One Shots!

Thalia's findings

Thalia glided over the vast plains of middle earth, she was heading east towards Mirkwood. She rested only when necessary, her elven heritage giving her an advantage in that she rarely needed rest. It was over a weeks travel before the great forest of Mirkwood came into view. Remembering that the kingdom was towards the middle, she flew to that area. She circled the trees a couple times, she caught a glimpse of a bridge. She dived down landing on the bridge. Remaining in her hawk form, she looked around, finding the grand entrance to the great elven kingdom of the woodlands. She saw two guards standing watch, on noticed her and motioned to her. The other guard looked down at her. She twittered a little as one of them approached her, speaking in quiet elvish.

“What is a pretty hawk like you doing so far from the mountains?” he asked.

She looked up at him, a gave a soft chirp, spreading her wings she flapped a couple times. Hovering before the guard, he chuckled and extended and armored arm, on which she landed.

“It seemed you have made a new friend Noldór,” The other guard said, amused as Noldór walked back to his spot next to the gate.

Thalia decided to keep up the serade of being a hawk from the mountains. She cawed softly, tilting her head, looking at the gates then to the guards. She spread her wings and jumped from the guard's arm to his help, patching on the ornament that protruded from the top of the helmet.

That caused the second guard to laugh as she settled in a sitting position. She was content to wait here until they went inside or she saw the elf she was seeking.

Noldór did not remove her, he seemed greatly amused by her actions and went back to attention, keeping guard. Thalia closed her eyes to appear as if she was sleeping, as a few hours slipped by. She heard the gate slowly open. She opened her eyes and turned her head toward it, seeing fresh guards exit.

They were taking the current guards place.

The elf called Noldór reached up and gently removed her from his helm, “I must bid you farewell my friend,” he said with a soft smile on his fair face as he set her down on the path. She looked to the now open gate and hopped towards it.

The second guard laughed again, “It seems she would like to enter the kingdom,” he said.

“Do you think the king would be pleased we let a wild beast into the kingdom Yeliar?”

“This hawk is hardly wild, just curious,” Yeliar said.

While they spoke she had slipped through the gates, now inside the kingdom, she spread her wings and took off, landing in one of the ledges in the finely carved pillars. She saw the two guards enter in, looking around for her. They shrugged and went on their way.

Good, she thought to herself. She fluffed out her feathers and gave herself a good shake before leaping off the ledge, flying to another, towards what she saw as a throne. She landed in the shadows so she could see the throne, but if one looked up, they would not immediately see her. She watched as elves came and went, she stretched her back in a bored yawn. Her attention was grabbed by an elf who was different. With golden hair instead of brown or red. She stretched her back forward and recognized the elf who was father to Legolas.

Thranduil, she thought to herself.

He was followed by two other elves, both brown haired.

He walked up to his throne and stopped, turning and began talking to the elves. He paused and tilted his head as if he was trying to figure something out. He suddenly looked up, his eyes searching the rafters. She retreated more into the shadows. She could not tell if he saw her or not. He looked back at the elves and continued on as if nothing happened. She relaxed and continued to watch him, eventually he dismissed the elves, who bowed before leaving. He turned and ascended onto his throne, he sat and looked up where she was and spoke in elvish.

“and how did you get in here?” he sounded intrigued and slightly amused, “Come down from there.”

She realized he thought her a normal hawk, and she stepped to the edge of the ledge and looked down at him, her head tilted. She spread her swings and glided down to him, landing on the arm of the throne. She had forgotten just how regal he was, having only seen him this close once. The closer she looked, the more she realized how much she looked like him, though he held a much greater age than she, she tilted her head.

He raised a hand towards her, and gently pet the side of her head, down the side, “What is a  hawk of the northern mountains doing here?” he asked quietly. She closed her eyes as he petted her. He was family, and this was the first time she came into contact with him knowing this, but he did not know who she was.

She turned her head towards where the gates were, leading out of the kingdom and chittered quietly, looking back at Thranduil. It was then that Thranduil noticed the hawk had golden green eyes, not brown like the others he had seen. She spread her great wings and glided to the ground before the king, casing quietly. She went from looking towards the gate, then towards the king, as if beckoning him to follow. He slowly stood, defending from his throne. Before he reached her, she took off into the air, flying around him before flying towards the gate. She wanted to get him alone, away from other elven eyes, before she appeared before him as her elf form. When ever he fell behind, she would circle back, cawing him onward. They reached the gate, she flew down next to him and landed on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow as she turned to look him in the eyes. Her deep green golden eyes meeting his grey blue. He knew there was something familiar in those eyes. She looked to the closed gate and cawed again.

“You want me to go out into the forest?” he asked.

She twittered in confirmation. He was hesitant at first before he ordered the guards on this side of the gate to open it. He walked out onto the bridge. He motioned for one of the guards to follow him. She took to the air and flew between the guard and the king, preventing the guard to move forward. She cawed firmly at the elven guard. Thranduil turned and watched, he narrowed his eyes.

She looked back at the king, then at the guard, before taking off into the trees. She would take a form he would trust. Once hidden from view, she landed and transformed into a white elk. She rested back into view, seeing the king gazing where she had disappeared to. He appeared surprised at the sudden appearance of an elk, especially a white one. She carefully approached him, he slowly reached out a hand and touched her about. He again noticed the same golden green eyes, “Luriel?” he whispered in confusion. She rewarded the question with a long slow blink, before turning away and trotting towards the forest. Once on the edge of the bridge she looked back to see if he was following. He turned to the guard and ordered him to remain here, before taking one of their swords and carefully following the elk.

She snorted and shook her head before continuing into the forest, the king a little ways behind, but close enough so he did not lose sight of the elk. Once she determined they were alone, she paused in a clearing. She turned to face the king. He paused at the edge of the clearing, wearily looking around. She reached out with her mind and spoke.

“Do not fear Elven King, I mean no harm,” she said to his mind.

He looked at the elk, his eyes wide with surprise, but it was only for a second, he straightened, raising his head slightly, “I do not fear you elk, I am weary of your intentions, tell me, how do you speak to my mind?” he spoke with calm authority, as if he knew he was in full control of the situation.

She lowered her head slightly, “My intention is to find answers….. I hope you can provide them for me.”

“What answers do you seek?” he asked lowering his head slightly.

She turned and walked out of the clearing walking around a tree, as she was out of sight, she transformed into her elven form, and spoke aloud, “answers on who I am…..” She said as she came back into view of the king. His eyes widened and the sword slipped from his grasp.

“You, you were the elf my son saved,” he said, he looked as if he had seen a ghost, but quickly recovered, “Who are you?”

She tilted her head slightly, “My name is Thalia,” she said with a courteous bow, “You knew my father, and no one will tell me what became of him.” She said straightening.

Thranduil stepped forward, stopping before her, “Who was your father?” he asked slowly, a guess already filling his mind.

She looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a calmness he had only seen in one other, “Thordir, your brother.”