The Fairy of Middle Earth

Chapter 3: The Goodbye

"Hannibal" Juniper cried against his shoulder. "Please please don't leave me with the elves. I will go with you. Yes I will go with you and we will have adventures together."

Hannibal lovingly carried his precious cargo along a moon lit path. His heart heavy . "You can not go with me Pixie." He said softly. "You have learned all I can teach you. Now you must learn from the elves."

She squirmed at those words. Her discomfort grew with each step he took. The loveliness of the night was lost on her. A slight chill in the air but that was fading as the spring progressed. He wished he could ease her heart. He wished he could take her fear away. All he could do was keep her warm and hold her close along the way.

"He hates me Hannibal, I could see it written all over his smug face. He hates me and you will leave me with him." She was sobbing now. Her slender arms holding on to him as tightly as they could. He felt her small fingers curled into his tunic.

"He does not hate you Pixie, he does not understand you. You will teach him as much if not more as He will teach you. "

Her sobs did not ease. "I don't want to be a teacher, I want to stay with you." Hannibal sighs. This was hard for him as well. She, who he had watched over through the slow passing of time. She, who woke up and became his daughter. A child that naturally, he would have never had.

His eyes lifting, he could see Thranduil. His clothing glimmering in the light of the moon. That light filtering through the canopy and down to small clearing they had agreed to meet at. Hannibal had begun to dread what would come next. As they approached Thranduil could see her, small and delicate. Her body quivering in Hannibal's arms . Her cries heartbreaking, Thranduil began to feel pity for her. He couldn't imagine how frightening this all was for her. As Hannibal stopped a few feet away He knelt down and placed her on her feet before him. She did not look at him. Her eyes stayed down cast her cheeks sparkled with her tears. "Please forgive me my precious Pixie." He said in a soft low tone.

"I will not," she said, "I will never forgive you."

Thranduil's eyes widen as she spoke in anger. However, he could also sympathize, Hannibal too . He took her small hand and around her tiny wrist he placed a circle of gold. "Please forgive me," Hannibal said again and she recoiled from him .

Pulling back so hard she stumbled and fell, then she began to try and pull it off. Her fingers desperately tugging at the golden bracelet. "What have you done ? What?! NO Hannibal take it off . Please you can not do this to me please take it off. " She crawled to him, shoving her small hand and wrist out to him.

Thranduil looked rather confused. Was it not a gift? Was it not a symbol of love? Hannibal's sad eyes looked up to Thranduil who stood there looking lost for the moment. Juniper demanding he remove it . "This bracelet binds her power to change shape. She can not turn small as long as it's on her wrist. When she is adjusted to being here and no longer a threat to run, you can remove it and that is something only you can do Thranduil. "

She sobbed and begged harder. Her tears nearly becoming frantic. "Please please please do not do this to me. Remove it, you will choke the life from me."

"Isn't this a bit cruel Hannibal?" Thranduil asked and watched the poor fae trying to get the bracelet off as she sobbed .

Hannibal shook his head. "This is an act of love Thranduil. Without this she would be at risk of simply disappearing on you and getting herself into more trouble than she could handle. I want her safe ."

Thranduil nodded, Better understanding the situation now. It was 2 fold really, she could not turn small to hide or run away and if she ever wanted that ability back, she would have to stay with him and earn his trust.

Hannibal then scooped her up and she fought against him. He held her close and she struggled and cried and eventually she stopped fighting and lay in his arms sobbing and clinging to him and after many moments passed He placed her down and turned to leave . She managed to stay in place until he got about 30 feet away, then she threw herself forward going to run after him, crying loudly . Screaming for him to come back . Thranduil quickly grabbed her arm, she struggled . He pulled her back and into his arms. Kneeling there watching Hannibal go with the pixie pressed to his chest, her small head held in his hand.

He could feel every emotion she was having with her held so closely. His fea being touched by her. She being the most pure form of what was within him. It was not binding in the sense of what happens when Elves love each other this was different . This was on another level. A tear fell from his eye and streamed down his cheek. A reaction he was not expecting and he suddenly let her go and pushed her back from him gently. She fell to her knees her face in hands. Her wings sagging down and lay against her back. He stayed low with her . Wanting to pull her close but when he did he felt what she was and it was quite the burden. His hand reached out and his palm pressed to her cheek. Long gentle fingers slide under her chin. He nudges her head up and her hands fall to her thighs. He looked to her eyes as she lifted them. The sadness conveyed in her gaze tore at his fea. "You will be safe with me. Please try to understand his reasons. They are valid."

Rising to his feet . He looked down on her . With her no longer in his arms and his eyes no longer locked on hers the effect of her emotions was far less on him . He had gone alone as Hannibal had wanted . Now he was in a hurry to get back . Dark things still lurk in the forest at night , though not nearly as bad as before. " Come Juniper. Let's go home. " He said firmly . She refused and he was forced to do something he had hoped he would not have to do. "Let's get something straight . I am the King of the Woodland Realm. I am not used to repeating myself. However, I know tonight has been very difficult. I will overlook this. Now get up and come with me or, I swear you will rot in a cell until you understand . You forget so quickly I have the power to return you to your natural state or not. "

The way she looked at him . The way those lavender eyes honed in on him . Wet and red with her sadness. In those moments she looked utterly broken and He immediately regretted speaking to her like that. She got to her feet and walked towards him. Defeated she would follow. He nodded gently. "Just give it all a chance before you decide you hate me so much." He turned his back and began to walk along the path. Her tongue comes from between her lips and she makes a terrible face at him. "I saw that Pixie. " He said over his shoulder and scowled at her. "Come along and try not to make it habit. You are far too beautiful for such gestures."