Weaving a Song

Chapter 6

c. 2060 TA

"I shall see you at home!" Almiel told her brother before leaping off toward their Palace. Now eight in human years she simply buzzed with energy. Legolas shook his head before continuing on with his work. I am way too old… He thought as she bounded off.

That night he came in finding his parents sitting by the fire. "Where's Almiel?" He asked. Thranduil's forehead creased.

"We thought she was with you?" Legolas paled.

"No… she left me hours ago. She said she would see me at home." He could feel his mother's panic.

"Come now," Thranduil started. "She cannot have gotten too far. Let us check the Palace." But though they might as well have torn the Palace, the healing ward, and the training grounds apart they saw no sign of her. Finally Legolas put his hand on a tree.

Have you seen my sister? He asked softly singing to it. The music of the tree sped up as it interacted with the forest and its own memories.

Quick young Prince! I fear your sister is in danger! She is caught in a web, soon to be dead. Instant panic flooded him as he pictured his sister being eaten alive by the vicious Spiders. He relayed the information to his father and ran to get his weapons.

"Come Taenron! My sister is in danger!" His best friend and fellow warrior, was almost equal to the Prince as he was Captain of the Guard, heeded the words and ran to get two horses. Collecting their weapons they rode hard through the forest, the trees guiding them to the trapped Princess.

Almiel? Legolas tried asking her, but either she could not hear him or she was ignoring him. Both were frightening concepts to the Prince. They pulled up their horses and climbed the nearest trees. The trees here made the Wood-Elves sad because they were deadened by the affects of the wicked Spider's poison. Singing softly Legolas tried to coax the tree to speak.

Your sister is beyond aid. It finally and begrudgingly said. Legolas refused to believe the treacherous tree, and so he and Taenron leapt from branch to branch and tree to tree trying to find Almiel. Then they stopped short upon hearing a familiar voice.

"You are not alone like you think." Legolas' brain spun. That was his sister's voice. "You are part of this world. The world does not reject you unless you choose to be evil. You cannot be so full of pain that you cannot turn back." They slowly came into view of the young girl who was holding a very vicious looking Spider back with only her words. She was indeed caught in the web, it looked as though her ankle had been caught in it. However, she did not yet look like she was in mortal danger.

"You can be free of your curse. Let me touch you." The Spider hissed and reeled at her words. Almiel seemed offended. "Please, let me help you." Some form of anger rose inside of Legolas. She was trying to help this evil creature bent on destroying every good thing! He would not stand for it. He had raised his bow but Taenron put his hand on it shaking his head. The Spider was also rather offended at the words and spit at her before walking away, clearly having lost its appetite.

How do we get her down? Legolas asked.

We'll have to cut the net that's holding her. You have a knife with you right? Legolas mentally nodded. He jumped lightly from the tree. Almiel looked slightly surprised to see him.

We are here to rescue you. He said. She smiled weakly.

I am not the one who needs rescuing. She said and nodded in the direction of the Spider. Legolas mentally scowled and began to cut at the threads binding her ankle. Legolas… the Spider is coming back. She told him. Legolas started cutting faster. I need to touch him.

No, I am getting you out and we are leaving. He said.

But-

You cannot argue with me on this one. Just as he cut the last strand a hiss came from behind him and he grabbed his sister and dived to the side.

A hiss came out of the Spider's mouth. "You cannot have her!" Legolas said.

Let me touch him.

NO! He yelled at her. He felt stunned silence coming from her but ignored it focusing more on how to escape. He passed her up to Taenron who was waiting and then jumped up himself. He drew back, aimed, and fired an arrow at the Spider who was attempting to follow them.

"No!" Almiel cried as he did so and he glanced at her stunned. The Spider hissed as the arrow skimmed its body and then gathered itself and jumped at Legolas.

"Legolas!" Taenron said. Legolas remembered what was happening just in time to jump out of the way and onto a branch above him. Taenron managed to shoot the Spider in the eye and it fell back. Almiel had begun sobbing quietly, clutching her stomach.

"Legolas!" Taenron cried again at the Prince who as this moment had jumped down to finish the beast. The Prince looked up in time to see a sword being tossed to him and he caught it and finished the beast then and there. Almiel let out a whimper and she went pale. She might have fallen out of the tree if not for Taenron who grabbed her before she could. He climbed down the tree with the Princess on his back and then handed her off to her brother. She buried her face in his shirt still crying and he had a very confused look on his face as he carried her back to their horses.

Then it dawned on Legolas. His father had told all of them (all of them being Legolas and the Queen) what he suspected her gift really was, but it looked like he had been partially wrong. She could not just feel Elven pain, or even any particular race. She can feel the pain of Spiders, perhaps even the fear of Orcs. She could give light to all of them. If her power increases, what will she stop at? What is the extent of whose fear she can take and replace… with something good?