Chapter One
Disclaimer: I don't own any of J.R.R Tolkien's work. I just borrowed his characters. The only character I own is my OC Brina.
Setting: T.A. 256 Spring
A slender young woman with long light brown hair and green eyes walked through the gathering darkness. Strapped to her back was a bow with a quiver of arrows. At her left hip was a dagger and at her right hip was a short sword. Her pack bounced against her left side but if she was aware of this she ignored it. She stared straight ahead her face was emotionless as if carved from stone and her eyes were blank. She wasn't sure how long she had been walking nor did she care for her mind was lost in deep thought. If she had stopped to think about it she would have been amazed that she hadn't been attacked during her trek. The emotionless young woman was named Brina.
Brina's face may have betrayed no emotion but underneath the carefully built facade was a whirlwind of emotion. Grief, anger, and sadness all warred for dominance in her heart. As if the weather understood the state of her mind it started to rain. One thought consumed her mind.
"What could I have done differently so I could have saved them?"
Two days before...
The day was beautiful as if nothing bad could happen. The sky was a vibrant blue with white fluffy clouds dancing cheerfully along. Birds chirped merrily to each other. Squirrels chattered as they scampered along the ground. All in all, it was a perfect day. She spent the day like any other helping her family. They weren't her true family but they were the ones that took care of her. They loved her like she was there own and she loved them. Keira and Raff took her in when she was a scared ten-year-old girl. They could never get her to talk about before she came to live with them. All she remembered from before was darkness and pain. Five years after she joined their family Keira and Raff had a little girl of their own. They called her Cayla she had her mother's beauty and her father's good nature. Brina loved her little sister as fiercely as if they were blood-related and Cayla worshipped her big sister.
The little family lived alone on a small farm in Eregion. Keira and Raff were from Bree but decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of Bree for the quiet of the countryside.
The day had been like any other. They ate breakfast together and then she helped Keira with the household chores while Raff worked in the field. She took Cayla with her to bring Raff his lunch like normal. Cayla was her merry playful self dancing all over the place as they walked to where Raff was working.
"Daddy." Cayla shrieked with glee running into his arms.
"How are my girls?" Raff asked grinning at the both of us.
"Good," Brina said for the both of them smiling at the man who had been the father figure in her life.
"Here is your lunch," she said handing Raff his lunch.
"Thank you I am starving," he said as he took the lunch and started devouring it.
Cayla was playing in the dirt as Brina looked around. Something felt wrong to her though she couldn't place why she felt the way she did. It made her shiver.
"Are you alright Brina?" Raff asked with concern.
"Yes, I am fine. I just felt a chill all of a sudden," she said trying to push away the bad feeling she had.
"Well you girls had better be going before Keira thinks you too got lost," Raff said.
Brina nodded her head in agreement then called to Cayla. Cayla came skipping toward us.
"See you at supper daddy," Cayla called over her should with a wave before taking Brina's hand.
After dropping Cayla off with Keira Brina grabbed her bow with its quiver, dagger, sword, and her pack.
"I am going to spend the afternoon in the woods. See you at supper." Brina called to Keira and Cayla.
"Be careful Brina," Keira said.
Brina nodded her head in understanding then turned as Cayla rushed to give her a hug.
"I love you, Brina," Cayla said hugging her tightly.
"I love you too," Brina said with a fond smile at the little girl then headed into the woods.
She walked through the woods letting the peacefulness wash over her hours passed. The late afternoon sun warned her that it was time to be heading home. As she was walking the feeling of unease from earlier hit her again only stronger this time. She felt as if she needed to hurry. She broke into a sprint. As she drew nearer to the house she saw smoke drifting upward.
"Oh no," she whispered breaking into a run.
The house that she had called home for the past ten years was engulfed in flames but the thing that drew her attention was the three bodies laying on the ground. Time seemed to stand still as she stood there in disbelief and shock as if her mind couldn't believe what it was seeing.
"No." she cried as she ran over to her fallen family heedless of the fact that the ones who had attacked her family were probably still around.
Raff was the first one she came to. His eyes were wide and unseeing his soul fled from this world. He had many wounds covering his body it was clear he fell trying to defend Keira and Cayla. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the man who had been the father figure in her life she so badly needed. She knelt down beside him reaching out with a trembling hand and closed his unseeing eyes.
"Brina." Keira's voice called weakly to her.
Brina dashed over to where Keira was laying holding a dead Cayla in her arms. Brina could tell that Keira was dying.
"I am sorry I wasn't here." Brina cried.
"Hush child there is nothing to be sorry for this wasn't your doing and last I checked you weren't all-knowing. I want you to know that we love you." Keira told her struggling to get the words out.
"Please don't leave me alone," Brina begged.
"Brina you need to run," Keira said with a note of urgency as she looked over Brina's shoulder before her soul fled following her husband and daughter.
Brina sobbed as she reached out to close her adopted mother and sister's eyes. Voices reached her ears.
"Looks like they missed one boys." A cruel voice said. "Ahhh look she is crying over her dead family let's make sure they are reunited."
Brina looked up at the three men who were laughing at her pain. Her sadness gave way to anger. Brina stood to face the three men. Brina quickly pulled out her sword and dagger.
"Look, boys, the little girl thinks she can fight us." The leader of the group said.
"Time to find out if I am as gifted at fighting as my adopted parents and Arantar said," Brina whispered softly.
The first man charged toward Brina with confidence thinking there was no way this woman could beat him but that would be his undoing. Brina quickly dodged the blow that was aimed for her head and ducked under the man's defenses landing a fatal blow to the chest with her dagger. The man's face was one of surprise before he fell down dead. Brina didn't have time to process the emotions that whirled through her at the taking of a human life. For the two other men that had been laughing just a minute ago were now charging toward her with anger in their eyes and voices.
"You are going to pay for that little girl." The leader of the group said with a snarl.
The fight was a challenging one for Brina had never fought two men at once before but by the grace of Eru, Brina managed to sidestep a blow to the back and front causing the two men to stab each other with their swords. The shock on their faces as they killed each other would have been amusing if it wasn't so deadly.
With the threat dealt with the adrenaline that had been rushing through Brina's system left her.
"What am I going to do?" Brina whispered softly to herself.
Time passed and evening settled in around her. One thing she couldn't do was stay here but she couldn't leave her family like this.
"She needed to bury them." Brina thought to herself.
She found Raff's shovel nearby and began the long task of digging her family's grave. When she had finished burying their bodies she was completely worn out physically and emotionally.
She came to a decision she couldn't stay here too many memories of her family lingered here. So she started walking to where she wasn't sure constantly replaying the day over and over in her mind trying to figure out what she could have done differently.
Brina didn't notice the change in the air around her. How everything felt lighter. She had no way of knowing that she had crossed the border into Imladris. Brina was a mile or more in when she was pulled out of her thoughts.
"Where am I?" Brina thought to herself as she slowed her pace looking around her with confusion. She had never been here before. This place felt different though that much was for sure. Then she felt it the feeling of being watched. It didn't feel like unfriendly eyes but there was no way to be sure if they were friend or foe. Brina unconsciously reached for her weapons as she searched her surroundings but saw no one. She slowly continued forward until a commanding voice called from the trees.
"Halt."
Author's note: To everyone that is reading my other story Five Years I haven't forgotten about the story I am just having some writer's block it will be finished I promise.