"Well...now what?" I said, walking back to the stream. I sat down at the bank and dipped my feet in the water.
"It's starting to get late." I sighed, "I'm hungry, tired and I don't have a place to lay for the night." I stood up and went to find some berries. I found 2 large bushes, one raspberry and the other wildberries. I picked a handful of each, sat down, and ate them. Maybe, I should just go back to the elves and Thranduil. I will have a place to sleep.
I rinsed my hands in the stream and went to see my tree. There were no guards. Yay! I went to the trunk, and climbed up. I went to my bed, climbed under the covers, and soon fell asleep.
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I woke up to water dripping on my face. I opened my eyes and saw a strike of lighting across the sky, and not to long after a loud clap of thunder. I neared the edge of the branch and looked down. Lots of rain.
"That's it. I'm going back." I sighed, leaning up against the trunk.
The rain fell hard for hours and hours. I eventually curled up into a ball and fell asleep.
_______________________________________________________________
This time, I woke up and stayed awake. The quiet... That's all... The quiet.
"My father sent me." I heard Legolas say from the other side of my branch. "He said he knew you would come back. He wanted you to be watched over." He said, coming over to me. I backed away from him. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"No. But, you're the one that told Thranduil that I lived here." I looked at him, scanning what he had and wore.
"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"I was napping the other day, after we met and I was woken by elven guards." He didn't respond. He face fell and became soft.
"Someone was following me." He said. "Why was someone following me?" He asked aloud.
"Does your father want me?" I asked, remembering the knife that Thorin placed under my pillow. I moved over to my bed, and slid my hand under it and feeling for the knife.
"Sadly he does." As soon as he said that, I pulled the knife out and held it in front of me. He quickly drew his bow and aimed it at me.
"Why!?" I yelled.
"I don't know." He said.
"Why do you elves all of a sudden care about me!? I've been here for 6 years!" I looked at him.
"Coryander, I don't know why or what is going on." Legolas said, lowering his arrow. "I'm just doing as I was told. Which is odd." He shrugged.
"Yeah. You were told to look over me until I woke, then when I woke up you were to take back to your home." I said, keeping my knife in my hands but moved my hands to my side.
"Please." He said.
"I'm technically a fugitive. I'm not supposed to be here anyway. " I said, finally dropping my knife.
"Thank you." He said. "I was told that I need to climb down before you do." He said, coming close to me and climbing down. I sighed, and climbed down. Legolas lead me back to the elven kingdom and to a cell.
"I'm sure he is going to want to speak to his prisoner." Legolas said, locking the gate.
"Ok." I said, sitting against the wall. I looked at my dress. It was ripped, and muddy, and stained. Now, I am a homeless, hungry, and tired, fugitive.
"I best be off." Legolas turned and left.
"I can't believe this." I said, pulling my knees to my chest, and barring my face into my hands.
"There she is!" The elf that arrested me the first time said, coming over to my cell.
"I was wondering when you'd be back."
"You know you're not supposed to talk to the prisoners." Thranduil said, coming down a flight of stairs. I smiled. I don't like this elf that got me. He's been so rude!
"Oh. Sorry, your highness." The elf nodded his head and went elsewhere. Thranduil neared my cell. As he got closer, I stood up.
"Hello, sir." I curtsied and nodded. He just looked down at me and nodded.
"Why do you all of a sudden care about me?" I asked looking up at him. "And, do you always have someone following Legolas?"
"I've always had kept tabs on you. But, when someone asked about you, I had to do something otherwise they would keep asking me about you and what I'll do. And I didn't have anyone following Legolas. Someone was out in the woods and saw you. Be more careful next time." He said, turning to leave.
"Wait! Please don't keep me locked up in here. I'll do anything you want. Just don't keep me locked up." I said, going up to the gate and grabbing hold of his cloak. He turned and looked down at me and furrowed his eyebrows.
"We need the help. We need a...maid. (A/N: I don't know another word for maid. This story is going to be like Beauty and the Beast.) We have the room. You will get breakfast at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30. No sooner no later. You will return to your room at 8:30. No sooner no later." He paused and looked down at me. "At high noon you will have one hour to do what you please. In your room you will have a closet of clothes."
"I'll do it! Anything!" I said, letting go of his cloaks. "Anything. Please."
"Guards!" Thranduil yelled turning away from me.
"Yes, sir?" Two elven guards ran up to me, my cell and Thranduil.
"Unlock her." He said, climbing up the stairs.
"Yes, sir." They nodded. One ran to get the keys. They unlocked my cell. I stepped out and stood in the hall.
"Well, come along." Thranduil said, stopping at the top of the steps. I pulled myself arms out of the guards grip and walked up the stairs.
"Thank you." I sighed, coming up behind Thranduil.
"Don't stray behind." He said, leading me to a room. I walked behind him as he walked. His cloak flowing behind him, his hair swayed with every step he took. His crown looked like it was made of small twigs and leaves and berries.
"This is your room. Wash up. Dinner is half past." He said, pushing a door open and leaving. I walked into the room. It was a fair size. There was a bed in a beautiful oak bed frame. The frame had poles the reached all the way up to the ceiling, and little vines wrapped all the way around. There was a canopy on top. The bedding was silk. There was also a beautiful dresser. I pulled out the drawers and there was beautiful dresses, scarves, trousers and shirts. There was a brush on the top and behind it was a huge mirror. And a desk with a small oak stool.
I grabbed a red and purple dress and went to find a lake, or river, or stream. After I found one, I took a quick bath, got dressed in the dress and went back to my room. I quickly brushed out my hair, and then went down to the dinning hall.
"Father told me what he did for you." Legolas said, placing a tray of food in front of me.
"Oh. Yeah." I smiled and picked up the spoon. It was some sort of soup with berries in it.
"That's good." Legolas smiled.
"Yeah." I said, sipping the soup down. Legolas sat with me and we chatted for a bit, getting to know each other. Tauriel came over. She wasn't much of a talker I learned.
"Do you have the time?" I asked, pushing the tray away from me.
"Nope. But, Tauriel and I better be off." Legolas looked at Tauriel. She nodded. The pair stood up and walked away. I stood up, grabbed my tray, and went to the kitchen to clean up my mess and to do the dishes. After I did the all dishes, I went up to Thranduil's hall.
"I came to say good night and thank you." I nodded up to him. He didn't say anything, just nodded. I turned and walked back to my room. I went the small closet, pulled out a night gown, changed, and went to bed.
