*Shamefully walks in* Heeeeeeyyyy guys... Sorry I dropped ya'll for a while. Ahem. A really long while. The truth is I lost chapter four when my computer died on me and I've just been writhing in self-pity for the lost because it was reallllly good. But with the lost I realize I could make chapter four even better! And so I did. It is completely different than what I had written before and it is better. So good news for you guys! I really will try to stay on top of the story. Just keep giving me input! It really helps to read ya'lls comments. :) so till next time
Love,
-LOTB
Instead of falling to her death, Aysel found herself in another web. Its sticky coated stands were strong and thicker than those that had trapped her once before in the forest. She raised her head, looking all around her. She could see the dilapidated fortress above her and the cliff to which it perched on to her left and the forest to her right. Mounds of web wrapped carcasses laid around her. Briefly she wondered what they were, or maybe who they were. But it did not matter, because she was still living and she needed to get out of the web. She could not break the strands with her bare hands this time. And she could not pull herself free. She had lost the sword she had taken from the elves and her hunting knife had been taken from her when the elves first found her. She grumbled to herself and felt around for something to help her cut herself out. The web vibrated. Aysel froze. More vibrations shook her core. Slowly she looked to her left. She drew in a deep breath. The last thing she needed to deal with in her state was spiders. Spiders. They were larger and more terrifying than their woodland counterparts. They already knew she was there so Aysel began thrashing and pulling herself around. Aided by adrenaline induced strength she managed to tear the left side of her body free, grabbing hold of the closest corpses she yanked the right side of her body up. The spiders shook the great web violently, almost tossing Aysel back into the sticky mess.
Aysel was faced with two choices. One, stay here and try to find a weapon. Or two, jump towards the river below. There was a chance that she would die with either choice. The first one more so than the latter. She shifted her weight so she could glance down over the web to the raging waters below. Scratch that. There was an equal chance she'd die by either decision. She shifted back to rest on the corpses that crackled and collapsed beneath her feet each time she moved. It was disgusting, but Aysel had other things to worry about, like how she wanted to die. She shifted back, her heel hitting something metallic. She stopped. The Spiders were almost on her, and there was a metal object behind her. No…It couldn't be… She turned and grabbed the glinting silver. It was! It was a sword. An elven sword at that! She didn't want to think about that she was standing on top on an elf. She sent a thank you up to what ever higher power had lent her this sword. It's gently curved blade led down to a simple handle adorned with simple brown thongs, feathers, a talon, and, a medallion. On the medallion held the family crest of the elf that it had belonged to. A harp and a torch surrounded by green and brown. Tempered judgment and zealous. Hope and Dignity. She gripped the sword and swung it upward into her first attacker. She will be slow to judge.
Aysel turned and sliced through another spider.
She will be devoted.
They swarmed her and she slashed and hacked her way through them.
She will hope.
They fell around her in bloodied pieces.
She will be dignified.
Aysel tucked the sword into her dress and tied it around her waist with the brown thong. Spiders swarmed towards her as a never ending army. She smiled and spread her arms, letting herself, once more soar.
Thranduil sat on his throne, looking down at his kneeling son. His expression was a mask of impenetrable boredom. His son had just given him the same news that he had heard for the last two weeks. She was nowhere to be found. No trace. Not a track, or a hair, or a body. Despair filled the empty space that she had left him. Thranduil, with a wave of his hand, dismissed his son. He had a kingdom to govern. Two more weeks of searching and he would command them to stop. He would move on in his life. Lead his people. It would be over. Thranduil leaned his head into his hand, closing his eyes. It would not matter if they never found her. If she would have stayed, she would have eventually died. They would have grown closer. He would have watched her grow old, her pale skin wrinkle, her hair slowly grow white, her body wither with age. It is better that she have left before he had time to start caring about the fragile creature. Thranduil slowly raised his head. His hand passed over a damp spot on his cheek. He pulled his hand away to look at the moisture. It reflected the flames from the torch. Angry suddenly flared up in him and he flung the tear away. How dare that lowly human creature evoke such an emotion from him. He was king! Thranduil pressed his lip together. It would be the last time such a thing happens to him.
Tauriel ran towards Lake Town. Kili, the young dwarf! She had to get to him before it was too late. Aysel had been wrong when she said that Legolas loved her too. She did not love Legolas. She loved the idea of him. Her true love laid in Lake Town, writhing in agony. Legolas trailed behind her. He would fallow her to the ends of the earth. He even knew that she did not love him back. It angered him that she loved a dwarf of all creatures. A dwarf. How could they even stand one another! It was an outrage. His father would never forgive her. How could she ever return to her home? She was a disgrace…but Legolas still loved her and felt the need to protect her, even though he knew, she did not need protecting.
Water lapped over her face, caressing her back into the world of the living. She groaned, pulling herself up out of the water more. The current had beaten her against every stone in the river, and then threw her out still alive so she could suffer more. She was pulverized. She was more blue and black than her normal pearly white. Her lips tender and split. One eye was swollen shut. She could feel every ache her body had to offer. But luck was still on her side. She had no broken bones. It seemed impossible with the beating she had just received. She began to laugh, a hysterical laugh. She was alive. She shouldn't be alive, but she was. She smiled up at the blue sky. The white clouds rolled past her at a leisure pass. She reached up for the sky, grasping at it slowly. There was still beauty in the world, even when the evil was closing in. There would always be beauty. If evil conquered beauty would still exist. It would be in the sky or in the single flower that gross upon a grave, or in the heart of every creature that still believed in the power of good. A small smile spread across her face. Evil could never truly win. And with that single beautiful thought Aysel pushed herself up and onto her feet. The wind ruffled her hair and pushed her forwards. She let the wind lead her into the forest. Her hand brushed cold metal. It felt good to know that it had stayed with her too. It gave her more hope. She would take it as her family crest. It represented everything she was and wanted to be. Tempered Judgment, zealous, hope, and dignity. A grin spread across her face. Just wait till he saw her. She felt harder, tougher, and more capable. She had fought with the great evil and won that battle and fought with giant spiders and walked away. She had battled the river and came out alive. What would he have to say to that? She wondered and grinned wider. She pulled her sword from her waist and twirled it in her hand, almost slicing her nose in the process. She frowned and tucked it back into her skirt. Better that no one saw that. She thought to herself in embarrassment. Despite all her accomplishments, she was still directionally challenged. She was lost. And she had no way of getting un-lost. So she kept walking in the direction that felt best. She walked until she became tired, and that was sooner rather than later. So Aysel climbed up into a tree and settled herself into a fork in the tree. A thong wrapped around her wrist, keeping her sword close to her. And with one long heavy sigh she fell into a deep dreamless sleep for once.
She woke to the sound of silence. It was normal for what state the forest was, but it still gave her a creepy feeling now that she was over her old adrenaline induced bravery. It was time for her to be cautious. She climbed up the tree and inhaled a long breath of clean air. The morning was crisp and the sun was just rising. She could see lake town far off in the distance, slightly north-east of her current position. She could make it back to the wood elves in less than a week in her current condition. She looked on the good side of things; it gave her a few days to heal. She just hoped that the swelling in her eye would go down. So Aysel start off immediately. She'd fine something to eat along the way towards him.
Two more days had passed since Legolas had left. More anger filled his mind. First her and now his son. Why were the people most important to him, running away? No. She is not important to him, he declared firmly. But she was always on his mind. Gaildren walked towards him and then dropped to a knee.
"Raise," Muttered Thranduil.
Gaildren stood and approached his lord."We have found evidence that suggests that Lady Aysel is still alive."
Thranduil glanced down at the sylvan elf. His heart suddenly beat harder in his chest, but he kept his mask of boredom on."Good. Find her, and bring her back to me." Thranduil commanded and with a wave of his hand dismissed the brown haired elf. She lived! Hope rose in him. She was alive. They could bring her back to him and he could make everything right with her. He would make everything right with her. He would beg for her forgiveness. No. What was he thinking? Kings do not beg. He will make her beg. He will show her how much of a cruel master he can be.
Aysel woke on the third morning. Her progress was slower than she had thought. She had to rest often. Her aching muscles screamed in protest with every step. She began to think about what would happen when she saw him again. Would he be happy to see her? Or would he be angry that she ran away, probably the latter. Maybe if he saw what state she was in he'd pity her and let her be. But, why was she returning to him anyways? She could run and be free from him. From any master who wished to control her. What was she thinking? She should just turn around right now and head west. She drew in a deep breath and then leaned against a tree. Her own subconscious decision had led her towards the king. So maybe she should continue that way. It's the place she really wanted wasn't it? He was what she really wanted wasn't he?
While she was busy looking down at her feet, lost in thought she failed to notice the silvan elves surround her cautiously. It wasn't until Gaildren stood in front of her with an arrow in her face that she had even bother to look up. His dark brown eyes tender still, and kind.
"Milady is you wouldn't mind coming back with us…" He said politely. She gave him a gentle smile which threw him off guard.
"I suppose since you found me that I cannot refuse." She said softly and pushed herself from the tree."And I suppose that you will feel the need to take my sword from me?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Her hand resting on the hilt.
"Yes Milady, I'm afraid I must." Gaildren started forward, but she held up her hand.
"And I cannot let you. I've grown fond of it. I will go with you without a fight. Lead the way Gaildren." She gave him a nod.
He watched her warily, almost like he was going to take the sword anyways. He knew that any elf that had accompanied them was faster than she was in her weakened state. She was in bad shape. It was déjà vu. When they first found her, she was in similar shape. Gaildren nodded and started walking towards their home. She had made it surprisingly far for a human in her condition. He glanced to his side were she limped quietly. She was coming along quietly. It made him more nervous than if she was kicking and screaming. Why was she so calm? Was it because she knew she was too weak to put any fight? Or had her time in the woods calmed her fiery spirit. The latter was probably the least likely as to why she was this calm. More thoughts ran through his head as they approached the gates of the kingdom. They opened as the group neared. The same two guards that Aysel had manipulated stood guard. She smiled softly at the memory. Their eyes trailed her as she walked past them. She almost spoke to them with a raised hand to see if they would flinch, but Aysel was not that cruel. So she kept her eyes ahead as the other guards departed them and it was only Gaildren and herself.
"To the king?"She asked softly.
Gaildren nodded solemnly. He feared slightly for the tiny creature. How could she stand on her own against the king? But then he remembered who stood next to him. A powerful woman. He forgot his fears. She would be fine.
Thranduil sat tall with his legs crossed in his normal fashion. His great antler throne framed him. Aysel walked along the pale bridge that leads to him. She could feel his eyes following her every movement. She looked straight ahead, refusing to raise her eyes just yet. She knew he saw her black eye, bruised body, her limp, her aches, her wild tangled hair matted with blood. Would he still care for her after she ran from him? But then she remembered that she was worthless to him. The corners of her mouth turned up. But he did care for her. He would have just let her die in the forest if he didn't. Her smile grew as she came to stand in front of the king. His eyes fell on her and she could feel the weight of them. Slowly she raised her light green eyes to match his pale blues. His lips curled up into a sneer.
"So she returns to me in poor condition, thinking I will just allow my people to heal her." The king scoffed.
Aysel kept her smile on her face as the king rose from his seat and slowly made his way down the steps.
"And she smiles, thinking that I will be persuaded by it. I am tempted to say throw her back out into the wild. But, I won't. I have other plans for her. Gaildren," He snapped," Take her to my room and tell the healer to go there as well." His anger was hot and searing. Aysel bowed with some effort and then whispered, "My king."
Thranduil turned at the whisper of her voice. He watched the battered girl back away from him still in a bow. Relief washed through him as she spoke. She was alive. He turned again, walking gracefully back up the steps to his throne.
Gaildren hurried her to the king's chambers, he was worried for her again. What were the king's plans? Hadn't the girl suffer enough? He didn't even know what happened to her, but it must have been something great for her to be able to smile so softly. He had never seen such an expression on her face. He had seen her fake smirk and her fake smile that she plastered on her face when she first arrived. She was different now and he was afraid to ask.
"I discovered the good will prevail evil." She whispered to the wondering elf. There was no need to elaborate any further. He did not need to worry over her any more than he was.
Gaildren glanced down at the small female who was short enough to be a dwarf and delicate enough to be an elf, in surprise."Excuse me?" He asked.
"You wondered how I could smile now. And it is because good will always triumph over evil." She smiled softly at the kind guard.
"H-how did…" Aysel shook her head. He did not need to know about her gift. Gift. She found herself smiling widely. Four days ago she would not have said that. She was amazed that just one glance up at the sky had turned her whole world around. Gaildren open the doors to the kings chamber and let her in first. She walked slowly down the grey steps. She glanced around the familiar space with its gray pillars and the blue bathing pool and his curved bed with the soft sheets. She smiled at his wine bottle. He did have excellent taste in wine. Gaildren followed behind her silently, and when she was settled in a chair, he went to call on a healer. She was left alone to her thoughts. She stared off into the flame that lit the comforting room. Her memory took her back to the first time he kissed her, the first time he had see what her gift was really like. She hoped that it would be the last time. Even now, she knew things that he shouldn't. The same things that horrified her and gave her hope.
To soon Gaildren came back with the healer, another silvan elf with pretty brown hair and green eyes. Aysel smiled at the woman and allowed her to dapple a herb mixture all over her body. Gaildren left the room when the healer had asked her to undress.
Aysel was still sitting still in silence when Thranduil came to his chambers hours later. He dismissed all the guards and the healer who was still there just to watch over Aysel. Thranduil towered over the red-headed girl. Aysel slowly raised her gaze to match his. She was silent, as was he. They just stared at each other for a very long time before Thranduil turned and poured two glasses of wine like he did every night before she had run away."Here" He said breaking the silence, holding up a glance for her. Aysel stood slowly and walked to him. She wore a clean dress; it was blue and complimented her skin. She took the glass and sipped it.
"Your taste is impeccable as always my king." She said offering him a small smile.
"Since when did I become 'my king'?" He asked looking down at her from the corner of his eye.
She smiled broader at him and didn't answer. She turned and walked back to her seat next to the bathing pool. Thranduil's eyes followed her. He traced the curls in her hair, the way her cheek turned up when she smiled, the different light in her eyes. His gaze dropped down to the gentle curve of her neck and suppleness of her breasts, and to her small waist.
"Enjoying the show are we?" she asked, the corner of her lips turned upwards as she causally looked over at him. Thranduil didn't bother in replying and sipped his wine. He continued to stare at her in silence. Aysel rolled her eyes and then continued to nurse the sweet wine, always aware of his heavy gaze. He then set down his glass of wine and walked over to the bathing pool next to her. Her took off his crown and handed it to her, which she took silently from him. He then unclasped the silver broach and let his robes fall to the floor. He was left standing in fitted grey trousers that then, came off easy enough. Aysel averted her eyes from his nakedness as he climbed into the spring fed pool.
"Bring me my wine Aysel." He said softly, though it was a command. But she stood anyways and went to retrieve his glass of wine that was almost empty. She took the liberty of filling it for him. After setting down his crown she turned and walked back to the pool which she kneeled by and handed him his full glass of wine.
"Now join me." He commanded again. He watched her face a soft blow crept in.
"Look away my king?" she asked timidly. She had always been timid in the intimate department.
He, surprisingly, did avert his eyes. She set her glass down and fumbled with the clasped that held her dress on her body. She finally got the dress off and her undergarments. Then with a shaking breath she entered the pool with her wine. After she was full submerged as far away from his as she could mange in the pool, Thranduil turned. His pale blue eyes glanced down, taking notice that she pulled her hair over her shoulders to give her more modesty. A small smirk grew on his face. She was still timid in some parts of her life. "So tell me of your little….adventure Aysel."
She took a sip of her wine then and set it on the floor.
"Well," She started," I ran into some unsightly fellows who captured me, but I escaped them. And then I ran into some more nasty spiders, but this time I happened upon a sword in their web and fought them off. Then I fell into a river and was carried downstream quiet always. All fun and games." She said, with a wave of her hand. It was the truth, without all the horrific details. She didn't feel she needed to impart those to him yet.
"That sounds frightfully fun. I hope you don't plan on venturing out any time soon. There are roomers of a powerful necromancer roaming around Dol Guldur. "His eyes never left hers. Aysel just shrugged."I think I've had enough fun for a while."
"Oh I hope not, I have lots of things planed for us to do once you're fully healed." The edge in his voice caught her attention and she looked up. He was inches away from her and she gasped, leaning back. A smile curled his lips and he set his glass of wine next to Aysel's. "I do hope you will be in the mood for some more fun…and games… as you put it. But don't worry. You won't have to leave home." Thranduil leaned in closer till their noses touched. Aysel's breath sped up. She smelled his sweet musk, tasted the wine on his breath."Doesn't that sound like….fun Aysel?" He asked, and all she could do was nodded. He smiled and then pressed his lips against her roughly. His large hands wrapped around her wrists and pinned them next to her sides and then he pressed his chest against hers, pinning her between him and the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut. His lips moved over hers, biting her lower lip. She growled at the pain and turned her head. A metallic taste filled her mouth. Blood. He had opened her busted lip again. Thranduil kissed the corner of her mouth, her jaw like, down her neck where he bit. Aysel gasped softly as his hot tongue ran over her sensitive neck. His lips brushed her skin again as he moved down, nipping and kissing to her chest. Aysel wiggled under his grasp, it made no difference. He was strong than she was. Thranduil kissed the hollow of her neck and then moved to the other side of her neck. He kissed and nipped his way back up to her lips. She didn't refuse him as he kissed her again. It was softer this time. His grip on her wrist loosened and he brought his hand to cup her face, tilting it up. She timidly kissed him back. His tongue brushed against her lips and she forgot how to breathe. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pushing herself closer to him. He groaned into her lips as her bare chest pressed against his. His hand dropped from her face and wrapped around her waist, holding her close. He pulled away from the kiss and looked deep into hers.
"Don't ever run away from me again, Aysel."