Chapter 1..
Curusondol walked through the kingdom of Mirkwood, the gait of her horse leisurely and constant. The leaves on the trees began to part as her horse walked through, her mind slowly becoming clearer as she traveled ever closer to Mirkwood. There were problems going on in her kingdom of Minasquel, and she was the only available ambassador able to travel to the home of her cousin and uncle, the crowned prince and king of Mirkwood, for aid. Her horse, Asfaloth, had been a faithful companion on her journey and had walked far beyond what her recesses of strength would allow, and although she never outwardly showed it, Sondol could sense the fatigue beginning to take hold of her faithful horse.
She slowly led Asfaloth through a particularly dense clump of trees into a clearing that she knew to be very near to the borders of Mirkwood, so she chose this spot to rest. Sondol quickly unloaded all the packs from her horse's back and set them on the ground. She unloaded both food for herself and food for her horse, gifts from her father, and threw the rest of the pack aside. She was not planning on staying there for long, she only desired a few moments' rest and some nourishment before continuing. It was about five hours until sunset, and she estimated that it would take about three to reach the palace. Sondol made a pile out of some of her belongings and lay down to rest, and, without meaning to, slowly drifted off to sleep.
Curusondol woke to the nose of her horse gently nudging her cheek, and the excited whinnying issuing forth from her mouth. It was past sunset, and Sondol cursed her luck as she realized this fact. Mirkwood was still dangerous territory, with all forms of evil residing in the forest. She should have known better than to fall asleep there, and she was even foolish enough to leave her weapons at the bottom of the huge pile she lay on. She quickly shook these thoughts from her mind, however, realizing that these would not help her, and concentrated instead on getting her belongings back on the horse and arriving in Mirkwood in safety.
She froze when she suddenly heard a sound, whipping around at the sound of twigs and branches snapping in the night. She silently climbed up the nearest tree, and sent a silent prayer to the Valar to keep her in safety. She held he breath as the sound came nearer until two horses came bursting forth into the clearing, and her own horse backed up against the tree she was hiding in, obviously nervous. Two hooded figures jumped off their horses and entered the clearing- their silent and concealed eyes quickly and efficiently surveying the scene. Sondol cowered in the tree, struggling to control her breath and keeping it steady and slow, to prevent hyperventilation.
One of the hooded figures stepped forward and uttered words under his breath, so softly, in fact, that even her elven ears could barely pick it up. Asfaloth slowly came near him, and nuzzled her nose in his palm. Sondol was surprised at this, and rose her head a little to better see, but by accident she snapped a twig. She leaned back down; hugging the branch she was lying on, and again cursing her luck. The two hooded figures snapped their heads up, and slowly began walking towards her tree.
"Come out stranger, face us and be not a coward!" Shouted a voice, extending an arm out towards the tree. Something about this voice immediately made her feel at ease, and instead of staying where she was and acting rationally, she climbed down and crouched on the ground, her head down, and shaking. She now realized what she had done, and realized that she would most likely die there. Sondol sent up yet another prayer to the Valar and earnestly pleaded with them to let her father know she was thinking of him as she died and that she was sincerely sorry for failing at this task.
"Show us your face." Commanded the voice again, bringing Sondol back to reality. The voice was softer now, and less harsh. Sondol very slowly raised her head, and tried not to show the fear that seemed so obvious to her heart.
"Sondol? Is that really you?" asked the hooded figure, emitting an audible gasp of surprise after seeing her face.
"How do you know my name?" demanded Sondol, struggling to keep her voice from shaking, and finding her attempts unsuccessful.
"Don't you recognize your own cousin?" playfully asked the figure, immediately removing the hood from his head.
"Legolas!" shouted Sondol, immediately jumping up off the ground and throwing herself into her arms.
"I'm glad you're here." He said to her, hugging her tightly against his chest. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern, as he realized she was crying.
"Yes, it's just, I was so scared. There have been so many problems at home, and so many attacks. I guess I've kind of come to expect them. That's why I'm here. My father sent me to seek your aid." She answered, gently pushing away from his chest and looking into his eyes.
"Well, then you shall have it." Legolas replied, gently kissing her forehead and giving her a reassuring smile. Overcome with fatigue and relief, she slowly sunk to the ground, and Legolas stayed with her, comforting her, while his companion packed her horse.
"Can you ride?" the companion asked her, leading her horse to her. Sondol simply gave him a blank stare and gave Legolas a questioning look.
"This is Kindomiel, he's a guard at my father's palace. He was with me on patrol when we found you. Don't worry, he's safe." Legolas replied, knowing immediately what his friend was thinking.
"Yes, I can ride." She replied to Kindomiel, giving him a smile. Legolas helped her onto her horse, and together the three of them made the return journey to Mirkwood.
Curusondol walked through the kingdom of Mirkwood, the gait of her horse leisurely and constant. The leaves on the trees began to part as her horse walked through, her mind slowly becoming clearer as she traveled ever closer to Mirkwood. There were problems going on in her kingdom of Minasquel, and she was the only available ambassador able to travel to the home of her cousin and uncle, the crowned prince and king of Mirkwood, for aid. Her horse, Asfaloth, had been a faithful companion on her journey and had walked far beyond what her recesses of strength would allow, and although she never outwardly showed it, Sondol could sense the fatigue beginning to take hold of her faithful horse.
She slowly led Asfaloth through a particularly dense clump of trees into a clearing that she knew to be very near to the borders of Mirkwood, so she chose this spot to rest. Sondol quickly unloaded all the packs from her horse's back and set them on the ground. She unloaded both food for herself and food for her horse, gifts from her father, and threw the rest of the pack aside. She was not planning on staying there for long, she only desired a few moments' rest and some nourishment before continuing. It was about five hours until sunset, and she estimated that it would take about three to reach the palace. Sondol made a pile out of some of her belongings and lay down to rest, and, without meaning to, slowly drifted off to sleep.
Curusondol woke to the nose of her horse gently nudging her cheek, and the excited whinnying issuing forth from her mouth. It was past sunset, and Sondol cursed her luck as she realized this fact. Mirkwood was still dangerous territory, with all forms of evil residing in the forest. She should have known better than to fall asleep there, and she was even foolish enough to leave her weapons at the bottom of the huge pile she lay on. She quickly shook these thoughts from her mind, however, realizing that these would not help her, and concentrated instead on getting her belongings back on the horse and arriving in Mirkwood in safety.
She froze when she suddenly heard a sound, whipping around at the sound of twigs and branches snapping in the night. She silently climbed up the nearest tree, and sent a silent prayer to the Valar to keep her in safety. She held he breath as the sound came nearer until two horses came bursting forth into the clearing, and her own horse backed up against the tree she was hiding in, obviously nervous. Two hooded figures jumped off their horses and entered the clearing- their silent and concealed eyes quickly and efficiently surveying the scene. Sondol cowered in the tree, struggling to control her breath and keeping it steady and slow, to prevent hyperventilation.
One of the hooded figures stepped forward and uttered words under his breath, so softly, in fact, that even her elven ears could barely pick it up. Asfaloth slowly came near him, and nuzzled her nose in his palm. Sondol was surprised at this, and rose her head a little to better see, but by accident she snapped a twig. She leaned back down; hugging the branch she was lying on, and again cursing her luck. The two hooded figures snapped their heads up, and slowly began walking towards her tree.
"Come out stranger, face us and be not a coward!" Shouted a voice, extending an arm out towards the tree. Something about this voice immediately made her feel at ease, and instead of staying where she was and acting rationally, she climbed down and crouched on the ground, her head down, and shaking. She now realized what she had done, and realized that she would most likely die there. Sondol sent up yet another prayer to the Valar and earnestly pleaded with them to let her father know she was thinking of him as she died and that she was sincerely sorry for failing at this task.
"Show us your face." Commanded the voice again, bringing Sondol back to reality. The voice was softer now, and less harsh. Sondol very slowly raised her head, and tried not to show the fear that seemed so obvious to her heart.
"Sondol? Is that really you?" asked the hooded figure, emitting an audible gasp of surprise after seeing her face.
"How do you know my name?" demanded Sondol, struggling to keep her voice from shaking, and finding her attempts unsuccessful.
"Don't you recognize your own cousin?" playfully asked the figure, immediately removing the hood from his head.
"Legolas!" shouted Sondol, immediately jumping up off the ground and throwing herself into her arms.
"I'm glad you're here." He said to her, hugging her tightly against his chest. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern, as he realized she was crying.
"Yes, it's just, I was so scared. There have been so many problems at home, and so many attacks. I guess I've kind of come to expect them. That's why I'm here. My father sent me to seek your aid." She answered, gently pushing away from his chest and looking into his eyes.
"Well, then you shall have it." Legolas replied, gently kissing her forehead and giving her a reassuring smile. Overcome with fatigue and relief, she slowly sunk to the ground, and Legolas stayed with her, comforting her, while his companion packed her horse.
"Can you ride?" the companion asked her, leading her horse to her. Sondol simply gave him a blank stare and gave Legolas a questioning look.
"This is Kindomiel, he's a guard at my father's palace. He was with me on patrol when we found you. Don't worry, he's safe." Legolas replied, knowing immediately what his friend was thinking.
"Yes, I can ride." She replied to Kindomiel, giving him a smile. Legolas helped her onto her horse, and together the three of them made the return journey to Mirkwood.