-Chapter 2- The King

I continued to scan their beings and my surroundings, it looked like it was fall, this part of the forest was not dead and blackened nor crawling with spiders; I looked at all the beautiful red, brown, yellow, orange and golden leaves coating a very visible path that we took. It eventually opened up showing a bridge to a set of open doors, they were carved showing a root like tree system design it was beautiful and that was only the beginning; inside was a mountain with the walkways, bridges and steps built into it along with a giant tree and wood splayed out making pathways and bridges as well. There were waterfalls and sun light breaking through the gaps in the overly large tree and rock of the mountain like system, below it went into large rock like caverns and was beautiful, I had realized this was the place I had scanned earlier in my escape. It was magnificent and it reminded me of something I would see in a Ghibli film, I looked all around, it had large walkways cavern like roof, we made our way all the way through to wherever it was that the King was located.

I gasped and smiled pausing and turning around and looking up and over the bridges we stepped upon, I felt like a little girl in a magical forest, I had noticed a few of the elves surrounding me and accompanying me pausing as I did, they didn't once push me or tell me to hurry. I also noticed the captain's small upturn to her lips as she noticed me taking in my surroundings, I knew Jenny would die if she saw this, I hope they could see what I could however it was doubtful as the comms was not working from the second I blacked out to the moment I opened my eyes here in this place I had no recollection of what transpired between then and when I awoke.

I noticed that there was many intricate carvings and designs, especially when we got close to a stand with flat floors, I noticed fully armored guards on the sides they stood in small dials with moss and plants. I continued to look around until I saw an elf up on a dais sitting in a thrown that was carved from wood, the top of the chair looked like deer antlers but more twirly and pointed. The king himself wore a crown that looped around the back and side of his head it to was jagged and pointy with autumn leaves and berries. His clothes looked like a long dress top with long pants and boots, he had an over coat that matched it and the inside looked like a copper orange matching the season. He had long golden white hair, it was very straight, and one eye was blue while the other was white with blindness, and his left side badly scared and burned even bits of bone showing.

He must have been the King, he showed an air of superiority, age, wisdom and selfishness; I found his scar made me feel respect for him as it showed he fought with his men and army most likely at the front of them not at the back; his wounds proved that. I also noticed his uncaring slouch and ringed fingers showed his riches of his kingdom he also had a long silver sword on his left hip and an intricately carved staff in his right hand. I noticed the elves around me all kneel on one leg and bow their heads, I looked around me and quickly followed suite out of respect for his rank.

As they stood, I followed, they spoke in a different language I had never learnt nor heard before, which made sense seeing as they were a different species. I waited patiently as they informed the king of what transpired in the woods. I had never met a royal before I was an agent I did what was asked of me, weather that be kill someone, rescue someone or jail someone even if it was to babysit I would do it so long as the person I worked for ordered it, I never bowed to just anyone, I chose who I served, however I had no clue as to how to act in front or with royalty.

I noticed the elf with my belongings make his way up the dial and show him my items, he seemed surprised and even picked up my hunter knife looking it over, he then looked to me I could feel his eyes piercing my being, as if trying to find the truth about me. He had a commanding stare and it slightly unnerved me, I had been living for a total of 77 years however I had never came across someone like him who made me feel so insignificant, and dare I say scared. I swallowed and took a deep breath, the captain and guards took a step away from my being, "I am King Thranduil, King of the Greenland elves and the Greenland realm, so tell me human what is it you are here for?" I looked up to him, I knew he had been informed of all the things his captain had witness whatever that may be, and I knew they did not believe me to be human which they were not wrong about. "Hi, I am currently lost, I was lucky enough to be saved by your kingdom to which I must say is breath taking, I was hoping for assistance to see where I am, none of what I have seen is relatable to my home."

I noticed a small sinister smile on his face and a slight look to his eyes, yes indeed he was a selfish King, "ah yes, you have seen the might of some of my best warriors, they also brought you to me to determine what it is I will do with you, so you want to learn of your location, how is it you got into the woods to begin with?" I looked to him seeing a million unanswered questions in his eyes; technically the main aim would be not giving away information about the mission and gathering Intel, so I will stick to those parameters while trying to stick close to the truth. "I simply woke up in the woods, I looked around and saw those spiders, they chased me, I thought I was going to die when your people came to my rescue," "you stated to me you had never heard or seen of an elf prior to this day," it was the captain that spoke up, I nodded "yeah I had never met an elf till today, to which I am glad I did." I smiled to her, I think I personally unnerved the woman, the King spoke once more, "what about your weapons and feet, you are obviously not human, tell me what I want to know; the truth."

There was finality to his words and I gulped, I hated that he made me want to bow my head, most cut throat interrogators were not this scary, I bowed my head thinking of what to say however I simply bent over, all the guards pointed their weapons at me. I paused and slowly moved noticing the King had not told them to finish me off, I unzipped one of my shoes and slipped it off, showing my human foot, "they are simply shoes, I wear them because they are comfortable, my weapons are called guns, and obviously knifes, I am trained in using most weapons and in combat fighting styles." I slowly slipped on and re-zipped up my cow boots. "Tell me the name of the land you hail from?" I looked to him looking down to me it was sinister in a way "I come from a world called Earth, I move from country to country depending on my mission, however I mainly live in America." I noticed his frown "you stated your name to my captain is Agent Amira Hawley, that is a big name for a human that is not royal." I nodded "I am an agent like a captain or assassin for the ones I work for, I also have a middle name, many humans from my home have first and last names many more with middle names too, it is natural."

"This is most intriguing to learn, and you have only struck out on your own recently from a different world, however I highly doubt that as our world is called middle-Earth, it is too similar, so I will have you placed in a cell where you will stay till you tell me the whole truth, especially with how you healed all your injuries from the spiders, I am no fool I can see and smell lies coming from you a mile away, put her in the cells and leave her to rot until she tells me the truth, believe me child I have all the patients in the world a few decades is a mere blink of an eye for one such as I." I frowned deeply at him, I had not lied to him, "I did not lie to you my King, I understand learning one is from a different world is hard to believe but I think that you can agree that you have not seen a human dress as I nor with weapons not from these lands, so it should be obvious I am not lying to you." I bowed my head once more as I spoke in a rush, as the guards began to move in to take me away, I felt the touch of a sword on my throat as a young blond haired blue eyed elf came up beside me, I hadn't even known that he was in this room, but my scan told me he was a blood relative of the king perhaps a son.

"You dare talk back to the king after being dismissed, do you hold no respect?" he had stern eyes like his father, 'yep definitely father and son,' "Legolas it is alright, lower your weapon, however say something I do not like and your head will roll, so how did you heal your wounds?" I looked up to him from my bent over position, "my body has the ability to heal as it is not like a normal human body, it is filled with a liquid substance that heals and makes me perform better." The king inched forward on his seat as he heard my words, I wasn't saying this to save my head, well maybe a little, re-healing my entire head was a pain and tiring, "do go on," I stood up straighter now "I was born human, that is no lie however an unexpected death and experimentation with re-making my body out of other materials has pro-longed my life and made me capable of unimaginable feats that includes healing."

"Show me," I looked up to him surprised I paused totally shocked, 'oh jeeze, my serum just finished fixing everything and getting rid of the poison from my being, the sword touched the sensitive skin on my neck, sending chills through it from the cold blade, I looked to my right where the prince stood, "do it," he looked at me shocked as if I was asking to be killed to not say anything more. I sighed "cut my throat and you will see," he looked to the king who simply nodded his head, he was amused and also intrigued still sitting forward, I could feel his eyes looking at my throat. I quickly turned off my pain receptors as I felt an opening and slight pressure from his sword, it was so sharp and quick that I thought he hadn't done it, but I felt the liquid slip down my top adding to the rest already there. He had done a good job, cutting through my voice box, esophagus, artery and even hitting my black metal spinal bones, I had blood spilling from my mouth and neck, however I did not waver I simply continued to stand.

The kings eyes widened, I guessed he could see the yellow of the serum healing and flushing through my wound re-knitting all back together as it once was, it didn't take long at all, however the room stayed silent as I swallowed and spoke once more re-adjusting my pitch. "There you go, I am called a cyborg, however I am technically human just a little bit more durable," the prince stood to the side, "can this healing be given to someone else?" I faltered, I technically could heal someone if they drank my blood however it would have to be done quickly and the serum would need to be flushed through my system maximizing the amount in my blood and consumed before it evaporated away, it is able to heal someone but once done it is gone, this was so no enemies could steal what I was. I noticed his dark look to his one blue eye "if my blood is consumed, but I need to prep for it or else the serum that heals me won't be active in the blood consumed if that makes any sense."

I looked up to his smile, it was obvious to me that he wanted that really scarred left side of his healed, honestly I could understand why however right now I didn't really like how he seemed so selfish however when I looked around and saw how nice his kingdom was and the obvious trust and loyalty his own people showed made it obvious that he was worthy of being a king, he must put his people first all the time, that and himself. "Could you bring someone back from the dead?" I frowned at his question, "once someone is gone there is nothing, I can do for them, however while their heart still beats, there is still hope." He leaned back once more and placed his hand to his chin, moving his fingers back and forth as he thought, "very well Agent Amira Hawley you will be my guest so long as you do as I ask, you will bathe and be dressed in appropriate clothing, then we will sit down and talk more and I will show you maps so you can see where you currently reside." I bowed to him "thank you my King for your generosity," I felt the slight pull on my arm, as the guards pulled me to a certain location, I followed but noticed the captain and prince staying behind, possibly to talk to him.

I was stripped off of my clothes and measured out, a hot bath was poured with flowers and scents placed in it, like the rest of this realm, the bath was carved out of wood and stone, the adjoining room was a moderate size with a small sitting area, four poster bed, duchess, and wardrobe. It was more than I had expected, I also was not left alone when in the bath, instead a few elf's helped me clean up, scrubbing my feet causing my sensors to be tickled and for me to laugh out the elf's stood back in shock at my outburst. "Sorry but that tickles, I can do my feet," the elf acted as a senior would, she stood with a tall posture and grace, she had long brown hair and appealing features. I had not seen the king stand but I assumed he was tall like his son which I measured to be 6 foot 6 I was 6 foot with my shoes on and 5 foot 6 without. My hair too was washed, I heard the ladies grumble how my hair was so short that most men had longer hair than mine, my hairstyle was an undercut shave that extended to the side and all my short locks pushed and flipped over to one side, it was easier to keep it short and out of the way, besides I had amazing bone structure which my short hairstyle showed off.

I was shocked at how quick the dress was made, I was also not looking forward to wearing a dress and it had a slit in it and was flowy like any elven or mage dress seen on a movie back in my world. It was a dark green, the woman murmured that it matched my emerald eyes, I rolled said eyes and thought at least I have blond hair they surely cannot complain about that or my fair skin. I slipped on little ballet cloth shoes; they too matched the style of the dress, once done the senior lady who was obviously in charge of my wellbeing simply told me to follow her and that I would now meet with the King. I just hoped he was not as overbearing as he was before, maybe a comfortable atmosphere would be better for me to not feel like a lamb to the slaughter. I noticed these floors and rooms where up higher and was mainly built from the mountain itself, we came to a room with a fireplace and comfortable chairs, I noticed the prince was also accompanying him there, and this time the King had no crown and a goblet of alcohol?