I sleep alright but in the morning I mount my dragon that is surprisingly still there, and head further east.

After we leave the great mountains I see only distant trees far off on the horizon. I clutch the ropes of my dragon as we soar over the hills of grass and the gentle gatherings of trees, spotting a river ahead of us that runs from north to south.

I angle him upward, wanting to hurry with this trip because of my sore thighs that rub against the dragon's saddle, and my tail bone that is probably just as bruised from riding this long. Luckily the wind is on our side. And we move much faster than we did yesterday.

We come up on the woods, trees of oranges and reds beneath us, looking like a field of fire smeared by the painter's brush, a road cutting through the trees towards where we journey.

Before we left I had checked the map to see what exactly I am supposed to be looking for here; which is large mountains among the trees. The forest road that I spot now is supposed to lead there.

We follow it for hours, seeing old dead trees spotted among the living ones, like this forest has returned from a long lasted sleep, finally blooming again after it seemed to be dead.

The sun makes the leaves seem bright vermilion in this world so not grey... unlike the world I am used to. But this places looks like an explosion of oil paints that my mother had always said were too expensive to let me have.

It is refreshing. And I smile at the sight before me. Even here thousands of feet above the ground I have a little joy in this... maybe it's just the scenery talking.

I duck when I hear small birds fly over me and I grin as I watch them dance in the sky around us.

But soon I come up to a rock mountain ahead. I decide to land there among the fire orange trees a bit far from a visible entrance, the beautiful leaves flowing about the wind under the flapping of my monster's wings. I didn't want to appear to these people with a dark evil creature at my side. It wasn't really the best first impression.

But as I slide off I don't tie up the creature but tell it to shoo. It doesn't seem to know where to go but just stands there. Ah well... whatever.

I had through the trees with a sigh, leaving the beast there but hoping it knows to flee, I don't really want to see it shot by men or elves or anyone out here.

I walk down the road and head towards the short bridge that connects a cliff to the other side, where mighty gates into the stone wall of the mountain are, framed by gorgeous carved pillars, a kingdom inside a mountain. Immediately upon seeing it and the surroundings of falling leaves from the autumn trees I felt as a child in a fairy tale, walking over the thin bridge. But two guards, tall and dressed in golden armor with designs I could look at all day are at the gate as I approach. I can't see their faces from under the elaborate looking helmets. 

I breathe and walk up, them stopping me by saying, "Halt."

"What business do you have here, human?" one asks in a voice less rugged than the others I am used to hearing here.

"I have to speak with whoever is in charge. I was sent by a ranger of the name Strider. If you know him, you know I am a friend. I come seeking your leader's council... whoever your leader is," I explain.

"We don't let wondering travelers into our kingdom, no matter who they claim to know. What council would you have with our king?"

"I need to ask him about this," I say and show them the mark on my hand.

They are very still but their little movements tell me that something in them has changed.

They look at each other and after a moment one says, "We will escort you. Do not try anything or it will be your demise."

I almost laugh but then nod in agreement. "Understood. Thank you." If this is the only way to get answers I should probably be respectful. But when I walk to the door they stop me with their spears in front of the handles. "Remove your weapons," one says sternly.

I sigh and take out my gun, tossing it to the guard on my left. I pull out seven throwing blades from my thigh strap. I remove a pocket knife from my belt... and two more that are a bit larger, handing them all to one elf who now has his arms full. I reach down to my boot and pull out a hidden blade inside, topping off the pile of weapons.

I stand there awkwardly as I wait for them to let me in. But the soldier on my right comes up and pulls out a hand grenade from the pocket of my jacket. Oh yeah I forgot about that.

They exchange a look but then pull their spears back and clutch the handles of the huge doors. They open the gate and both walk inside before I do

Within this dark mountain is a beautiful castle made of roots and carved stone to look like large winding vines and trees. The whole place gleams with natural light from all the openings, making white beams throughout the palace of stone and orange leaves.

Different, intricate rooms are about this place. An entire community inside with lots of people that all have that same look to them... They all have those pointy ears like Ry and this elegant posture and grace about their appearance and their step, like angels from heaven itself. It makes you never want to look away from them.

They look as if they never cut their hair. A lot of them are red heads and blonde, but some are brunette too. They let their long hair flow behind their backs and some with beautiful braids and jewelry, even the men have hair down their backs, the women's locks reaching their bums. The females wear long gowns of brilliant colors of brightness.

The men wear darker shades.

But the whole place is indeed surreal, like a dream. The people move like water in slow motion through a stream. I have never seen such a fantasy before me. I bet they have never had a single zit on their faces.

I get strange looks from them when I pass by, as I am in earth clothes and probably very dirty.

We enter a large chasm with a winding walkway that leads to a throne in the center of the area; a throne made of stone with two antlers on either side that stick out like wings, almost as large as an elk itself.

And in the throne sits a tall, graceful and stunning man wearing a crown of branches and tiny red leaves on his head of a long, perfectly straight white hair that rests on his shoulders and even his chest, his legs crossed with one arm on the armrest. He is dressed in a long, silver robe with a gleaming brilliance about it when it catches the light. His face is so perfect, no age or blemish. And he has the same, dark eyebrows that do not match his hair, like Ry had, though much thicker. There is something familiar about his eyes that I cannot pinpoint. But I can tell that he is the king of this place.

The guard in front of me speaks with a bow. "My lord, King Thranduil. Someone is here to see you. She seems urgent."

He looks down at the hand that rests beside him. "Who disturbs such a peaceful day?" he asks in a very deep, but soft and elegant voice that has booming authority. The way they move seems almost unnatural, sort of robotic but smoother.

But his eyes make me nervous even if he does not look at me directly yet. In a different way than I felt with Strider. I feel small and weak.

I am a bit taken aback by his appearance and poise that is completely flawless I feel like I am dreaming. But this makes me not speak at first.

"Speak traveler. I do not have all autumn." He looks at me and the eyes of shimmering blue like the misty waves in early dawn locking with mine. That doesn't help my nervousness and sweaty palms.

"Uh, your highness," I stutter. "If you will please translate this rune, your highness." I feel embarrassed for the way I just spoke, my words had echoed through the hall of the realm. But I pull out my hand and lift it into the air so he can see.

Once his eyes focus on my palm he immediately uncrosses his legs and straightens himself in his chair, a look of recognition on his face as his perfect brows pull together. He hesitates. "Kela," he commands to I suppose his guards. They bow and leave the throne room. I look after them until they return outside.

Then when I turn around the king has left his throne and is standing before me. Though I did not hear him do so. His height is at least a head taller than me as he stands regal like a couple feet in front of me on the large platform before the steps that lead to his solitary throne

I hold my breath and grow even more nervous being closer to the angelic being.

Now that he is closer I can see his face more clearly, his flawless eyes and brows, his light complexion and perfect demeanor, his hair that is so straight I can't even imagine a single wave to it, his broad shoulders and tall body. I never thought I would be able to call a man both beautiful and threateningly masculine as the same time. But I can now.

He seems less... robotic now and looks concerned. He lifts my hand gently to examine it.

I shiver at his touch, still holding my breath.

He frowns. "Who are you and how did you get this rune?" he demands quietly but sternly, not needing to shout, because his voice is plenty intimidating, with the help of his piercing eyes that stare into my nervous ones.

"My name is Vil. I'm not from here but... my friend... Ry, uh Ryohnin," nearly holding my breath I somehow manage to speak.

He seems to open his eyes and look intense when I speak his name.

"He gave it to me before he..." I stop.

His eyes finally look away from mine at the ground. "Before he died?" he asks in the same tone.

I gulp but hang my head in thought of Ry...

He turns away, his eyes looking so deep they could hold more than a thousand stories. He shuts his mouth that had been opened, his brow still set as he tries to contain something... something dark and sad. He shuts his eyes and breathes, but maintains his kingly posture and lifts his head again to me, about to ask something else.

But before he speaks light footsteps catch his attention over my shoulder. I turn around when his gaze moves to the doorway behind me. I see another... I suppose elf. I am guessing all of these beings are indeed elves. But he seems younger than the king and is tall like him but leaner. He wears a light, short sleeved, seaweed green tunic over a long sleeved, shimmery baby blue one, with grey trousers and thin black boots, blonde hair like King Thranduil but it is not as light, and the top of it is pulled back tightly behind his head with a tiny fishtail braid to keep it that way. Two tiny braids lie behind his pointy ears that flow down with his straight hair. His eyebrows are as dark as the king's but much thinner, and his face looks carved, with perfect cheek bones and flawless skin of a light complexion, and those large, blue eyes. He carries a beautiful bow in his left hand and auburn feathered arrows on his back. "I take my leave the day after tomorrow," is all his says in an accent like that of Frodo's but more angelic and pure. His eyes flash over to mine, seeming to look strangely at me for just a moment, as this is probably an unusual sight just as Strider had said. Especially here where the women all look so feminine and surreal, all wearing dresses of course.

I look back at the king, swallowing again.

He makes a polite bow to the elf. But he doesn't seem pleased. "And you insist on leaving from Rivendell to aid these mortals, do you not?"

I look at the elf as he straightens up, an agitated look in his eye. He doesn't look at the king but straight ahead. "If they need me, I will assist in protecting Middle Earth, or at least do what I can."

"You never hesitate to go against my wishes, Legolas."

"It is where I need to be that I will stand, Ada," he responds with not a tolerance for this conversation.

Is he... the king's son? The prince?

I fix my jacket, self consciously but still feeling out of place.

"Very well," the king says not looking in his son's eye. "You are dismissed."

I look at the prince but not too noticeably. He closes his mouth an almost looks insulted. He leaves without another word.

I stand there in silence and look down.

"Come with me," a voice says and I look back at King Thranduil to see him exiting his throne room. I immediately follow close behind. There is a smaller study down some steps that is away from the eyes and ears of the other elves.

He turns around there, his mind thinking hard about something. "So... let me guess," he starts. "You knew Ryohnin... And he is now gone..." he keeps a sophisticated tone and does not make eye contact with me.

"We were companions. He sent me here to find his father and this rune is all I have of him."

"From which world is it you are from then?"

I close my mouth and seem surprised that he knows this already. What did Ryohnin this king? This king that I feel can read me like a book. Ry always could.

"London—... uh earth?"

"Ah yes the mortal world. He would visit on rare occasion... Until one trip he never came back." He looks up into the distance. "That was nearly a hundred years ago."

A hundred? Does that mean Ryohnin had lived for more than—the king said 'mortal world'. So perhaps people here are immortal? Or maybe just the elves.

"Um, forgive me for asking but did he live here?"

He still looks at the ground, his thoughts layering pictures in his eyes as they are still. "...He was my son," he finally says. "A prince of Mirkwood as is his brother. He was the second born... and the last..." he says this but seems like he does not want to. As if he has forgotten he was talking to me. But he turns to look at me. "And he gave you this rune just before he died did he?" he returns with a stern tone. "And then sent you here?"

"...Yes," I hesitate, wondering how he knows this. And he can tell by my expression that is what I am thinking.

"He had a rare gift that came to him just before his mother died. She gave him his rune just before she left us. Like her before him he could travel between worlds and native universes. We never learned of all of the rune's traits. But there are a few I know of who could unlock them."

"So—so does this mean that I can travel back to earth?"

"That I do not know." He looks back into my eyes, just then I notice they are the same as Ry's. "...But tell me, how did you come to travel here in such little time?" I'm not sure why he asks me this. How could he know of where I came from in the first place? But it hits me. He may have seen the dragon in his realm. I hope they didn't kill it.

"I stole a black dragon from a dark faceless rider," I say rather casually.

"And you do not know, I suppose, that these beings serve no one but Sauron himself?"

"...May I ask who 'Sauron' is?"

"The dark lord of Mordor. Every day his armies grow large in number. Slowly he is rising into power of all Middle Earth. Those beasts cannot be tamed by even the most powerful wizards. And you think it is just luck that you could do so?"

"Well I'm not so sure about luck but, all did was say the first word that popped into my head to it."

"And what word was that, arwen en amin?"

"'Dina'."

"So you have adapted the language of the High Elves I see. 'Dina' in our tongue means 'be silent' in yours."

"But how would I speak a different language without knowing I can?"

"Perhaps it's a mark of the gift in you, human. Now leave me..." he says, something horrible in his eyes, the loss of his son he is just now hearing. He buries the pain and turns away from me.

I am about to leave, placing my hand on the stone wall of the frame... I breathe. Then I turn and look at him. "Ryohnin wasn't just a good friend. He was my companion. He took care of me when I had no one. He traveled with me, kept me warm, protected me. He made sure we always had food to eat even if I could not do so myself. He was... an amazing person and..." I swallow away a lump that begs to form in my throat. "And I'm so sorry I couldn't do more..."

The king doesn't move. His back is still turned.

"I don't want to be a burden here. But... I'm going to be completely honest. I don't know what to do now... or where I should go."

"...I cannot get you home. Nor do I know of a way," he says without emotion, still turned from me. "But I can give you one here. Any friend of my sapling is a friend of mine." He practically mutters that last sentence without realizing who he is talking to.

"Thank you," I whisper, very grateful of his kindness though I do not deserve it. Perhaps he treats me gently because I am all he has left of his son now... and his wife.

I am about to turn and leave but he speaks, "However, if you would want to use your new abilities to save your people or ours... you can end this war, in both worlds."

I frown. "How?"

"I know not of all the power this rune has. But there is another who knew of this gift, one that may be able to aid you further in discovering it. They call him Gandalf the Grey. He knew my son." His head turns angelically to look at me, that lack of emotion in his eye again.

"Where can I find him?" I match his tone.

"Tracking him is difficult. Give me a few days and I will find out what I can."

I look down and nod.

But he then calls in a servant; an elf with long russet hair and a silver tunic enters the room. He speaks to him in an unknown tongue and then the servant waits for me to follow. I look back at the king and stutter, "Thank you, so very much. Thank you—"

He lifts a hand to silence me but bows politely with a hint of a half smile.

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