Chapter 27
They promised to keep the plans of their wedding a secret from both of their parents until closer to the time, and they found that they enjoyed their time in Mirkwood even more without the worry of their father's reactions to the news that they would not be getting married in either Mirkwood or The Glade of Tarasara. It was easier with King Thranduil believing they were to be wed in Mirkwood, and King Adrias thinking they were getting married in The Glade of Tarasara. Both fathers' were happy and so, there was no fuss.
During the week in Mirkwood, Adrianna and Legolas had enjoyed walks around the wondrous city and stargazing by both the streams in the Royal Garden and from the tree just outside the library. And when the time came for the Princess to return home, she was saddened when the Prince would not be joining her. He had ridden with her through Mirkwood forest to ensure her safety from the spiders, but his journey took a separate road when they reached the boarders of The Glade of Tarasara.
"Will you not stay?" She asked, hopefully.
"I can ride through the woods with you, but I must speak with the Lady of Lorien, Ade." He replied sadly, "I regret to leave."
"You must rest, Legolas." Her eyes turned sad, "It has been almost a week since we left Mirkwood."
He kissed her softly, "And it will be another eight to get to Lorien-"
"-It will be eight if you do not stop and rest." Adrianna scolded, melting into his embrace. "If you do not rest, you will be weary from travel. And you will have been travelling for longer than a month!"
"The sooner I leave, the sooner I shall return." The elf replied. "Would you like me to ride you through the forest?"
She thrust her chin into the air, "Only if you stay."
Legolas tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "I'm afraid there is no time."
"Then I can take care of myself, thank you."
"Only if you're sure?"
"Positive."
Legolas sighed in defeat, how could he forget the stubbornness of Faye's? "Write the letters to our friends informing them of our engagement, I will rest for a few days in Rivendell when I speak with Lord Elrond." He kissed her once more before mounting his white horse. "I will return when I can, as soon as I can!" Then he kicked Arod into a gallop and disappeared along the road and into the forest.
"Stay safe." Adrianna whispered as she watched his retreating form disappear. Tears escaped her eyes as she mounted her white mare, and she knew it would be another day before she passed through the Wargs tight patrols. It wasn't the first time she had travelled through on her own, but she most definitely didn't like too.
When she was with others she rode quickly with them, but when she was on her own she went through slowly and carefully listened to her inner Faye so she would know when a Warg or two were nearing. Of course she would have preferred it if Legolas had ridden with her through the woods! It was frightening when she was on her own! But he would not stay and rest, and she didn't want him riding back through on his own when he was weary from travel.
Adrianna carefully crossed the stream and hesitated before entering the forest. Immediately, she felt darkness surround her and she gulped. Yes, the Mirkwood spiders scared her and would eat her as well, but at least they would poison her senseless so she wouldn't feel a thing!
Her heart rate and breathing quickened, but she heard nothing and felt no change in the evil atmosphere. In one hand she clutched her bow, and she held Persephone's reins in the other. Emerald eyes darted around the trees warily for Wargs and her pointed ears listened out for any approaching footfalls from the wild beasts.
Persephone seemed to sense her mistress's slight discomfort, and nickered softly. Persephone had lived with Faye's for many, many years, and from experience she knew that when a Faye was uncomfortable, then something unsettling could quite possibly happen, especially within the boarders of The Glade of Tarasara.
Adrianna shushed the white mare gently and patted her neck soothingly. If a Warg heard her, then they could listen to the fall of her hooves and know that there was a lone rider in their territory.
A twig snapped under Persephone's hooves and Adrianna took a sharp intake of breath before halting the white mare in her tracks. She listened intently to the forest, but could hear no more than the silent breeze rustling the leaves of the trees.
A Warg howled in the distance, closely followed by another and another. Spooked, Persephone reared and neighed in fear and Adrianna screamed as she fell off the back of her mare and landed hard on the ground.
"Persephone!" Adrianna called as the horse galloped away through the forest.
More Wargs howled, and Adrianna shot to her feet and clutched her bow tightly to her chest as she became swarmed with darkness and adrenaline pumped fear. As footfalls of wild beasts came closer and closer, Adrianna formed into her fairy size and flew into the branches of the nearest tree she could find, screaming when the snapping of powerful jaws resounded to close for comfort behind her. As soon as she was amongst the highest branches of the tree, she formed into her elleth-like size and fumbled with her bow and arrows, her hands shaking with fear.
Obviously, her courage from the Fellowship was with her no more.
Adrianna bit her lip as more Wargs joined the one that had almost taken a chunk of her heel underneath the tree. She finally managed to notch an arrow and fire clumsily into the thigh of a Warg preparing to jump at the tree. It howled loudly and painfully, which fuelled the anger and hunger of the others.
Six of them prowled around the trunk. One leapt up at the branches, and Adrianna gasped and held on tightly as the tree shook violently. Her bow fell from her grasp and became tangled in the branches far below her, and the Princess cried out in shock and fear at losing her only weapon.
She looked around for the closest tree and once she had formed into her fairy size, quickly flew towards the safety of the highest branches. She took a risky glance down at the pack of Wargs who were baring their teeth and growling as if to mock her for losing her bow. Another jumped at the tree, and Adrianna heard a deafening crack as the thin trunk gave way under the weight of the beast. Her wings beat fiercely against the rush of air as she flew towards the next tree, her sense of direction gone.
She only hoped she was moving in the direction of The Glade of Tarasara, and that the Faye scouts would alert the guards of her ambush and come to her rescue.
The Wargs began to pounce on the tree one after the other in attempts to knock it down. Panicked, Adrianna flew frantically around the forest, her eyes darting left and right for Wargs and anything of recognition to reassure her that she was heading in the right direction. But there was no such luck so far!
Adrianna even tried to lose the Wargs, but they followed her scent and found her again before she'd even realised that she'd lost them.
They must have followed her for hours, because it was dark by the time Adrianna found the road to The Glade. Weary and tired, she formed into her elleth-like size to catch her breath before she took off again. Then she heard different kinds of footfalls. Those of horses.
She breathed a sigh of utter relief when she spotted two Faye scouts, and the Princess quickly formed into her elleth size again at the top of a tree to call out to the riders.
"Get the guards!" She called at the top of her lungs. "Revion! Darius!"
The two turned in their saddles and looked up at the Faye in the tree, "My Lady!" The raven haired Faye called, "What are you doing!"
"Wargs!" She cried. The beasts howled and as she called for them to get the guards one more time, they turned their horses around and cantered off into the trees.
As Adrianna flew between the trees, trying to stay in the same area that the scouts had found her, another tree toppled to the ground before she heard the sound of the Faye Horn. She looked up and smiled in relief when archers cantered into view and began to unleash their arrows upon the Wargs.
Adrianna saw her brother, and immediately flew towards him with much speed, "Tobias!" Her fairy arms wrapped around his neck in a hug and she settled down upon his shoulder with tears streaming down her face.
"You're absent from The Glade for a week!" He fired an arrow down the throat of a Warg. "A week!" He exclaimed, "And already you're causing trouble before you even step foot through the gates!"
"Persephone reared!" She defended herself, "And I fell! Wargs just suddenly appeared!" She stomped her foot on his shoulder, "It's not like I didn't try to defend myself, I injured one before I dropped my bow!"
Two of the remaining Wargs retreated into the forest as the warriors slaughtered the others. The forest went silent as the warriors turned to look at their Prince and Princess, "My Lady, are you alright?" Darius asked, bowing his head towards her.
She nodded, "Better, thank you."
They rode through the gates of The Glade of Tarasara and dismounted their horses before the siblings made their way up the stairs towards the Hall. Adrias greeted them at the top of the stairs and immediately embraced his daughter protectively in his arms. "My dear!" He cried. "Are you hurt? Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine father." She replied, "But I lost my bow and Persephone... Persephone..." She burst into a new wave of tears at the memory of watching her mothers' mare gallop away from her and deeper into the forest.
Adrias consoled her whereas Tobias rolled his eyes. A year after being back at home from the Fellowship and receiving constant attention from the King, she had turned back into her Royal Selfishness. He didn't understand how Legolas could put up with her!
"I'll get you a new bow," Tobias stated.
"But that one went on my big adventure." Tobias rolled his eyes and bit his tongue in case he said something that caused offence to his sister, their over-protective father was there after all! He did not want to get into trouble.
The King sighed, "I'll send the scouts out to find Persephone." He stated, "They can look for your bow as well, alright?" Adrianna nodded against his chest, sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Where is Legolas?"
"He needed to ride to Rivendell." She replied, "He offered to ride through the forest with me but..." She hung her head, "I said I could protect myself."
Adrias nodded, "I trust everything is alright?" Adrianna nodded in response. "Good! Did you inform King Thranduil of your engagement?"
A smile lit up her tearstained face, "Yes, he was most pleased!"
"And of having the wedding here?"
Her smile dropped and her eyes widened. Legolas' plan was obviously not going to last for as long as they'd have hoped it would. But Adrianna couldn't lie to her father... but if she told the truth then she would probably be on the receiving end of his temper.
A/N: I know this update was surprisingly quick considering I only posted yesterday! But I received some wonderful feedback from my beautiful reviewers :) Thank you x
I have opened up a Poll on my profile in order to fairly decide where Legolas and Adrianna should be married :P I will be closing it in two weeks, so spread the word! VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
xx