Chapter Ten

Mirkwood Forest,

Woodland Realm

A guard enters the Throne Room. "Your Majesty, you have a letter. It is from your brother in law, Telemarin!" said the guard. The Elf King nodded and took the letter and read it:

Your Majesty,

I'm writing in regards to inform you that our daughter, Tabitha Silver Star has arrived in Rivendell. She has joined a company of Dwarves, and planning on going on a quest with them. The Dwarf whom she is with is Thorin, son of Thrain. I'm asking you this favor once she and the dwarven company set near your home, please do everything in your power to keep her away from the dwarves.

Thank you,

Telemarin.

Thranduil realized it was his niece whom Telemarin was speaking of. "I will see to it, once they arrive." said Thranduil loudly.

Beorn's Home:

After supper, Beorn had left to take night watch for the night while Thorin and the rest of the Company gathered in Beorn's great hall, around the fire pit that is centered in the floor. Bilbo had went on to bed while Gandalf sat outside to smoke his pipe. As for Tabitha, she sat beside Thorin, whom was sitting cross legged on the floor, listening to the dwarves telling tales and laughing. Suddenly, Bofur called out for some music and singing, and he pulled out his flute from his jacket.

Thorin found a lute sitting nearby as he reached for it, and he turned to Tabitha and smiled.

Tabitha smiled in return as she knew Thorin was about to sing. Soon as Thorin began strumming the lute, and Bofur joining in with him on his flute, Thorin started to sing, shortly joined in by the other dwarves:

The wind was on the withered heath

But in the forest stirred no leaf;

There shadows lay, by night and day

And dark things silent crept beneath.

The wind came down from mountains cold

And like a tide it roared and rolled;

The branches groaned, the forest moaned

And leaves were laid upon the mould.

With a final strum on the lute, the song ended. Tabitha nearly dozed off on Thorin's right shoulder. After Thorin put the instrument down, Thorin smiled and pulled Tabitha into his arms, and he gently placed Tabitha's head on his chest, as she dozed off into deep sleep. Thorin kissed Tabitha on the cheek, and whispered words in his language to her. The next morning, The Company woke up and ate breakfast outside on Beorn's front porch as they discussed the next leg of their journey. When Tabitha overheard them mentioning of entering Mirkwood, she stood up in fright.

"We're not going to set foot in that place! If I had my way, I would stay right here and not go at all!" snapped Tabitha. Soon all eyes turned to Tabitha. "Miss O Hara, we have no other choice but to enter it. I know you have fears of the place, but its no other way." said Gandalf gently. "I'm not going and that's final!" snapped Tabitha. Thorin approached Tabitha.

"Tabitha, I will not allow anyone to harm you, I promise. You just stay by my side when we enter the forest." said Thorin gently, as he took her hands. Tabitha nodded. Thorin decided that day they would leave Beorn's home. After breakfast, the Company packed. While packing, Gandalf announced to the group that he will not be going with them in Mirkwood, because he had other business to take care of. It disappointed Tabitha that she had to see Gandalf leave, she didn't how the Company will manage without him, especially having to enter the dreadful forest.

After packing the belongings, the Company departed from Beorn's on the ponies Beorn had loaned them. Gandalf also informed them that the ponies had to be returned once they reached the forest. Hours went by after leaving Beorn's, they reached the forest, and the Company said their farewells to their ponies and Gandalf. After Gandalf left with the ponies, Thorin and Company are now on their own, and they entered the forest. Ten minutes as they entered the forest, Tabitha could already feel very uncomfortable as she remained close with Thorin as they entered.

It seemed like hours as they entered the forest, and they went off the path after Gandalf asked them not too, and it angered Tabitha.

Tabitha wanted to say something to Thorin about it, but with Thorin already in a foul mood, she didn't want to argue with the dwarf, and remained silent. "Is there any end to this accursed forest?!" shouted Thorin, as he sat down on a small log nearby. "We should stop and rest Thorin, we've been walking for hours, and I'm starting to feel weak and tired." said Tabitha. "No, we're going to keep moving." said Thorin firmly.

"Thorin, I cannot barely move, I'm feeling light headed! Please, lets take a small break!" argued Tabitha. "I said we're going to keep moving and that's final!" snapped Thorin. "Fine!" grumbled Tabitha. "Laddie, she is right, we need a small rest, even if its only for a few minutes." spoke up Balin. "Very well." sighed Thorin, and everyone sat down for a few minutes. Tabitha sat a few yards away from Thorin, still angry at the dwarf for snapping at her earlier.

Thorin took notice of Tabitha sitting by herself, and he walked over towards her. No soon as he approached her, Tabitha stood up. "Where are you going, Tabitha?" asked Thorin. "To relieve myself, Thorin. I'll be back." said Tabitha. "You're not going by yourself, Tabitha. I'm coming with you." said Thorin, firmly.

"Thorin, I don't need anyone to watch me take a pee. This is a private matter, you know." said Tabitha stubbornly.

"I won't look I promise!"

"I said I'm going alone! I won't go far!" Tabitha snapped back. Thorin stomped his foot. "You're as stubborn as a dwarf woman, you know that?!" shot back Thorin loudly. "Just let he go, Thorin! There is no use of winning this argument!" snapped Balin. Thorin sat down as he watched Tabitha walked away, as Thorin cursed quietly in his language. Meanwhile, Tabitha walked away to do her business, and she ended up walking much further than she had imagined. She prayed she wouldn't get lost walking back to the Company when she finished.

Once she was done, she walked back, and she realized she had been walking in circles. Crap, I'm lost! Damn it, I'm lost! Tabitha's mind panicked. And the further she had gotten, she began feeling dizzy and light headed again. Suddenly, the dizzy and light headedness gotten much worse, and she collapsed to the ground and she blacked out on the ground.

Tabitha's POV:

It didn't take me long to wake up, and discovered that I was being carried by a blonde haired elf. "Who are you? And where are you taking me?! Take me back to my friends!" I shouted at the elf. "I am Legolas, son of King Thranduil. I'm taking you to him." said the elf. "No! You put me down this instant! I don't want to see your father! I want to go back to the Company!" I shouted at the elf. "Dwarves? You're an elf, and you choose to accompany them?!" snapped the Elf Prince.

"How did you know this?!" I snapped at Legolas. "Because your father sent a letter to my father." said Legolas. "HE DID WHAT?!" I screamed. I knew it, I just knew it. I knew my father was behind this. My father once again trying to sabotage my relationship with Thorin. I wasn't going to have this one bloody bit. I will defy that Elf King, I don't care if it risks me getting locked up in the dungeons. As we entered the large Throne Room, the Elf King approached us. "Look whom I found lying in the forest, Father. Your niece Tabitha Silver Star!" spoke the Elf Prince in his language.

"Ah, Tabitha, you've grown quite a bit since I saw of you-since you were born. You look just like your mother day by day-and I despise it!" snarled Thranduil.

"And I despise you! You, nor my father is going to separate me from my dwarf friends, as I remain loyal to them!" I said harshly. "I'm sorry, Tabitha, but I wish not to disappoint your father. You will remain here for the rest of your days, even if I have to force you." said Thranduil. "Force me if you will, but it doesn't stop me from remaining loyal to my Thorin." I said. "YOUR Thorin? You and son of a greedy Elf King, courting?! So this is what your father meant, and I do believe his intentions are set well! Like I said before, you will remain here, by force. Guards, take her to the guest rooms. I will use magic, to make sure she will not leave her room." said Thranduil.

"No! No! You cannot do that! Please don't do this!" I screamed, as the guards came for me. It was then a red haired female elf spoke up. "Your Majesty, I know this isn't my place of saying this, but using magic to keep her locked up isn't a good idea. Why can't you just lock her in the dungeons?" said the elf. I smiled. I very much preferred to be locked up in the dungeons than to be withheld in room locked by magic. Thranduil glared at the Elf Captain. And then back at me. "Very well then, I will give you two options. The dungeons or the room." said the Elf King coldly.

"The Dungeons." I replied. "Tauriel, take her." Thranduil demanded.

Tauriel gently took my arm, as we strolled towards the dungeons. "I'm not going to allow you to see you suffer like this, Lady Silver Star. You are a grown woman who makes her own decisions. Your father had no right to do this to you." said Tauriel. I smiled at the Elf Captain. "Do you know my father?" I asked. "He's my Uncle." Tauriel replied. When I heard this, my mouth shot open. Things were getting weirder and weirder by the minute! "Telemarin and I were never close, just I am with My King." said Tauriel.

"Another reason why your King hates me is because I look like my mother, which is his sister. According to Thranduil, my mother turned on him. She left and decided to reside in Rivendell. For a while both my parents lived in the city of the Race of Men. It's really a long story, someday when I have time, I will tell you." I said. Shortly we entered the dungeons and Tauriel placed me in the cell. No soon as was placed in the cell, Legolas approached her. "My father wishes to see us. A guard came and said there are intruders in the forest. Thirteen of them." said Legolas. Tauriel nodded, and the two walked away.

Forest

Bilbo had just finished rescuing the Company from being tied up in Spider webs. "Where is Tabitha?" asked Balin. "I haven't seen her since she told me she was going to relieve herself. She told me she was going to come back!" said Thorin. "Maybe she got lost." said Bofur. "Well its too late to go and find her now, we must press on." said Thorin. "What and leave her stranded?! She will die out here!" snapped Dwalin. "She will find her own way out! She's an elf, remember?!" snapped Thorin. Dwalin fell quiet. "Look out!" called out Kili.

Everyone turned to see more spiders approach them, Thorin killed two, and suddenly several arrows flown at the spiders and killed them. The Company could see two elves: One blonde and another one with red hair, approaching them. "Don't make me have to kill you, dwarf!" snarled the Elf Prince.