Authors note: Alright, this is my very first story I have ever considered submitting, so Please be kind, and R&R.

That first night...What a night to exist. Staggering through the thickly laying snow on the flat plains of Delanco, The elven realms, stooped a slight and hooded figure who looked light enough to be swept away in the passing Gail winds. Each step was agony, the cold of the night seemed to creep into her very bones making them stiff and feel as if they were about to drop of and shatter into a thousand pieces. Yet despite the condition she tramped on, clutching a grubby bundle to her chest, Her robes wrapped tightly around it to supply extra heat. Squinting from beneath the dark folds of her hood she spotted in the distance a lighted window. Her Haven.
She dragged her feet through the thick snow, the hems of her robes soaked and stuck to her limbs. Her teeth were chattering, and she felt light headed. She knew she had to get her precious load taken care of and by anyone who could protect it, she already knew that her end was near and she could already feel the breath of death on her neck.
Finally she found the door of a small mansion, pressing her whole body to the door, pounding her fist against the hard wood, causing her frozen hand to feel as if it was being shattered..

"Please! I beg of you. Let me in, or come the morning I am a dead woman!" She called, her voice hoarse and pained, as she continued to hammer on the door.

Finally the door slowly opened and a middle aged woman stood in the door way, her face pale and heart shaped, Her auburn hair pulled up in a bun. She was friendly faced and the sort of woman you felt yourself automatically respectful of. Her clothes were simple, obviously a servant as she wore a mud brown dress with a simple white apron wrapped around her waist.
Upon seeing the figure in the door way she stood back and helped the female in, who in a matter of moments fell to the floor ,only just missing crashing her head on the stone floor by the servant's arms and she too dropped beside the fallen figure.
Looking up at the what she guessed was a maid, her hood fell back to reveal the snow pale skinned female, with wavy locks of almost white blonde hair pointed elven ears sticking out from beneath the delicate waves of hair , and beautiful almond green eyes, and she grasped a gold chain around her neck and tugged it from her neck, placing it forcibly into the woman's clammy hand. Her whole body shaking.

"My petal? What is that matter? What can Aggie do for you?" Questioned the maid named Aggie.
The young elf smiled softly before pushing the bundle into Aggie's arms, allowing herself to fall to the floor.
"Look after her. She is so special. Make sure she al-always has that necklace. When she's old enough things will work out..." She breathed her eyes half closed her breathing more shallow. "Will you do this favour for me?" she questioned looking up at Aggie with pleading eyes.
The serving woman peered at the bundle, gently moving the grimy sheets, and laying nestled in the warm folds was a tiny infant no more than a few months old, fluffy tufted hair sticking up on her head, tiny pointed ears twitching in her sleep, Aggie then looked down at the woman softly, stroking her hair away from her face softly. "Aggie will do her best to help you mistress. Shall I take you too a room, to help you heal?" questioned the female her eyes scanning the pale face below her.

"T'would do no help. T-The poison was slow, but now pumps fast through my veins." The elf breathed, her eyes closed and her brow knitted in pain.

"What do you mean mistress?"

The female elf pulled her robes away from her stomach to reveal a puncture a few inches away from her left hip, her pale skin smudged a brown/red and fairly bruised from the impact, the blood congealing around the fierce hole. "T'was a poison arrow. It slowly goes through my veins, it is like that as they have no intention to kill, but to make me easier to capture... But Now It's too late. It has been in me too long..." She gasped, her breathing more laboured and she became more clammy and pale. "P-please. Don't bury my body. I don't wish to be made worm meat of. B-burn me, and throw my ashes into a stream flowing South...I-I feel it's time to go home." She whispered softly, opening her eyes and gazed at the bundle Aggie now held, before a finally breath left her lips a look of relief passing her face and life left her eyes, a film closing over them as life ceased to exist in the form anymore.

A hour since the elven maiden's death a young elf now sat in front of a roaring fire was a young woman, her mousy hair pulled up neatly fine silks clothed her body and she held the baby in her arms, rocking softly peering down at the gurgling baby.
Raising her blue eyes to her husband standing behind her she smiled, "My dear Duncan. This is our chance to make up for our sins. Look at her. She's beautiful." She cooed softly.

The lord Duncan de Briss smiled at his lady wife. "Emmy, She is beautiful. But it will be odd trying to explain why she's a wood elf when I am a Mage elf." He pointed out, stroking his wife's pale cheek, trailing it down her neck to her shoulder. Indeed, Duncan did show his heritage of being a dark elf, but his darker skin which suggested he spend most of his life in the sun, but was completely natural and his hair was a dark red almost maroon.

"We'll think of something. Nobody needs to know of her actual mother. Besides my dear husband everyone will believe what you say." Emmy insisted smiling up at her partner.

Duncan sighed in defeat smiling lovingly, and knelt by the side of the chair, peering at the sleeping elfling in the folds of blanket. "Alright. You Win." He chuckled softly, stroking the child's soft fair hair. "What shall we name her? Baby would not be suitable for long." He pointed out.

Emmy smiled to herself, thinking for a moment. Stroking the podgy baby cheek with her fore finger. "Gwenzea. That's it. My darling Baby Gwenzea." She whispered softly.
- - - - - - - -

Gwenzea batted open her almond shaped grey eyes which were framed with long eyelashes. "What a strange dream..." She mumbled, but even though it seemed to be a dream it still bothered her. If it was just one night then never mind, but it was the same dream for almost two years now.
Ever since she became six and ten years old. Now it was coming up for her eighteenth birthday, and already her mother and father were trying to find her a husband. She had met a few and so far none had caught her eye. Brushing back the thick tresses of light blonde waves from her hair revealing an elven heritage of pointed ears which she had always known made her different from most of her friends, shaking this thought away she got to her feet and began to get dressed. Fine silks which gently brushed her delicate skin, and she normally favoured emerald greens which she knew no reason for her preference of colour, and after brushing her hair into submission she made her way out of her room and down a vast stair case to the dinning room. Aggie how ever met her half way down, looking much older than she had in Gwenzea's dream, no longer was her hair a rich auburn but was now fiercely streaked with grey and silver, and her face lined with creases of knowledge.

"My dear little Gwen! Your mother and Father are in the parlour with someone for you to meet. I would head down my sweet ling." She commented softly.

Gwenzea nodded softly, and cantered down to the parlour her waves of hair flickering around her waist, and once coming to a stop outside the parlour large double doors she paused and knocked gently.

"Enter." Sounded the deep and calming voice of her father, and upon hearing this the young elven female pushed the doors open and confidently strode into the room.