Chapter 1

Holly dropped her keys on the ground, fumbling with them with her only free hand. Her other hand held a travel tumbler of coffee, a muffin balanced precariously on the lid. She sighed and put the coffee cup on the ground beside her and bent down to pick up her keys. Just as she managed to stick the key in the lock, the door swung open and Holly lost her balance and knocked over her cup.

"Jesus, Heather! I spilled my coffee!" she exclaimed, frowning at the precious liquid all over the pavement. Her sister smiled apologetically,

"Sorry, Hol. I didn't know you were coming in now, I would have left the door unlocked." Heather bent over to grab the muffin, blowing on it softly, and handed it back to her sister, "Good as new!"

Holly took it from her and took a big bite, "S'all good."

The sisters entered the store. Holly and Heather ran a small botanical shop on the town high street. They sold salves, soaps, essential oils and other handmade herbal remedies. In fact, the store was Heather's. Holly had joined the 'team' to help her sister with inventory, and two years later she could still be found tidying the shelves and preparing new concoctions for their loyal clientele. Truth be told, Holly liked the simple life of running their small store. She had just finished her studies when she had come back to their home town to help her sister. She had meant to take a couple of months off before jumping into her riveting career as an archivist for the municipal government when Heather had asked her to help out over a long weekend to catalogue and organize her shop's inventory. Holly had agreed and somehow never left.

"Holly, please help me! The store is a mess and I just need an extra pair of hands for the weekend. I promise never to bother you again! Next weekend is the biggest selling day of the year and I'm miles from being ready!"

"I'm going to work on the Calendula salves today, is that okay with you?" Holly asked after swallowing her last bite of muffin, "I want to get them done before the petals dry out too much."

"Sounds good to me. I'll start with cutting the batch of soap I set out yesterday." Heather replied before ducking under the counter to get the large tray of hardened soap. Holly caught the scent of lavender and sage, her favourite combination. She breathed in deeply, letting the soothing odor fill her nostrils.

The shop was simply laid out. There was a large display that filled the bay window at the front of the shop. It was adorned with hanging bunches of dried herbs and flowers. On a large swathe of linen fabric laid a sampling of their offerings. In the centre of the room there was a large work station; a counter of white and grey granite over white birch cabinets and shelves. Built-in shelves covered the two side walls, filled with products for sale. The back wall was decorated with charts and hand-drawn pictures of herbs and flowers (Heather was a gifted artist and had done the sketches herself). There was a door that led to a back store room and office space where Heather often took care of the administration of the shop. Holly stuck to the front of house, chatting with customers and preparing products.

Heather had opened the shop after the birth of her third child. She had thought about returning to her job as an accountant, but her husband Jared had encouraged her to follow her dream of opening the botanical shop. Growing up and well into their adulthood, Heather was always suggesting natural remedies for all of Holly's simple ailments.

"A homemade toner of Witch Hazel would take care of those spots!"

Holly was six years younger than her sister. Heather had married young and started a family. Holly had dilly-dallied in school, flip-flopping from field of study to field of study, and never settled down with a serious partner. Something always held her back, kept her behind and feeling lost. Heather had tried several times to help her sister find her passion. Her two years at the shop were the longest that Holly had ever spent doing anything in her twenty-four years. Still, the two sisters were very close and Holly could not have been more pleased with Heather's happiness. Heather had it all, and Holly was happy for her. Still, she couldn't help but feel like she was still looking for something of her own.

It was on this rather innocuous day in her sister's shop that Holly's life changed forever. It was among the salves and herbs and soaps that Holly felt inspired to take a walk that evening. She would go to her favourite spot on the hill outside of town and read, as was a common pastime of hers. She would bring a thermos of tea and her new favourite book, and she would read until the sun crept below the horizon and she was forced to go home. These summer months were to be cherished and enjoyed before the chill of autumn set in.

The air was heavy and warm, there was no breeze. Holly left her sweater and home and threw some ice cubes into her thermos to cool the hot tea. Too hot for a day like today. She grabbed her book and made for the door of her small apartment.

The walk to the hill took about a half an hour. As she walked she observed her neighbours, their families and their children enjoying the warm summer night. She smiled to herself as a dog pulled its owner forcefully on an evening walk. She walked down the main street of the town and down to the small, two-lane motorway that led out of town. Five minutes down the side of the quiet motorway, she found the break in the trees that led her into the forest and down the well-trodden path to the hill. It was darker in the forest and she squinted her eyes to adjust to the dim light. She walked further into the dense foliage, pushing branches and bushes out of her way as she moved. The forest had grown considerably this spring, she thought.

She made her way further down the path, straining to see the exit between the trees that would lead her out of the woods and into the open field on the other side. The hill rested but a hundred yards into the open plain. She frowned when she could not make out the field in the distance. The trees seemed denser ahead than behind. She turned around, looking at the path behind her and looking back to the motorway. She could still see the black asphalt of the road. She turned forward again, looking for the hill. Still she could not see, but she pressed onward thinking her view was obstructed by the forest.

Holly continued for what seemed like too long. She couldn't help but feel like she was perhaps lost, and yet the path was clear behind her, sill pointing in the same direction forward. Suddenly, the sun peaked from behind a cloud and its warm orange glow illuminated the forest around her, providing her with an improved view of her surroundings. She looked upward in awe. The trees had grown tall, taller than she could believe was possible. Their trunks were wide and strong, their leaves broad and golden in the light of the setting sun. Holly marveled at the sight before her. Though spectacular, the forest around her was not familiar to her. It felt foreign and sublime at the same time.

Holly began to fear that she was, in fact, very lost. She wasn't sure how it was possible in the tiny forest that ran along the edge of town. She cursed to herself,

"Heather always says to take a compass. She was probably right."

She began to grow thirsty and tired. She did know how long she had been walking now. She paused, leaning against one of the great trees to take a drink from her thermos. The tea had cooled to a pleasant temperature. She looked back behind her and decided that she would not be reading tonight and that it was time to go home. Holly made her way back down the path and toward the road.

She walked again for what seemed like a very long time, her feet surely following the well-worn path on the forest floor. She began to panic when she could not see the road ahead. She stopped to listen for the sound of occasional cars in the distance but heard nothing but the hoots of owls and the chirping of crickets and cicadas. It was starting to get cold and dark. The sun had set and Holly was scared. The wind picked up and her hair was blown about her face by a stiff breeze. She shivered in her light t-shirt and rubbed her arms for warmth. She was growing very tired. The dense canopy of leaves prevented the rising moonlight from illuminating her path. Holly could barely see ahead of her and she stumbled over roots and rocks as she trod heavily along the path. A thick root, hidden beneath dried leaves and ferns put itself in the way of her weary footfalls and Holly went face-first into the soft forest floor. Her knee scraped against a large rock and she felt the stinging burn of broken flesh.

"Ouch." she whimpered to herself quietly. She stood slowly and sat on the offending rock, rolling up her pant leg to inspect the wound. She could not see clearly where she was so she hobbled over to a large tree under a break in the treetops. There was a little light there, she could perhaps assess the damage. She leaned against the tree and stuck her bad leg out in front of her. It did not look bad but it would need to be cleaned. Holly sat there for a moment, contemplating her predicament. She debated getting up and pressing forward into the woods to find a way out, but the forest was pitch black and clearly dangerous at this hour of low visibility.

I guess I'll have to spend the night, she thought to herself ruefully, biting her lip with worry. Holly laid her head down on the soft leaves that dusted the forest floor, shivering and scared, waiting for sleep to take her.

When Holly woke, it was thankfully light out. It seemed early, by the dimly blue hue of the morning light. She dusted off her pants and arms as she got up and looked around her. The path was still clear ahead of her and she continued down toward what she thought ought to be the road.

Feeling in remarkably good spirits this morning, she was looking forward to returning to her apartment and falling hard onto her bed. She had not slept comfortably on the forest floor, obviously. It was growing warmer as she walked, but it was still much cooler than it had been the previous afternoon. Indeed, the temperature had dropped dramatically in the short hours that she had been outside.

Suddenly, and without any warning, a figure seemed to fall from the sky and land deftly in front of her. Within seconds, there was a dagger pointed at her throat and large body blocking her path. Startled and shocked, Holly looked down the dagger and to the hand that held it, up its arm and at the face of her attacker.

"Who are you and what is your business in the Golden Wood?", the man asked threateningly. Holly scanned his face. A stern expression was plastered on his handsome features. His hair was long, as long as hers, pulled back from his face in braids and silver and glinting. His eyes were a piercing grey, hardened by what seemed to be anger. "Speak!", he demanded, pushing the dagger further into the soft flesh of her neck.

Holly's darted around in panic, looking for an exit. There was none. He was not alone, she was surrounded by men at every angle. Men? She thought. Despite her brain screaming at her that it was impossible, they did not seem...human. Each...thing was clad similarly in grey-brown leather leggings, leather boots and a grey tunic. Many wore grey cloaks that hung long about their legs, quivers on their backs and arrows pointed at her in suspicion. The attacker before her wore the same garb as his companions, save for his tunic, which was a deep muted green. She looked back at this threatening eyes, searching for the rights words. Her eyes flickered to the side of his face to his ears. Holly's eyes began to blur and her sight grew dark as her brain parsed through the impossible sights before her. His ears were pointed, he was not human, and with that staggering thought, Holly abruptly lost consciousness.

Haldir sighed, looking at the woman crumpled on the floor in front of him. He waved his hand behind him, "Rúmil, Taurnil, pick her up and carry her back to the guard post."

She can scarcely be a threat while unconscious, he thought. When she woke, he would find out exactly who she was and what exactly she was doing here.

A/N: Back after a VERY long hiatus (think about 6 years). First attempt at a new story. Please review if you enjoy :) I will try to post something new tomorrow.