The Tale of Hera: The Warrior Elf Maiden

Chapter 1: A Difficult Start

It was in the beginning of the Second Age when our story starts. The Mirkwood is thriving under the rule of King Thranduil and his Queen. The realm had been blessed with a prince. Prince Legolas they would call him and he brought farther joy to his people and family.

Now in the realm of Mirkwood there was a simple family; the father was a Captain of Mirkwood's Royal Army, and the mother was a seamstress. It wasn't until twenty years after the birth of Prince Legolas that this simple couple had a child of their own, a daughter: Hera. Unfortunately the mother was distraught that she had a girl and loathed her existence. Hera's father loved his baby girl, but hated that he job as Captain took him away from her.

Our story begins fifty years after the birth of Hera:

"But mother father is coming home today! Can't I go wait for him by the boarder?" Hera was so excited for her father had been gone for months patrolling the boarders.

"Absolutely not. You will sit inside and continue sewing." Lilith was tired of dealing with Hera. She hated her very existence, because her husband was never around to care for her. Lilith had wanted a son, so he could take care of her in her old age, but no she had a girl!

"All the other girls are out there. Why can't I go?" Hera knew her mother hated her and tried to please her, but was never able to succeed.

"They are out there so they can see the Prince come, not for their fathers. I don't understand why you want to see him so badly. He will be here shortly."

Hera went to her room to please her mother. She was looking out of her window through the trees that were close to her window, and then she got on idea. She walked over to the door and locked it to make sure Lilith couldn't ruin her plan. When she was sure that they door was locked she went to her dresser to change into breeched and a tunic, because she hated wearing dresses. When she deemed herself comfortable she went over to the windowsill and climbed onto the branches. She always sent her time climbing trees and playing outside whenever she could get away from her mother. She was moving high up in the trees to where she knew her father's patrol would be coming. She could hear the other girls gossiping and talking below her while she waited above.

It seemed like hours of waiting until she heard the galloping of horses coming towards the gate. Not long after that she could seem a sea of horses coming home, but something wasn't right. She couldn't see her father at the front like usual. Fearing the unknown she went back to her house. She changed into her dress as not to make her mother suspect anything and waited in her room until father came home. Hera heard a few sets of footsteps approach her home. Finding it odd she left her room to go to the family room and wait there. Minutes later there was a knock on the door.

"Hera can you get it, I'm busy." Lilith called from the kitchen. Hera got up and went to the door. When she opened it she came face to face with two Majors and the Prince.

"May we come in?" The Prince asked.

"Y-yes. Please do. Just give me a moment to get my mother." Hera turned on her heels, leaving the door open to go get her mother; something defiantly was wrong.

"Mother there are two Majors and the Prince in our family room." I whisper so not to alarm her. Without a word they both left of the family room, very concerned. Once Lilith and Hera entered the room Lilith broke down crying knowing why they were here.

"I am sorry. We came under attack and he gave his life to save the patrol." The Prince seem very sad for the family, and without another word left the family to grieve for their loss.

Lilith was sobbing on the couch, but Hera was just frozen. Tears were running down her face, her father was gone. There would be no more love in this house, her whole world just came crashing down. She felt so helpless that her father had died in combat and there was nothing she could have done. Hera then felt so anger that she was so helpless. Right then and there she vowed that she would never feel this helpless again.

A few weeks, and on Hera's coming of age day Lilith passed away. The loss of her husband and the loathing for her daughter proved to be too much. Hera's father's funeral was a small gathering of the military, because he was a favored Captain and made many friends. Hera went as the family representative, since she was the only one left. Hera received many apologies from his military friends say things such as: "He was a great Captain" or "He saved my life" or "Anything you want just ask any one of us."

A year weeks later Hera decided to go to her father's friend.

"Bali I need to ask you a favor." Hera had harden from the loss of her family, and people rarely saw her.

"Hera! It's good to see you. Anything, what do you need?" Bali had gotten up from the table in the dining hall where his fellow army buddies were sitting. Hera's story was known throughout the military and everyone that didn't know her father kept their distance.

"Come outside. It is a private matter." Hera headed for the door receiving many mysterious looks from fellow army member. Hera was considered a very beautiful elf, and everyone was surprised that she kept turning down suitors.

"Hera you know I love you as a sister and nothing more right." Bali was concerned about where he thought this conversation was going.

"You fool. This is not what I wanted. I want you to train me in the art of swordplay." Hera wanted to get to the point. She had promised herself that she would not feel vulnerable after her father's passing and she wasn't going to.

"Hera you what? I can't do that. You are a gir-woman. You are to be a seamstress like your mother." Bali was in shock at her request. A girl had never been trained in swordplay.

"Like my mother. You know I hated her and she left me to fend for myself. She was no mother of mine. If you don't teach me I will find someone else or learn myself. I made a promise that I intend to keep." Hera wasn't about to back out now she wanted to learn.

"Hera this is foolish. You need to find a husband, have children, and live a normal life." After the passing of her family Bali had kind of taken up the role of Hera's guardian, keeping most of the suitors at bay.

"Bali I have gone through what no one else has. I will never live a normal life. Please let me do this, and you can oversee my training, keep a watch over me. Please" Bali could sense that she wasn't going to give up easily.

"Fine, but we do it in secret until your skills are good enough so make it in the army. And what I say goes, got it."

"Thank you. You won't regret it." Hera gave Bali a hug and turned to walk home for she would start training that night. She was finally making good on her promise.