A/N: Long have I been in love with the LOTR. This idea has been in my head for a while. So I wrote it, but never got around to posting it. And here it is! This is a Legomance and tenth walker story. I would love to hear what you have to say!
The wind blew through the forest, lending voices to the ancient residents who had seen the time the elves walked unchecked through those lands. Unknown creatures scurried through the darkness, hiding from the light that filtered through the trees.
In a small clearing in the forest a stone house stood. Bundles of herbs hung from the roof, swaying in the breeze. A garden beside the house was filled with herbs and flowers. The grass growing around the house and garden was green and healthy. Stones from the river made a path to the hut.
A girl stood in the garden. She was tall and had skin that was only slightly darkened from the rare moments she saw sunlight. Her hair was dark brown with several lighter streaks in it, and it fell to her waist in waves. Her eyes were dark from far away, but closer they were a warm earthy brown.
The girl was watching the stars glow in the sky when she heard footsteps on the path. Quickly she picked up the several baskets laying around and ran into the hut. She started a fire in the small hearth and set out bread and meat on the small table.
As she was preparing everything, the one who made the footsteps walked in. It was a bent old man. Once he might have been a mighty sorcerer but now he didn't have the magic to start a fire. He had a long gray beard and gray hair that constantly was getting tangled in the bushes of the rolling hills hidden in the forest where he searched for new nasty things to try to bring back his power.
"Girl! Where's my supper? I've been gone all day! Now I get back and I find you lolling around like you are free!"
With the speed of a striking snake he went forward, wound a fist into her hair, and jerked her head down. She winced with the pain but didn't dare to cry out. If she did, he would only hurt her worse.
"You don't think you're free, do you? I can't have you thinking that. Not after that spineless boy ran off!"
She flinched at the memory of the boy. She didn't have but a second of the ease of memory before the old man started pulling her by her hair. She wanted to cry out, but she had long ago decided that she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of seeing her cry out in pain.
The old man dragged her out of the house and threw her on the stone path, making her gasp in pain. He took out the cord he always carried with him and snapped it out.
The girl flinched in memory of the whipping form last time and tried to crawl away. However, the man wouldn't have it. He snapped the whip and sent it flying toward the girl.
She felt tears prick at her eyes and the whip curled around her skin drawing blood as he whipped her again and again. After a bit she realized that this wasn't like the normal whippings. The old man was going longer than usual she realized as she felt a red haze come over her thoughts.
For some time the whipping continued. Several times she lost consciousness, but it never lasted long and each time she woke to more pain. At some point she noticed that the whip was coming slower and the old man seemed to be tiring.
He stopped for a moment and looked her over. He spit on her and said, "You aren't worth keeping. Besides, you'll probably die within the hour."
The girl's head spun as the blood came out sluggishly where the whip had sliced her skin to ribbons. She couldn't hold onto a coherent thought but she heard the old man exclaim in disgust at her.
Suddenly she felt herself being drug along. Every movement was agony as the old man jerked her along the harsh ground. Dirt, grass and other small bits caught in her wounds and would have brought tears to her eyes but at the moment she couldn't feel anything but a numbness spreading from the bottom of her feet throughout her body.
As the old man began to drag her down the hill, she let herself go. Into darkness she fell and she felt as if she were being consumed. Dark creatures haunted her and pursued her through the black depths.
She thought she saw a small light and she tried to go to it when she realized that she wasn't going to the light; it was coming to her. With this came other pieces of understanding. She was lying on cold grass, and the blood had stopped.
The light got closer, and she saw that it was a sickly green light that emanated from a small figure. The figure got closer, but she couldn't determine any features as the light made her thoughts slow and tired.
Suddenly the creature touched her forehead and she was transported away. It seemed as if the girl was in a hall of light. Many others were there and all seemed happy. She wandered throughout the hall watching everyone. Several times people spoke to her each time addressing her as Milady or Queen. She nodded and smiled but inside her she sensed that something was wrong.
The girl went to turn around and suddenly she was presented by a beautiful woman. The woman had long black hair that was darker than the deepest night and skin brighter than the moon. In her eyes stars seemed to sparkle from afar.
The woman smiled at the girl and immediately it felt as if the girl was safe and loved. Then the woman kissed her forehead and said, "Go back now, Daughter of the Evenstar. We will meet again."
Instantly the girl awoke with a gasp. She looked around and realized that she was all alone on the Barrow Downs. The stillness of death was all around. Instinctually the girl knew that if she remained there any longer, she wouldn't live to see another day.
The girl scrambled up as best she could and started to crawl off. Each moment was agony, but she kept going. The grass scratched at her wounds, and the wind blew on her skin bringing out chills.
She finally managed to get down the hill. At the bottom she tried to stand and realized that she could walk, but she had to be careful not to open the wounds. She had to go at a gruelingly slow pace, but she kept moving.
Time seemed to stop moving as she shambled along. No birds sang, and no animals moved around. It was as if the world had sucked in a breath and couldn't release it for waiting to see what would happen to her.
Abruptly the girl exited the Forest. She stumbled out onto the Road and looked around. For a second she thought about going to the town she could see just around the bend, but the thought of seeing other people frightened her. She hadn't seen other people in five years.
Flinching at the memory of the old man, her mind was made up. She began to stumble along the side of the Road in the shadow cast by the trees. It was hard work, but the thought of meeting other people who could hurt her was even worse.
Her body was numb and her thoughts were sluggish as she made her way alongside the Road. If she had had to determine how long she was on the Road, she wouldn't have been able to say if she was there for one hour, one day, or one year. It seemed as if time almost stopped completely so she could pass.
After some time she collapsed. Her dreams were frightful and full of shadows. When she woke up, she was lying beside a bush on the cold ground. Even though she knew the ground was cold, it felt as if her entire body was on fire.
The girl picked herself up and started to walk. Each step was worse than the one before it, but she knew if she stopped then she wouldn't get back up. No matter how hard she had been beat down, she wouldn't give up.
Again she walked for an indecipherable amount of time. As it got late and the cold wind curled over her skin, the burning quieted some. In some buried away logical part of her mind, she knew that the fever was going down.
Once more the girl walked until she couldn't anymore. Then she fell out on the ground. Day after day the girl walked. Nothing bothered her. Animals avoided her. Shadowy creatures at night kept away from her.
One day she could go no farther. She looked around and realized that her journey was over. As darkness came over her she heard tinkling bells close by. Before the shadow took her she thought it strange to hear bells in the wild.
In a dream she heard musical voices say, "Boe thaed." "E boe Elrond." For a moment there seemed to be a bright light shining through the darkness. After a bit the light faded, and darkness took over again.
The girl awoke groggily. She shifted about and tried to get her bearings. Then she realized that instead of sleeping on the floor in the hut, she was sleeping on a mattress with the softest blankets she ever felt and pillows, real pillows.
She shot up looking around. The girl was in a large room with several chairs placed around the room. The room was open to a terrace that had a waterfall flowing by. Sunlight streamed over the land illuminating everything with dawn's rays.
The girl slowly climbed out of the bed. To her surprise she was wearing a long nightgown that was of a thick quality. Her feet were bare and her hair hung down long, unknotted, and clean.
She walked out onto the terrace and gasped. Beautiful buildings spread out in along the bottom of the valley. People moved about in bright clothing with extraordinary voices and gay laughter.
The girl started when she heard the door open. She whirled around, feeling her heart beat faster with memories of torture prominent in her mind. However she was surprised when the person walked through the door.
It was a man with long brown hair and ancient eyes. He had pointed ears and ancient wisdom etched in the lines of his face. He was dressed in long flowing robes that were embroidered with great skill and every stitch showed quality. Everything betrayed him to be one of the Elder Kindred, the Elves.
"Greetings."
The girl edged back a bit and looked for a way to flee. There didn't seem to be any way to get away and she fidgeted in fear.
"Fear not. I will not harm you, neither shall any of mine. You are safe here." After a second he continued, "Can you tell me your name?"
The girl hesitated, but there was something about the man that seemed to make her feel easy and at peace. She spoke timidly, saying, "Which name?"
The man seemed a little confused and he said, "Tell me the name you were given as a child. My name is Elrond, this is my home, Rivendell."
She was uncertain for a moment, for she had not spoken her name in years. He had always called her 'girl' or something worse. With growing conviction she said quietly, "Ranelen. That's my name."
Elrond frowned for a second then said, "Ranelen. That is an Elvish name. Do you know how you came by it?"
Ranelen brushed her hair back behind her ear nervously and saw Elrond stiffen up in shock. He said, "Your ears have points. Do you have Elvish blood? Who are your family?"
"Estelio nin. I wish I knew."
It seemed that she surprised Elrond again. He said, "You speak Elvish. The mysteries around you grow stronger, Ranelen." He waited a moment before saying, "Can you tell me of your past? What happened to you?"
The memories came back in a flash and Ranelen wanted to give way. She staggered over to the bed and collapsed on it as her legs gave way. With the memories came the pain. Her back felt like someone was digging a knife blade into it.
Elrond sat in a chair nearest the bed and looked at her intently. After a moment she got herself under control and said, "Rohan. That's what I remember. I was five when they found me wandering on the plains. I couldn't remember anything, but I was talking in a strange language, Elvish, you said. No one could understand me. They took me back to the King who called me Rain, because they couldn't understand me
"I served under the King's niece for five years. Then one day I was out, and I got kidnapped by a sorcerer. He took me to the Old Forest in the Shire. He, he, made me a slave." She realized with a slight surprise that she didn't know what day it was, thus how long ago the sorcerer had beaten her. "Recently he beat me. His whippings got worse since the other slave, a boy, ran away." She felt tears began to roll down her face. For a minute she couldn't say anymore. Then she said, "He left me at the Barrow-Downs for the dead. I managed to get up and walk. The thought of meeting anyone else was… horrifying. I walked along the edge of the road until one day I couldn't walk anymore and things went dark. Then there were voices saying something about 'helping her' and 'she needs Elrond'. I woke up here. Can you explain what happened?"
Elrond shook his head. He said, "What you went through was abominable. But when you collapsed on the road, Glorfindel and another saw you. They brought you back here. You were near death, but I have used all my skills to heal you. I could not heal you completely, though. Some things are impossible for all."
Ranelen yawned, and the Elf Lord smiled kindly down at her. "You have been through many things, most of which those older than you have not even had to experience. You need rest. I will see you once you are awake," with that he walked out.
At once the tiredness crashed over her. She fell back and let dreamless sleep wash over her, bringing peaceful oblivion to her aching body and overloaded mind.
A/N: Ta-da! Review please and I will try to update soon!
