I sat upon my bed thinking a decade later. The time had flown by, as I was told it would for the next few thousand years or so. In the time since my… episode in Erebor, my father had spoken to me a handful of times, always to scold me. I avoided him as often as I could. Earlier that year I passed out of childhood, and I had the look and sights of a teenage human. I looked, of course, like an elf: but immature. Also, I was short in stature. I stood shorter than my brother's shoulder. Because of this, and a handful of other reasons, I had not yet found my One.

A couple of the young elves nearby had begun courting, and it was nice to see as couple so in love. My heart ached. I sighed and rested my chin on my knees. 'I wonder if I will ever find love,' I thought. 'It must be wonderful to fond your One.'

"Aeyera," Legolas called softly, knocking on the door of my chambers and breaking me out of my thoughts. I looked up, eyes glassy.

I stood, smoothing out my tunic and wiping my eyes. "Come in," I called back, very glad to finally have company. Because so many feared my father, I did not have many companions. There were a few exceptions, such as some of the archers I practiced with. They fought in Thranduil's army, and were excellent warriors and friends. I had finished training with them several hours before and had not yet changed from my sparring tunic and leggings. My bow and quiver hung beside my door.

My brother opened the door and shut it quietly behind him before moving to sit on my bed. I returned to my seat beside him, and he took my hands in his. "Aeyera… something's happened," he told me, not meeting my eyes.

I frowned. What had happened? Whatever the case, his behavior was scaring me. "Legolas?" I asked, worried. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Silence reigned over the room. The midday sunlight warmed my room. "A dragon," he said, finally meeting my eyes. They were filled with regret. "A dragon has attacked Erebor."

I sat frozen, thinking back to the young prince I had met so long ago, how kind he was to me. And the king, he had looked so happy, surrounded by his family. I thought about what I knew of dragons and felt sick. The very thought of those kind people being slaughtered and burned made me feel as though I were about to throw up. I leaped to my feet and raced towards the door. I pulled on my cloak and grabbed my bow and quiver, slinging them over my shoulder.

"Where are you going?" My brother asked, rising to his feet.

I turned back to look at him, blood pounding in my ears. "I cannot leave these people to this fate," I said, one hand resting on the handle of the door. "They need someone to help them."

"Father has already left with an army early this morning when the dragon was sighted, before it attacked," Legolas said, spreading his hands in supplication. He seemed confused: he didn't know how to keep me from leaving. He couldn't. "One elfling will not make a difference in the turn of a battle."

"Thranduil went to the aid of the dwarves?" I repeated, dumbstruck. "Since when has he cared for the fortune or misfortune of others? He has acted like a coward these past years, sitting in his halls and not caring for any people besides his own."

"Aeyera," Legolas chastised gently, "Do not speak about our father like that. He cares for us." I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Yes, if going to help someone does not benefit us, he would not do it, but that does not make him a coward!"

I did not reply but instead opened the door and bolted down the hall, ignoring my brother's shouts. Several of my people leapt out of my way, muttering about foolhardy children. The stables came into view as I rounded the corner. "Prepare my horse," I shouted, flying towards the stall. "Quickly!"

I rushed to the store closet and grabbed my saddle pack, which already held my knives along with provisions and water. The stable boy led my mare out of her stall, in full gear for my afternoon ride. I leapt onto the horse and urged the mare into a gallop without thanking the young elf.

She flew out the door, which the young elf had wisely opened already, and I rode low on her neck as we crossed the bridge, flying through the path through the woods. I allowed her to run free, for she knew where to run. Something was wrong with the air, and it was a moment before I realized what it was. Smoke. When I rode with my father to Erebor the decade before, we had moved quickly, but not at a full gallop. Within two hours I exited the forest and was greeted by a sight that burned itself into my memory for the rest of my life. Erebor was on fire. I could see a great beast tearing its way through the front gates. From here the creature appeared small in stature, but I had visited the mountain. I had stood in its shadow. I knew how large the creature must be, and it terrified me.

I could see the glint of armor much closer to the mountain, and I urged my horse to go faster. She complied, and we sped off, faster than the wind. I steered her along the river towards army, fear growing in my heart. Within another hour I reached the fringes of the army. Many of the elves were on foot, and I wondered how they all had reached the mountain so quickly. Had they run?

The familiar sight of a great antlered elk caught my eye, and I urged my mare towards it, and towards the figure atop it. Several elves cheered when they saw me.

"Ada!" I yelled, riding up to where he sat still on his great hart, overlooking the desolation of the dragon but doing nothing. He stared down at them with an unreadable expression. "Father, what are you doing?"

"I will not fight the dragon," he said softly, looking down at the dying people below us.

I stared at him in shock, unable to move. Blood turned to ice in my veins. Had I misheard him? No, my heart would not clench with fear if I had misheard. How could he be so cowardly? "You would leave them?" I asked incredulously. "You would leave, an innocent people—to die?" My vision turned red as he turned his deer around, urging he army to go home. "You are a fool!" I screamed. "You are a tyrant! How dare you call yourself a king!?" The screams and cries of a thousand dying souls reached my ears. I could see several soldiers hesitating, looking between their king and their princess. Thranduil did not cease the retreat. I screamed so loudly that my throat nearly tore. "Coward!"

I heard the shouts of the young prince below, calling for help. "Help us!" His voice was desperate, pleading. I turned and locked eyes with him. My horse refused to go down the ravine, so I leapt off and began running down myself. As I took my first steps forward, a vice-like hand grabbed my arm and plucked me from the ground and into another saddle. I yelled and struggled against the strong hold of the elf warrior, and for a moment, the despairing eyes of the young prince met mine. I stopped struggling as the elven soldier turned around. I opened my mouth, grieving, and a tear fell down my cheek. "Ánin apsenë," I whispered. Forgive me.

I felt his gaze on my back as we rode away. I knew with freezing certainty that he wouldn't forget my face, and I shuddered to think that he would be angry with me should we meet again. My body was numb with shock, and I couldn't have struggled even if I had wanted to. However, I saw a battalion of my people rushing back towards the mountain. I saw my father—I saw Thranduil screaming at them. I felt his burning gaze as it locked on mine.

"Aeyera," said my brother's voice in my ear, "You were a fool to speak out against our father."

"He is no father of mine," I spat. I pulled myself free of his grip and whistled to his mount, bringing it to a halt. I climbed off and pulled myself onto my horse, which had obediently followed me. "I will not return with you, Legolas," I said sadly, looking up at my brother. "I must find my own way."

He gazed at me sadly and gripped his reigns tightly. "Is there no way to change your mind, sister?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I refuse to live in the of one who would not give aid to another."

He sighed and closed his eyes against the pain of losing his only sister. "Take this," he said, pulling a ring from his finger and passing it to me. "To remember us by." I looked up at him as I placed it on my finger and reached over, embracing him.

"Thank you, Legolas. I will see you again someday," I said. "I promise."

We urged our horses forward. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know." I looked out over at the mountains beyond the Greenwood. "Maybe I will find a new land to save," I smiled, although it vanished as I remembered the mountain behind me. We had ridden for an hour, and the screams had passed out even of my own hearing.

"Good luck, Princess," my brother said, bowing his head to me. We rode in silence for hours with much to say but no way to say it. At the edge of the forest we separated. With one last look, I rode off to the south, away from the Woodland Realm.

I did not know it then, but it would be nearly two centuries before I would speak to my brother again, and never again would I be welcomed home.