Chapter 1

Legolas, the Prince of the Woodland Realm and son of King Thranduil, was in trouble. The elf prince was a renowned fighter and rather remarkable in battle. However, this day was not a very fortunate one for he had somehow lost track of his company and now he stands before much more orcs that one elf could handle. The elf looked around his surroundings and he deducted that his company was nearby but there was no way he could get out of this unscathed. His only option would be to improvise and take the slim chance of survival.

One orc started coming at him. Then two. Then four. Then seven. Legolas continued to slay through as many as he could as strained his eyes to look for an opening. Anything. Perhaps even a vine or a low enough branch for him to climb through the trees.

An idea suddenly blessed the elf as he a large rock came into view. It would not help him get high enough into the trees, but it would give him leverage to hop over the heads of the orcs. Quickly and lithely, Legolas sprinted towards the stone. It was a risky move. Legolas made it over the heads of at least thirty or forty different orcs when the edge of the crowd finally presented itself. It was in this moment where a small wave of relief was cut short by an arrow that lodged itself right between his shoulder blades.

An overwhelming feeling of doom and dread washed over him as he fell to the ground to meet his fate. Legolas had dreamed of dying before. It comforted him to know that if he were to meet his life's end, that he would be reunited with his mother somewhere and somehow in Valinor. This hope comforted him as the darkness took him and he fell into mortal slumber.

In his subconscious, Legolas prayed to Arda to show him his mother in some way before he entered the Hall of Mandos. Yet this was not the vision bestowed upon him. Instead he was placed in a dark forest. It definitely could not have been anywhere in Valinor for it felt sinister. Legolas seldom felt fear in his life, yet this place sent the coldest shivers down his body. He did not recall when he started to walk, but he did. He walked until he caught a glimpse of a pale blue light. Desperately, Legolas runs to the source hoping it is some sort of sign only to see that it was no more than a small patch of land under a full moon.

Slightly defeated, Legolas plopped down into the earth in a very un-elflike manner. What sins had he committed in his life to have come to such a place in his death? Had he not lived as an honest elf?

A rustling sound came from somewhere outside the light within the dark of the forest. Out of reflex Legolas attempted to reach for his bow and arrow which were not there. Daggers that were usually on his back were missing as well. The sound grew louder and drew nearer. Legolas was vulnerable and he did not like that feeling one bit. His breathing became uneven as it came closer and closer.

The sound came to a stop at the edge of the light. Legolas could make out a small shadowy silhouette. Slowly, the figure stepped into the light to reveal a white paw. Before he could move closer to get a better look, the environment around him began to unravel into a warm white light.

–––

A poke. Something poked Legolas and he could feel it as much as he felt the warmth of the afternoon light. Another poke against his cheek, but this time it held a little longer. Whoever, was touching him had long nails because the last poke dug deep enough to wake him. Legolas' eyes opened and he rolled his head to the source of the pokes to see strange brown eyes almost innocently looking at him.

"Ah!" he exclaimed also startling the creature that was pestering him.

It was a woman or perhaps just a girl. She looked quite young, no more than twenty. However, it was difficult for Legolas to tell as she looked alien to him. Typically it is easy to tell one race from another and even where a man is from just by his clothing. However, everything about this girl was so foreign to Legolas.

She wore a bland white dress that seemed to blend in with her pale skin and contrast with her long black hair that reached her waist. The girl's long black hair was parted down the middle and feel perfectly straight framing her youthful round face. Her eyes were large and dark brown yet had a sharpness in shape to them. The nose on her face was small and somewhere between round and pointed. Her pink lips seemed to be the only feature of true pigment and color could be found anywhere. His eyes finally fell to a long silver chain around the girl's thin neck which dipped into her dress hiding whatever gem it might have been.

Her expression was of shock, but not fear. Rather curiosity. The two continued to stare at each other wide-eyed for a long moment before the pain in Legolas' back caught up to him. Legolas flinched as the discomfort took him. He reached his hand over his shoulder to touch his back to realize that he was bare on top except for a bandage that sufficiently covered his wound.

"Did you heal me?" Legolas asked the girl who seemed to be frozen.

She gave a slow nod. Abruptly, as if realizing something, the girl fled out of sight. Legolas took this time to look around the room he was in. It was a very small space and a rather small bed that he laid in. The bedroom was decorated with random sparkling trinkets and flowers hanging down the walls and ceiling. There was a average sized wardrobe in one corner and desk next to it with a large pile of books. On the other side of the desk was a bookcase filled many different readings. Above the desk hung an old rusty mirror.

Legolas looked to the door through which the girl suddenly fled threw, he could see a tiny kitchen and dining area. From the looks of it, the living space was tailored for this one girl and was very small.

The stranger rushed back in with his clothes in her arms. Legolas noticed that she was very quiet and light on her feet much like an elf. She held out the pieces of clothing to him and he took it warily.

"Thank you," he said nodding his head politely. He noticed this elicited a little smile from the girl.

Legolas inspected his green tunic and realized that there was not a speck of dirt on it. It was perfectly clean. He opened the top to inspect the back where an arrow had shot him too see a poorly patched piece of brown fabric in the place of the hole. He looked from the shirt and back at the girl to see she was still smiling proudly.

"You saved my life," Legolas started choosing to ignore the quality of his shirt. "How? Who are you? And where am I?"

The smile disappeared from her face as she stayed silent.

"Can you not speak? What is your name?" he asked more sternly this time.

His questions were met with more silence. Legolas watched has her eyes cast themselves to the ground. She looked rather dejected which caused Legolas to feel guilty for scolding her. Perhaps she was just a kind mute that lived isolated from the horrors of society. This thought was proven wrong.

"Ina," she answered softly after a lengthy pause. "My name is Ina."

"Ina," Legolas repeated with his brows furrowed. "That is not a name I have heard before. Where are you from?"

"East."

An Easterling? No, she did not look like any of the Easterlings Legolas was used to seeing. She also had the ability to speak the common language of the West. Yet she seemed reluctant to answer too many intimate questions. So, he decided it better to introduce himself instead.

"I am Legolas of the Woodland Realm. Son of King Thranduil. Who is your family?"

Confusion riddled her odd eyes as she replied with, "Family? I do not have… family." The word rolled off her tongue as if it were an unknown concept. Legolas thought it to be wise not to pry any further. After all, he would leave and probably never see this girl again.

After a few seconds of awkward silence Legolas announced, "I shall be leaving soon then! I thank you for your hospitality and service. I will arrange that someone from my kingdom send you a gift of gratitude."

The girl merely stared at him blankly not really sure what to do.

"I wish for some privacy," Legolas demanded. "I would like to put my clothes on."

"Will you not stay for dinner?" Ina offered worriedly.

"No. I am afraid I must go. My father will be worried and probably has the whole realm searching for my body."

"But-"

Frustrated Legolas attempted to get out of the bed he was placed in. Unfortunately, a searing pain shot up his body to his back making him double over. He and the clothes began to fall, but Ina swiftly caught half the elven prince's body. As Legolas slumped over in her arms rather limp, he felt her strength. A great, inhumane strength. He was much bigger than she was by appearance yet she could hold his good percent of his body weight in her frail looking arms. She gently placed him back into the bed and readjusted the blankets. She picked up the fallen pieces of cloth, refolded them, and gently placed them back in his lap.

"You will stay dinner?" she inquired once more.

"I suppose I will… take your offer," Legolas replied still stunned by the girl's actions.

He did dine with her that night. Or not with her. She delivered him a tray with a plate of bread, fish, and a vegetable soup. The meal was only average in taste, but was welcomed into Legolas' weakened body happily. Legolas ate silently in bed as she ate at the table beyond the door with her back to him. He could only admire the silky quality of her raven hair. She was what he might have thought to be beautiful in the Eastern parts of Middle Earth.

All the while Legolas pondered the strange girl's story, Ina sat rather stiffly. She felt his eyes upon her which made her extremely uneasy. Her nails dug into her lap and she continued to eat the tasteless food.

–––

Night approached with all the swiftness of a fox and the comforting dark of a warm night blanketed Legolas as he seemed to drift. While elves to do not particularly have a need for sleep in the way mortal men do, they did need to rest the mind. It was a seldom moment in Legolas' long life that he felt tired and spent so he slipped into a strange world again. He dreamed the same dream as before, the enigma of the white paw still taunting him. However, instead of the warm feeling of the sun, he felt cold at the end of his dream. Something felt inexplicably wrong.

Surely in the depths of the forest, something stirred. A strong man with long, silver-blonde hair stalked around the tiny little house waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The only thing loud about this man was the ornamentation on his body. From his glimmering circlet and the shimmering accents of his attire. Then also, his piercing grayish blue eyes signaled the storm about to come.

Slowly Legolas sat up in the bed and realized that it was rather quiet. He looked over the side of the bed to see Ina curled up on the floor sleeping rather peacefully. Without knowing, Legolas actually smiled down at the girl because she looked so young and so innocent. To him, Ina was nothing more than a lost child who had a kind heart. Perhaps he would come visit her in his spare time later and watch her grow. After all, she could not possibly live too far from the kingdom. It would be a nice change of pace to see something other than elves, orcs, and spiders.

Legolas stood up from the bed and collected the blanket that was still warm from his own body heat. He carefully took a small step towards the sleeping figure and placed the blanket on top of her. Just then, he heard something. A rustle amongst the leaves. Then another. And another.

In just a split second, the front door was torn down with a BANG. As if waiting for this moment, Ina sprang up to her feet. Flashes of golden armor went by which Legolas immediately realized as the uniform of his own people. The Mirkwood elves pushed past Legolas towards Ina who, to Legolas' surprise, was defending herself. He watched as the strange girl ducked one punch then slid under a pair of legs. It was as if she was performing a dance and Legolas was almost captivated. It was only almost captivating because it all ended too soon when a more noble looking elf caught Ina in a rather deadly grip around her shoulders with a sword ready to slit her throat.

"No!" Legolas shouted. "You will not hurt her, father. She is the reason I stand before you alive."

"You have been reckless lately," Legolas' father spoke with his blade still on Ina's neck. "My own son, taken in by a homeless child who has been trespassing our lands. It is only but a little poetic."

Legolas had always been a kinder soul: one more inclined to be fair to those who deserve it. His father, as Ina found, was certainly not a person filled with mercy. He was brooding, domineering, and quite frankly, scary. Ina gulped as the uncertainty of her own death lingered so near. It was clear to see that she feared to die.

It was only a small white sparkle down inside Ina's dress that caught the man's eyes. Before Ina could protest, he snatched the dainty silver chain off her neck with the hand that had been holding her still. Legolas' father marveled at the beauty and craft of the long necklace before him. On a slim silver chain, was a small spherical charm that appeared to have a clasp on it.

"Please give that back," Ina begged in whisper. Although he had freed her, she was very much frozen.

Ignoring her, the man opened the locket to find that there was absolutely nothing inside. Not even a small pearl or a lock of precious hair. Yet somehow, he was still enchanted by this simple thing from a simple girl.

"Firstly," the tall man began, "you will address me as King Thranduil. Secondly, this silver is worth more than your own life although there is nothing inside of it. Thirdly, I can kill you at any moment therefore you should not speak out of turn."

"Father," Legolas called in a pleading voice. "Is my own life and safety not enough a price for you to spare her?"

"You are right, my son." The King nonchalantly gave back the accessory to the girl. "I do not need such trivial things, however, this girl has been living on our land without my knowledge and has caused me much grief this past day. As a merciful king, I will spare her life for saving yours as long as she pledges her service to our family."

Both Ina and Legolas understood this as equivalent to a command on a battle field. King Thranduil was not on to joke or poke fun at a situation. Ina would become a servant to the elves of Mirkwood and there was no court that would hear her object the fate. All she could do in that moment was look at Legolas with an expression that he could not quite read. She did not at all seem adverse to giving up her life and freedom for elvish royalty, yet she did not look all too content either. She just simply nodded.