Eäwen had been travelling for days and now she was completely lost. Forests were something usual for her, having lived most of her life hunting in them, and she always knew how to find her way, either following the sun or the stars.

However, this place looked nothing like the other forests she had been to. There were no animals, no light, no water. Well, there actually was water, but for the looks of it, Eäwen knew better than to drink it. It was dark and it flowed slowly, almost in complete silence. Only being near it had caused her numbness, and she felt the necesity to stop for a while. Climbing a tall tree to be out of danger, she leaned on a wide branch and closed her eyes for a while.

She stood like that for what could've been hours, until she heard something in the distance. Voices. There was someone else in the forest. Suddenly awakened, she stood in silence and moved to a near branch in order to be closer to the voices.

"My lord, I don't think there's anything else in here. We searched for hours. The orcs must have gone south." Someone was saying.

"I will have someone circle the zone. Make sure nothing's left alive." A loud, authoritarian voice answered.

"Yes, my lord."

As she heared these last words, Eäwen saw them moving at the bottom left. A formation of at least fifty armored elves was walking behind one tall, crowned elf. He was without doubt their king.

Eäwen had never seen so many elves at once. She had always been amused by them, but never dared getting too close. She used to watch them when she was younger, just like this, sitting above them on the trees. This way she had learned something about their languages, and found out that, unlike the family that had raised her hundreds of years before, elves seemed to hold longer lives, just like hers.

This elves, however, looked different than any she had ever seen before. They were wilder, somehow. They moved faster than other elves, nimbly around the forest, and where dressed in green. Eäwen also noticed how the King's crown was not made of jewels and metals, but of twigs and leaves.

Following the King's order, one of the armored elves instructed the others to move around, leaving only himself and Thranduil on Eäwen's sight.

As the other elves were leaving, the King moved forward, getting closer to Eäwen's hiding place. She moved to another branch, hiding behind its leaves. The king seemed to hear her move, and immediately looked up to the tree in which she had just been standing. His eyes gazing around, the king stood in complete silence, holding the grip of his sword. So did the elf next to him.

Eäwen mirrored the elf's actions, standing still and drawing her bow, ready for the attack.

After a few seconds of silence, the King relaxed and unhanded his sword. Eäwen stood still, pointing her arrow right to the elf.

"My lord, I don't think it is wise for you to stay in the forest. The guards will clear this place. You should go back to the palace." The other elf said, breaking the silence.

The king opened his mouth to answer, but just before he could speak, the sound of a horn was played in the distance. Both elves started running in the direction of the sound, Eäwen following them. But before they could get much further, a group of orcs surrounded them. They were outnumbered, and arrows started flying in their direction. The elves held their shields up protecting themselves, and drew their weapons. In only a few seconds, they had killed most of the orcs. Eäwen watched the fight with her bow ready to shoot in case it was necessary. She didn't dare to show her position, not knowing who her real enemy was.

When the battle was almost finished, an orc came from the trees, heading right to where the king's partner was fighting sword to sword with another orc. The king, too far to reach the orc in time, saw him and screamed "Alinar!".

The other elf, hearing his name, turned around, but it was too late for him to stop the orc.

Suddenly, an arrow landed right on the back of the orc's head. His body collapsed, and the elf named Alinar looked at him surprised, without noticing the arrow until the orc fell next to him.

Both him and the king looked up to see where the arrow had come from, confused. Eäwen, terrified of what she had just done, took another arrow and aimed it at the elves, ready to defend herself. She saw the king wander with his eyes until he saw her behind the leaves, and his gaze petrified her.

"Show yourself." The king demanded, his voice loud. "Now." He added when he didn't get a quick answer.

Eäwen, fighting her fear, slowly got out from behind the leaves, still holding her bow.

"Who are you?" The king asked, his voice still demanding. As he spoke to Eäwen, Alinar drew his bow and aimed it at Eäwen. "Drop your weapon now if you don't want to die".

Eäwen, looking anxiously at the other elf pointing at her, lowered his bow a little. She was not sure what to do next.

"Did you not hear me? Drop your weapon and get down that tree, right now." The king said calmly but authoritatively.

She was scared as she started jumping off from branch to branch, until she hit the floor. The arrow was still positioned in her bow, but it was now pointing at the floor.

"Tell me your name." The king said. His voice was serious, and he looked calm. Now standing by the same level as he, she noticed he was quite taller and bigger than her, and she got restless.

"I... My name is Eäwen" she answered timidly. Right as she spoke, she noticed how most of the elves had come back, and were now staring at her. She looked at them scared, knowing that now there was no way out of this, unless they decided to let her go.

"Well, Eäwen... you will explain me why you are in my Realm without my permission." He said with a smirk now in his face.

Eäwen looked at him a little confused, until she managed to speak:

"I beg you pardon, my lord. I did not know this was your Realm, I... I will leave right away if you allow me to."

The king smiled.

"Allow you to leave? I don't think so... Not without a real explanation."

"I am telling the truth! I did nothing but save your guard. Please allow me to leave now." She said in shock. What else could she have been doing here?

The king walked back and forth, breaking eye contact with her.

"From my point of view" he spoke, raising his voice "you where hiding in my Realm with no authorization, armed, and you shoot an arrow too close to my guard." He stopped his walk and turn to look at her again. "If you have nothing else to say, you will be taken as a prisoner."

Eäwen's heart skipped a beat. "I saved his life!" She screamed, as five elves walked towards her, grabbing her arms and shoulders and dragging her against her will.

The king, who had turned his back, stopped and looked at her over his shoulder, now somewhat pissed off.

"Remember who you are addressing, my dear. I am King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm. Watch your words."

NOTES: okkkk here's my first chapter. or second, whatever. that was hard, I'm not used to writing and I tend to ramble a lot so tell me what you think. xxx