CHAPTER 3 – THE HUMMING OF THE HARP

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

Everything was dark. Kyle stood alone in the freezing cold; there was no light, not even the tiniest flicker. She felt her heart beat hard against her chest. Where was she? Kyle had a lot of questions, but no answers to them. She remembered falling from the cliff and the fear and adrenaline she felt as she plummeted like a wingless bird through the heavy wind. She remembered how the darkness engulfed her when her fragile body collided with the hard ground beneath.

Her thoughts were broken by the soft hum of a gentle harp. It's sweet melody echoed around her. The harp drew to a gradual end and the music was replaced by quiet breaths. She could hear muffled voices; they were faint; so quiet she found it hard to hear them.

"Is she well?" The voice spoke carefully.

Kyle thought for a moment. It sounded like Rory's voice, only softer, much softer.

"It will not be long before she wakes," The female voice explained. "She suffered a large blow to the head. We're lucky you found her when you did; otherwise I fear she would not have made it. There was internal bleeding you see,"

"But she will be fine now?"

"Entirely, Legolas, once she wakes up she'll be good as new," She spoke, "Well almost new, it's not like there's anything you can do about those scars, They are simply ghastly, poor thing has had to live with them for a while as well,"

"Do not call them ghastly Santiel." Legolas answered her curtly. "Whatever did it was ghastly, not the scars themselves,"

"Of course," Santiel spoke dutifully. Kyle heard footsteps leave the room.

Kyle begun to feel the tips of her fingers again, and finally she managed to move her thumb. Before long she had the strength and consciousness to pull herself up and open her eyes. She gazed around the room, the light burnt her eyes she could not tell if it was because she had been in the darkness for so long or because it was simply too bright.

There was a strange man at her bedside. He stared at her with the strangest expression and Kyle flinched, her automatic reaction was to cover her face, but before she had a chance to place her left hand over the right side of her face the man caught her arm and placed it by her side.

"There is no need to hide your face young one," He spoke gently; "My name is Legolas, what is yours?"

"K-Kyle,"

"Kyle? A strange name, for a strangely clad woman. Tell me, where are you from, Laketown perhaps?" Legolas asked inquisitively.

"Laketown? No...no I'm from Edinburgh," Kyle answered, fear rising within her. Where exactly was she? She stared around; it didn't look like a hospital.

"I have heard of no such place," Legolas's brow deepened, "But that is not to say it does not exist. Do you know where you are now?"

"No," Kyle took a deep breath.

"You are in Mirkwood," He answered. "It is strange for a mortal to venture far into our lands, what is your purpose here?"

"I don't have a purpose here." Kyle spoke carefully. "I...I fell off a cliff...then everything went black and I was here,"

"It is fine; I will not press you further. Perhaps in time your memory will return to you," Legolas smiled at her reassuringly.

Kyle thought for a moment. She should have been dead; she and Rory had fallen to their deaths. There was no way to survive such a fall.

"Legolas," She spoke, "I should be dead. I fell from such a great height that it would be impossible for me to survive. I look around me and everything is so strange, I think I'm very far from home,"

"You must rest at the moment. You have been through a great ordeal, and until you are fully recovered I refuse to discuss this any further with you," He spoke, "You must sleep, young one,"

Kyle stared as he walked out of the door, his long blonde hair trailing after him. He did not look human, he was too perfect. In comparison to the man Kyle looked like the rear-end of a cow. She carefully laid her head on the pillow and allowed her thoughts to drift onto more comforting thoughts, such as her brother's voice and her mother's smile. She hoped and prayed that Rory was well, that he had survived the fall like she had.

Two years later,

Mirkwood was a strange place. Kyle hadn't seen much of it during her stay, but what she had saw had been as beautiful as the people who resided within it. The houses instead of being secured to the ground were in the trees, and their inhabitants danced from branch to branch like it was easier than walking. The trees themselves were taller than any trees Kyle had ever seen and the flowers that surrounded them were bright and full of life.

As beautiful as Mirkwood was Kyle did not enjoy it. She was far from home, so far that she had doubt of her ever returning. Kyle had become certain that this mysterious medieval, alternate world was her second chance at life. She was never one to question things given to her for free, so she tried her best to settle in Mirkwood.

It was however, increasingly difficult to settle. Kyle looked at all the elves that surrounded her, they were so irritatingly perfect. Every single one of them looked absolutely flawless. Sometimes Kyle would catch one staring at her with scepticism, as if he was wondering what she was doing here. After all, Kyle was so imperfect. Even if her face had not been scarred she would have still stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the elves.

It was night in Mirkwood, the stars glimmering in the darkened sky and the moon was shining translucent light onto the earth around Kyle. She was sat amongst a field with her mind ticking away. She felt another presence, quiet footsteps trod on the soft ground behind her and Kyle jerked backwards.

Santiel, an elf Kyle was becoming close to stood arms folded behind her. Santiel, like the other elves was very beautiful, her eyes deep grey and her hair as dark as the night sky which surrounded her. She moved with grace and every step she took made no noise.

"What are you doing out here alone?" She asked, "It is late,"

"I was just thinking," Kyle spoke delicately, "About home,"

"I cannot imagine how much you miss home," Santiel sighed, perching next to Kyle fiddling with the edge of her hair. "I have never left my home; I cannot begin to understand,"

"I'm worried about my brother," Kyle continued, "I was lucky enough to be given a second chance, but was he? I think about him all the time, he never leaves my thoughts. If he's dead...it'll be my fault. If it wasn't for that stupid necklace,"

"Do not waste time on things that cannot be changed Kyle. You can't spend your life regretting things that are not in your power to alter," Santiel breathed. "Now, I must get you back to safety, it is far too late for my liking, and with darkness comes danger, and with danger death and injury,"

Kyle raised her eyebrows at her friend's morbid words, but followed Santiel out of the field and into the woods without much complaint. They finally reached the little house in which Kyle had been given to stay. Legolas had offered her one of the Talans, but upon finding out Kyle could not climb trees he had found a little home that was situated safely upon the ground.

It was a peaceful little place. Ivy crept up the wooden walls and red berries grew from every crevice. The door was shrouded in hanging baskets that overflowed with flowers of all colours. Legolas had pulled all the stops to make it homely for Kyle.

"I will leave now, have a good sleep," Santiel spoke kindly. "I will come see you in the morning,"

"Thanks, San," Kyle tried to smile. She unlocked the door and carefully made her way inside.

The fire was on, which was strange considering Kyle had purposely switched it of before leaving for her walk. The curtains were drawn and the smell of freshly baked bread overwhelmed her senses. Kyle took a few cautious steps forward before noticing Legolas in the Kitchen area.

"Legolas?" Kyle greeted, "What are you doing here,"

"Visiting you, of course" He answered withdrawing from the Kitchen and leaning upon the counter. "I thought you might be lonely. It cannot be easy living alone at such a young age. When I was your age...well I was still a toddler..."

Kyle felt like laughing. Age was a very unimportant aspect of elvish lives. Ever year that passed, little changed for them, children took years to mature, and men never lost their hair and woman never turned grey. It was a life of endless youth and Kyle like most mortals would have been, was envious.

It wasn't that she wanted to hold onto her beauty. She had very little of that left already, She was scared of withering. She was scared of her mind leaving her and being unable to care for herself. She was scared of becoming the old woman she had watched her gran become, confused and lost, losing her grip on the world.

Legolas noticed her worry for and gestured her to the seat. Kyle sat down and watched as Legolas sat beside her.

"You are not happy here," He stated. "I was speaking with my adar, I am worried for your well-being. He suggested that you might be happier amongst your own people. He suggested Lake-town." Legolas's gaze turned to the fire. "I don't want you to move Kyle, I have come to see you as a friend, and you are very dear to me, but the option is there. If you were to move to Lake-town, you'd be amongst mortals. People who would age alongside you."

"I don't want to move," Kyle answered, "I want to stay here,"

"Myself and Santiel were hoping you would say that," Legolas smiled, "We elves, do not make friends so easily, and the friends we make we care deeply for. I am honoured to call you my friend Kyle,"