Author's Note- This is a bit of a Prequel to Tears of Pearls: Lorelein's
Story. This is mainly about Halin's child but shows a lot of things about
Halin also. If you read Lorelein's story before this one, do not worry.
It's not too much of a spoiler. Thank you. (And by the way, don't expect a
happy ending this time. So no yelling!)
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Chapter 1
Fires blazed from rooftops and out of windows. Spooked horses reared and whinnied while people ran about in chaos and confusion. Many were burnt and some sat weeping while others lay motionless on the hard ground. Screams of fear and grief could be heard all around. The entire village was soon to be in ruins.
A sad sight it was to the young warrior sitting on his horse. He gazed angrily at the fire consumed homes in front of him. The village was yet another victim of the mortal assaults. Though supposedly peace had been claimed that day, the last attack had still been carried out.
"What are your orders, Colonel Halin?" an elf rode up beside him.
"Spread out within the village. Half lead those capable of walking out to safety. Others search the houses for the wounded and take them to Mirkwood for medical attention." His tone was calm and controlled.
His order was announced and at once soldiers spread throughout the village, searching every home and shelter and herding others out of the fire.
Halin rode forward, scanning his surroundings, looking for any possible sign of life. Coming across a small one room home, he peered into the window. There, he saw two bodies sprawled across the floor. He immediately dismounted and called for one of his men to come help. Checking the door, he found it locked. So, picking up a stone from the ground, he took a step back. Throwing it at the window, the glass shattered and he quickly broke away the remaining shards. Crawling through, he made his way toward the bodies, dodging the flames as they spread and flickered about him. Another soldier began to enter but he turned to him and shook his head.
"Stay outside the window, Soldier."
The soldier obediently stood, watching Halin. Quickly and swiftly, Halin picked up the first victim and made his way back to the window, passing her to the soldier.
"Set her down a safe distance away from the flames and return. There are more in here."
The soldier nodded and Halin went back to retrieve the other. As he was picking up the other body, he heard a weak cough. Scanning the room, he spoke.
"Is someone else in here?"
He heard a cough once more but it seemed muffled.
"I will not hurt you. We're here to help."
There was a small whimper and he turned his attention to the bed in the corner.
"Colonel, hurry. The roof is about to collapse." The soldier called from the window. Halin hurriedly picked up the body and passed the victim out the window. Then running to the corner, he looked under the bed.
"Come on out, child." He said. Under the bed, two brown eyes looked fearfully back at him. Crawling under, he grabbed hold of the young girl. Pulling her out, he could feel her entire frame shake with each cough. Picking her up in his arms he held her close to his chest.
"Shh. I'm going to get you out of here." He spoke comfortingly to the child while looking for a safe path back to the window. The flames had spread, making a burning wall across the small room and blocking any way to their exit. Turning around, he looked for another window or door but there was not one.
Then a crackling noise was heard and he looked up. The roof above him splintered and began to cave. He jumped to avoid a beam as it fell onto the floor below and began to catch fire.
Leaping over the beam, he ran to the window and handed the child to the soldier. But before he could get himself out, a piece of the roof fell and hit the edge of the window, setting it ablaze.
Halin stepped back immediately and made his way toward the door. Grabbing the handle, he attempted to unlock it but quickly removed his hand and cursed. The knob had become too hot to touch. Shaking his burned hand, he took a step back and rammed the door several times with his shoulder. The hinges split and the door fell, leaving him an open escape.
Halin ran out and fell to the ground. He spat and coughed as he gasped, breathing in the brisk night air. His lungs burned from the smoke and his chest felt tight. Several of his men came and knelt beside him.
"Colonel Halin! Are you alright?" a soldier asked him. After several coughs he managed to reply.
"Yes, yes. Where is the child? Is she alright?"
"She's inhaled quite a bit of smoke so we are not sure."
"Her parents?"
There was a pause.
"They have been laid with the other corpses outside the village."
Halin closed his eyes. He had been an orphan himself and pitied the poor child. She would be forced to live in the orphanage.
After his coughing subsided, he slowly got up and walked over to where his men were speaking with the villagers.
"Colonel, there are too many people. They cannot all walk. What shall we do?"
"Find all the women and children in the most critical condition. Each soldier will take one person with them on horseback and ride back to Mirkwood. From there we will drop them off at the healers and return with more help."
Nodding, he asked one more question.
"Will you be one of the soldiers returning to Mirkwood with a victim or will you stay here with the villagers?"
"I'm a soldier also, am I not? Now we must make haste."
The soldier then left and Halin went to retrieve his horse. He was dirty, tired, and burnt and couldn't wait for the night to end. Slowly walking his horse to where his men were gathered, he waited and watched as children and women were passed off to soldiers and carried away back to Mirkwood, his homeland a days journey away.
"Colonel, we are having trouble with one of the victims. They will not cooperate."
With a sigh, Halin replied.
"Show me to them. I will take care of it."
So the soldier led him to a small child. She was sitting on the ground, pouting.
"You mean to tell me you cannot handle a small child?"
"She bites every soldier who tries to pick her up."
Halin laughed and then saw that it was the same little girl he had rescued from the fire not long before. Walking over, he knelt down.
"Hey, sweetie." He said kindly to the little girl. She crossed her arms and stuck out her lip.
"You know we're here to help you, right?"
She nodded.
"Why is it that you will not let us then?"
"I want my mommy." The little girl replied. Halin closed her eyes.
"You're mommy isn't here, sweetie."
"Why not?"
"She…" Halin tried to think of an explanation that she would understand while the little child stared up at him.
"Where's my mommy?"
"Your mommy went away."
"When will she be back?"
"Um, she…she won't be coming back, sweetheart."
"Why not?"
"She...she just won't." Halin didn't know what to tell her. A tear rolled down the child's cheek.
"My daddy?"
Halin just shook his head. A lump grew in his throat as the child fell silent.
"Whose going take care of me?" the little girl looked up at him. Sighing, he held out his hand.
"Come on, Little Bit. I'll take care of you."
Grabbing his hand, the child sniffed and wiped away a tear. Halin set the child near the horses withers and once mounted, held her protectively as he made his way back to Mirkwood.
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Chapter 1
Fires blazed from rooftops and out of windows. Spooked horses reared and whinnied while people ran about in chaos and confusion. Many were burnt and some sat weeping while others lay motionless on the hard ground. Screams of fear and grief could be heard all around. The entire village was soon to be in ruins.
A sad sight it was to the young warrior sitting on his horse. He gazed angrily at the fire consumed homes in front of him. The village was yet another victim of the mortal assaults. Though supposedly peace had been claimed that day, the last attack had still been carried out.
"What are your orders, Colonel Halin?" an elf rode up beside him.
"Spread out within the village. Half lead those capable of walking out to safety. Others search the houses for the wounded and take them to Mirkwood for medical attention." His tone was calm and controlled.
His order was announced and at once soldiers spread throughout the village, searching every home and shelter and herding others out of the fire.
Halin rode forward, scanning his surroundings, looking for any possible sign of life. Coming across a small one room home, he peered into the window. There, he saw two bodies sprawled across the floor. He immediately dismounted and called for one of his men to come help. Checking the door, he found it locked. So, picking up a stone from the ground, he took a step back. Throwing it at the window, the glass shattered and he quickly broke away the remaining shards. Crawling through, he made his way toward the bodies, dodging the flames as they spread and flickered about him. Another soldier began to enter but he turned to him and shook his head.
"Stay outside the window, Soldier."
The soldier obediently stood, watching Halin. Quickly and swiftly, Halin picked up the first victim and made his way back to the window, passing her to the soldier.
"Set her down a safe distance away from the flames and return. There are more in here."
The soldier nodded and Halin went back to retrieve the other. As he was picking up the other body, he heard a weak cough. Scanning the room, he spoke.
"Is someone else in here?"
He heard a cough once more but it seemed muffled.
"I will not hurt you. We're here to help."
There was a small whimper and he turned his attention to the bed in the corner.
"Colonel, hurry. The roof is about to collapse." The soldier called from the window. Halin hurriedly picked up the body and passed the victim out the window. Then running to the corner, he looked under the bed.
"Come on out, child." He said. Under the bed, two brown eyes looked fearfully back at him. Crawling under, he grabbed hold of the young girl. Pulling her out, he could feel her entire frame shake with each cough. Picking her up in his arms he held her close to his chest.
"Shh. I'm going to get you out of here." He spoke comfortingly to the child while looking for a safe path back to the window. The flames had spread, making a burning wall across the small room and blocking any way to their exit. Turning around, he looked for another window or door but there was not one.
Then a crackling noise was heard and he looked up. The roof above him splintered and began to cave. He jumped to avoid a beam as it fell onto the floor below and began to catch fire.
Leaping over the beam, he ran to the window and handed the child to the soldier. But before he could get himself out, a piece of the roof fell and hit the edge of the window, setting it ablaze.
Halin stepped back immediately and made his way toward the door. Grabbing the handle, he attempted to unlock it but quickly removed his hand and cursed. The knob had become too hot to touch. Shaking his burned hand, he took a step back and rammed the door several times with his shoulder. The hinges split and the door fell, leaving him an open escape.
Halin ran out and fell to the ground. He spat and coughed as he gasped, breathing in the brisk night air. His lungs burned from the smoke and his chest felt tight. Several of his men came and knelt beside him.
"Colonel Halin! Are you alright?" a soldier asked him. After several coughs he managed to reply.
"Yes, yes. Where is the child? Is she alright?"
"She's inhaled quite a bit of smoke so we are not sure."
"Her parents?"
There was a pause.
"They have been laid with the other corpses outside the village."
Halin closed his eyes. He had been an orphan himself and pitied the poor child. She would be forced to live in the orphanage.
After his coughing subsided, he slowly got up and walked over to where his men were speaking with the villagers.
"Colonel, there are too many people. They cannot all walk. What shall we do?"
"Find all the women and children in the most critical condition. Each soldier will take one person with them on horseback and ride back to Mirkwood. From there we will drop them off at the healers and return with more help."
Nodding, he asked one more question.
"Will you be one of the soldiers returning to Mirkwood with a victim or will you stay here with the villagers?"
"I'm a soldier also, am I not? Now we must make haste."
The soldier then left and Halin went to retrieve his horse. He was dirty, tired, and burnt and couldn't wait for the night to end. Slowly walking his horse to where his men were gathered, he waited and watched as children and women were passed off to soldiers and carried away back to Mirkwood, his homeland a days journey away.
"Colonel, we are having trouble with one of the victims. They will not cooperate."
With a sigh, Halin replied.
"Show me to them. I will take care of it."
So the soldier led him to a small child. She was sitting on the ground, pouting.
"You mean to tell me you cannot handle a small child?"
"She bites every soldier who tries to pick her up."
Halin laughed and then saw that it was the same little girl he had rescued from the fire not long before. Walking over, he knelt down.
"Hey, sweetie." He said kindly to the little girl. She crossed her arms and stuck out her lip.
"You know we're here to help you, right?"
She nodded.
"Why is it that you will not let us then?"
"I want my mommy." The little girl replied. Halin closed her eyes.
"You're mommy isn't here, sweetie."
"Why not?"
"She…" Halin tried to think of an explanation that she would understand while the little child stared up at him.
"Where's my mommy?"
"Your mommy went away."
"When will she be back?"
"Um, she…she won't be coming back, sweetheart."
"Why not?"
"She...she just won't." Halin didn't know what to tell her. A tear rolled down the child's cheek.
"My daddy?"
Halin just shook his head. A lump grew in his throat as the child fell silent.
"Whose going take care of me?" the little girl looked up at him. Sighing, he held out his hand.
"Come on, Little Bit. I'll take care of you."
Grabbing his hand, the child sniffed and wiped away a tear. Halin set the child near the horses withers and once mounted, held her protectively as he made his way back to Mirkwood.