WHY did it hurt so much? It had only been a week. You couldn't be... in love. No... it didn't happen that way. Why did he keep talking about time?
Your tears refused to stop flowing, and more than once your stride faltered and you almost turned around.
You were met by Legolas who solemnly looked you over, and led you to the outside stables. He brought out of a stall a saddled beautiful golden mare. He helped boost you on her, and stayed it while he handed you the reins, followed by a midnight blue cloak. It was cold, but not like it had been. Almost like the beginning of a new winter frost. For some reason this did not strike you as odd... and you did not even look about you even when following Legolas to the stables, so wrapped up in your thoughts and emotions as you were.
"You will need this for the air will turn very chilled, very suddenly. You should not have another episode mimicking what brought you to these gates."
You offered a weak smile, and unrolled the garment pulling it about yourself. He held your gaze at that.
"I will not weave a spell to make it so, but I will make a request. If he has given you the means to return to him, please do so. I beg of you. I fear what will become of him should you not. To be truthful I fear for both of you. An unseen malice haunts him, and I feel it will turn to you as well. Take the road back if you can..." He took your hand and squeezed it, "You belong here... with him."
Even through your misty eyes and clouded mind those words seemed haunting and odd, but overwhelmingly true. Yet you were a human, and he was an elf - did you really have someone to come back to?
"please do not delay more than a month. I know my father, and I dare say, I know you as well. Now go! Weave the spell he has given and ride, else it's power diminish!"
You released the breath you had been holding unknowingly, and looked down at the ring. You hesitated for only a moment before turning it three times to the right.
You felt, more than seen something odd and powerful happening with you at it's center. You could not explain it, but it felt as if a gong had been sounded and the vibrations were still working through the air.
Legolas went to the horse's bridle and leaned in to the horse saying, "Enchantment take her where she is to be. Take her with all due speed!"
The horse took off in a run which caused you to hang on for dear life. You'd never ridden a horse before, and the swaying made you feel as if you would fall off. You instinctively hugged your legs into it's sides and bent down wide eyed. The horse must have sensed your unease and slowed to a trot, then a walk.
"Sorry Enchantment. I've never ridden a horse before." You told her grateful for her change in pace, but quickly turning somber. The horse merely neighed, as if assuring you it was alright, and continued.
Your mind raced a mile a minute, and you were only vaguely aware that things in the forest felt odd, and looked different, as if things were swiftly reversing itself. Snow was becoming thinner then thicker, until finally it slowed down with it's weird ascending and receding, and stayed thick and falling, just as it was on the night you found Thranduil's halls.
You pulled the cloak about you tighter and it kept you warmer than you expected, the hood also cutting the wind from your face. It seemed like hours, but finally you seen what looked like a thinning of the trees, which meant the edge of the wood was nigh. As you looked forward, you realized a blizzard was whipping about the open spaces, claiming the exposed thinning trees and ground.
It began to hit you, and you almost wanted to stagger further back into the forest remain in the protection of the king's trees.
You peered down at the ring and it's single jewel, biting your lip. Your heart fell into a silent despair then. How do you know if he really meant for you to return? Why did he act the way he did? Why did leaving him and being here where you knew your stint with a fairy tale probably ended hurt so much? You had only been with him for merely a week. Correct?
As the wind cut through any exposed skin you had, you reached into your pockets and pulled out your gloves with a sigh.
You did not ask the more logical questions as to why the weather was the way it was. Why the horse knew how to the to the edge of a wood in the direction you needed to go. Why your horse... as you looked down at the side, was equipped with a sword.
You did not question it until you heard the howls behind you, and out of the corner of your eye saw a black shadow streak by.
By the time the pack started coming out of the shadows growling and ready to pounce your senses were kicking in far too late.
Enchantment backed away, then reared up forcing you to clutch on to her for dear life. She kicked out, and spun as they circled and finally tried to pounce.
So this was the way it would end? Down the throats of wolves?
You pulled the sword out momentarily hindered by it's weight, and swung at the nearest predator.
You were ready to fight and die... at the moment. They were pouncing in three's and fours then, even as the horse and your meager strength somehow fended them off. But they regrouped each time, and with each time they got stronger, and both you and Enchantment got weaker. They knew it. They sensed it, and with that became bolder.
Finally, you stared down the eyes of a large black male, you resigned yourself and flung the sword down to the ground exhausted. The wolf dipped down into a pounce, and you closed your eyes... ready to be flung from the horse who was desperately trying to protect herself and you.
You opened your eyes when you heard something whiz out in front of you and looked down to see an arrow embedded deep in the earth just in front of the animal. The pack turned, then shrank back into a submissive stance.
You looked up in the direction they were focused on, and almost cried out in joy and relief. Thranduil was there... astride the white stag, a bow readied with an arrow pointed right at the black wolf.
As the wolf hunkered down, and whimpered he lowered his arrow and focused on the wolf shaking his head. The wolf let out a series of growls and whines.
"No, she is mine. You know you may take whatever you wish in the forest, but what is mine, and what is sacred. Look at her, and see who she is to become."
The pack looked at you as a collective whole, then bowed their heads even deeper. You raised your eyebrows at this.
The pack turned back to the king, and another series of growls and whimpers and whines passed. The king sighed, then looked shocked when you heard the horse neigh, and let out a huff, stamping her feet.
A shocked, pained look came to his face. "Are you sure?"
The horse neighed again and it was like sadness mixed with resolve broke her proud stance.
The pack whined and growled at the horse, which when you looked down at her she closed her eyes. You looked at Thranduil whose mouth was open and tears were brimming in his eyes.
"As you wish. Your sacrifice will be forever renowned."
He turned his attention to you, and held his hand out. "Come -yourname-."
You looked from him to the wolves and back at him again.
"They will not hunt you ever again." The king outstretched his arm even more. "You need to get off of your mount."
Realization of the situation struck you, and you swallowed hard. With a rigid posture and slow movements, you dismounted. You patted the horse's side, and nodded. It merely swung it's head to the king clearly telling you to go.
You turned your eyes on the wolves as you crossed to the king king in front of them. They kept themselves hunkered down low to the ground submissively, not even looking at you. When you reached Thranduil he hauled you up quite effortlessly in front of him unto the stag, and reigned him about. He went several feet away, then stopped and turned.
The pack was rising up, no longer low to the ground, but was in a circle around Enchantment. You closed your eyes, and opened to them only to see Enchantment lay down in front of them, and had to bite down on your cry when you seen the black wolf let out a simple growl before going for the kill.
You felt Thranduil's arm tighten around you, then he spurred the stag around and on. You relished in the feel of it despite your forefront knowledge of what had just been done for the sake of your life. It felt as if you had been given a last chance to imprint his touch, his scent, his face within you.
Finally, he stopped at the edge of the forest overlooking an ancient farmhouse. You could barely make out the outline through the thick snowfall.
"I can take you no further. They will help you find a way to your family."
You twisted around as much as you could to turn back and look at him. "I will see you again?"
He nuzzled his cheek on yours and along your forehead, then lay a kiss on it. "If it is your wish. If you remember how."
At this he helped you dismount, then looked towards the farmhouse ahead.
"Keep your cloak about you, and I pray you do return. Now do not delay anymore, else I pick you up and steal you away forever!"
The exclamation made your heart leap, but still you just stared at him like it would be the last time... yet you kept chanting in your head, "Thrice to the left..."
You nodded and quietly remarked, "Until I see you again..."
You turned and began to walk forward, but stopped and began to turn back to look at him.
"No, do not look back else the spell be broken. Do not look back until you reach the house." he called out behind you his voice strained.
You sucked in a breath and trudged onward, tears beginning to want to form again. Finally, the sting of the icy snow hit you, and you drew your cloak about you as tight as possible. You knew it was only a few minutes, but it felt like a long, chilly, heartbreaking chore before you reached the farmhouse.
It was the back door, and the light in the window promised they were up, and heat was within. Yet you could not help yourself from finding yourself turning and looking back at the vague outline of the woods. You prayed he was there, but through the coiling snow about you, there was no way you could see him.
When you turned back to the door you finally felt how chilled you were, and the snow hitting your skin like a million tiny knives.
You raised a hand, and knocked as loud and desperately as you could.