STARLIGHT

"In the Wide World the Wood Elves lingered in the twilight of our Sun and Moon, but loved best the Stars"

PROLOGUE

She could hear them approaching. The horrifying cries and shrieks of the orcs filled the air and the terror stricken riders as they tried to escape a certain death in the hands of these horrid creatures. She knew that twenty elves would be no match for the number following their trail. The horses were frightened and they were being driven further away from the forest. Away from home….and they could not turn back.

She hugged the tiny bundle she was carrying in one arm tighter and, gritting her teeth, held on to the reins of the horse for dear life, urging it on whilst shouting to the others not to give up hope, that good will prevail in the end and that help will eventually come.

"Where are you, my love? We need you now!" were her thoughts as she fiercely led the group of elves through the borders of the forest and out into the open plain and barren lands.

The ice cold wind pierced the skin on their faces like tiny shards of glass and this jolted them to the reality that they were no longer under the protection of the forest. She stopped the horse from its gallop just to get an idea of the surroundings and the direction she must take.

"Not all is lost my brave soldiers yet we have to go north if we want to stand a chance. We are surrounded but surrendering to this evil is not a choice!" she shouted, her blue grey eyes glittering with courage and resolution. The elves shouted in unison as they admired her strength in such a forbidding situation.

She was a sight to behold. Blond braided hair flapping wildly around her face in the wind… she was holding that precious bundle so delicately with shoulders and hands that could kill mercilessly a dozen orcs in the blink of an eye. She was a born leader and right now they would follow her to the ends of Middle-earth.

There was no time to waste. They had to move on for dear life. The night became darker, the path more ominous as they approached the forbidden kingdom of Angmar. They could already distinguish the dark towers rising in the distance and their hearts filled with a terrible sense of impending doom.

Feeling this, she turned her face round fiercely and shouted, "We will never surrender to this filth!" through gritted teeth. This gave the brave soldiers the courage they needed to overcome any doubts and instil in them an admirable boldness in such a dire situation.

She stopped the horse once again at a fork in the road. One way led to that cursed place while the other, a much narrower path, turned east. Her brow was furrowed in deep and agonising thoughts that seemed to rip her inner soul in two. Finally she spoke, addressing one of the soldiers.

"Drauchir, the horses are too worn out and those beasts are far too many and too close on our tracks to get rid of them. If we all go on this path, it will not take long before they catch up with us." She looked at the bundle and removed a piece of cloth that was covering his tiny face. Two clear blue and innocent eyes looked back at her and he smiled. A scene so beautiful yet terribly excruciating to witness. The love she felt then was boundless, she would do anything to protect her child from harm. With one last kiss she delicately handed him over to the soldier.

"Take him Drauchir," she whispered, "and protect him with your life." The soldier was shaken. He wanted to stay and help but he knew that she was right. This was the right thing to do. He moved forwards and took the little babe in his arms. "I will my Lady," he said with a slight tremble in his voice, "Fear not. I will."

As he was turning the horse and ready to gallop away she stopped him. "Wait!" She looked straight into the soldier's eyes, "Just tell him I loved him more than anyone…more than life…Now go!" she ordered and the soldier nodded his head and galloped fast down the narrow path. It was at this point that she started whispering a barely audible elvish spell to aid the rider and his protégé until the orcs' cries jolted them back to reality and the danger they were in.

With her now free hand she took out her sword leaving the soldiers once again in awe as they looked into her eyes full of determination, courage and immeasurable anger. "My elves!" she shouted, "Are you ready to follow me and tear apart all the orcs that dare cross our path?"

The captain moved forward, "Till the end my Lady!"

Turning her horse towards the mountain she shouted "To Gundabad then!" And the group disappeared through the gates.