Beauty and the Elvenking

Chapter Two

You poked your head out the door, hoping you were alone again. Cellyn had just stopped by, trying to convince you to go riding with him. You almost said yes because you were bored of sitting around waiting for your father to come home. He'd been gone for nearly a month already. The only thing that kept you from going was the company. You didn't think you could stand being alone in Cellyn's presence for that long. You did, however, want to ride so you found your only friend. Calilmal was a stable boy in the village and the two of you would often go riding together. He also happened to be Cellyn's brother.

"Calilmal! Mellon!" you greeted as you rode up. He looked up at you, a smile gracing his face. "Would you care to ride with me? The day is too beautiful to waste." Calilmal nodded and mounted his own horse. "Race you, Y/N!" he cried before galloping off. Neither of you realized that you were being watched. Cellyn's jaw tightened at the sight of you with his own brother after you'd turned him down. Cellyn punched a wall and practically ran into the tavern. Your giggle carried on the wind as you rode out of town after Calilmal.

Calilmal stopped riding at the very edge of the forest a few miles outside of the village. The look on his face was pure terror. "Do not tell me that you are afraid, dearest Calilmal," you jested. Calilmal looked at you, his eyes telling you that afraid was exactly what he was. Everyone had heard the stories of the Mirkwood. What was once a lush and lively forest was now dark and treacherous. Not only were there rumors of giant spiders, but the biggest fear was of the king of Mirkwood himself. Thranduil. He was said to be a cold and cruel ruler that only cared about the elves in his realm and nothing else.

"You're not thinking of going any further are you, Y/N? If something happened to you, your father would never forgive me," he told you as you urged your horse Tinyn forward. Your father had always forbidden you go into Mirkwood, but now that he was gone, you felt brave and wanted to see what it was about that forest that made everyone so afraid. "Y/N, please," Calilmal begged you, but followed you all the same. He wasn't going to let you wander into that dark forest alone.

"Come on, Calilmal. I'm sure everything we've heard is only rumor," you encouraged your friend. Calilmal sighed and continued to follow you. You gave Tinyn a nudge with your knees and began your journey into Mirkwood. After an hour of gazing at the red and orange leaves of the forest and listening to Calilmal pleading to go back, you stopped Tinyn. "Elo! I do not believe I have ever heard you complain so much, Mellon," you looked back at him. He rolled his eyes at you. He was a stable boy for crying out loud, not a hunter like his brother.

"Can we please go back now?" he asked. You sighed deeply and nodded. You turned Tinyn around and made to follow Calilmal when you heard a strange noise. It was almost like a hiss. "What was that?" you asked. You had the keen hearing of an elf, so it didn't surprise you when Calilmal looked over his shoulder at you. "Very funny, Y/N. I am frightened enough," he chastised. "I assure I am serious, Calilmal. I heard something." That's when you saw them.

Giant spiders came sliding from the trees above. You went to reach for your sword before you remembered that you had left in such a hurry, you'd forgotten your weapon. "We must go, Y/N!" You nodded as fear finally gripped you. Unfortunately, one particularly large spider was the blocking the path you came in so you had to turn and ride in the other direction. "Go, Tinyn," you whispered to your horse. As Tinyn galloped further into the forest, you heard another noise different from the first. It wasn't a sound you could ever recall hearing before and just as quickly as it began, it stopped and you were surrounded by elves. You began kicking at the elves you could reach and even managed to hit one in the face.

"Daro!"one of the elves commanded. Calilmal looked to you. You mouthed the translationto him, "Halt." You looked to the elf that gave the order andexplained that your friend could only speak a few words of Elvish. The elflooked between the two of you. "Dismount and surrender any weapons you mayhave," he ordered sharply, his bow aimed right at you. The two of you didas he asked and followed the group of elves to a large palace where you wereimmediately taken to the throne room. "Well, this is a surprise," asilky voice said from the throne. 

 pCi?

Mellon = friend

Elo! = Wow!

Daro! = Halt!