[Legolas] In every grain of sand, is the story of the earth.

Chapter 15

Sorry for the wait however updates will be more frequent from now on. I'd appreciate it if you would vote/comment this story plus it will make me update quicker.

Thank you.

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Of course being in the king's presence so soon after our previous encounter made me nervous, I would be a fool if it didn't. I resisting the urge to fidget uncomfortably as I waited to receive the king's wrath. I knew it was silly of me to dread the meeting, as much as I would like it, I could not go the rest of my life without seeing him. Especially after everything he and his son had done to me, to my family. My father and brother will definitely not allow my 'kidnap' to go unpunished and while I may be able to prevent retaliation, they will definitely want an audience with the king of Mirkwood to make their displeasure known.

It was at that moment I remembered who I was, Aearon, daughter of Thingol, warrior princess of Falmari and protector of the Teleri people. I had faced numerous foes and been in more difficult situations to diffuse than this. I would not be intimidated by the likes of Thranduil, even if he was the king of Mirkwood. Raising my head, I allowed a renewed feeling of confidence to consume me, radiating off my body in waves and bringing with it a sense of comfort. I had been away from home for far too long if I was beginning to doubt myself. That is something I would have to change as soon as possible, I missed my family, my land and my people. I allowed a fire to ignite in my soul, its flames consuming my being and visible in my daring gaze.

At our approach, Thranduil cast his a cold glare towards us and I found amusement in the fact that it lingered on me a little longer than it did Bard. I didn't crumble under his gaze, something I hoped irked him somewhat. Instead I stood up taller, raising my head and allowing my defiant green eyes to hold his icy blue ones, the smallest of smirks forming on my slightly dry lips. Our gaze remained connected for some time, neither of us wanting to break eye connect first, as if looking at a canine who is ready to attack. The longer our gaze remained locked, the harder it seemed to breathe oxygen down to my lungs, a feeling of suffocation slowly overwhelming me. Despite my unease I kept my resolve, the smirk remaining on my lips when I noticed the king's eyes narrowing, making it obvious that he was growing angry.

"Such a pity. Still, you tried." Thankfully the king soon turned his attention back to Bard, his tone conveying he held no sympathy for the situation. I expected as much, the King of Mirkwood was known for being cold and unforgiving. I remained quiet throughout their exchange, Thranduil soon turning to leave but not before letting the lingering question of if Bard would fight with him fill the air.

I stood beside Bard, the human still mounted firmly on the white mare. It was obvious from the look on his face that he was conflicted. The people of Laketown needed the money they were promised to rebuild their homes and it seemed that Bard was in charge of getting it. Turning his head, Bard turned his attention to me before offering his arm. Without a second thought, I grasped it tightly before pulling myself up on to the horse behind him. I allowed the silence to continue, knowing that Bard had a lot to think about as he nudged the horse onwards towards the derelict city.

I separated from Bard as soon as we reached the town, knowing he had a big decision to make. While Bard and the dwarves weren't exactly friends, they had met previously which would only make the decision more difficult for him. As I made my way towards the old market, I noticed that the men of Laketown had taken to using it as a training ground. I stood on the outskirts, watching as men of all ages struggled to wield the forgotten weapons of Dale. I frowned when I noticed the weapons being waved in all directions, someone was definitely going to get hurt if this continued.

These men weren't trained for battle, they were nothing but fisherman. Not wanting to witness a slaughter tomorrow, I began making my way through the crowd before coming to a stop on the stone steps before them. While I knew as an elf, my fighting style would be different to that of men, the basics couldn't differ too much.

"Listen up. Those of you who want to learn and practise swordsmanship safely form lines. Those who do not, leave your weapon on the steps as you leave." My tone was strong and my words absolute, there was no room for quarrel. I would not sit idly by and watch men injure themselves and others while they played with swords. Even if Bard decided the people of Laketown wouldn't partake in the battle, they may still need to protect themselves and the town.

My expression remained stern as I watched the humans hesitate for a second before ordering themselves in to lines. As soon as I was satisfied, I pulled my sword from its sheathe on my hip. I twisted the hilt around my fingers, the blade catching the sun's light as it followed suit.

"While I appreciate that you want to practice your skills, it is important you do so safely to avoid unnecessary injury. We are already struggling to cope with the wounded so it would be best if we prevent adding anymore casualties. Now listen up." I had trained with many elves previously so it wasn't difficult to educate the men on the basics. While my patience was never something I could be proud of, I reminded myself that these men were fishermen and some had never held a sword in their life.

Before long the men were all stood correctly, swinging their words in unison. It was a rather impressive sight and it dramatically lessened the risk of injury among the men. I had since sheathed my sword, my arms folded across my chest as I watched the men of Laketown train. I was aware of Bard sat off to the side, obviously still contemplating his decision while he watched.

My thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of hooves approaching quickly. With my elf eyes I was able to make out the figure of Gandalf the grey, my head tilting slightly in confusion. The wizard and I had met many times before, Gandalf frequenting Falmari numerous times to speak with my father. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but let a smile form on my lips at seeing a familiar face. Gandalf reminded me of home, a place I longed to return to.

I watched as Alfrid approached the wizard, living up to his reputation and treating the wizard foully. A frown was evident on my pale features in an instant, Alfrid really knowing how to irk me. Fortunately Bard was there to step in quickly and I followed shortly after. As soon as the wizard spotted me, a look of recognition crossed his face and was quickly replaced with a smile.

"Now you were the last person I'd expect to see here Aearon." His carefree tone and light expression caused a smile to form on my lips. Despite the situation, his familiar face was enough to lift my spirit, something I was grateful for. I would have loved to revel in the moment a little longer but by his approach it was obvious he was here for a matter of importance.

"It is good to see a familiar face but I must ask, what brings you here?" While I had no intentions of being rude, I needed to get back to training the men. They needed to be prepared for tomorrow's battle and it seemed like no one else was going to help them. Thranduil couldn't care less about the lives of humans and Bard was too busy trying to figure out his next move.

"I must speak with King Thranduil immediately." Gandalf's words interrupted my thoughts and I turned my attention back to him. With a nod of my head, I turned on my heel and began walking towards the elven King's tent. I seemed to be seeing the arrogant King a lot recently, something I was not particularly pleased about. Never the less, I would no longer cower at the thought of his presence.

Arriving at the tent, I slipped inside quietly and bowed my head respectfully in Thranduil's direction. I didn't allow my gaze to fall upon him though I was sure there would be a look of displeasure on his face.

"My lord, Gandalf the Grey wishes to speak with you." I didn't give the King room to argue, pulling the fabric aside and allowing the wizard to enter the royal tent. As soon as Bard and Gandalf were inside, I exited the tent and made my way back towards the market where the men of Laketown were still training.