. In reality she had lost a little weight and could do with a shower but that was about all. Her days had become very routine. At what she thought must be about 5.30 – 6am, it was hard to tell the time let alone day from night, she usually judged it by how tired she felt, someone woke her up with a healthy breakfast of stale bread and water. Once she had managed to eat that, not much happened until what she guessed to be about 1-2pm when someone brought her another dose of bread and water, and again nothing would happen until she was brought dinner at about 7pm which was a little more exciting because she usually got something to put on the stale bread, wether it be some kind of dried meat or cheese, she didn't really care, it was the highlight of her day and she was going to enjoy it.

All this changed however during her third day. It began when she forgot Gandalf's advise about not touching the door. She had been staying clear of it since she had been there because she didn't want to get herself into any more trouble, but just after lunch on the third day curiosity got the better of her and she went to see if any of the bars might be loose. This was a mistake as Gandalf had used a very clever enchantment that only worked on those intent on escaping, and seeing if any of the bars were loose fell into this category.

Aranel wondered over to the bars and casually reached over to one to give it a good, hard shake. However, as soon as her hand closed around the metal she felt searing pain shoot through it and up her arm. She jumped back in pain, hitting the opposite wall and sliding down it to sit, whimpering and swearing under her breath as she tried to hold back the tears. She cradled her hurt hand in the other, shut her eyes tight and bit hard into her lip to keep from crying out loud, the pain was throbbing through her entire arm and at the moment she wanted nothing more than for someone to cut it off, she thought that would hurt a lot less than this. After a few minutes of this she opened her eyes again and tried to assess what damage had been done. It was very hard to tell in the dark but from what she could make out her hand had swollen to an abnormal size and her skin felt very rare. Aranel couldn't summon the energy to move, she felt weak and she doubted her legs would work at the moment, so she sat, huddled up against the wall, wishing for any sort of end to her misery.

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Legolas had been trying very hard not to think of the girl locked in the dungeon. He still thought it was pointless to keep her there, but his father had not budged on the matter, know matter how Legolas had posed his argument. So far he had managed to stay away from her, all though he had found himself standing on the stairs leading to her cell a few times before he had managed to stop himself going to see her. However it was on the third day of this battle that Legolas no longer needed to keep making excuses. It started with an urgent knock on the door, followed by another as Legolas was to slow to answer.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." Legolas muttered, slightly irritated at being disturbed from his work. He opened the door to find Gandalf standing there, looking slightly puffed.

"Gandalf! I'd of thought you would still be researching-"

"There is no time for pleasantries now Legolas, this is not a social call! We have made a terrible mistake!" He said very quickly, and turned and started a fast paced walk down the corridor, leaving a bewildered Legolas to take in what he had said. After a moment he apparently realised Legolas' absents and turned again, saying quiet loudly, "Are you coming, or are you going to stand there looking like a stunned fool?"

This snapped Legolas out of trying to work out what Gandalf was talking about. He shut the door quickly behind him and ran to catch up with Gandalf who was unexpectedly fast for such an old man.

"Is this about the girl?" Legolas asked, as he strode next to Gandalf, taking the all too familiar route to the dungeons.

"Aranel you mean? She does have a name you know, and yes this is indeed about her." Gandalf replied and fastened his pace.

Legolas was silent for a moment, it had never even occurred to him to ask the girls name. "Aranel…."he murmured under his breath. "Has my father been informed about….what ever this is about?"

"Yes, Thranduil knows," Gandalf replied, a little impatient with Legolas' questions.

"Is she to be-" Legolas started, eager for information on Aranel but was cut off by Gandalf.

"Patience Legolas! You will find out soon enough and I don't think your father would appreciate not being included in this conversation!"

Legolas fell silent after that. He hated it when Gandalf made him feel like a foolish child, but then again he usually did it when he was right, which he was in this case.

"Your father will be meeting us in my study, he knows as much as you at the moment so I will explain all I can then." Gandalf said as they reached the steps leading to Aranel's cell, as if he sensed Legolas' slight annoyance.

"Then I suppose I shall have to wait till then." Legolas replied, entering into the darkness that was the dungeons of Mirkwood.

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Aranel had still not moved from the wall. The pain in her hand had subsided a little now, and she was now imagining herself not only emerging as some strange, thin, large eyed being but she'd be a strange, thin, large eyed being with a big red club for a hand as well. Why can't I just die already, she thought hopelessly. She honestly didn't see herself ever leaving this cell again and that was a very depressing thought. Of course she was wrong, for a moment later she heard hurried footsteps and then three bangs and murmured voices that had signalled Gandalf's last visit. Great more stupid questions, just what I need.

The door swung open and again she saw Gandalf's silhouette in the door but this time it was accompanied by another, taller figure. It can't be… she thought. Aranel, although she had thought about Legolas quiet a bit since there wasn't much else to do, had figured that he hadn't spared her another thought; so seeing him here was quite a shock.

"…Aranel," Gandalf was speaking now and she snapped out of her thoughts to hear what he had to say this time. "Come child, you are not staying in here anymore, come" he said, offering his hand to help her up.

Aranel reached out, realised she had done so with her bad hand and draw back again, slightly ashamed of the evidence that she had seemingly ignored Gandalf's warning and done exactly what he had said not to.

"I didn't mean to, I swear, I wasn't trying to escape I just forgot-"

"Show me.' Legolas had knelt down beside her, cutting off her rambling and reached out to gently take her injured hand in his. His hand felt cool against her hot, irritated skin, and she was grateful for this act of kindness after being treated rather harshly.

"Your spell did this Gandalf?" he asked, turning Aranel's hand gently to better assess the damage. "It seems a bit harsh does it not?"

"Your father oversaw everything that was put in place here" was the only explanation Legolas was going to get, but that seemed to be enough as his expression hardened slightly.

"We can heal her once we have this sorted out Legolas. You must understand that this is very important." Gandalf urged, and it was with that that Aranel was lifted to her feet by Legolas, who supported her as she get her balance, and was lead out of her cell, away for the darkness, and towards the unknown.

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Aranel hadn't said a word as she was lead into the palace, passing many onlookers who had stopped what they were doing to watch her go. She felt very awkward and uncomfortable in the face of such beauty. This was the first time she had really had the chance to see the Elves, and anything she had read in books came know where near the grace and splendour that was these magnificent beings.

She was lead up what felt like countless stairs and a maze of corridors. She started to feel quiet weak and dizzy, after only haven eaten a very minimal amount of bread for three days. Legolas helped her on numerous occasions to maintain her balance, each time seeming to judge exactly which way she was going to fall before it happened, always supporting her just when she needed it the most but no more than that.

Finally they stopped outside an ornately carved door, which Gandalf opened as Legolas lead her in and sat her in a chair by the fire. It was then that she noticed a second elf, sitting in a chair by a paper-strewn desk. He stood as they entered; Aranel saw his eyes dart over her face, to her hand, taking everything in. Legolas came to stand next to him and Aranel saw the uncanny resemblance between the two. This must be his father then. He looks like a King. Aranel thought to herself as she took in his blank emotionless face, and rigid stance. Bet he never give anything away. She thought as she tried to read him and failed miserably. Her eyes flicked over to Legolas then, he was very much like his father in having the ability to appear emotionless, though Legolas had not yet mastered complete control over what emotion his eyes held, he was watching her now with concern and smiled gently when there eyes locked, making Aranel turn away and stare into the fire instead.

"I assume you have a very good reason as to why you have called us all here Gandalf, especially to have take the chance of releasing her from her cell." Thranduil said this, indicating to Aranel as he did.

"Indeed I have an excellent reason for bring Aranel here, and I am sure you will agree with me once you hear it." And so Gandalf began to explain what his days of research had revealed. "When last we gathered I said that I had over looked something, though I was almost certain that nothing would come of it, however, I believe I must admit I was wrong on this occasion." He turned to the King then, picking up a piece of paper from the desk. "You see, what I was curious about is the fact that, as Legolas mentioned, she appeared not to need a staff or object to channel her power, Aranel here appears to be able to do that with her mind. Which lead me to think what other beings have such powers. Now, there are a few, but Aranel herself has told me that she is the ripe old age of just 17, and there is no possible way she would have been able to master such a thing at this age. Do you remember a very powerful man, Thranduil, by the name of Illindor?"
He said this handing over the piece of paper to Thranduil.

Thranduil took the paper and nodded, "Yes, he was one of the Fay Lords was he not?"

"Yes, indeed he was, and over 1700 years ago he disappeared, without a trace for just under a century." Gandalf replied.

"What has this to do with the girl Gandalf, you said yourself that she is but 17 years old, she cannot possible have anything to do with him. "

"Precisely what I thought!" Gandalf replied, happy that people were following him in his explanation.

"Can I just but in for a moment and ask what this has to do with me?" Aranel said, feeling at a loss and, like Thranduil not understanding what a missing Lord from over a thousand years ago had to do with her.

"You can indeed, child! For that is why I have brought you here is it not."

"What is the significance behind these?" Thranduil asked Gandalf, waving the paper at him, Aranel caught a glimpse of a lot of numbers and hasty scrawls down the side of the paper.

"The significance, Thranduil, is why you are here. You see, like you I could not see the connection between Lord Illindor and Aranel. All I had to go by were her powers, that of which are very close to Illindor's. And then it occurred to me that he may of disappeared over 1700 years ago in our time, but not necessarily in Aranel's. Which brings me to the piece of paper you are holding, Thranduil. You are of course both aware that she is not from our world, as I told you before, which lead me to wonder if her world moved slower than ours."

"Gandalf, what exactly are you trying to say." Legolas asked, looking at the paper in his father's hands.

"I am saying that, after many long nights of pouring over old records of Aranel's world, I have discovered that there is indeed a time difference. To one year of Aranel's time, there is 100 years here."

"Which means Lord Illindor disappeared about 17 years ago, according to Aranel's time." Legolas finished, watching Aranel now.

"Precisely Legolas, and it is with your fathers permission that I would like to summon Lord Illindor here, so that he may clarify this for us."

"Wait, you wish to summon a Fay Lord here, to an Elvish Kingdom?" Thranduil said, looking at Gandalf as if he were insane.

"I know the Elves have their differences with the Fay, but surely this can be made an exception? Can you not put your differences aside for now? After all you have been at peace for many years." Gandalf replied, coming to stand beside Aranel.

Aranel had been silent for this, taking in the information and letting her brain process it at its own pace. She was stuck, however, on one fact. "Which means Lord Illindor disappeared about 17 years ago…" Aranel's thoughts kept going over and over what Legolas had said but it still wasn't registering properly. Mum never talked about him, she never had any photos…. There was no evidence he even existed except for me. But he couldn't possibly be…" She was lost in thought and had missed some of the conversation going on around her. It wasn't until she realised the room was silent that she snapped out of it and looked around, expecting everyone to be waiting for her to answer something.

But in fact, no one was looking at her, all eyes were on Gandalf who was standing in the middle of the room, staff held vertically in front of him. He murmured something that Aranel could not understand, and tapped his staff twice in front of him, the crystal on the end flared slightly but that was about it.

Silence filled the room as everyone waited for something spectacular to happen. Nothing did. After the silence had grown quiet uncomfortable and Gandalf was looking highly confused Aranel decided to voice what was on everyone's mind.

"Ah…was that it?" she asked to no one in particular, assuming that Gandalf had been trying to summon this Lord Illindor.

Gandalf gave her an unappreciated look and brought his staff out in front of him again, apparently to repeat what he had just down when a man stepped out from the shadows by the window.

The was a flurry as movement as Thranduil turned sharply at the intrusion, Legolas draw a dagger apparently out of no where and Gandalf took an involuntary step back in surprise. Aranel curled herself up as much as she could in her chair, hoping that it perhaps might swallow her.

The mans eyes flicked around at all of them taking them all in, hovering for a moment on Legolas with dagger in hand and then on Aranel, who was still curled up in the chair, finally coming to rest on Gandalf who still had his staff out in front of him.

"I am interested to hear why you have even dared to summon me Mithrandir, and into an Elvish establishment no less." The mans voice did not need to be raised to be heard, it in itself seemed to demand people to listen and Aranel decided then and there that she would make a point of trying not anger him. In fact overall he seemed to dominate the room, though the two elves probably could have given him a run for his money. He had short blonde hair and a young face, though it wasn't hard to tell that he had seen many ages through his clear green eyes. He was dressed in leggings and tunic, both of navy blue, though the tunic was edged in gold, he also wore black boots and had a gold wreath around his forehead. It was a very simple outfit and yet drew attention to him all the same.

"Lord Illindor, I am truly sorry for this, but I have someone here that might be of interest to you." Gandalf replied, stepping forward and offering his hand in greeting, apparently completely unfazed by him.

Lord Illindor took Gandalf's hand, shaking it briefly before turning to the two elves.

"King Thranduil, it has been a long time, I see your son has grown into your image, as I ever expected he would." He said, extending his hand to the King and Legolas in turn, both shaking it stiffly.

"It is good to see you in such good health Lord Illindor, I hope all goes well in your realm." Thranduil exchange greetings with Illindor, even though they had had their differences in the past, neither could deny that they were very much alike.

"I assume it is the girl I am here to see, Mithrandir. I know you wouldn't call me for a matter of the elves." Illindor said, turning to Aranel and coming to stand before her, analysing her through his startling green eyes.

Aranel, if it were possible, shrunk even further into the chair. Lord Illindor had been dominating when his attention was not directed at her, now he was just about terrifying.

"Indeed, it is because of her that I called for you, Lord Illindor. You see she has travelled a long way, following a path that I think will be most familiar to you." Gandalf said, coming to stand behind Illindor so both were looking at Aranel.

"And why is that?" Illindor asked, squatting in front of Aranel so that he was at eye level with her.

"Because she has come from a place she calls Australia." Gandalf said Australia with an odd accent; Aranel couldn't help but smile slightly at him.

" …Does she now…" Illindor murmured. His eyes seemed to glaze over as he became lost in thought. "What might her name be?" he asked quietly, still thinking.

"Aranel." Legolas supplied, he had been silent till then, having never met one the Fay before.

At this, Illindor's eyes snapped back to lock with Aranel's. He seemed to be looking straight through her to her very soul.

"Aranel?" he said slowly, his face transformed from the emotionless, uncaring look he had had since arriving to one of complete shock. "How…it cannot be…" he was murmuring under his breath still staring at her.

"So she does mean something to you. Just out of interest, Aranel, what was your mothers name?" Gandalf asked this casually with a very pleased smile on his face.

"Er…Faith. W-what's going on?" she asked, even though deep down she knew, stumbling slightly on her words as Illindor was looking at her so intently.

"Perhaps you should explain Lord Illindor." Gandalf prompted.

"…Yes…perhaps I should…where to start…" Illindor fell silent for a moment before continuing. "It must be over 1700 years ago now. I, well, I suppose you could say I accidentally stumbled across your home, Aranel, I had no intentions of being there, somewhere near your house there must be a flaw or a gap if you will in space, but end up there I did. Realising my mistake I turned to leave when I saw your mother, and well, I could not leave without knowing her, she captivated me so. Anyway, over time I came to love her, but I could not stay. I was not meant for your world and it was weighing heavily on me. She was pregnant when finally I left, with our daughter, and I asked that she be called Aranel, or in our tongue, Princess, for that is what she truly was, what you truly are, and I wanted you to have something of your father, since I could not be there myself."

A deathly silence fell after this. If any one was expecting Aranel to say something they would be sorely disappointed. For Aranel's mind had completely stopped, it was having trouble still with the "It must be over 1700 years ago now…" part of Illindor's explanation, for that was all she really had to hear to know the truth behind the situation, the rest just fell into place really.

A few minutes passed, during which Aranel seemed to sit, frozen, as if she were indeed part the chair as she had wished.

"…Aranel…?" Illindor said hesitantly.

"So, you…you are my father?" Aranel said slowly, now looking very closely at Illindor.

"Yes"

"And…you are a Fay Lord?" she continued.

"Yes"

"And I am…your daughter…" she murmured as the reality set in.

"Yes. You are my daughter, and therefore a Princess to the Fay."

"Right…so, I'm a…faery?" Aranel said, a million and one things zooming through her head though she paid attention to none of them.

"Well, you're half Fay, you have mortal blood in you as well, obviously. Though I would say that is why you could live in your world where I could not." Illindor explained.

"I see…does that mean I'm mortal or…" Aranel trailed off, falling into silence.

"Immortal." Illindor both finished for her and answered her question.
"Right…umm…can I…go please…I'd like to…think…" she stammered, standing up and heading for the door. It was all too much for her at the moment, she felt like someone had hit her over the head, leaving her dazed and confused.

"Yes of course. Legolas, will see you to a room." Gandalf said gently, and with that Aranel left silently, followed by an equally silent Legolas, both lost in thought of what this new information meant for them.

A/N: Well, there it is, the explanation to Aranel's powers. It was a bit long but I had a lot I wanted to say! Though I just wanted to add that I am not talking about faeries in the sense of tiny little people who live in flowers, just as I'm not talking about elves as having funny little hats and working in the North Pole making toys. The Fay in this story are beings that are just as complicated as the Elves, remember that Elves are in their own right classified as Fay. We're just talking about different types. Anyway, sorry, had to have my rank, some people thought I was insane to write about faeries and please Read and Review and remember, no flames!