Into Dragon's Fire (Book 1)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

For the next three days of the trip back to Mirkwood, Thranduil instructed me on how to wield a blade, however, he said the real training wouldn't begin until we returned to the woodland realm, he also schooled me on my Elvish while we traveled, talking to fill the long silences between us when they came.

" Who were the Dunedain?" I asked.

" Descendants of the Numeoreans." He responded and I raised an eyebrow. " And... who were they?"

He let out a sigh, bowing his head slightly in exasperation, before he looked over at me. So he began the long explanation, that left me staring at him like he had three heads. It made since, but at the same time, it didn't. " I should have expected that perplexed look." Thranduil chuckled, the sound startling me even more, having never heard him laugh before.

It was a nice sound.

Where had had that thought come from. Bad Alice

" Elrond said my grandmother married a son of a chieftain." I said, and he smirked. " And?"

" What did that make my mother?" I asked, and he was quiet as he thought about it before he shrugged. " At this point, a cousin to the current heir to the throne. " 

I nearly fell out of my saddle.

" W... what?" I sputtered, my eyes nearly popping out of my head. I had figured there was some relation, but that close.

" You have no claim to any throne, or seat power, but yes, as a descendant of Aranarth, you hold more power than any amongst your human kin."

" My mom was technically a princess." I muttered. " Question is, why didn't she stay?" I spoke more to myself, and Thranduil offered no answer as we drifted back into silence.

A silence that was broken as Thranduil offered me a smile. " I guess I should start referring to you as 'Lady Alicia', then."

My only response was a scowl.

When we reached the edge of the forest, Thranduil ordered us to stop. " My Lord, what is it?" One of the elves around us questioned. " Stay with the girl. The rest of you, come with me?" He commanded, before moving his elk closer to the tree line.

" What's going on?" I asked, quietly. " Is it the spiders?"

" No, the spiders we can handle. This is something else." The armored elf responded, his eyes on the trees. It made me wonder what he saw that I couldn't. We sat there for some time waiting for their return, the wait making me nervous to the point that I began to run my thumb over the leather of the reins. " Everything is going to be fine, My Lady." The guard assured, but it nothing to calm my nerves. Something didn't feel right.

" What's your name?" I asked him, and he glanced toward him, bowing his head slightly. " I am called Gilid, My lady. "

" Alice, please." I told him. " To many people here call me, Alicia."

" Alice. That name is-" He was cut off as an arrow struck him through the chest. He gasped, his eyes moving to the arrow in shock, before he fell toward me. " Run, Alice." He managed to whisper, before going limp. I pushed him back on to his horse, before moving Caleb around, only to let out a cry as Caleb rose onto her back legs when a second arrow struck the ground near her hooves.

Still being out of practice, I slipped off and found myself falling to the ground as she took off for the trees. I collided with the ground, pain rippled through my body as I winced, before lifting my head to look at our attacker, who was approaching slowly. I concluded quickly that it was an orc from what Thranduil told me about them, it was large and ugly with beady black eyes and large yellow, rotted, teeth. He wasn't alone either, there were three in total, each more hideous then the next. The orc with the bow yelled something to the other two, pointing to me and my eyes widened before I scrambled to my feet, fumbling for the sword at my waist.

The blade shook in my hand as they got closer, and they laughed at my attempt to look threatening as I swung at them wildly. Pain and terror were all that I felt in that moment, but I refused to go down without a fight. I had to buy time for Thranduil and the others to come back.

" Get her." The archer yelled, and they made a grab for me. I swung toward the third when he got close but left myself open for the second as he smacked the blade out of my hand. " Enough games, be a good girly, and surrender."

" Forget that." I scoffed, before I made for the tree line, colliding immediately with a chest as arms wrapped around me. I kicked my legs, nailing the second in face as he came to the aid of his comrade. " No." I screamed, flailing wildly. I was slammed harshly against a nearby tree, and my vision blurred as I momentarily went limp. " We should silence her now." The one holding me hissed, his fingers digging into my arms to the point that I was sure my skin was bruised. I held back a whimper of pain, refusing to show them any weakness as the archer drew closer with a cruel grin on his face.

He said something I couldn't make out, and I found myself being slammed against the tree again, my vision going dark.