One Year Ago
The innkeeper had run out of arguments. So had the blacksmith. And the Mayer. "Lady, that barrel is rightfully ours and you know it.", scolded Isilme. The frustrated elf stood indignantly in the middle of the yard with his fists on his hips, the picture of impatience. "The innkeeper promised to sell it to me.", the woman countered angrily. "But that was two weeks ago.", sputtered the innkeeper. "You never came for it so I.." His voice trailed off at her look. "A promise is a promise.", said the young woman sternly. She stood in the open door of the barn loft with her foot on the large barrel of wine. The elves in the courtyard below were flummoxed. Why did she have to be so stubborn? In two days another shipment of wine would arrive. They needed the wine now. Lord Elrond was waiting back at camp. He tried again. "Lord Elrond himself sent us to get this wine. He is a mighty elflord and he will be very upset if we tell him you took his property." There. That ought to put the fear of Illuvatar into her. "If he's so mighty why can't he keep his own supplies up?" she said sarcastically. The elf opened his mouth to answer and then realized he didn't have one and snapped it shut. The older elf Tulka strode forward angrily. He'd had enough of arguing with this little hardhead. "Now listen here, you little brat. Give us that wine. RIGHT NOW!!!", he ordered. Humans!! The woman looked at him for a second and then smiled. "Alright", she said in a very agreeable voice. Too agreeable, thought Isilme. He was just about to say so to Tulka when the woman put her foot against the huge barrel and rolled it out the loft door. The two elves turned to run, but were hindered by the crowd of men in the courtyard. The behemoth hurtled down into the courtyard and landed with a deafening crash. Sticky wine shot in all directions, plastering mankind and elf alike. Unfortunately the cork missed hitting anybody and flew across the yard, slamming into the beehive hidden in the branches of the huge tree at the entrance. Immediately, an indignant swarm of bees left the hive to find out who had attacked their beloved home. What met the tiny soldier's eyes was a swarm of humans and elves, all of which were being entirely too loud and aggressive. The little army bravely charged. Sareei leaned against the loft door and surveyed the scene below. "Amazing", she called down to her horse Ariel, "those elves sure can run when they have to."
Elrond and Gandalf cantered their horses down the road at a good clip. Tulka and Isilme should have been back to camp long ago. What in Middle Earth could be taking them so long? Growing worried, the two patriarchs had decided to see what was keeping the youngsters. As they neared the village, a young woman on a black horse rode past them. "Good day, gentlemen.", she smirked as she swept past. "Good day to you, good woman." responded Elrond. As they neared the village Gandalf noticed several bees buzzing angrily near their horses. "Here now", he scolded, swatting at them. "Off with you." he commanded. As they rounded the bend in the road and entered the yard, they pulled their horses to an abrupt halt and surveyed the scene before them. Sticky elves and men were running everywhere and bees were thick in the air. "I'll take care of this." said Gandalf. He raised his staff to command the bees to go. However, as he did the staff slammed into the beehive in the branches above his head and it promptly clattered to the ground between their horses. Before either one of them could react, bees began pouring out of the hive in an angry swirl. Elrond uttered something unintelligible in elvish and wheeled his mount away. Gandalf uttered something a little more human and both riders went careening out of the village at a dead run. "The river" shouted Elrond. "Get to the river." As the riders flew down the road with an angry swarm on their heels, the "watcher in the woods" nearly fell off of her horse laughing. Even Ariel was chuckling.
Isilme ---moonlight Tulka---steadfast Sareei---outspoken Ariel---lion of God
The innkeeper had run out of arguments. So had the blacksmith. And the Mayer. "Lady, that barrel is rightfully ours and you know it.", scolded Isilme. The frustrated elf stood indignantly in the middle of the yard with his fists on his hips, the picture of impatience. "The innkeeper promised to sell it to me.", the woman countered angrily. "But that was two weeks ago.", sputtered the innkeeper. "You never came for it so I.." His voice trailed off at her look. "A promise is a promise.", said the young woman sternly. She stood in the open door of the barn loft with her foot on the large barrel of wine. The elves in the courtyard below were flummoxed. Why did she have to be so stubborn? In two days another shipment of wine would arrive. They needed the wine now. Lord Elrond was waiting back at camp. He tried again. "Lord Elrond himself sent us to get this wine. He is a mighty elflord and he will be very upset if we tell him you took his property." There. That ought to put the fear of Illuvatar into her. "If he's so mighty why can't he keep his own supplies up?" she said sarcastically. The elf opened his mouth to answer and then realized he didn't have one and snapped it shut. The older elf Tulka strode forward angrily. He'd had enough of arguing with this little hardhead. "Now listen here, you little brat. Give us that wine. RIGHT NOW!!!", he ordered. Humans!! The woman looked at him for a second and then smiled. "Alright", she said in a very agreeable voice. Too agreeable, thought Isilme. He was just about to say so to Tulka when the woman put her foot against the huge barrel and rolled it out the loft door. The two elves turned to run, but were hindered by the crowd of men in the courtyard. The behemoth hurtled down into the courtyard and landed with a deafening crash. Sticky wine shot in all directions, plastering mankind and elf alike. Unfortunately the cork missed hitting anybody and flew across the yard, slamming into the beehive hidden in the branches of the huge tree at the entrance. Immediately, an indignant swarm of bees left the hive to find out who had attacked their beloved home. What met the tiny soldier's eyes was a swarm of humans and elves, all of which were being entirely too loud and aggressive. The little army bravely charged. Sareei leaned against the loft door and surveyed the scene below. "Amazing", she called down to her horse Ariel, "those elves sure can run when they have to."
Elrond and Gandalf cantered their horses down the road at a good clip. Tulka and Isilme should have been back to camp long ago. What in Middle Earth could be taking them so long? Growing worried, the two patriarchs had decided to see what was keeping the youngsters. As they neared the village, a young woman on a black horse rode past them. "Good day, gentlemen.", she smirked as she swept past. "Good day to you, good woman." responded Elrond. As they neared the village Gandalf noticed several bees buzzing angrily near their horses. "Here now", he scolded, swatting at them. "Off with you." he commanded. As they rounded the bend in the road and entered the yard, they pulled their horses to an abrupt halt and surveyed the scene before them. Sticky elves and men were running everywhere and bees were thick in the air. "I'll take care of this." said Gandalf. He raised his staff to command the bees to go. However, as he did the staff slammed into the beehive in the branches above his head and it promptly clattered to the ground between their horses. Before either one of them could react, bees began pouring out of the hive in an angry swirl. Elrond uttered something unintelligible in elvish and wheeled his mount away. Gandalf uttered something a little more human and both riders went careening out of the village at a dead run. "The river" shouted Elrond. "Get to the river." As the riders flew down the road with an angry swarm on their heels, the "watcher in the woods" nearly fell off of her horse laughing. Even Ariel was chuckling.
Isilme ---moonlight Tulka---steadfast Sareei---outspoken Ariel---lion of God