The Raven [A Legolas Fanfiction]

Chapter Six

A/N:

This may be the fastest I have updated. Well I'll just say that I loved writing this chapter. Sorry for any mistakes as usual; I'll go through and edit it closely soon. Please vote, comment, and give me whatever feedback you have!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!

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Maybe leaving Elladan and Elrohir was not such a good idea, Silmarwen thought to herself as a lingering pain flashed through her entire body. She was so close to the King's hall -- so close that she could almost hear the chattering of maids in the corridors -- and yet way too far. Every stealthy step was a nightmare of anguish, for although the Raven would have liked to think that she was fit to travel, she most definitely was not. Her partially healed wounds had opened and were much more painful as she struggled through the dizzying labyrinth of trees than when she escaped the wretched Mount Gundabad.

She had managed to avoid the spiders that haunted the once lush forest and their nests, but the relatively short journey began to stretch into a grueling marathon. Minutes stretched into hours, and every natural mark Silmarwen passed seemed to be leagues apart. The Raven was completely spent. All the pain and memories of her torture haunted her tenfold as every step became an unimaginable feat.

The daylight slowly faded into twilight, and then all too soon the already oppressing Mirkwood forest became a blanket of darkness.

Stumbling and laden with exhaustion, the fatigued elleth finally reached her destination, a hidden entrance to the palace, a window concealed by heavy elven Magic and controlled by the Elvenking  that led into his study. It was invisible even to elven eyes except that with which the king wished them to be seen. Silmarwen was the only one who knew of the existence of the entrance. It was hidden from the inside by an ornate tapestry that was also controlled by the king.

A shrill croak almost identical to that of a raven was emitted from the elleth, the agreed upon signal for entrance. The appearance of the moss covered hill vanished and was replaced by a shimmering translucent covering. The magic that covered the window shone out in a subtle rainbow of colors. Immediately, Silmarwen threw herself through the invisible material.

The king sat alone, reading through reports on the conditions of the borders and diplomatic ties to the other realms. The moment the Elvenking heard the unmistakable call of his Captain, he revealed the entrance. When he glanced up from his parchments, Thranduil saw the Raven fall through the opening.

A dry chuckle escaped his lips. "Clumsy are we now?" he teased the guard. The smirk plastered on his face faltered as he noticed blood seeping through the elleth's clothing. Shakily, the Raven stood in order to properly salute her king but as she did, her eyes rolled back into her head and if not for Thranduil's quick reaction, she would have hit the floor. "What have you got yourself into now?" was all she heard before darkness completely encased her being.

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Tauriel and Legolas were late in returning from patrol. When they finally reached the palace, the night watch was on duty.

"Quel undome, hiril vuin!" the watch's voice cried out.

Legolas nodded and continued into the vast maze of halls. The cavern was a labyrinth in itself, a viable defense in case of an attack. Tall stone pillars held up the high ceiling, and the main light sources were magical lanters that cast a yellow glow over the whole underground city. Unexpectedly, a sigh greeted his ears. "What is wrong, mellon?" he asked his companion.