Go down in flames

Doom of the white city

The next morning I woke up on the bed. Neo was beside me still snoring softly and his shaggy dirty blond hair falling in front of his closed eyes and fluttering slightly as he breathed out of his mouth. I smiled softly and got up slowly trying not to wake the sleeping boy. I slowly removed myself from the tangled beige sheets and stood up. I grabbed a ruff beige towel and left the room in search of a bath house. I soon found a little chubby maid who lead me to the short building that was used as a ladies bath house.

I stripped off my night clothes and slid into the steamy water. It was fed by an under ground hot spring. It felt good on my aching muscles. The water streamed around me as I moved carrying all the dirt away with it. I scrubbed myself down hard. It felt like I had taken off a layer of skin, but it was worth it to get all of the bits of dirt and dry blood off of me. My nails were a different story. The were so filthy it took me forever to clean them. By the time I was done with them the sun had its first golden rays peeking over the horizon. I hurriedly washed my long hair and pulled a few loose twigs out of it.

After spending some time in the hot water I got out and grabbed the towel. It was rough but affective. I then realized that I had forgotten to bring a change of clothes. My heart sunk, it was so foolish. I couldn't put on my dirty night gown after a bath. My eye widened when I realized what I had to do. Hopefully there wouldn't be anyone around yet because it was so early. I wrapped my towel tightly around me, grabbed my dirty night clothes that lay crumpled on the floor and made a sprint out of the bath house and back to my room. Luckily not many people were out due to the fact that the sun was just rising so I made it back to my room unseen. Except for a maid that had just come around the corner but she only had a brief glance of me.

I burst through the wooden door to my room just as Neo was sitting up on the bed. The small boy blinked his emerald green eyes for a few moments as if he were processing what just happened and then without a word he closed his eyes and laid back down. I stood frozen in the doorway for a few seconds with my towel still wrapped around me.

I jumped into motion quickly sliding into my washed dress. " It's okay to look now." I said pulling my long hair out of under the smooth fabric and starting to put it into a French braid. Neo sat up again.

" Why were you wearing a towel?" He asked his eye brows raising.

" Not important," I brushed off his question. " What is important is you telling me what your last name is and then waiting here until I get back." I finished.

" Why?" He asked suspiciously.

" I'm going to speak with your father." I said bluntly keeping emotion from my voice. Fear flashed through the boys eyes. I sat down on the edge of the bed. " Do you want to stay with your father?" I asked quietly.

" No, he hates me." The small child whispered his head hanging and his eyes trailed the ground. My heart shattered into a million shards. I thought it was bad having my father die before I even met him but at least I knew he loved me. I didn't ever have to suffer the pain of being alone in life or not having a loving parent.

With out even thinking about it I reached out and pulled the boy to my side in a tight hug. A muffled sob came from the boy as I felt hot tears dampen my dress. His soft cries didn't sound like he was crying because of the pain in his heart, but because he was tired, tired of living like this.

I slowly rocked back and fourth. We stayed like that as the sun came up. The only sound was Neo's muffled sobs as I comfortingly held him close. Eventually we had to get up, I needed someone to watch Neo, I would bring him to Legolas but he had no idea how to care for a child. There was one person I knew I could trust with Neo.

After questioning another maid I found my way to Gandalf's room. I knew he could care for Neo while I went to speak with Neo's father.

I thought back to when I had first met Gandalf, it was a long, long time ago when I was only 15. Only seven years after I had watched my own mother die. I had been wandering Fangron forest when I heard soft footsteps off to my left. I was up a tree in seconds hiding in the branches. An old man came walking at a leisurely pace. He had a beard that came down just a little further than his collar bone. He was smoking a pipe with smoke coming out in the shapes of dancing animals swirling up into the trees leaving tendrils of smoke in their wake. He stopped directly under my tree and fear filled my as my heart beated like a war drum. The trees had been whispering of late, whispering of fear and danger lurking in the dark places of the forests where light didn't reach. It could poison the forest like death itself. I slowly slid my dagger out of its sheath at the belt of my dress. I dropped down from the tree behind the man landing in a crouched position. I lunged forward my dagger, the only thing I had left if my family an my only weapon, slashed forward with me. His back was completely open. I would stop the poisoning of my forest. Just as my dagger had almost made its mark the man was suddenly turned around and my dagger hit his staff. His bushy brows furrowed at me as he took in my appearance. I was short and pale. My hair was pitch black, with spurts of green from leaves tangled into it. I was wearing grey rages of a dress that only went to my knees leaving the rest of my legs exposed to the chilling wind and thorned bushes. My feet were bare and covered in dirt and scrapes. My purple eyes were large and wild in my face. Framed by cuts, bruises and a few tangled locks of my long hair. He gave a small frown. I lunged again my powerful legs pushing off the ground but his staff blocked me again. His frown deepened. " It is quite rude to attack people without being provoked." He spoke with a warm voice but his words were firm. My dagger warmed in my hand. I smirked at him, the heat didn't bother me, I was of flames. He raised his eyebrows and my dagger flew out of my hand of its own accord lodging itself deep into a tree. My eyes widened in fear. I ran to the tree trying to pull it out but it was stuck. I backed away from him in fear. " It's okay." His voice was soft. " I mean you no harm." He smiled at me. I narrowed my eyes. " Then why do you harm my forest." I hissed. " I swear to you I mean no harm to you or this forest." His voice reached my ears. " What else is powerful enough to do it wizard." I spat. He sighed. " I wish I knew." That was it, his only response. " Come." He said and then he started to walk.