Prologue
It was going to be another beautiful day in the Mirkwood Forest. The sun graced the flowers and leaves with it's dancing rays of light. The air smelled clean. It was without the slightest hint of discord; for now, the works of Sauron have been diminished, and the Forest of Mirkwood was back to the way it had been before evil had ever touched it.
The bright, blooming flowers could be sensed from miles away. The trees shimmered and danced in the ever so slight breeze that whaffed through them. The temperature was perfect: not too hot, not too cool; the perfect shade of warmth.
The world seemed without a care. All was peaceful, but not quiet. The birds that at one time had graced the forest with their clear voices were once again singing in their own beautiful harmony. It was a perfect day.
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1 Chapter One
Jaena walked slowly through the forest. Her green eyes gazed all around her at the many trees and creatures. It had been quite a while since she had been able to stroll through the forest without having to worry about defending herself. Even though all evil in the Mirkwood Forest was seemingly departed, she still carried her bow and quiver of arrows. She felt naked without them.
She paused for a moment and peered upward at the tops of the trees looming over her. She brought her gaze to a tall elm and walked over to it. Grasping the branch closest to her, she pulled herself up. She then quickly climbed upwards to the top of the tree and gazed out over the forest. The breeze was even more refreshing up high. She looked towards the part of the forest where she and other wood-elves made their homes. She was a member of one of many clans of wood-elves in Mirkwood.
Jaena then turned her gaze towards the Misty Mountains. She had never been allowed to go more than a mile, or so, from the forest. And that was only on her side of the forest. Where she sat perched in that tree was the farthest West of her village she had ever been able to go freely and alone. Jaena longed to go on adventures, like Legolas.
Legolas. When he had first returned from The Fellowship after The Ring had been destroyed, the entire forest was in a flutter. The elves had missed their prince and were quite thankful to have him home. They even tried to arrange a marriage in attempt to keep him from leaving again, but that plan fell through. But, of course, everyone had to know everything about his journey. So, every night, he would tell tales of his adventures and of his friends. The elves were quite amazed that his good friend was a dwarf. Things like that don't happen every day. But, Jaena never had any unfriendly feelings toward dwarves; so, she never quite understood what all the fuss was about. But anyway, back to Legolas and his tales.
Jaena never tired of hearing his stories. She would sit near to him as he talked, so as to catch ever word and expression. She loved learning of all the many places he had gone, and of the many creatures and races. She loved all parts of his stories equally. Though, at times, they filled her with a restlessness: an urge to run, to go somewhere else and have an adventure.
Even though it had been almost fifty years since his adventures took place, they were still vivid in Legolas' mind, and it was obvious as he spoke:
"As we were running over the bridge I turned around to try to take down another orc. I set an arrow to my bow, but my hand faltered and my arrow fell to the ground. I cried out in dismay and fear at what I beheld in front of me. 'Ai! Ai!' I wailed. 'A Balrog! A Balrog has come!'" Legolas reenacted the fear he had felt when he saw the Balrog so well, that those around him felt it as though they had seen it as well. He continued, "Gandalf told us to run, and some of us did, but Aragorn and Borormir stood their ground with him. It was amazing what happened next! Gandalf said in a stern voice, 'You cannot pass!' and he brought his staff down and smote the ground before him. The staff crumbled and fell from his hand. There was a blinding white flame and the bridge cracked. It broke right at the Balrog's feet. With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward…." Legolas continued telling the story of the Fellowship's journey through Moria. Jaena listened intently. She hung on his every word. All the emotions that he felt shone in his eyes as he spoke.
Jaena brought her thoughts back to the present, which was, she was dozing at the top of a rather tall tree. She shook her head, to wake herself up, and her long, auburn hair flowed in the breeze. She raised her arms and felt the air flow past her. She wished she could fly. It was then that she heard a familiar voice below, " Unless you have wings, I wouldn't recommend you trying to fly." She looked down to see her friend Tebrilas. She smiled down at him. "Hello Tebrilas," she said. "What has brought you here to disturb my peace?" she asked him. "Legolas is telling another story," he answered. "I know how much you love him, I mean, his stories, so, I thought I would come get you." Jaena smiled at he friend's slip-of-the-tongue. "I know what you meant, Tebrilas," she smiled and climbed quickly down from the elm. They raced each other back to the village. It really was not too far from that tree. Only a few miles or so, which the elves flew over as though it were only a few feet. Jaena, being a slightly quicker runner than Tebrilas, beat him just by a small amount if time. They arrived just in time to hear Legolas begin…
It was going to be another beautiful day in the Mirkwood Forest. The sun graced the flowers and leaves with it's dancing rays of light. The air smelled clean. It was without the slightest hint of discord; for now, the works of Sauron have been diminished, and the Forest of Mirkwood was back to the way it had been before evil had ever touched it.
The bright, blooming flowers could be sensed from miles away. The trees shimmered and danced in the ever so slight breeze that whaffed through them. The temperature was perfect: not too hot, not too cool; the perfect shade of warmth.
The world seemed without a care. All was peaceful, but not quiet. The birds that at one time had graced the forest with their clear voices were once again singing in their own beautiful harmony. It was a perfect day.
===============================================================
1 Chapter One
Jaena walked slowly through the forest. Her green eyes gazed all around her at the many trees and creatures. It had been quite a while since she had been able to stroll through the forest without having to worry about defending herself. Even though all evil in the Mirkwood Forest was seemingly departed, she still carried her bow and quiver of arrows. She felt naked without them.
She paused for a moment and peered upward at the tops of the trees looming over her. She brought her gaze to a tall elm and walked over to it. Grasping the branch closest to her, she pulled herself up. She then quickly climbed upwards to the top of the tree and gazed out over the forest. The breeze was even more refreshing up high. She looked towards the part of the forest where she and other wood-elves made their homes. She was a member of one of many clans of wood-elves in Mirkwood.
Jaena then turned her gaze towards the Misty Mountains. She had never been allowed to go more than a mile, or so, from the forest. And that was only on her side of the forest. Where she sat perched in that tree was the farthest West of her village she had ever been able to go freely and alone. Jaena longed to go on adventures, like Legolas.
Legolas. When he had first returned from The Fellowship after The Ring had been destroyed, the entire forest was in a flutter. The elves had missed their prince and were quite thankful to have him home. They even tried to arrange a marriage in attempt to keep him from leaving again, but that plan fell through. But, of course, everyone had to know everything about his journey. So, every night, he would tell tales of his adventures and of his friends. The elves were quite amazed that his good friend was a dwarf. Things like that don't happen every day. But, Jaena never had any unfriendly feelings toward dwarves; so, she never quite understood what all the fuss was about. But anyway, back to Legolas and his tales.
Jaena never tired of hearing his stories. She would sit near to him as he talked, so as to catch ever word and expression. She loved learning of all the many places he had gone, and of the many creatures and races. She loved all parts of his stories equally. Though, at times, they filled her with a restlessness: an urge to run, to go somewhere else and have an adventure.
Even though it had been almost fifty years since his adventures took place, they were still vivid in Legolas' mind, and it was obvious as he spoke:
"As we were running over the bridge I turned around to try to take down another orc. I set an arrow to my bow, but my hand faltered and my arrow fell to the ground. I cried out in dismay and fear at what I beheld in front of me. 'Ai! Ai!' I wailed. 'A Balrog! A Balrog has come!'" Legolas reenacted the fear he had felt when he saw the Balrog so well, that those around him felt it as though they had seen it as well. He continued, "Gandalf told us to run, and some of us did, but Aragorn and Borormir stood their ground with him. It was amazing what happened next! Gandalf said in a stern voice, 'You cannot pass!' and he brought his staff down and smote the ground before him. The staff crumbled and fell from his hand. There was a blinding white flame and the bridge cracked. It broke right at the Balrog's feet. With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward…." Legolas continued telling the story of the Fellowship's journey through Moria. Jaena listened intently. She hung on his every word. All the emotions that he felt shone in his eyes as he spoke.
Jaena brought her thoughts back to the present, which was, she was dozing at the top of a rather tall tree. She shook her head, to wake herself up, and her long, auburn hair flowed in the breeze. She raised her arms and felt the air flow past her. She wished she could fly. It was then that she heard a familiar voice below, " Unless you have wings, I wouldn't recommend you trying to fly." She looked down to see her friend Tebrilas. She smiled down at him. "Hello Tebrilas," she said. "What has brought you here to disturb my peace?" she asked him. "Legolas is telling another story," he answered. "I know how much you love him, I mean, his stories, so, I thought I would come get you." Jaena smiled at he friend's slip-of-the-tongue. "I know what you meant, Tebrilas," she smiled and climbed quickly down from the elm. They raced each other back to the village. It really was not too far from that tree. Only a few miles or so, which the elves flew over as though it were only a few feet. Jaena, being a slightly quicker runner than Tebrilas, beat him just by a small amount if time. They arrived just in time to hear Legolas begin…