RSS

Printer Chapter or Story
- Text Size +

Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Anna's mouth was dry and it seemed as though she were moving in slow motion. The knife she held in front of her, which had seemed large and dangerous when Haldir had given it to her, now looked small and insignificant compared to the horrible monster in front of her. Visions of an awful death flashed through her thoughts and Anna determined that if this were going to be her end, she would at least go down fighting. Anna's hands shook violently as she faced the spider, the adrenaline from her fear putting a hair trigger on all of her senses.

"You want a piece of me? Bring it on ugly!" she screamed more loudly than she had intended, and her voice cracked.

The spiders glared at her through multiple eyes as they started towards her, though the one in front of her would have made short work of her already but seemed unwilling to drop the elf it still held wrapped it its forelegs. The extra weight and not having the use of all its limbs made it a little clumsier than it normally would have been. When two more spiders arrived from the trees, the first retreated to spare itself a fight for its meal. Anna did not waste any time wondering why it left; she had been ready to fight, but now she thought it might be better to run. Anna stooped quickly, trying to drag the elf beside her into the river while holding on to the knife and watching the two spiders advance. One of them let loose a strand of silk and landed on it's feet behind her. The other continued to descend on the other side and just as Anna felt sure her next breath would be her last, she heard a loud crack overhead.

The fire had reached them , burning a weakened branch which fell directly on top of the spider in front of her. The spider burst into flames and danced around like a puppet on a string, distracting the second spider for a few vital seconds and letting Anna reach the river. It was ice cold as her ankles entered the water and the bank was slippery. There was no way she was going to be able to move fast enough to escape dragging the elf beside her and had begun to hope that Haldir would forgive her if she left him to save herself when she heard a soft whistling sound followed by thwap thwop thwap and then a loud cracking of leaves and brush as the remaining spider collapsed with three arrows sticking out of its abdomen. Anna tried to see where the arrows had come from, but the smoke was too thick and her eyes were watering from nerves and fear. Then she felt another hand on her shoulder and spun around screaming with the knife in front of her, ready to cut to pieces whatever had touched her.

Haldir asked in a soft calming voice, "Do you really intend to stab me with my own knife Lirimar?"

Anna sighed heavily in relief, then yelled , " Don't you ever run off and leave me like that again! Never! Ever! Do you understand me?"

Haldir smiled and patted her back while he continued to speak in a soft voice.
" You did well. It is all right now ; you are safe, but I would feel much better if you would return my knife to me, little one."

Orophin appeared behind Haldir and asked , "Are there any casualties? Are either of you injured?"

Anna used humor to cover the fact that she was terrified and replied ," Not unless you count my wits as a casualty , as in I was scared out of them!"

Then Anna saw two more figures walking towards them. One was a taller more muscular version of Legolas and she would have mistaken him for Legolas at first glance had the other not been Legolas himself.

Anna started coughing , partly because the smoke had started affecting her now that her adrenaline rush was over and partly because her nerves were completely shot. The ellyn who looked very much like Legolas but was taller and frowned more took control of the situation saying , " The fire break is finished and the healing tents have been moved. We should get there as quickly as we can . I know The spiders will be back as soon as they see that the fire is out. We should go quickly."

Haldir replied, "Anna cannot keep up with us on foot. I will carry Bregond; one of you should carry Anna."

Legolas and Anna spoke at the same instant, interrupting each other.

"I will carry Anna."

" I can walk thank you very much."

Thranduil shot a glare at his son and without waiting simply picked Anna up as though she were a sack of flour as he said, " You would never be able to hold the pace we will set, but if you have some objection to being carried by a king, I will have no second thoughts about leaving you for the spiders."

Seeing the look in the king's eye, Anna decided that she did not wish to know if he was serious about leaving her, and for once in her life kept her mouth shut, while thinking if he is the king that must make him Legolas' father.

As the group moved farther from the river the smoke began to clear. Much of the forest here was destroyed, the grass blackened and the smell of charred woodland surrounded them. There was not much else to look at and so Anna studied the face of the elf that carried her.

His cheekbones were high and proud , his nose centered on his face in such a way that he looked at the same time handsome and stern. His face and hair were fair even though they were covered with smudges and soot from the fire, but what drew Anna's attention and held it were his eyes. They looked at first glance to be gray, but from this close a vantage point Anna could see they were actually blue with feathery white patterns delicately laced all around the iris. At the outmost edge of the iris was a ring of the deepest royal blue she had ever seen. She could easily imagine that this elf had females falling all over themselves for a kind word or look from their king. His sheer presence spoke of someone who was very used to having his every whim obeyed, and Anna knew the terror those eyes could produce in someone who dared go against his will, for she had been subjected to his glare when he had dared her to object to being carried.

Anna shuddered a little at the memory of that glare, but the king did not even notice , or if he did gave no sign, and Anna turned her attention to Legolas. The king and his son were almost the same height, with the same high, proud cheekbones the same prominent noses, the same long flowing silken hair; but that was where the likeness ended. All of the elves were well muscled and handsome, but Thranduil's torso and chest were larger than any of the others . He was taller than all of them except Haldir. Legolas, on the other hand, was more slender and wiry. They both had sensuous lips, but the King kept his in a perpetual frown and Legolas' expression seemed somehow calmer and more welcoming.

Then there were those eyes. Both Legolas and his father had the same stunning gray-blue eyes, but the king's glared so that they might as well be made of ice. Legolas', on the other hand showed a wealth of emotion, which made his whole face seem much softer than his father's. Then of course there was the rest of Legolas to look at, and that was quite a view indeed considering that much of the time they were directly behind Legolas. He had the strong, taught upper body of an archer and Anna could watch his leg and thigh muscles flex all day without being bored. His was the kind of backside that, while she hated to see it leave, she loved to watch walk away.

Anna was so lost in her admiration and comparison of the elves that she did not even notice they had now reached the healing tents, until The king plopped her on her feet and wrinkled his nose as though she were a heavy sack of garbage he was quite glad to be rid of. His first words confirmed this idea as he sneered with distaste , "I feel the need to wash," and with that he turned on his heel and left.
Chapter End Notes:
I don't hate Thranduil. I just took some poetic license with his character. Maybe I'll make him a saint in the next story I write.

You must login (register) to review.