1 John 4:18

{There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear.}

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Eilonwy

-Love.

noun: an intense feeling of deep affection.

I sigh as I stare down at my clumsy scrawl and my bland definition. I look up at Estrith, Roshi, and Sylmae as they shriek and giggle, chasing each other around the room, and I smile to myself. Legolas, Aragorn, and several of the other males left early this morning after the feast to go on a hunting trip in the forest near Minas Tirith, so I decided to spend time with my favorite little girls. The males will be back soon though. There are to be large feasts held everyday of this week in honor of newborn Prince Feyrith, but these are going to be a bit smaller than the one last night.

"Estrith," I call to her softly, and she looks up at me immediately, her innocent blue eyes wide and her cheeks flushed from running and laughing, "Come here, please. I have something to ask you."

She easily accepts my request and runs over, crawling up into my lap. "Yes?"

"What does love mean?" I ask her, "What do you think love is?"

I decided to write different people's definitions of love down in a journal. In my past life on earth, I loved writing. I would always look up writing prompts on Pinterest in order to keep my creative juices flowing, so I decided this morning that I would greatly enjoy starting up this ritual again.

Her nose crinkles in thought before her eyes light up with an answer. "That is easy, Lady Eilonwy!" she says as if I am slow minded, "Love is what you and Legolas share."

I laugh brightly at her answer, trying to contain the burst of joy that erupts in my heart, filling me with warmth as I think of Legolas. "Okay, thank you," I tell her, and she hops down from my lap, running back to her sisters.

Estrith's definition of love:

-What Legolas and I share.

"Roshi," I address the young seven year old, "What do you think love is?"

She is silent for a moment as she ponders my question. "I think that love is caring very deeply for someone else and putting their needs before your own."

I nod and smile. "That is a very clever answer. Thank you."

Roshi's definition of love:

-Caring deeply for someone and putting their needs before your own.

"And, Sylmae, what is your own definition of love?" I ask the oldest child.

"Love is putting your faith and trust in someone, and it is giving them your whole heart."

"Why would you give someone your heart?" Estrith asks in horror, "You would die!"

Sylmae rolls her eyes, an amused smile pulling at her lips. "I meant that figuratively, Estrith," she says with a small sigh as she shakes her head in exasperation.

Estrith looks up at the ceiling with a confused expression as she mouths the word 'figuratively' to herself. I laugh and quickly write down Sylmae's answer.

Sylmae's definition of love:

-Putting your faith/trust in someone and giving them your whole heart.

I close the leather journal that I found in my room last night where it was hidden amongst dozens of other books on my bookshelf, and I stand from my seat at Estrith's vanity. "All right, girls. Would you like to visit the gardens? Fresh air and sunshine will do us all good."

At their answering screeches of 'yes', I am soon half jogging down the corridors of the castle after the hyperactive girls. I mentally tell myself how thankful I am that Aragorn is not around, but I still pray that we will not run into Arwen or any of the other royal ladies. I love children, and I have no problem with them being loud or very playful. I just worry about what others might think.

I burst through the doors after the girls, relishing in the warmth of the Sun's rays that shine down upon us in the garden. I gasp lightly, completely enchanted by the ethereal beauty of the garden in the daytime. The torches that light the garden at night give no credit to the true splendor of the colorful garden. The grass and green bushes and plants are all an incredibly bright green color, and I feel as if I am looking at a picture taken by a professional photographer who has just gotten finished airbrushing it to make the colors more vibrant. The butterflies that populate the massive garden are all bright neon colors ranging from yellow to blue to orange, and they float so gracefully, as if they are bending the air to cling to them as they fly. The flowers are like nothing I have ever seen before. At night, they looked normal, but during the day there is a glow that radiates from the petals.

I am instantly reminded of the attack I had a few days ago, and I swallow hard, looking away from the flowers quickly.

As the girls run around the garden and play, I sit down on the swing that I sat in last night, and I open my journal. I stare down at the words, attempting to think of more things to write, but the words just seem to swirl together in my mind. I think of last night again, of the intensity of Legolas's eyes as he told me that he is in love with me and has been for four years. At first, I was a bit insecure. What happens in the visions? Do I do anything embarrassing in them? But the fact that Legolas fell in love with me through them shows that I must have been doing something right.

I felt stupid when I started crying in front of him, but I have always been a very emotional and sensitive person. Back on Earth, people who are sensitive were looked down upon by society. The world had this idea that people have to be tough, to the point of almost unfeeling. You had to be able to take a joke without getting your feelings hurt. You could not blush in embarrassment when you were called on in class and did not know the answer or else you were shy. As if shy is the worst possible thing a person could ever be. I have always been shy and sensitive, and I would rather be those things than cruel, hateful, callous, or unfeeling. To be able to be empathetic to others is something that is very rare, and I think being in tune to how others are feeling is a very, very important trait when building character. How are you to be kind when you have no idea how to be empathetic towards people feelings? This is why I am so thankful for my new life here in Middle Earth. The people I have met are wise and understanding. They do not look down upon me for my shyness or my sensitivity. Especially Legolas.

"Estrith! Estrith? Where are you?"

I look up when I hear Sylmae calling for her sister. My eyes cut through the garden around us, trying to find Estrith. My heart drops in my chest when there is no sign of her. I stand, tossing my journal onto the seat of the swing, and I run toward Roshi and Sylmae.

"What is wrong? Where is Estrith?" I ask them quickly. I try to keep the hysteria out of my voice in order to not scare them, but from the panic written clearly on their features, I can tell that I did not do a good job.

"I do not know!" Sylmae cries as she looks around the garden, "She was here just a moment ago, and now she has disappeared!"

"Come, we will find her," I say. I take the skirts of my dress in my hands and begin running through the maze-like garden. Normally, I would not worry about Estrith. She tends to run off and do things on her own. But for some reason, I have this horrible sense of danger that strikes me right to the core, and for the first time in a long while, I feel pure, raw fear. I hear my heart pounding in my ears as I run under the long archways and through rose bushes that slice my skin with their sharp thorns, but the pain barely registers in my mind. I stop short when I hear singing, and my body freezes in fear at the eerie sound.

"There once was a girl who was pure as snow,

She walked through her garden to and fro.

Evil nor fear lived in her heart,

But the snake hiding in the shadows was very smart.

"Eat from the Tree," the snake persuaded her,

"I promise that no harm shall come to thee."

The girl took an apple from the tree, its skin bright red and glistening,

She took a bite as the wind was whispering,

And soon her heart ceased its beating.

There once was a girl who was pure as snow,

She walked through her garden to and fro."

Estrith's innocent laugh echoed around me as I tried to find her. "That is a very pretty song!" she exclaimed to the unknown woman who was singing to her. The lady's voice was enchanting, but the words of the song were poisonous. Tears started to collect in my eyes as I searched for Estrith.

Please, God, please help little Estrith. Keep her safe from evil, I pray as I run through the twisting maze of the garden.

"Thank you, my child," the voice replies, and shivers shoot up and down my spine, "I must leave you now, but I will leave you this gift so that maybe you will always remember my song."

The voice was as soft as silk, but there was an underlying edge to it that sent panic flurrying in my mind as I pushed myself to run faster.

"Aww," Estrith pouted, "Do you have to leave? I want to hear another song!"

"Estrith!" I cried, but she did not answer, almost as if she could not hear me.

"Do not fear, little princess. I am everywhere. All you need to do is sing my song, and I will come," the lady replies with a soft laugh, but her words sound off warning bells in my mind. I am everywhere.

"Farewell," the voice says in a slight mocking tone.

I turn left and enter a small square shaped clearing. I spot Estrith standing in the middle of it, but relief does not enter my mind as I see her holding a bright red apple. Her hair spills over her shoulders in beautiful chestnut waves, and her eyes stare at the apple in wonder. Her eyes are a silvery-white color, and they are literally glowing as she stares at the apple. She is under some sort of trance. As I look at her, I am reminded of the song the lady was singing to her. "There once was a girl who was pure as snow." Beside her sits a basket of the same unnaturally bright apples, and I scream as she goes to take a bite.

"No!" I scream in terror, the sound ripping through my lungs and throat painfully, and my arm shoots out as if to grab her, but I am nowhere near her. The fear of not being able to stop her overwhelms my mind, and in the next second, something strange and terrifying happens that I am positive I will remember for the rest of my life.

I feel a rush of overwhelming heat spread from my chest to the rest of my body. The heat shoots through my veins and muscles, making me feel stronger and powerful. The heat is intense, like liquid fire, as it shoots down my arm to my fingertips, and I stare in horror as Estrith suddenly flies backward, as if pushed roughly by some unseen force, and she falls on her back about a yard away from where she was just standing. Her body is limp as she lies there motionlessly, her head lolled to the side, and the red apple rolls out of her hand, perfectly untouched by my powers as it continues to glisten mockingly in the sunlight. The heat begins to dissolve from my body as I stare at her small, innocent figure, and a stray tear falls down my cheek. I am left standing there in shock and confusion.

"Estrith!" Sylmae screams from behind me, she and Roshi only now entering the clearing. She runs to her sister's limp body and kneels beside her. She shakes her as if to wake her up, but Estrith stays unconscious. Roshi watches silently, tears streaming down her face.

"How dare you!" Sylmae screams suddenly, snapping me from my frozen state of fear. Her eyes are cold and furious as her gaze cuts into me like a knife. "You hurt her!"

"I- I did not.." I try to say, but I am so confused and dazed by what happened that I cannot form a coherent sentence.

"What is going on?" demands a sharp, worried voice, and I turn to see Galadriel running into the clearing, Lady Celebrian, Queen Nithroel, and Arwen following close behind.

Arwen gasps and runs to her daughter, crouching down beside her. She pushes Estrith's hair out of her face tenderly as Queen Nithroel checks her for injury.

"It is Eilonwy's fault!" Sylmae exclaims, tears pouring down her face as she sobs, "She did this! She hurt Estrith!"

All the ladies' eyes turn to me in confusion. I shake my head, still staring at the small body of Estrith. "I- I did not mean to hurt her."

Galadriel watches me warily as I breathe heavily, sweat clinging to my forehead. "Tell me what happened exactly."

"Eilonwy reached out toward Estrith, and the wind in the garden seemed to change, as if it was surrounding Eilonwy. Estrith flew backwards through the air and landed hard on her back. It was as if something invisible attacked her, and it is Eilonwy's fault! She hurt Estrith! She attacked her for no reason!" Sylmae answers, still sobbing.

"I did not attack her," I state firmly, the haze clearing from my mind, "I protected her." I walk toward them and pick up the basket of apples. I take one out, holding it up for the others to see. "These apples are poisonous, and Estrith was about to eat one." I gesture toward the forgotten apple lying in the grass beside the little girl.

Arwen looks at me, fear shining in her eyes. "Where did she get these?"

I shake my head. "Someone gave them to her. A lady, I think. We were all sitting in the garden when Sylmae noticed Estrith was gone. We searched everywhere for her. When I got close to this clearing, I heard a lady singing. It was an eerie song, speaking of a girl eating an apple and dying because it was poisoned. Estrith did not understand the lyrics apparently, from what I heard of their conversation. She was laughing and talking to the lady. The lady said she would come whenever Estrith sang her song. She said, 'I am everywhere.'"

"I came into the clearing, but I saw no one else except for Estrith. She was holding that apple and was about to take a bite of it, but I screamed for her to stop and reached out to her. I- I do not know what happened really. I felt this intense heat surging through my veins, and then Estrith was flying backward as if I had hit her. I did not mean to harm her! I was trying to stop her from eating the apple, to stop her from dying!" My voice is nearly hysteric by the end of my explanation.

Galadriel nods. "I know that you did not mean to harm her," She says hastily and then gathers Estrith into her arms carefully, "We must get her to a healer. No one speaks of this." She stands, along with everyone else and runs out of the clearing, the ladies following behind her closely.

I turn to Roshi and Sylmae who both have tears still running down their cheeks. "I am so sorry for blaming you, Lady Eilonwy," Sylmae says quietly, sinking into a small curtsey, "I could only go by what I saw. You can only imagine how afraid I was at your use of... of magic."

I fight the urge to hug her. The fear from earlier is still very present in my heart, but for a different reason now. I am afraid of hurting anyone else. The image of Estrith's small, possibly broken frame is now permanently seared into my mind. I did not save her from harm, though I did save her from death. I am relieved that she did not eat the apple, but guilt crushes my heart in its strong fist, making it difficult to breathe properly. I hurt her. I hurt my sweet, innocent little Estrith. How am I going to live with myself knowing that I am the cause of her pain?

"It is alright, Sylmae," I say quietly, "I would have blamed myself, also, had I been in your position. It is still my fault that she is hurt."

Sylmae goes to take my hand, but I jerk it away quickly. Hurt flashes in her eyes, and the guilt tightens my chest painfully.

"Please," I beg, "Do not touch me. I do not wish to hurt you, too. I think it is best if you follow the others to the healer's wing. I need some time to myself."

Sylmae nods hesitantly, and she and Roshi walk to the entrance of the clearing. "Lady Eilonwy," she says, and I turn to look at her, "Thank you for saving my sister. A few broken bones is a thousand times better than death." With that, she and Roshi disappear behind the wall of greenery.

I stand in the clearing for a few moments before the memory of the mystery lady's singing, evil voice comes back into my mind. Unashamed of feeling afraid, I run from the clearing, grab my journal from the swing once I reach that section of the garden, and then I race to my room, seeking solitude in this time of darkness.

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A/N: Good job to everyone who picked up on the foreshadowing in the chapter before! There is only more action and mystery to come! Forgive me if the song isn't that great. I kinda suck at poetry, but hey, I tried! Incase you are wondering, I used an Adam and Eve theme for the song (which is a Biblical story). I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I tried to get this one up soon in recompense for the last chapter taking three weeks to write. Please comment and tell me what ya think, but REMEMBER THE GROUND RULES. Please and thank you! haha :) love y'all and I'll see ya next chapter!

Love,

Josie <3