The Heartless Don't Sing

[Snarky]

The woods were silent, excluding the slight rustle enduced by the breeze. No one could have guessed that an elf walked here, pulling a horse, no less. The horse was silent, knowing his job was to keep moving and not disturb the peace. After all, the woods were peace. The elf kept one hand on the leather reins, and another on his double-bladed sword. His steps were silent as all elves were, and the badge that glimmered when the sunlight hit it through the leaves spoke volumes about his position.

He was a warrior and guardian of Mirkwood.

His hair moved only slightly, strands of the white-blond dancing across his back. His eyes were stern but not neccesarily unkind, a breif moment when they showed any kind of emotion at all and only because he walked alone. He was not patrolling on official time, but he could still make an official arrest. He waited for any sound or sign of another being in the woods. This far out, no one from Mirkwood without a badge would dare walk. He was ready, as he always was. Ready for anything.

[Mushu]

Aly walked aimlessly through Mirkwood. She hadn't brought he bow and arrows but she had a secret knife hidden in her leather boots, just in case. She wasn't really worried though, she heard a guard was in the forest somewhere and if she really was in danger he would come to help her. She hoped she wouldn't need it. She didn't want to disturb his peace and quiet. She knew she probably would but she would try her hardest not to.

Aly walked in silence looking at the blooming flowers on the ground and the leaves on the trees. She walked with her hands out to her sides. She began to run. She wasn't running from anything but the summer breeze invited her and urged her to run. So she ran, waving around the trees and bushes. She was running to fast and couldn't stop fully before she ran right into the guard.

"Whoops! Ow, Sorry." Aly said as she fell to the ground and landed on her butt.

[Snarky]

Sgaile heard her coming long before he saw her, but when he saw her she almost seemed to materialize from the trees. She grazed his arm and fell, but he was able to step aside. His horse snorted and stomped a foot, but seemed to have no other complaint. Before the young girl could stand, he put his sword to her throat. She was an elf, but a rather careless one it seemed.

"What is a Rivendell elf doing here? You are being rather careless, girl. And orc or goblin in these woods would have heard you from miles away."

He surveyed her condition briefly. It was obvious she had been running for a while before running into him, and her clothes marked her clearly as Rivendell. As a matter of fact, they were better than most regular elf clothing. The thought made him wonder, but he kept his face a mask of stone as he pressed his sword into her throat, not hard enough to hurt, but to prevent her from getting up without an explanation.

[Mushu]

Aly was kind of scared. She thought it was a guard, and the guards were suppose to know who she is. Or so she thought. Maybe it wasn't who she assumed he was. "I'm Aly, Princess of Rivendell. And I know what I was doing. An orc would not have gotten me nor any goblin. I could have got you just then if i had wanted to, but i thought you were a guard from dad's castle. I wouldn't have killed you or anything but i might have paralyzed you or something." She said, proud she hadn't backed down or anything. Aly was still on the ground so she added. "Can I get up now? I don't want to sit on the ground."

[Snarky]

Sgaile's mind flew. The princess of Rivendell, here. It didn't make any sense. Was she spying? The thought made him growl and press his sword harder, being sure not to cut her delicate skin. He shook his head, whistling through his teeth. The sudden noise made a few birds take off, and it was shrill even to his ears. His mount headed over, the stallion's head bobbing with every step. He bent his head to Sgaile's outstretched hand, seeming to understand what his master wanted.

Bending his legs, he grasped Aly around the waist. Throwing her on the horse's back, he put the sword at her leg. "Do not move," he warned her, "because until I believe your story, I will not hesitate to cut you." His face was stern, and he watched her face for any sign that she would bolt as he clicked his tongue behind his teeth. The brown stallion picked up his feet and began a fair pace back toward the castle.

The princess of Rivendell...

[Mushu]

*The guard didn't believe my story.* Aly thought as she was hoisted onto his horse. When he threatened her she just nodded her head numbly. Aly's eyes were frantic behind her eyelashes. *How could he not believe me?* She thought, she had to hold in the powerful urge to yell. 'I am the princess! Why don't you believe me!' But she knew if she showed any kind of rashness the guard wouldn't hesitate to slice her open. She did have her little knife in her boot but she knew it would do no good against his sword. She was quick but knew she couldn't outrun a horse. Then again, she thought about the possibility of his horse running through the brush and thorns in the forest. And his horse's ability to weave through the trees as easily as she knew she could. She had a mischievous look in her eyes as thought about these things. But she knew that if he saw it in her eyes he would assume something and end up hurting her. So she pulled together her face and held it there, so he could tell what she was thinking about by looking at her face.

[Snarky]

Sgaile did his best to keep his eyes on the path ahead of them, but after a short while he relented and surveyed the girl. Princess of Rivendell...perhaps she had some news for the king? But if she had, why didn't she say so? She bared no mark of messenger, so he ruled that out. The horse's clomping was the only sound for a few yards, but eventually some leaves rustled. Sgaile grabbed his sword, yanking it out of his sheath and twirling it in the air, having it pointed ahead of him in attack mode in one smooth move.

The monster that poked his head through had an arrow already knocked and ready to go, so even though Sgaile sliced through its neck, the goblin's dead fingers sliding off the bow string sent the arrow flying. Sgaile sidestepped, letting it graze his neck instead of soar clean through it. He bit back a cry of pain, bending over and holding a hand to stem the flow of crimson blood that fought to leak. He glanced up, grabbing the reins and jumping on behind the girl.

He dug his heels into his mount's side, and soon the trees were soaring passed them. He had bigger things to worry about now.

[Mushu]

Aly was scared, but she hid it cleverly behind a face of stone. When the horse began to run Aly hung on as tightly as she could without hurting the horse. She saw the monster come out of the trees with the bow cocked and ready. She was surprised the arrow had hit the man. The arrow was poorly put in the bow, and the bow was really run-down. But when he was hit she was surprised. *How could a bow so poorly knocked hit him?* She thought to herself as the horse raced on.

[Snarky]

Mirkwood was looming ahead, the giant castle visible through the thick trees. Sgaile kicked harder, and the horse pushed with an extra burst of speed. His neck was covered in sweat, but he was loyal and knew he had food waiting for him in the stables. When they reached the castle stairs, there were a few guards with stunned faces, but they stood their posts nonetheless. Sgaile dismounted, a hand on his neck and another extended to help Aly down. There was a panicked look in his eye, though he tried to hide it with a stern face.

[Mushu]

Aly could see the guard was panicking. She extended her hand and grabbed his. When her feet touched the ground she straightened and looked behind them. She wasn't sure if one of the monster's buddies wasn't going to follow them or not. So to make sure she turned and didn't see anything, nothing with her extra elven sense either.

"You need to get that checked." Aly said as she turned to face the guard and saw how bad his wound was. She could be wrong and it was nothing serious, but on the other hand she could be exactly right and he could die if the arrow was poisoned. If that was the case and the guard was going to die, she would do everything in her power to make sure his family was taken care off. And pay all his bills if it costs any money to have it fixed. While Aly was being wracked with guilt she was continuing to stare at the guard and his wound.

[Snarky]

Sgaile was taken aback at her concern and almost balked, but was sure to smoothly cover it with an oddly professional looking twitch of his head in the direction of the large marble staircase they stood beside. "You will take a council with the king." His voice was hoarse, and his hand unconsciously clamped tighter at his throat. It had stopped bleeding, but he was as aware as she that poison could be flowing through his body. His duty to the king was first and foremost, and he pushed her on silently with his eyes.

He stood behind her, fully aware that she could try to run if he did not. A slightly faint feeling came over him, and he fought to stay awake. He was strong, and he would fulfill his duty to Mirkwood by seeing this girl to King Legolas. The two armed guards that stood on either side of the staircase watched him with thinly masked concern, but he simply indicated his horse and the king's stable boy ran over to take him away.

It was showtime.

[Mushu]

Seeing that they weren't making fast enough progress to the castle Aly grabbed the guards hand and urged him to run faster. If he was one of those guards that would sacrifice themselves for their king she would make sure they got done with the king as soon as possible so the guard can be looked at. "Hurry up! We need to get there now! Hurry!" She told the guard, she really didn't want this man to die of her foolishness.

[Snarky]

Sgaile was taken aback yet again by her obvious concern for his health. He flinched at the thought that he could be taking her to her death, but if she was as she said there shouldn't be a problem. He pulled his hand out of her grip, a stern mask on his face. They were at the doors, and the second set of guards had already begun to swing it open at the sight of Sgaile. He lightly pushed Aly through, knowing full well Legolas must already be aware of the situation and waiting for them.

The court was as white and shiny as always. Sgaile winced a bit at its brightness, but didn't falter in his steps. Eventually, they reached the place where a young female elf was currently holding her bulging stomach and pleading for something from her king. Legolas looked perfectly concerned, not wearing the normal indifference shown by kings. Sgaile stood still, waiting for the turn he had called for.

[Mushu]

When the guard pulled out of her grasp Aly gasped. Taken aback that he would refuse help. At least they were at the doors, otherwise Aly would have tried again. When Aly entered the castle she was flabbergasted. It was beautiful. And really bright. When they reached where she presumed 'Legolas' was they stopped. He was seeing someone at the moment and they had to wait. The female that was talking to him was pregnant and when Legolas talked to her he seemed honestly concerned. Like her father was when he talked to civilians.

[Snarky]

Sgaile glanced at Aly out of the corner of his slanted eyes. She was peculiar. She seemed honestly concerned about his safety, although he could not fathom why. He knew that in a few short minutes her fate would be decided and he would not be in the room. Perhaps he could wait outside? No...he was becoming attached. It wasn't something he did. He was solitary. The girl would not grow on him like some fungus.

When a throat cleared, Sgaile realized that his mind had drifted while he had been waiting for his king's council. He was embarrassed, but managed to quickly make up for it by stepping forward and kneeling, murmuring an introduction for Aly and explaining where and how he had found her. Legolas listened, keeping his gray eyes on the girl as his guard spoke. Then, he sent Sgaile away with a knowing look in his eyes.

Sgaile waited outside the door.