Chapter 19

December 10, T.A 2940

Late Afternoon

Feren reported to the king as they rode that there were two main entrances to Bree. With that in mind, Thranduil had made the decision to split his party up, leaving Feren to lead the second so they might cover more ground around the town of Bree in case Anariel made the sudden decision to keep going.

Feren bowed his head understanding the need for such practices, he took off around the other way with his own group keeping an ear and eye out for the princess.

Feren was glad to be at Bree he could finally see to it that Anariel was safe. While at the same time he, himself was livid as he came upon his horse the princess so casually took on her little outburst. Not only had she so little common sense to warm him up first, but rode him ragged only to leave him in the middle of the forest nowhere near a water source. He could have died from her foolishness and it made Feren furious. He could hardly believe that Anariel would be so thoughtless.

She could be so childish and stubborn sometimes, so temperamental and at a times like these it infuriated him all the while, he loved her more than anything. It was true he was angry with her but it never, not for a second made him question his love.

Thranduil rode through the forest with Legolas by his side, their eyes scanning the sudden bloody scene they came upon. Leaping from his horse, his heart racing as he scanned the scene horrified when he saw his daughters dagger plunged into the back of an orc. Pulling it free Thranduil fought the tears that threatened to fall. What if his daughter was one of these fallen?

Orelion, one of the princess' guards bent low examining the body of a fallen mortal. "Not quite an hour ago, my lord." He reported the news to his king, informing him of a rough timeline that this had taken place. They were not far behind their princess if she was not here she was perhaps already in Bree.

"Search the fallen," King Thranduil ordered to the soldiers that followed him, it didn't need to be spoken out loud what they were searching for it was on all of their minds.

They all set to work searching through the throngs of mortals and creatures that lay upon the ground both were now not really any different from the other. They had been sliced down to the same bloody, fleshy mess, slowly beginning the process of rotting away beneath the sun's rays.

"My lord," Orelion called coming to stand by his side his hands clasped firmly behind his back. "We have found no sign of the princess."

Thranduil sighed thankfully to hear such, nodding his head to Orelion he gave the order for everyone to move out.

Anariel didn't want to admit it but she may have very well been regretting her decision on leaving the kingdom alone. She raced through the forest so near Bree and while within a few minutes she could have been back home she found herself moving away from the town.

Her father and Feren had been right these roads had grown dangerous, now with a couple of orcs on her tail and very little training she had nothing left to do but run.

What she hadn't expended was to land herself face to face with a small group of mortals heading back to town who had, on their own accord run into a group of orcs, now wounded and tired they ran straight into Anariel. She gasped out in shock as they collided, Anariel's senses were less than they should have been for she had little time to rest travelling alone. She had to force herself to stay alert with an orc pack so close behind. As she collided with the mortals, her heart stopped, immediately she tried to turn around to run away, force the orcs to follow her but it was too late they burst through the clearing.

A skirmish broke out, Anariel took a few steps back horrified as people she called friend began to fight, fight the creatures she lured here. Her hand fell upon her dagger but it wouldn't move, she knew trying to shoot anything with her bow was a terrible idea her shot was far from perfect and with so many fighting in such close range she was bound to hit one she cared for.

Squeals of pain rung through the air, the ring of metal upon metal as swords cried out clashing against one another. The air filled with darkness, a sick air of the fallen creatures and mortal. As she watched horrified as an orc rose his blade to strike down another from behind glancing at her own blade she made her move.

Wet, sticky blood ran down the pale luminescent flesh of the young elleth as her blade pushed past the last orcs flesh connecting with a bone of his ribs, it reverberated causing her arm to scream out in pain.

Anariel took a step back, her eyes wide with horror, arm and hand ablaze with pain. Shaking violently her mind whirled yet she was frozen in shock.

The orcs lay dead - orcs she had led here - as did many of the men. Men she had once called friends, men she disobeyed her father's order to return here to see, to say goodbye to. Men who would have been alive if she could have just listened, they would have never had run into her, never would have run into the orcs.

Anariel looked to the remaining men, tears streaming down her cheek.

"Anariel?" One finally called out shocked breaking the silence, though still, she said nothing merely stood staring at them and back at her blood stained hands before taking off running this time to Bree.

Slamming the door behind her Anariel was glad that no one else was here, these mortals she loved touched nothing everything she remembered was left exactly the same. She crashed to the floor pulling her knees up, burying her face in her hands she sobbed and balled ignoring the calls that came from the front door. Those who wanted to see her happy she had come. But she wasn't happy, not anymore. She wanted to go home, and she did not mean here in Bree she wanted to go home to her father, to her brother. She wanted to go back to her forest, she wished she had only listened. She loved these people more than anything but, now that she was here it just didn't feel right anymore. Now that she felt and seen small glimpses of what it could be like, what her life could be if she allowed it to be. She wanted that life, she wanted to just be herself. Anariel suddenly punched the wall screaming out. Who was she? Was she just that barmaid or the princess? She knew she couldn't be both. If she was the princess, she was still sure she knew nothing of what that meant.

Feren had arrived at her old house before the others, banging loudly at the door he awaited an answer.

"She won't answer, my lord. Been trying ourselves."

Feren turned around to face and old balding man. "Well," Feren huffed, fed up with her childish outburst. "She'll answer." Feren snarled determinedly.

Banging on the door one last time, Feren growled under his breath about to shoulder the door out of his way as it was ripped opened, slamming against the wall. There before him stood a rather angry elleth, eyes red and puffy from all her crying. Feren was about to sigh and forget his own anger when he saw her tears.

"What do you want?" She snarled inches from his face, "Come back to force me back there? Leave, because I am not going." Anariel hissed, only to spite herself in the end.

Something about seeing him made her even angrier, made her forget everything she had just been thinking over. Perhaps it was they way her heart still fluttered at the sight of him, the way she found she had become so dependent on him she wanted nothing more than to collapse into his arms. But she couldn't have that, she couldn't allow herself to give into such feelings. He had said that he would be here for her, but could she trust him to that? Would he really always be here for her, or would he one day leave her to like everyone else she ever cared about. "Why are you here?" She demanded of him.

Feren took a deep breath, "For someone who got angry with me for running off into the forest and being reckless this was an awfully reckless thing to do. Not only did you put yourself in danger, you clearly care little for anyone else or the things they care much about. You need to realize that you can't just go running off when it pleases you, your people need you. You are their princess and…"

Anariel scoffed, "Stop calling me princess, and besides, that was different, you were just being an idiot while I…"

"You what, didn't like the answer given by the king? So what, Anariel, you run off. Put multiple lives in danger, forced the king to postpone the ball, take my horse which you seem indifferent to the fact if you kill. Legolas rode all this way to ensure your safety though he and myself are already injured. Do you have so little consideration for others?" Feren growled his voice growing along with the princess'.

"Your horse is fine." Anariel snapped nodding her head towards the very horse in question.

"By the gods! Hardly because of anything you did. If I had not found him…"

"Well let's just be thankful you did!"

"You know I don't know why I came." Feren growled out clenching his fist, "This is enough, the king will be here soon. So needless to say this is done. And we can head back. By Eru," Feren cursed, "And to think I fought against the king for you."

Anariel paused when she heard it.

Feren roughly pushed in, the others following suit. Quickly setting up posts around the perimeter.

Anariel wondered what he had meant by that comment but quickly shook the thought from her head, "I…I told you to leave, not to enter. Just who do you think you are!"

"Oh! You're right, my lady." Feren spoke mimicking the same tone she had used with him the first time they met. "Please forgive me, my princess."

"Are you mocking me? Are you fucking serious?" Anariel raged, storming closer to him. They stood staring each other down, breaths heavy, fist clenched.

"And if I am?"

"Why did you even bother coming here at all? Was I just another order, just something you needed to complete."

"Perhaps you were." Feren snapped, instantly regretting the words he'd spoken.

Anariel held back a painful gasp, "Get out of my house!" Through clenched teeth, she growled forcing unwanted tears back.

"Is that an order, my lady."

"It is."

Feren left rounding up every soldier with him, slamming the door behind before grasping his sword fiercely taking it out on a nearby post. As he saw the king and prince round a corner with the rest of the elves he crashed to the floor his heart aching painfully in his chest.

Why had he said what he said? A part of him wanted to go back in there and try to speak to her to try and make things better. But he to knew that Anariel, herself, like he was still too mad to even bother trying right now. It would be better if they gave each other some space for a time to cool down.

Anariel to found herself curled up clenching her chest in pain. Sobbing she sat in the corner feeling terribly guilty.

Thranduil rode upon the lane his eyes landed on Feren and the clearing destroyed pole only a few feet away Thranduil nudged his horse on faster feeling Feren's sorrow, heartbreak and his anger from there. Thranduil jumped from his horse, Legolas close behind.

"Where is she?" The king demanded of his Marchwarden.

"She is in her house, and fine." Feren sneered, standing tall he finally re-sheathed his sword as Haldir rounded.

Thranduil sighed relieved to hear that she was okay, glancing around the clearing of this small, muddy, broken down town Thranduil wondered which one of these lopsided houses she called home.

"Which is…" Legolas began looking around for which house was his sisters.

"This one here, my lord," Alfred spoke, pointing to the house on the left. His eyes turned to the gathering of mortals when he was suddenly bombarded almost being knocked to the ground by his children as they welcomed him home.

Thranduil nodded, taking a deep breath he turned to the people who gathered whispers breaking out among the group as they looked on at the mass of elves. The wagons full of goods and supplies rolled in not moments later the whispers grew, Thranduil nodded towards Alfred. "Please, let them know."

Alfred nodded picking up his youngest daughter, looking out to the throng of people he began. "As you, all know I left to find Anariel-"

"Rie!" The youngest cried at the mention of the princess, interrupting her father.

The king looked down to the youngling at the nickname the young mortal child had for his daughter and smiled.

"I had come to find her in Mirkwood, where I was graciously and humbly welcomed by their king. King Thranduil," Alfred nodded his head towards him causing a near uproar from the people in surprise. "He has ridden back here with his son, Prince Legolas to provide these supplies for our town and offer me a safe trip back but more than that he has come for his daughter, Anariel, Princess of the Greenwood." Gasps and whisper tore through the crowd.

Thranduil bowed his head to the people his daughter loved and cared for so much, the people who for generations had a hand in raising her.

An old frail looking woman hobbled on her cane through the masses to the front lines, climbing up the stairs she stopped directly in front of the king waving a finger in his direction she began. "Now, you listen here. King or no king I will tell you right now you best take care of her, or I'll find my way down there and show you fear."

Thranduil stood looking down at the frail mortal woman, quirking an eyebrow he couldn't help but smile at her. If this woman had any hand in raising Anariel he could shockingly see the similarities. "I promise; I shall take care of her. However, right now I must speak with her."

"Aye, as do I." The woman walked to the door raising her cane she banged loudly. "You best be opening this door, young lady." A few elves chuckled at this elderly woman. Slowly the door creaked open revealing the young elleth, red-faced, and bloody.

"What, Hazel?" Anariel whispered her voice cracking from all her screaming and crying.

"Now, you listen and listen well." Hazel began taking her hand in hers, indifferent to the blood. Pulling her away from the doorway. "I don't know this king or any of these elves for that matter. Nor do I know why you've come back so sad, what I do know is you, my dear. I have told you hundreds of times before to stop your running. And you haven't been listening."

Thranduil watched as this woman spoke to his daughter, they followed as she walked with her down the streets.

"I listened, Hazel."

"Ah," Hazel shot cutting her off. "You listen to my words but you are not listening to what I am saying." Slowly they came to a stop down a long side street nearing the edge of the forest. "Always running like the wind, and hiding like the water."

"Not this again, Hazel." Anariel rolled her eyes.

"Again until you listen." Hazel insisted. "You must slow down, be the leaves, and rocks. Burn wild like fire but as a cold as a winter's night."

"Yes…yes. I know. I heard it all, hundreds of times. Let me guess, and remember those who linger in the leaves, and hold strong in the roots. Yes, Hazel, as always its been a pleasure."

"In time child, past my time, dear. You will see." Hazel patted her hand as she turned back around to the village.

"Wise words," Thranduil commented.

"She's crazy," Anariel grunted, as she turned away knowing perfectly well she didn't mean it. Anariel adored and respected Hazel, the only reason she came to the door for her.

Feren like her father and brother shook his head at her, they understood Hazel.

Haldir shook his head lightly but held back a chuckle. The others decided to go to the wagon and sort the supplies helping the others. Haldir mentioned to the king that he would keep an eye on Anariel until everything had been taken care of and he was prepared and had the time to speak with her at length.

Legolas sighed itching at the back of his head as he watched his sister storm off, in all honesty, he wanted nothing more to see her happy. While it was true that he knew her for so little of time, he already grew to care about her he wanted to be there for her, to protect her. No matter what that meant, she was his little sister and if a time came to it and that meant protecting her from either of his dear friends, Haldir or Valar help him Feren then he would.

Legolas was lost in thought when felt the presence of someone beside him, with a gentle yet forceful nudge Legolas was pulled from his thoughts. A smile graced his lips as he looked to the side seeing the beautiful red haired elleth that had caught his own eye, Tauriel.

"You seem worried," Tauriel mentioned as she looked at him with her own worry for him.

"Admittedly, I am. It is no secret the Feren has feelings towards Anariel, but how Anariel feels for him I do not know. I know she feels something for Haldir and it is obvious he likes her, how I do not know that either. All side, she is still struggling with everything the king expects of her, she has mentioned it before she doesn't believe herself to be more than just another barmaid and yet I have complete faith she will make…"

"Legolas…" Tauriel interrupted after a moment. "Rest, you are ranting now. And while your worries are valid, you are injured."

"Will you speak with her for me?" Legolas asked, taking a deep breath trying to calm his mind.

"What good would come of me speaking with the princess?"

"I trust your judgment, and… please?" Legolas pleaded looking to her hopefully.

Tauriel sighed, "If you wish that I try, I shall, for you."

"Hannon le."

Anariel left back inside her home ignoring the footsteps behind her assuming them to be Feren once more. As she came to the outside of her bedroom door furious when he followed her inside her home, Anariel spun on her heels yelling at him.

Haldir smirked holding his hand up in mock defeat, "I don't know what he did, but I assure I am not here to anger you but to please you." Haldir spoke smirking as he let his eyes wander over her form.

"I'm not in the mood for any games," Anariel snapped her face showing her pain easily, the pain she'd stopped trying to hide. Seeing Hazel and her words, she just wanted to be alone and not to think about anything for a time. Haldir recognized the look upon her face from the night in the garden, closing the distance between them Haldir purposefully grasped her hips firmly.

"I can provide you with a distraction again," Haldir whispered seductively in her ear.

Anariel's mind went back to that night she remembered the feeling of his hands on her body, his lips against hers and the mere thought of it were almost enough to make her moan out again. Remember the way that she had forgotten everything, exactly like she wanted to forget everything right now. Feren suddenly slipped back into her mind and how he punched him for it, their time afterwards and the way he himself kissed her. A smile spread across her as she thought about it, her heart fluttered and it was like nothing else mattered.

"Is that a yes, then?" Haldir purred, his lips hovering above her own. She had hardly noticed the smile had shone as much as it did as his words pulled her back into reality her heart sunk again and everything once more turned grey. Slowly she nodded, leaning up on her toes pushing their lips together.

Haldir moaned out into the kiss boldly stepping closer forcing her to move back and into her room. They moved back until she felt her knees hit the edge of the bed, pushing her back Haldir moved over top of her straddling her body.

Thranduil finished helping the mortals sort the supplies, he, Legolas and Feren headed back towards Anariel's home. "Feren, get Anariel I must speak with her now."

"Of course, my lord." Feren walked through the halls pushing open the doors to her chambers, his eyes immediately landing on the pair of them.

Haldir on top of her, his hands holding her, lips upon her. Feren's eyes widened, sneering he clenched his fists as he stormed out of the house.