Disclaimer: LOTR, and all of its characters are not mine. Sadiya is
/
Sadiya eyed the dark specter on the horizon, drawing nearer to the unknown with each of her mount Zet's rolling strides. Tendrils of the sun's last brilliant orange light clung onto the meadow's tall and damp wild grasses, reluctant to release it's hold on the world. The forest ahead had already banished the day, embracing the dark of the night before its time. The trees loomed ahead. Ink black shadows embraced the space between the primeval giants, weaving, twisting, lapping around their trunks like a dark and unknowable ocean.
Traveling up the great Harad road and then into the little known lands far North of her homeland of Umbar, deep in the Sutherland, she had become accustomed to walking into the unknown. Into the hostile. The Conclave of the Atani had bestowed the honor and task of emissary onto her. At least she liked to think of it as an honor on her better days. She knew the machinations of the political life did not lend itself to altruism. A few in the conclave thought her suited to the job, a few found it beneficial to have her influence distanced, and a few hoped this would be an easy way of ensuring her demise without bloodying their hands. So in the end all found it in their best interest to nominate her as emissary and send her to Rivendell, to the Council of Elrond. Her thoughts on the matter were irrelevant. The North had proved an odd land to her, full of strange sites, people, and confusing and unspoken codes. Her heart ached, pulled upon by unseen strings pulling her home. Even as she headed south, each step bringing her closer to home, those ties pulled tighter on her chest.
Sadi shook her head, banishing thoughts of home, thoughts of the Council and the Conclave. Despite her thick dark cloak with its hood pulled up and the wrap covering the lower half of her face, she shivered as Zet took his first step between towering trees, darkness engulfing them. Her little mount jigged with bottled up tension, snorting and tossing his head as Sadi minutely tightened her reins, asking for him to walk quietly. He soon responded, slowing his steps and lowering his head with a reluctant sigh. She ran her hand along his neck as she peered into the darkness ahead.
While her maps from Umbar had proved rather antiquated the larger land marks had mostly been accurate. She knew through this forest lay the river Anduin, which she could follow down to the Harad road. The map noted an ancient city of elves in the woods, but she felt doubtful about the accuracy of the claim. She had seen no elves of the Lorien forest at the Council of Elrond. Maps in the North were closely guarded and coveted. Her attempts to compare with others had proved futile. Another Northern foible.
The dense canopy above blocked all but the most resilient of the remaining light. Her horse's warm breath misted and slowly curled up, drifting around them brushing, almost caressing the two of them before drifting fading into the dark. Sadi looked around for a place to set up camp for the night.
By the time she registered the twitch of her horse's ears and the tensing of his muscles under her, it was too late. She found herself looking down the shaft of an arrow aimed directly at her throat. Keeping her eyes locked onto the figure in front of her she strained her ears and other senses in a bid to see if she was outnumbered. Though she could hear nothing, her senses told her this man wasn't alone. Or elf?
A cool deep voice emanated from the dark of the fur lined hood, a rhythmic and ancient sound she could not comprehend. The canopy above shifted in the breeze, illuminating the lethal point of the arrow. Her eyes darted from the arrow back to the hood, her brows knotting together almost imperceptibly. The voice repeated in Westron now, "Drop your reins, raise your hands in front of you."
She quietly and calmly followed orders. This was not the first time on her Northern journey she had found herself in such circumstances.
The deep voiced poured out of the hood again, "Dismount. Kneel."
Sadi narrowed her kohl-lined eyes, but gave a small nod of acquiescence. Still holding up her hands she kicked her boots out of her stirrups, swung her leg over, and slid to the ground, dropping to her knees. Keeping her face blank she peered out of her hood and placed her hands behind her head. Zet pawed the ground behind her. Like apparitions materializing from the black three more hooded figures appeared forming a ring around her. Sadi kept her gaze on the one who spoke. "I mean no trouble, friend, I am just passing through on my journey home."
The trees rubbed together in the breeze, a disharmonious and unnerving sound. The figures towered above her, shrouded and ominously silent. They stood as statues, arrows drawn, the only movement the whispering of the breeze as it danced with the fur trimming of their hoods. Sadi again felt her heart ache for the familiar. "You are a Haradrim. And a woman." There was no question in the voice.
Sadi pushed down the fear tightening her guts, willing it to stay out of her voice. "Yes."
"Well brothers, Orc raiding parties and now a Haradrim!" He laughed without mirth. The others remained silent. Hearing herself catagorized with orcs she again felt a chilling fear well up from deep inside her. "Tell me Haradrim, why do you set foot in the Realm of the Lady of the Wood?"
Sadi willed her tongue to work. "I am alone, an emissary returning to Umbar, in the Sutherland, from the Council of Elrond. I was forced to cross over the mountains after my original route proved not only too slow for the news I bear, but also too treacherous for a party of one due to the increasing Orc activity, which you yourself noted. I simply seek passage through the Lorien woods, I bear no ill intent, friend."
"Ah, and I should just take your word on that Milady?" the elf in front of her stated coolly.
If she knew anything about the males of any species it was that an appeal to their ego and maleness went further than threats or pleading. Sadi's voice poured out like warm honey. "Surely a mere woman such as I pose no threat to ones such as yourself," bowing her head and peering through her lashes into the darkness of the hood in front of her "ill intent or no."
"Stand," he responded, lowering his bow and gesturing to the others. As she found her feet she felt a smile playing on her lips that it had worked, as it usually does. However, before her smile could fully form she cried out in dismay as her hands were suddenly jerked behind her and her world went dark as another set of hands secured a blindfold over her eyes. A course rope was deftly wound around her wrists and before she could begin to fight back she found herself quite helpless and subdued.
"Your sweetened words fall upon deaf ears with me, ettelea."
Sadi jerked against her binds hoping to maybe reach the scimitar at her side, "I told you I have no ill intent! Free me and I will leave the way I came!" She received no response. A firm grip closing around her shoulders from behind.
She felt him lean in very close, their hoods barely brushing together as he leaned over her shoulder. "Too late for that dess," the cool, almost sensual voice murmured, faintly drawing out the words. "You have entered into the Realm of the Lord and Lady, your fate rests in their hands now." With that she sensed him straighten up and usher her forward. She shivered and tried to swallow her despair.
/
Elvish Translation:
Ettelea - stranger/foreigner. It is quenyan, I could not find a Sindarin or Silvan word for it.
Bess- young woman.
I love reviews!
Note: So here is a story that has been in my head for years, but suddenly had to be written. I have mixed book and movie, and added a bit of my own imagination, especially with the Haradrim, who are something of an enigma, although they did fight on Sauron's side (stick around!). Sadiya is pronounced Sah-dee-ah. For short, its Sadi - Say-Dee. please stick around for the story, and I hope you enjoy it!
Another Note 9/2013. Wow, 2013. I started and published this story in 2009. Life promptly got very busy for me, and now 4 years later I found myself with some extra time on my hands and thinking about the story. Upon re-reading I realized that before continuing I desperately needed to re-write it. If you liked the story, please re-read this because some things have changed! Also, it is just better in general, at least I hope. When I started this story we did not have photos for the books on here. If someone likes the story and is great at photo shop I would love to have a picture made for it! PM me and we can discuss?! Anyways, enjoy. Translation for any elvish used is at end of the chapter.