South Western Greenwood - Close to Amon Lanc

Legolas had directed the warriors as best as his young intuition and skill would allow him. He knew that the attacks would be spread out, probably in the form of orchestrated ambush - that was the favoured approach of the Shaman tribes. It was a good thing that the Silvan also favoured this tactic too. So, before their camps could be spotted, his first order was to fan out the troops and use as much of the terrain as possible.

The archers took to the higher ground and kept at various distances, he nominated himself to go with them, which predictably pleased Aradan. The other forces took up positions on the ground, in the trees, the waters, anything that hid them and hid them well. The aim of the game was to find their assailants before they found them, which was so much more difficult than Legolas could have ever anticipated.

The closer they crept toward the old ruins the more the forest shifted and groaned, turning against the elves instead of aiding them.

The air was hot and close, their armour clung to their skin with the sweat produced by the suffocating humidity, and the very spores of the trees seemed to be reeking with sickness. Somewhere in Legolas's memory he recalled a time when his mother treated sick villagers after the forest was temporarily poisoned by abominations that they called spiders. He sorely hoped he wouldn't run into such unholy creatures today, for they did bite, his Nana still had the scar on her ankle to prove so. However, this was the least of his worries, his concerns were drawn to the fact that the sun could not penetrate the forest canopy. The dark clouds that poured from the old forest did not seem like natural weather, instead it appeared like a growling wind formed, and every so often it breathed over the area blanketing it in a fearful darkness.

Something unholy was trying to take root in his home and without his Adar defending their realm the power of his people would surely fall against its sickness. That being said they still had Celairiel, and if Tauriel was indeed correct, then perhaps there was reason to hope.

Silently Legolas turned northward one last time, the sky still bright there, the light still beautiful - yes, he had to put some faith in his little sister.

She could drive this darkness back, she had their mother's light in her soul and their father's ancestral gifts in her blood, and for once he wasn't at all jealous of it. In comparison her task seemed incredibly difficult for at least he was trained to go into battle. Celairiel was going purely on instinct and for that very reason he offered up his prayers to Illuvatar. Up until this point his little prayers had been answered so he had no reason to doubt, except for the fear that knotted tight in the pit of his stomach.

He wasn't so sure this time.

xXx

South Western Greenwood - The Clearing by the Ravine

xXx

Celairiel watched the dark clouds swirl less than a league from their position - the last known place she had been with her mother before she was taken. Her fingers curled into tight fists and she wrestled with the tears that threatened to push free...she would not succumb to her grief yet.

"Are you ready?" the soft voice of her new companion asked worriedly, and she glanced off to the right to find Glorfindel freeing his beloved horse and turning him loose.

"That is not a sensible question, I do not think I could ever be ready for this," Celairiel sighed, feeling the painful thrum of energy wreak havoc in her tender fea. The fear and anger that welled up in the heart of the woodland was beginning to grow until she was almost certain she could sense its very presence rage and thrash against the violation of its spirit - something was making it sick, something was twisting it and breaking it's beautifully wild and innocent spirit, making it unsightly and unnatural before the rest of creation.

The spirit fire of the forest demanded justice...'and justice you shall have,' Celairel thought bravely.

"Do not be frightened of your own divinity, Celairiel," Glorfindel warned as he strode up behind her, keeping at a comfortable distance but close enough that she felt safe and grounded. "The spirit of the forest is attuned to your own, you are its ally and it is yours. You are a child of the creator, do not fear commanding creation itself to aid you...it does not rule you."

"Nor I it," Celairiel cut him with her sharp retort, merely making Glorfindel smirk as she glared at him. "You cannot rule what does not belong to you, the land belongs to Illuvatar, to the Valar that built it with His blessing, therefore I do not command the spirit of the forest I only ask it to work in tandem with me, for what is good and right before the Valar and Eru."

"Then that answers my question," Glorfindel grinned knowingly, "you are ready."

Celairiel merely smiled - a timid and doubtful smile - for the truth be told she wasn't sure if she could do this, but if she did not then who else would?

Glancing off to the trees behind her she spied three pairs of uneasy eyes. The first belonged to Olben, he had went with her into the forest for he naturally mistrusted the golden elf in their presence. The second pair belonged to Oliel, his daughter and the closest thing she had to a beloved auntie, would not be made to stay behind. In her words; 'if she could not protect Clara then she would protect her daughter,' and so the elleth had donned warrior's apparel and wielded a spear like she had been born with one in her hand.

The last, and youngest set of eyes belonged to Tauriel - a surprise addition to their small company having only caught up with them before dawn. Celairiel never had much patience for elleth, she found her bold and careless, lacking in understanding, and simply a bit too curious for her own good. It had not surprised the young princess when Tauriel had showed up on horseback bringing news from her brother, in fact she almost half expected it, and for once she was a little bit glad of the elleth's meddling.

The news from Legolas was simple - create a distraction and give him as much time as she could so he could get their parents out alive.

Her brother wasn't asking her to contain this darkness, in fact he probably believed she couldn't, but for the sake of the hundreds of warriors scattered in the forest engaged in various synchronised battles - she was going to have to try.

"If this works..." Celairiel began quietly, not daring to look at her companion, "if I can draw the darkness of that spirit to face me...what will happen?"

"You will not fight it!" Glorfindel immediately answered, his voice suddenly harsh and commanding, "if you manage to draw the spirit to us then I will engage it, and by some divine mercy, I will drive it back to the unseen where it belongs."

'Wh-what if you are not quick enough?" Celairiel struggled with the question, this time she peeked up at the elf her Naneth spoke so reverently about. "What if something happens to you...what will I do?"

"Nothing will happen to me," Glorfindel's tone was suddenly soft again, as he reached for the elleth's hand and enveloped it in his own. The comforting gesture did not wash with her, she was not a child and so she frowned at the remark, but before she could voice her concerns he cut her off with a look that seemed as old as the world itself. "Celairiel," he spoke almost like a promise, "it is not my time to go, and I truly believe it is neither yours or your Naneth's either, but if some ill fate should befall me then you leave here." Glorfindel gestured back towards the three elves standing guard in the woods behind her, "you go with your family and you seek protection in your realm, you have your people to consider in this too, and if danger threatens them then you must see to their survival."

"How will I do that?" she almost croaked in fear, the possibility of being entirely responsible for her people should the worst happen had never crossed her mind. Now it seemed more important than ever to stop this spreading darkness before it took hold.

"Send word to Elrond of Imladris, and to your Grandfather's cousin - Celeborn - they are your father's allies even if he does not acknowledge them. They will send aid to protect you and your people, " Glorfindel carefully instructed the terrified youth in his presence, her innocence suddenly very apparent, it almost hurt him to think that after today the world would forever be tainted and stained to her - she would see darkness and evil and nothing would ever reverse that.

"I pray to all the Valar and Illuvatar himself that I do need to send such correspondence," Celairiel sighed heavily as she pulled her hand from Glorfindel's, his words useful but not at all comforting.

"As do I," Glorfindel assured with a nod of his head, "but, as I said, I truly believe that it is not my time to leave, besides, it would be terribly unfair to have met the beautiful maiden of Greenwood only to never see her again...now that would be a travesty."

"I can see why my Naneth likes you so much," Celairiel smirked at the elf that was fast becoming a firm friend in her eyes, "your flattery gets you far, now let us see if your positivity and faithful foresight speaks the truth today, for all our lives depend on it."

"I have not been wrong yet," Glorfindel assured with a bob of his head as he unsheathed a long and striking sword. His eyes narrowed into the distance, his head cocking slightly to the side as if he listened to something, and his lips formed a thin, white, line.

"If anything attacks us while I commune with forest's energy, I don't think I'll be able to defend myself," Celairiel called warily as she crouched down into the ground, her fingers spanning out on the earth, her feet already bare and beneath her, anchoring her to the roots of the forest.

"That is what we are here for Princess," Olben called as he circled the trees.

"Nothing will get within reach of you, little light," Ollie replied comfortingly, her gaze narrowing as she nodded for her niece to climb the nearest tree, keeping her out of reach at least.

"Thank you," Celairiel breathed the words her voice barely audible but she knew they felt her appreciation, her gratitude for trusting her with this, now all she had to do was trust herself.

Opening her spirit to the woods was as easy as breathing for Celairiel, and it took only a matter of seconds before her heart was beating in time with the forest's own pulse. She poured all her thought into the strange and natural bond she shared with the wild, opening her heart and feeding it all the thoughts and understanding she had on the darkness that threatened its existence. The forest rose up and through her fea in recognition, and in it's overpowering energy she sensed its recognition of the darkness - it was an old evil, an unholy abomination, something displeasing to creation, and something that it feared.

Celairiel gasped at the power that thrummed through her, it was almost too powerful to contain, and she wasn't sure how to even bend her mind around it to make the wild spirit-fire think in unison with her - to ask it to unveil the evil that was hurting it.

"Come on, Celairiel, think around it," she barely heard Glorfindel's command ring in her ears, but she felt a glow of focus - a light and a warmth behind her. It was his fea, and it shone around her, protecting her and reminding her of what she was...she was an elf, an intelligent creation, and would not be overrun by the wild...it would hear her!

With a determined shriek she squeezed her eyes shut and dug down deep within herself, finding the fire of the spirit of the forest and separating it enough from her own, creating boundaries, and making it listen to her, making it hear her!

'Show me the darkness', she directed her thought into the thrumming energy, the symphony of song and noise eventually swirling to a pattern of sound notes she could follow.

'No...not safe...not wise...' the spirit of the wild wood cried back in alarm. 'Run little one...run west...to the evergreen woods...'

'I will not run...I will not fear the darkness...show me...' Celairiel pushed her thoughts again and the tree songs swept up in a cry of exasperation, but there was a tenor of agreement in their song, but also much fear.

'It comes to devour...' the voices sang in warning, '...little child of the light should not stand in the shadow of evil...'

'Darkness cannot hide from the light...I do not fear it...please, help me free my people...help me defend these lands...' Her spirit settled around her oath to defend, she hoped in her heart the wildness of the wood would feel her courage. She let the pearlescent, white, flame, of her own fea burn all the brighter, she expelled it from herself, in the hope her beacon of light would attract the darkness...because the aim of darkness was always to snuff out the light.

And the darkness came.

She heard the hum of the voices of the trees begin to blur together in fearful unison, she felt the very roots of the forest recoil beneath her touch, and she sensed the very darkness slip through her veins like a poison.

Celairiel trembled, her blood running cold, and her heart turning to ice as the great wind blew over the clearing. It massed and swirled, darkening the forest, covering it in dread and making the very trees cower into themselves. Her very ears rang with the sound of it's haunting growl, the malicious intent in it's sweeping movements, and before she had a moment to gather her wits she felt the cruel stab of sorrow and loss slice through her soul...the presence of her Naneth was taken from her in that second. She felt the absence as keenly as if she had been standing right beside her and then suddenly that comforting bond was gone.

"Nana!" she screamed, a sound that was almost animalistic as the forest joined in the feeling of her despair, the loss pouring from their combined hearts.

In her moment of weakness, when she feared she would lose her courage, as the darkness that spread throughout her took root in her heart, the same evil that she herself had summoned in her stupidity, she remembered that still, strong, light within herself. A part of her Naneth that was given to her, a gift of life...her strength.

She latched on to it with all her power, the purity of it casting out the shadows from her spirit, a beacon of light that burned in the darkness.

She stood, refusing to cower in the dirt, she felt strong and able as she held onto what she was before the formless entity of a broken power. Her eyes flashed white and her voice strong and full of life as she commanded her magic with all the force of the forest's spirit at her disposal.

"Cánin i sá tanuvaxe!" {I order you to reveal yourself!} Celairiel roared, throwing her light into the clearing with every last ounce of herself, and with a deafening howl the evil spirit shrunk and, it's ghostly, haunting, wind diminishing in might as the elvish light, bound with purpose, blinded it.

The force of Celariel's enchantment took everything from her, so when the darkness lashed out, it's anger revealed and the identity of it's deathly soul before her, she had not the strength to repel.

For a length of heartbeat she stood in the presence of darkness - one small and lonely light before a great void of horror.

Her eyes wide and seeing beyond, her senses touching the unseen, and for a moment her vision shifted, as if she saw how bleak the world could be without hope and courage. It was truly a desolate scene, and as she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could hide from this and maintain her innocence, she felt the warmth and light of brightness surround her...shielding her.

"Cé ná ulco sís nurtaina... I ettuluvas caninye!' {No evil can hide here... I command you to leave!}

Glorfindel's voice was strangely magnified, almost like it echoed with the sound of many voices, beautiful voices. Celairiel opened her eyes only to be blinded by a burst of terrifying brightness, and the clash of flaming steel against the evil shadow.

The horrific howl that rose up like the dead wind pierced through her ears and sent a jolt of pain through her very bones. The force of the wind knocked her from her feet, and with a weak cry she felt the ground knock the breath from her lungs when she collided with it. The harsh crack to her skull stunned her for a moment, and for the longest time all she could comprehend was the ringing in her ears and the distant sounds of battle swirling around her.

Her senses may have been rendered useless, but her fea still sought clarity, and as she lay sprawled on the ground she heard the whispers of the roots of the trees.

'Alive...alive...' they cried, and her heart pounded in her chest as the encouraging and hope filled urgency of the tree songs called to her, 'the King's Queen is alive...wake-up...wake-up...the shadow retreats...darkness lays no claim here...we are free...arise, arise, little child of light.'

"Celairiel? Oh Valar no!" The panicked voice of Oliel was the first to penetrate the loud ringing in the princess's ears, but she struggled to gain any command over her senses to tell her beloved auntie that she was well.

"It is alright, she is okay," Glorfindel's wearied voice sounded, and with it she felt his strong arms pull her into an embrace.

"What did you let her do?" Ollie shrieked in fear, "if she has been injured there will be no mercy shown to you, my lord, on your head be it!"

"Lasto hi, Celairiel, estelio enni," {Listen now, Celariel, trust in me} Glorfindel's tone was soothing, and clearly he chose to ignore the threatening exclamations of her guardians. She felt his broad hand smooth across her brow, pausing to place the tiniest bit of pressure on her temple; "Cuiva Celairiel, an manya mahtië, Ú i vethed nâ i onnad Si boe ú-dhanna.." {Awake Celairiel, summon forth your strength, it is not the end, it is the beginning, you mustn't falter now}.

A flash of warmth and strength sprang through her bones and her she filled her lungs deep with fresh air. In her exhale she let her eyes fly open as she fought and struggled to sit upright, much to the relieved cries of her audience.

"Did it work?" she wheezed, gripping her head, convinced it was about to spin from her shoulders, "did we bind the darkness...is it gone?"

"For now it is gone," Glorfindel replied, reluctant to release the young elleth to stand on her own, instead he carefully helped her to her feet and kept a firm grip around her waist.

"For now?" she queried her eyes dancing in panic as she took in the blood stained faces of Olben and Oliel. There had been a skirmish by the looks of the orc bodies strewn over the clearing - she hadn't even sensed that! "What happened?" she demanded, shaking her head as she tried to fit the missing pieces together.

"The shadow of the enemy was weak, it barely held an ounce of his former strength," Glorfindel murmured quietly into her ear, "your courage was enough to render his power without root in the forest. You gave me the ability to send the shadow back into the unseen. But I doubt very much he will remain there forever." Before Celairiel could question Glorfindel further she was cut off by an extremely emotional Oliel, who ripped her straight out of the arms of the golden elf in her relief.

"You were wonderful Celairiel," Ollie crooned wrapping her arms around the youth and holding her close, "I always told your parents that you were special, you had to be, I knew from the moment you were born...oh child...don't ever put me through that again."

Oliel's statements were met with much soft chuckling, but that was not the response Celairiel desired, she had not the time to bask in any kind of triumphant. She needed to know - had they succeeded and did they buy her parents enough time?

"Come, we will go straight home," Olben ordered and reached to wrap his arms around both Oliel and Celairiel. "It will be safer in the city, and I want a healer to tend to you Celairiel...that was too much, even for you little light."

"Then I will race to Amon Lanc," Glorfindel suggested as he let out a sharp whistle, no doubt calling his horse, "your brother and father will need all the help they can get; the shadow may be contained but the orc are not."

"I am going with you!" Celairiel demanded as she wrestled free of her guardians and strode, admittedly a little shakily, toward Glorfindel. "The tree-songs are filled with urgency, they say my mother is alive, but I cannot feel her bond, something is wrong Glorfindel! I must go, I will not abandon her to torment!"

"You will do no such thing!" Ollie cried as she glanced nervously behind her to where Tauriel had appeared from behind a tree, "I want you all home safe; we can decide what to do from the Palace."

"Celairiel it is important you remain at home," Olben attempted a different route to cajole the young princess into following commands. "In the absence of you parents and your older brother you are who the people will look to for guidance, they need your presence, it is what you Naneth would want you to do."

"Yes, I daresay it is what she would want," Celairiel replied staunchly, determined to stand her ground, "but I am not backing down. I will not return to the city without my mother and father, because they would do the same for me, for any one of us. She needs me now and I will not let her down."

Turning on her heel she ignored the their protests, and upon reaching Glorfindel and his now returned mount, she outstretched her hand to gesture her desire to ride with him.

"You know I would greatly approve of you staying behind," Glorfindel advised her, an unhappy frown settling on his fair features.

"I was not seeking your approval," was Celairiel's curt reply, "I am commanding you to escort me, the Princess of this realm, to my warriors so I may best decide how to aid my King...is that understood, my lord?"

"Loud and clear your highness," Glorfindel replied with slight smirk as he gripped the elleth's wrist and pulled her up beside him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and in a heartbeat the animal was already hurtling through the woods, toward Amon Lanc and headlong into danger, but at least they rode with hope...the shadow haunting the woods was no more.

***********************
A/N: Can't decide if Celairiel is stubborn like her mum or hot-headed like her dad...or a worrying mixture of both? 
Thoughts?
And...to the Fortress!!!!
I actually really love this chapter because it has so many deep elements that I got to play with and expand on - most importantly the wildness of the wood and Tolkien's discussion of the 'spirit flame' or 'fire' that is in every living thing that was put there by Eru.  So yeah, I had so much fun and gained an immense amount of joy from this chapter. 

I hope you's loved it as much as I do.  If so please don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE etc. 

Media:  One of Us - Ivan Torrent ft Julie Elven.
(Don't know whether I've ever shared this piece before but it's a real inspiration).