Prologue
Harsh winter winds whipped back and forth. A small figure in struggled through the knee deep snow. A white cape wrapped around the figure, blowing in the snow. But if you peered closer, you'd see it was actually a cloak. Long, white boots and a dress adorned its body. The figure stumbled in the snow and let out a cry – One that sounds like a girl.
The girl looked up, crystal blue eyes shown beneath raven black hair and her eyes started to droop with exhaustion.
I can't do this anymore. I'm so tired. I'll lay my head down, just for a little bit. A few minutes never harmed anybody.
Then she laid her head down in the snow and closed her eyes. This one thought played in her head:
Maybe if I rest, all this will go away and I'll finally make it to Araluen, away from that cruel Lord.
Then she allowed sleep to claim her, her body to worn to force her up any longer.
A few minutes later a man in a gray cloak passed by the unconscious girl on a short, roundish, and shaggy pony. The man stopped as he saw the white cloth billow in the wind.
Strange, he thought. He patted the horse gently and then slid from its back. The horse blew air from its nostrils as it watched its rider crouch over the girl.
He shook her and called, "Hey, you okay? Hello?" The girl didn't respond. The man looked up at his horse that bent down to sniff the girl.
"What do you think, should we bring her along?" the man asked the horse. The horse almost seemed to nod.
Smiling at the horse, he reached down and put one hand under her head and with the other, scooped up her legs, holding his hand under her knees. Then he hauled her onto the horse's back.
Following suit, he remounted his horse and patted its neck again. Clicking his tongue, the horse started walking again toward Araluen.
When the group arrived at one of the castles, the man took the girl off his horse and knocked on the door of the castle. After a few moments, a man with short brown hair and kind, green eyes opened it.
"How may I help you Ranger-"the man broke off when he saw the still unconscious girl in the Ranger's arms.
"Right this way sir." The Ranger followed the man as he led him past several flights of stairs and down different halls, stopping at a door and lightly pushed it open. "She can rest here."
The Ranger entered the room and set the woman down on the bed, then suddenly noticed a bump on her stomach area.
Oh my gosh, she's pregnant.
He looked at her before following the other man out of the room. Once they exited, the man turned to the Ranger.
"Where did you find her?"
"Outside in a snow bank," responded the Ranger.
"How long had she been there?"
"I don't know, her lips were blue and her nose had gone red, but she wasn't frozen and still breathing. She must have been out there for a while, not long enough to kill her though."
"Hmm… I'll talk to the Baron."
"You do that," said the Ranger. Then he looked out the windows, his cowl casting a shadow over his face as he murmured, "I'll have to stay here. That storm is to strong."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," replied the Ranger. Then as an afterthought, "That woman is pregnant. I believe she may give birth soon."
The man's eyes widened and his face paled. "I'll get a healer up here as soon as I can."
The Ranger nodded before turning around and looked back into the room at the still form. Shaking his head, he turned and followed the man once again while he was given a room to stay in.
The woman woke up to sunlight streaming in and hitting her eyes. Groaning, she rolled over, out of the sun. Below her she felt the soft silkiness of sheets. She snuggled into them, curving her legs up to her chest around her belly. She placed a hand on her child, smiling as she felt it move.
"You're awake," said a male voice.
She jolted up right, and grabbed at the dagger on her waist. She looked around, fear pulsing through her as she gazed around the room.
The voice chuckled. "Don't worry Ma'am. I'm not going to hurt you."
Turning toward the voice, she saw a guy in a gray-green cloak watching her. She recognized him instantly as a Ranger. Sagging in relief, she let go of the dagger.
"Does this mean I'm in Araluen?"
"Yes you are."
"Thank goodness."
The ranger came closer and sat down on a chair.
"Tell me, why where you out in the storm?"
The woman looked down at her hands. "I was running away from my master."
"Why?"
"Because he is cruel and mean."
"Okay, but why go in the storm?"
"I figured it would be easier for me to escape if his minions couldn't follow me. The storm was the best option."
Now he leaned forward. "And who is your master? Is he the father of the child you bare?"
She glanced at the ranger, fear full. "He is the father, but he is no longer my master, not now that I'm here."
"Who is your master?"
Biting her lip, the woman replied, "Morgarath."
The ranger shook his head in shock. "You were under Morgarath? How did you escape?"
The woman looked down at her hands. "I waited for a stormy day where I could escape and his Wargals couldn't track me and I ran."
He nodded.
"But sir, I couldn't take my son for he is watched too closely. Morgarath seems to have something special in mind for him. He would have done the same to this one," She paused long enough to point at her belly. "But I couldn't let him do that. I don't want my children's minds poisoned by him. For my son, it is too late."
The Ranger looked down, he felt sorry for her. "What is your name miss?"
"Angelica. And yours?"
He looked at Angelica for a second before replying, "Vince."
Prologue
Angelica smiled and laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. "Vince, what a nice name."
Vince didn't reply. And when she opened her eyes again, Vince was gone. Typical Ranger.
Months passed and Angelica lay on her bed, sweat dripping from her forehead as she cried out in pain.
"Breathe," said one of the women that surround her. She did, but she felt her strength ebbing.
Pain sliced through her body as she had been in labor since well into the night. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gave another push, she felt even weaker and she didn't know if she could get through this.
"One last push," said the women again. Angelica pushed with one last effort and as she heard her baby's first cry, she closed her eyes and let out one final breath.
The women pulled out the baby and wrapped it up. "It's a girl!" they exclaimed in pure joy, but then when they looked at the mother, they noticed she wasn't breathing. One of the women put a hand to her throat then shook her head.
The woman still holding the child, looked down at it as it cried. A voice sounded nearby, "May I see the child?"
The woman turned to see the Ranger of their fief. He walked over to them. The woman nodded and held out the child. "Is she yours?" the woman asked.
"No, but I brought her mother here to safety."
"Who's the father then?"
"I don't know," Vince lied, looking at the girl. She was red. "I know a good place for her though."
Nodding to the women who prepared for the burial, Vince turned and walked down the stairs. He looked at the girl and and smiled to himself. Then he walked out of the castle and to one of the taverns.
He opened the door and looked around. There was only one other customer and he was leaning against the wall, drunk and sleeping. Vince walked to the counter and called, "Stephen!"
There was a sound of dishes being moved and a few banging noises before a man with brown hair, glasses, and kind green eyes appeared. "Ah, Vince! How can I help you?"
Vince shook his head. "I don't need help, but this one does." Then he lifted the girl in a blanket so Stephen could see. "I know that you and your wife have been trying to have a child, but have been unsuccessful right?"
Stephen nodded, staring down at the child. "We have." Then he tilted his head back to the kitchen and called, "Mariam! Come here!"
A few seconds later, a woman with red hair and blue eyes walked in carrying a dish towel. She froze when she saw the baby. "Who's this?"
Vince looked at the now sleeping baby and smiled sadly. "She doesn't have a name. Her mother died giving birth to her."
"Poor child!" Mariam said, coming over and gently taking the baby. Looking up at her husband, she said, "Let's keep her."
Stephen looked at his wife and then at the girl, a smile appearing on his face. "What do you want to name her?"
"Hmm...Iris."
"That's a good name," commented Vince. "Take good care of her."
Stephen nodded, still looking at the baby. "We will." When he looked up for the Ranger, he was gone.
He smiled to himself before getting back to work. His wife meanwhile took the child to their room and put her in their soft bed until they could afford to buy a new one.
Frostbite: Welcome everyone! We ran into some technical difficulties so until we get it resolved, we will be uploading stories other than The Children of Morgarth. This is one of the ones I write, and started on my usual account but I'm transferring here. I hope you enjoyed!
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