Author's Note: This is the story version of an RP going on at the Orlando Bloom Fans ezboard @ http://pub75.ezboard.com/borlandobloomfans under Role Play. The characters are copyright their respectful owners. Only Kaze Windseeker and the layout of this story are mine. WARNING: This story will probably be SUPER long and updated msotly every day if not several times a day so check back periodically for updates.

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Before The Quest by Harley

Chapter One

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The time is one of relative unrest. The Rings of Power have been distributed to the members of each race...
Three for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die...
Sauron rests in the dark land of Mordor, awaiting the time when he shall forge his One Ring, waiting for when he shall poor his hatred, greed and power into the masterpiece that will sway the generations to come.
The masters of each race, Elves, Dwarves and Men are holding their rings steadfast... for now...

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The sun is beginning to set over the treetops of Mirkwood. The lands are mostly cleared now, the trees in small, scattered clusters, some standing solitary against the sky.

A small, weary-looking traveler ambles along up the road, her shadow long against the ground and her booted feet move quietly over the ground.

A cloak of forest green conceals the stranger's features but the hood sweeps from left to right, judging it's surroundings and a delicate hand clutches the cloak's throat as a cool breeze sweeps the treetops and spirals downward.

A small sigh escapes the shadows of the hood and the soft step hastens for already the sun is becoming hidden in the quickening twilight.

A few yards back, a small elvish girl winces as her foot falls upon the dry twig and the sound echoes against the quiet wood.

The light but quick footsteps freeze as, to the stranger's keen ears, a twig snaps and she tenses, hidden eyes looking from side to side again and she dares not to breath.

"Damnit." The elf maiden whispers and then feels bad for following and then scaring the traveler anyway. She quickly catches up to the traveler.

"Hullo!"

The stranger whirls around, green cloak flying and hand going directly to the concealed dagger at it's waist.

"Ach. I mean no harm! My name is Caran Elenath. Are you lost?" The girl inquires quiz idly, squinting up at the stranger and trying to make out the hidden face.

The traveler takes a cautious step back with a chuckle, hand leaving the dagger's hilt. "I am not lost. I merely do not know where I am going." The hood is shaken back and a cascade of brown hair is set free, blue eyes catching the fading rays of the sun.

The elf girl's eyes widen. What were those ears! Certainly not… yes… they WERE elvish! But, this stranger to Mirkwood wasn't… fully… elvish? Caran shook her head. Now wasn't the time.

"There's an inn, Looking-Glass Inn, down that-a-ways." A slender finger pointed up the road. "I was on the way there myself to slip some sleeping potions into unsus-I mean, er, to fetch muhself a drink, I was!" The sweet smile falters, but only for a second, before the young girl was as innocent as a newborn babe.

The now un-hooded stranger smiled. "You're not as innocent as you appear, girl." The smile vanished almost as quickly as it appeared and delicate face turned to the direction Caran had pointed. "Looking-Glass, eh? Sounds decent. I could use a rest from walkin'."

Caran's all-innocent smile faltered and then was replaced by a scowling pout followed by a thoughtful expression as her hand fell to her side. "Well. I suppose I didn't fool you, aye?" She shook her head and then shrugged. "Well, if you want some rest, jus' follow me." And with that, she bounded off, steps light and trouble free.

The stranger re-adjusted her pack, scowling herself. Children, she thought to herself. BAH. She followed the girl up the road and they were soon out of Mirkwood and walking into a small, woodsman town. T he cobblestones on the road were slowly turning purple as the sun sank back behind the horizon. One either side of the road were small shops, with cross-hatched window lattices in brown and white. There, with windows brightly, merrily lit, was the Inn with it's sign, which bore a spy-glass and below that read 'Looking Glass Inn' in the trader's tongue, swaying in the breeze.

She followed Caran inside and was greeted by the usual noise of an inn/bar. "Thanks she says, voice barely heard over the noise."

At this point, the young elf maiden was growing huffy. "You're welcome. You're just lucky I didn't let you stay out there for that old wyrm to get, what-ever-your-name-is…" With that, she walked off into the crowd.

"Sarei." She commented but her guide had already become lost to her. She sighed. She didn't make friends easily, it appeared. Well, not female friends for in a corner, she had already caught a young man's eyes.

He sat alone in a shadowy corner, hunched over an open diary, inked quill in his hand. He had stopped mid-sentence in his writing as the door had opened and the elf girl and Sarei had entered. His eyes widened slightly as she removed her cloak and hung it upon the wall, his eyes spying the slightly pointed ears already.

Must go now. Am being distracted he quickly scribbled before blowing on the page and slamming it shut. He put it in his travel bag and found the young woman once again, trying to figure out how to approach her.

Sarei's gaze had already strayed to the young Human as she approached the bar and ordered a hot cidar. She waited before accepting the mug and paying in coin. Glancing around once more, she spotted an empty table and quickly shoved her way through the crowd to get to it before someone else did.

Luckily, she managed to snag it before a male Hobbit came running up and then stomping off huffily when he found his table had been taken before he could reach it.

Sarei smirked and took a sip of the cider. She sighed softly and steam rose from the mug as she began to sat it down…

…only to come face to face with that shady Human she saw in the corner. She gasped and then coughed, nearly spilling her cider.

"Sorry." He said softly. "What brings a creature such as yourself here?"

CREATURES?! Sarei nearly turned red from the term. "Creature?" She said icily, tone brimming with annoyance but before a witty come-back could escape here, the door to the inn slammed open and a wounded young Human girl collapsed against the wall.

"HELP! Giant spiders! In the wood…" but before another word could escape her too-red lips, she fainted, falling to the floor with a thump.

Alarmed voices rose from the patrons as a young elvish healer shoved her way from the bar to the girl and kneeled beside her.

The young Human turned back to Sarei, for they had both looked over. "I am called Emrald and I meant no offense. Care to see what all the excitement is?" He had seen her dagger and from her appearance, knew she was no fragile Elf maid.

Sarei shook her head. "I have been walking all day, nearly since sun rise and I intend to finish this drink I paid for." She corked one eye brow at him from over the brim of her mug as she took a sip.

"Well, can I at least get a name? I could continue in calling you 'creature' but I take it you do not like to be called so." Emrald drawled, teasing now, as he beckoned for the bartender to bring him a mug of… something.

Name. Name. What was her-"Sarei Swiftsong." She responded once she got a feel for her surroundings once more. She sat up a bit straighter. "And yours?"

Now a smirk lit up his features. "I repeat myself now. It is Emrald. Emrald of Laverran." He paused as the bartender set down a drink and by the spicy smell, he guessed it to be ale. He took a sip before asking, "So, Sarei, what brings you here if you don't mine my asking?"

A slight blush crept into her features. "Right. I was just… ah… testing you." She mentally kicked herself. "Well, ah, just traveling. We…" Should she? Why not. "…half-elves aren't the most stay-in-one-place creatures in Middle-Earth."

"I knew that. Which is why I'm sitting here, talking with you I reckon." He took a sip of his ale as Sarei gave him a glare.

"I'm not looking for your sympathy. If it is that which you offer, I suppose you peddle it somewhere else."

With that she started to stand by Emrald grabbed her arm, hurt and confusion in his brown eyes. "Mylady, I meant no offense. Please, stay and finish your cidar."

She reluctantly re-took her seat, eyeing him.

He continued. "I was talking to you because I have never met a half-elf before. I have met many creatures in my travels but never one such as you."

She didn't say anything for awhile before turning fully towards him and relaxing. "Your intentions are honorable enough, I suppose. I guess I should apologize for, shall we say, jumping to conclusions?" She took another sip of her cider and then frowned, squinting into her mug.

Damn.

It was gone. She looked at Emrald who examined her mug as well and then grinned slyly. "You appear to have finished." He trailed off and gave her an expectant look.

"I suppose we should go see about those spiders now, huh?" She hesitantly responded before getting to her feet. Together, her and Emrald shoved their way to the door and Sarei only paused to fetch her cloak before they both headed out into the cool air of the night...