The day seemed to go agonisingly slow as the light faded from her cell and was replaced by the soft glow from the torches, yet it cast menacing shadows across the cold walls that haunted her dreams. The elf who had first talked to her never made any moves towards her again, he just sat there eating his gruel like a wounded puppy. She became extremely bored in her cell, not bothering to ask the guards why she was in here because they just don't care about anyone. Maybe their own bellies or perhaps their marital affairs she thought. They definitely seemed like the type. She studied her cell for days, sweeping her hands across the walls hoping to find an escape even hoisting herself up to the tiny window protected by bars in the corner, even that was too small and impenetrable for an escape route and she had no lock picks or anything resembling them to use on the locks. Yet when she looked again at one of the arch shaped walls she saw a small shape obscured by years of filth. Taking her cup of water she threw it onto it and gasped as a small sigil was revealed. It was a diamond shape with dots on the outline and a smaller diamond inside the larger one. It seems that something would fit inside but why is it needed? She wondered. Looking to the floor she tried to find anything she could stuff into the shape so it could be activated but there was no dirt or dust she could physically mould. With a frustrated cry she picked up her food tray and threw it at the bars, the disgusting gloop they gave them dripping from the handle bars.

"Hey! That hit me bitch!" the dark elf shouted angrily.

"Oh grow some ears!" she yelled back at him. Suddenly there was the sound of a large group of people making their way into the hallway,

"It is this way Emperor" one of them said, a man she assumed from his gruff tight voice. Emperor!? She thought wildly, why is the Emperor coming here?

"Who is this?" one of them said, his voice was slightly sincere and evidently human; only humans find it hard to hide their true emotion in their dulcet tones.

"One of the dark elf race your majesty."

"Well I can see that Ethris, quite clearly, I merely inquired about the nature of his imprisonment." The woman found it difficult to hide her snicker at the Emperors satire inevitably catching the attention of the group shrouded in shadow from the darkening sky. The one called Ethris immediately grew angry, such as his eyes danced as if aflame, and drew his sword slightly from its worn and dented scabbard. "No one is supposed to be in this cell!" he shouted glaring at the dark elf woman who lounged on the dirty bed roll below.

"Well feel free to let me go, I will not complain" she chuckled. A woman guard next to him forcefully pulled him away from the bars, squashing his next retort.

"Stand back prisoner, and on your feet" she commanded. With a sigh the elf stood up and moved back until her spine touched the wall, not wanting a confrontation. The rusty bar door was open and creaking slightly on its hinges, now was her chance to escape, but she didn't even know why she was here in the first place. She carefully pressed her fingertips against the wall slightly and pushed herself off a tiny bit, unfortunately one of the guards shut the door and locked them in. Only if I had some lockpicks she grumbled. She peered over to the short plump man who was adorned in a thick red cape with grey fur edges that smelt clean, and around his pale neck lay a glistening red amulet the shape of a large diamond. Her lips parted in surprise and a small gasp echoed in the cramped cell the amulet of kings! The Emperor looked over at her, his eyes creased in curiosity and extended an old yet firm hand "Let me look at you child" he smiled. The elf shook her head in response

"I am no child" she scoffed.

"For your race you are."

"How do you know anything about my people" she spat, angry at the mans invasion of her privacy.

"Because I am an old man who has lived for too long…and you are in here for a crime you did not commit."

Her eyes lit up with curiosity and she took the Emperors hand "Tell me what you know, I have no recollection of the past week before my imprisonment."

"You are an accumulation of hundreds of years of anguish and betrayal and war yet it is your heritage and role that doomed you. The war may seem to be in the past, yet it is your present and your future."

"I-"

"What is your name child?" he asked letting go of her hand.

"Arawen Crabanniel Aerlinniel" she said with pride.

"Ah what is the translation?" She hesitated before she spoke, unsure of the mans intent,

"Noble Raven Song, but my friends call me Raven."

"An unusual name indeed, I once knew a member of dark elven royalty, a good friend and his name was Suiadan Aerlinniel."

Ravens throat grew tight and her eyes began to tear, yet she refused to cry infront of those humans.
"That is my father." The Emperor smiled and patted her on the shoulder comfortingly,

"He was a good man, a gracious king and a wonderful friend."

"Yet you let him die, in your greed like humans always do! And the Bretons, always menacing in their words!"

"Calm yourself Arawen, I was only a child at the time. You age much slower than us humans."

"Of course, my apologies" she replied, refusing to kick her feet like a child in a temper.

"No need to apologise, you are far more royal than I. And we must be going, you will be coming with us."

"What? Why?" she asked taken aback.

"You have a destiny, one you must follow. And the Divines have me in your path to help start your journey."

"I was never one for such folly as religion."

The Emperor chuckled and beckoned her closer to his side "Do not be so quick to dismiss something you have not experienced, the Divines are what gave us purpose."

"Okay but I still won't be spoon fed such ridiculous crap."

"I did not expect a change of heart so quickly Arawen" he chuckled, carefully lifting the Amulet of Kings off of his neck.

"And I didn't expect you to be so…nice" she replies, almost recoiling in disgust at the word nice; to Raven a human Emperor had never been nice, simply because they weren't. One of the Blades, their armour a tell-tale sign to all who know history, delicately took the amulet from the Emperor and pressed it into the mould Raven had noticed earlier. The Emperor placed it back around his neck and stepped back as the seemingly immobile wall sputtered to life and slid aside in a cloud of dust.

"This way Emperor" muttered a Blade, the echo of his deep tones resonating far into the darkness. The Emperor turned to Raven and gestured her to move ahead,

"Let us be swift."