Chapter 1 Cold Murder
Review and tell me what you think! Please don't flame!
Eorén a half Elf half Man child was a young girl of 17. She lived with her father Eador and her younger brother Orothén in the village of Tharbad.
Eorén's mother had died of childbirth when Orothén was born.
Eorén had long golden wavy hair that reached her waist, a tall slim figure, and her eyes glistened like sapphires on a summers morn.
Her father had taught her well with the bow and the sword, and she out skilled many of the men in the village.
"Eorén?" her father called.
"Yes ada?"(Father) She was fluent in elvish and spoke it without thinking.
"Hurry you must take this message to your Uncle."
Eorén nodded, she was used to running errands for her father, he was a very busy man with little time on his hands.
Eador spent most of his life surrounded by ancient books and would study and take notes from them for hours. Eorén never new what he read, feeling it would be intrusive.
She dressed mostly in clothes of that of a man, she never had time for dresses, finding them very impractical.
Eorén strapped her sword to her side, sheathed a dagger in her boot, pulled on a long grey coat about her, and placed a bow and quiver of arrows on her back. It was a three-hour journey to the Southern Downs, and she wasn't prepared to take risks.
Eorén mounted her pitch black coloured horse, who was appropriately named Shadow. "Norolin, Norolin," she commanded, and took off at a fast gallop.
Eorén's journey was fortunately uneventful.
Upon reaching the Southern Downs, a guard stopped her at the gate.
"Who are you, and where are you heading for?" he asked rather rudely.
She pulled back her hood. "I am Eorén daughter of Eador. I am in search for my Uncle Irieth. Is he within?"
"Forgive me Lady I did not see. Your Uncle has been murdered, scouts found his body discarded in a ditch, just east of here. I am sorry."
"How can this be?" She gasped completely shocked by this foul news.
"Come in milady and you will be told more, 'tis not safe to speak outside where unwanted ears may hear."
She rode in swiftly, dismounted Shadow and placed his reins in the hands of a passing villager, then hurried up the steps to the main hall.
Eorén threw open the doors and bellowed "Will someone tell me what is going on!"
The villagers seemed taken aback by this sudden appearance of this very angered girl.
Irithen, Irieth's son came forth and placed a calm hand on her shoulder, his face was grave and his eyes dark from where he had been weeping.
"Come cousin." He bade her to take a seat.
Wine was poured for her, and she was given slices of bread and fruit.
Her cousin sat opposite her, he took a deep breath before telling her of his fathers fate.
"He went out walking just east of here four days ago. You know how he wanders alone."
She nodded, her Uncle was a solitary creature who tended to dislike the company of others.
"Well as fate would have it, a large group of Orcs was passing this way, and finding him alone they showed him no mercy." He looked away, and Eorén saw his knuckles turn white with anger.
"Then I guess I should put this in your keeping." She took the envelope from inside her coat and handed it to him.
He turned the envelope over in his hands, studying it. Shaking he ripped open the seal with his dagger. It read:
Dear Brother News has come to me that the nine have left Minas Mordor, as riders in black. They cover great distance with speed by day and night, these riders show no kindness. I would double the guards at the gate, better safe than sorry.
Yours
Eador
Irithen nodded, yet looked confused. "How can the nine have left Minas Mordor?"
"There is always evil brewing in Mordor these days." She answered flatly.
Eorén took a large swig from her wine glass, before departing.
As Eorén neared home she saw something strange on the horizon, a faint yet distinguishable orange glow, was piercing the sky through the darkness.
As Eorén travelled more quickly, the glow became clearer through the darkness. Her keen eyes picked up trails of smoke coming from behind the trees.
Yàrthahôn (fire) she thought urgently as her heart began to race.
And then she saw it, something that made her freeze and stop in her tracks. The village of Tharbad was ablaze.
People, screaming through the darkness.
Eorén dismounted Shadow, pulled her coat about her mouth and ran towards the flames.
Where her house once stood, now was a pile of smouldering rubble.
"Ada? Orothén?" She screamed at the top of her lungs, but there was no answer.
It was not long before she found her 9 year old brother.
"Orothen," she wailed. He lay on the ground motionless. She turned him to face her. Eorén almost screamed out in shock, she no longer recognised him, his body was badly burnt, and seeping with blood. His eyes were rolled back and glazed in death.
Tears stung, and streamed from her eyes. "Noooooooo!" Se cried out to the bitterness of the night.
"Ada? Ada? Ada?" She yelled her voice almost hoarse with shouting.
Eorén found her father leaning on a pile of wreckage. He was shaking and wheezing uncontrollably.
She knelt down beside him. "Ihr findéch Orothén dahér." (I found Orothén dead) She chocked at him.
Holding her dying father in her arms she listened to his last words.
"Eorén," he rasped "Orcs did this, there were to many." Gasping he spluttered, "Flee child, they will return." His breath stopped and he spoke no more.
Bringing together as much wooden rubble as she could, Eorén lifted her father and brother onto it, before taking a burning piece of wood and setting it ablaze.
She closed her eyes as the tears spilled out. "Hiro hyn hidh ab wanath,"(may they find life after death) she whispered in a silent prayer. Eorén wasted no time, she jumped on Shadow and galloped away.
Eorén had no idea as to where she was going, nor did she care. As far as she was concerned, her life had just come to an end.
Review and tell me what you think! Please don't flame!
Eorén a half Elf half Man child was a young girl of 17. She lived with her father Eador and her younger brother Orothén in the village of Tharbad.
Eorén's mother had died of childbirth when Orothén was born.
Eorén had long golden wavy hair that reached her waist, a tall slim figure, and her eyes glistened like sapphires on a summers morn.
Her father had taught her well with the bow and the sword, and she out skilled many of the men in the village.
"Eorén?" her father called.
"Yes ada?"(Father) She was fluent in elvish and spoke it without thinking.
"Hurry you must take this message to your Uncle."
Eorén nodded, she was used to running errands for her father, he was a very busy man with little time on his hands.
Eador spent most of his life surrounded by ancient books and would study and take notes from them for hours. Eorén never new what he read, feeling it would be intrusive.
She dressed mostly in clothes of that of a man, she never had time for dresses, finding them very impractical.
Eorén strapped her sword to her side, sheathed a dagger in her boot, pulled on a long grey coat about her, and placed a bow and quiver of arrows on her back. It was a three-hour journey to the Southern Downs, and she wasn't prepared to take risks.
Eorén mounted her pitch black coloured horse, who was appropriately named Shadow. "Norolin, Norolin," she commanded, and took off at a fast gallop.
Eorén's journey was fortunately uneventful.
Upon reaching the Southern Downs, a guard stopped her at the gate.
"Who are you, and where are you heading for?" he asked rather rudely.
She pulled back her hood. "I am Eorén daughter of Eador. I am in search for my Uncle Irieth. Is he within?"
"Forgive me Lady I did not see. Your Uncle has been murdered, scouts found his body discarded in a ditch, just east of here. I am sorry."
"How can this be?" She gasped completely shocked by this foul news.
"Come in milady and you will be told more, 'tis not safe to speak outside where unwanted ears may hear."
She rode in swiftly, dismounted Shadow and placed his reins in the hands of a passing villager, then hurried up the steps to the main hall.
Eorén threw open the doors and bellowed "Will someone tell me what is going on!"
The villagers seemed taken aback by this sudden appearance of this very angered girl.
Irithen, Irieth's son came forth and placed a calm hand on her shoulder, his face was grave and his eyes dark from where he had been weeping.
"Come cousin." He bade her to take a seat.
Wine was poured for her, and she was given slices of bread and fruit.
Her cousin sat opposite her, he took a deep breath before telling her of his fathers fate.
"He went out walking just east of here four days ago. You know how he wanders alone."
She nodded, her Uncle was a solitary creature who tended to dislike the company of others.
"Well as fate would have it, a large group of Orcs was passing this way, and finding him alone they showed him no mercy." He looked away, and Eorén saw his knuckles turn white with anger.
"Then I guess I should put this in your keeping." She took the envelope from inside her coat and handed it to him.
He turned the envelope over in his hands, studying it. Shaking he ripped open the seal with his dagger. It read:
Dear Brother News has come to me that the nine have left Minas Mordor, as riders in black. They cover great distance with speed by day and night, these riders show no kindness. I would double the guards at the gate, better safe than sorry.
Yours
Eador
Irithen nodded, yet looked confused. "How can the nine have left Minas Mordor?"
"There is always evil brewing in Mordor these days." She answered flatly.
Eorén took a large swig from her wine glass, before departing.
As Eorén neared home she saw something strange on the horizon, a faint yet distinguishable orange glow, was piercing the sky through the darkness.
As Eorén travelled more quickly, the glow became clearer through the darkness. Her keen eyes picked up trails of smoke coming from behind the trees.
Yàrthahôn (fire) she thought urgently as her heart began to race.
And then she saw it, something that made her freeze and stop in her tracks. The village of Tharbad was ablaze.
People, screaming through the darkness.
Eorén dismounted Shadow, pulled her coat about her mouth and ran towards the flames.
Where her house once stood, now was a pile of smouldering rubble.
"Ada? Orothén?" She screamed at the top of her lungs, but there was no answer.
It was not long before she found her 9 year old brother.
"Orothen," she wailed. He lay on the ground motionless. She turned him to face her. Eorén almost screamed out in shock, she no longer recognised him, his body was badly burnt, and seeping with blood. His eyes were rolled back and glazed in death.
Tears stung, and streamed from her eyes. "Noooooooo!" Se cried out to the bitterness of the night.
"Ada? Ada? Ada?" She yelled her voice almost hoarse with shouting.
Eorén found her father leaning on a pile of wreckage. He was shaking and wheezing uncontrollably.
She knelt down beside him. "Ihr findéch Orothén dahér." (I found Orothén dead) She chocked at him.
Holding her dying father in her arms she listened to his last words.
"Eorén," he rasped "Orcs did this, there were to many." Gasping he spluttered, "Flee child, they will return." His breath stopped and he spoke no more.
Bringing together as much wooden rubble as she could, Eorén lifted her father and brother onto it, before taking a burning piece of wood and setting it ablaze.
She closed her eyes as the tears spilled out. "Hiro hyn hidh ab wanath,"(may they find life after death) she whispered in a silent prayer. Eorén wasted no time, she jumped on Shadow and galloped away.
Eorén had no idea as to where she was going, nor did she care. As far as she was concerned, her life had just come to an end.