Into Dragon's Fire (Book 1)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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" No." He said.

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" No." He repeated

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" Will you quit." I snapped rubbing my knuckle as I glared at Thranduil only to earn another smack, this time to my side.  " Again" He commanded, and I grumbled at him under my breath before reaching for one of the many forks on the table in front of me. I had been at this for nearly the whole week, we were leaving tomorrow for Mirkwood, and ever since I had agreed to learn the ways of his world, Th- Lord Thranduil had taken the liberty, and opportunity, to smack me every time I did something wrong; sometimes I thought he was just doing it because he could.

" Alicia, " Elrond said making his appearance. " Would you mind giving me a moment to talk with Thranduil alone."

" Not at all." I said, making a quick exit. dropping the lady like act the moment I was out of sight of the doorway, and I raced off at a sprint trying to put as much distance between myself and Thranduil as I could. My dress got caught around my feet when I hit the stairs, and my eyes widened as I started to fall. I squeezed my shut waiting for impact, but when I opened my eyes, I was at the bottom of the stairs. I let out breath as I shook my head, before continuing outside where I found the Wizard in grey, Gandalf smoking away at his pipe like I often did in passing, though I hadn't really spoken to anyone but Elrond and Thranduil since the white council meeting.

" Alicia Stevens." He greeted with a bow of his head, and I smiled. " Gandalf." I returned. " May I join you?"

" Of course." He responded and I sat on the bench across from him, my gaze going to the large tree above us. " Is something on your mind, Miss Stevens?" He asked and I looked at the elderly man with a frown. " I know the look." He said blowing out a puff of smoke, and I bit my lip before looking back up at the tree with a sigh, before looking down at my partially bruised fingers.

" It's just hard to wrap my mind around it all, I guess." I admitted.

" Yes, I can imagine that it must be difficult, to be pulled from your world and told that it's just a piece of something much bigger."

" Not only that, I've only been living as half a person, my entire life. Now, that I have the other half, I don't know what to do with it." I admitted. " Especially when that other half is a part of the world I grew up looking at as nothing more than a story."

" A story." He said, surprised, and I nodded spotting Elrond and Thranduil watching from above. " My friend, Peter would know it better than I would though, I never cared much for stuff like that. " I explained, turning back to find that the old wizard had lowered his pipe, his eyes studying me. " I do know you, however. " I admitted. " Even those who have never heard the story, know who Gandalf is." I said quietly, and he smiled slightly.

" And this story, what do you call it?"

" You'll see." I said, a small smirk on my face as I stood when Thranduil called out to me. " I enjoyed speaking with you. " I told him with a bow of my head, which he returned before watching as I raced back toward the stairs.

Gandalf left before the sun rose next day, with no word to anyone on where he was going, but I had a feeling I would see him again.