Watchers of Lorien
The Fellowship had broken free from the dark hold of Moria. They had suffered their greatest loss, Gandalf was no more. The grief and sadness that enveloped each of the eight members could only be alleviated by the undying light of the golden wood.
Gimli, the dwarf was wary. "Stay close young Hobbits! They say a great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf-witch of terrible power." Frodo looked uneasily up at his companion, a voice ringing through his head.
"Well, here is one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."
"Oh." Gimli said quickly. His eyes were barely an inch away from the arrow of a female's bow. She looked down on him with contempt.
None had expected the welcome they got. Gimli's proud words had been silenced by the deadly arrow aimed at his throat. Even steady Legolas was momentarily unsettled with the point so near his temple.
They had been held up by four Elves, all clad in grey and all with the high features of the Galadhrim. Their grey eyes never left those under their stare.
"The Dwarf breaths so loud, we could of shot him in the dark." Her voice was smooth and smug. Gimli frowned and without moving glanced at Aragorn.
"Aragorn, these woods are dangerous. We should turn back." His voice was gruff. Before he could reply the Elf aiming at Aragorn said,
"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot turn back." His voice was much like the female's but more earthy.
"Haldir o Lorien. Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lin. Boe ammen veriad lin. [Haldir of Lorien, we come here for help. We need your protection]." Aragorn gave a slight bow.
"We were aware of your coming here, Estel. You have the Lady's favour." He looked a little softer.
"The favour of a sorceress! What worth is that?" Gimli roared but his guard swiftly pulled her bow string tighter. Her face plainly displaying her arrogance.
"The dwarf would be wise to hold his tongue, if he wishes to live." Her eyes burned steely grey. Legolas glanced at the female quickly, fear turning to annoyance.
Aragorn darted his eyes over Gimli and then over the Elf. "Haldir, is this really necessary?"
The other guard looked sharply at Aragorn. "Yes, Estel. The Dwarf is foolish." He looked at Gimli. "You are watched, behave with respect or swallow Selien's arrow."
Gimli moved his eyes to Aragorn's, who nodded at him. Swallowing his pride he uttered a choked, "Very well." His guard lowered her bow slightly, Legolas caught the look of triumph in her eyes.
"Good." Haldir said. "Now Estel, this is Rumil, Orophin and my sister Selien. We were warned of your coming. Who is with you?"
Aragorn twisted his mouth into a half smile. "Four Hobbits of the Shire, Boromir of Gondor, Legolas of Mirkwood and Gimli son of Glóin."
A devious look had formed on Selien's face. She shot a small look at Legolas. A Prince, she thought, judging by his stance. Her eyes swiftly moved back to the dwarf who was looking too rebellious for her liking.
"Hmm." Haldir mused turning his fine head to that of Rumil. They conversed soft and fluidly, it was unaudiable to all. After a minute he looked back at Aragorn.
"Very good." He said at last. "We have been keeping watch on the borders since a large party of Orcs was spotted trampling North to Moria. If you have come indeed from that perilous place then you bring unwanted foes into our land." Gimli felt the eyes watching him tighten.
"But now, my friend, we must debate no longer. The night grows and with it does the danger. You may sleep in these talans. Be warned. There are strange creatures abroad and it is not of Orcs I speak."
The Fellowship had broken free from the dark hold of Moria. They had suffered their greatest loss, Gandalf was no more. The grief and sadness that enveloped each of the eight members could only be alleviated by the undying light of the golden wood.
Gimli, the dwarf was wary. "Stay close young Hobbits! They say a great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf-witch of terrible power." Frodo looked uneasily up at his companion, a voice ringing through his head.
"Well, here is one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."
"Oh." Gimli said quickly. His eyes were barely an inch away from the arrow of a female's bow. She looked down on him with contempt.
None had expected the welcome they got. Gimli's proud words had been silenced by the deadly arrow aimed at his throat. Even steady Legolas was momentarily unsettled with the point so near his temple.
They had been held up by four Elves, all clad in grey and all with the high features of the Galadhrim. Their grey eyes never left those under their stare.
"The Dwarf breaths so loud, we could of shot him in the dark." Her voice was smooth and smug. Gimli frowned and without moving glanced at Aragorn.
"Aragorn, these woods are dangerous. We should turn back." His voice was gruff. Before he could reply the Elf aiming at Aragorn said,
"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot turn back." His voice was much like the female's but more earthy.
"Haldir o Lorien. Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lin. Boe ammen veriad lin. [Haldir of Lorien, we come here for help. We need your protection]." Aragorn gave a slight bow.
"We were aware of your coming here, Estel. You have the Lady's favour." He looked a little softer.
"The favour of a sorceress! What worth is that?" Gimli roared but his guard swiftly pulled her bow string tighter. Her face plainly displaying her arrogance.
"The dwarf would be wise to hold his tongue, if he wishes to live." Her eyes burned steely grey. Legolas glanced at the female quickly, fear turning to annoyance.
Aragorn darted his eyes over Gimli and then over the Elf. "Haldir, is this really necessary?"
The other guard looked sharply at Aragorn. "Yes, Estel. The Dwarf is foolish." He looked at Gimli. "You are watched, behave with respect or swallow Selien's arrow."
Gimli moved his eyes to Aragorn's, who nodded at him. Swallowing his pride he uttered a choked, "Very well." His guard lowered her bow slightly, Legolas caught the look of triumph in her eyes.
"Good." Haldir said. "Now Estel, this is Rumil, Orophin and my sister Selien. We were warned of your coming. Who is with you?"
Aragorn twisted his mouth into a half smile. "Four Hobbits of the Shire, Boromir of Gondor, Legolas of Mirkwood and Gimli son of Glóin."
A devious look had formed on Selien's face. She shot a small look at Legolas. A Prince, she thought, judging by his stance. Her eyes swiftly moved back to the dwarf who was looking too rebellious for her liking.
"Hmm." Haldir mused turning his fine head to that of Rumil. They conversed soft and fluidly, it was unaudiable to all. After a minute he looked back at Aragorn.
"Very good." He said at last. "We have been keeping watch on the borders since a large party of Orcs was spotted trampling North to Moria. If you have come indeed from that perilous place then you bring unwanted foes into our land." Gimli felt the eyes watching him tighten.
"But now, my friend, we must debate no longer. The night grows and with it does the danger. You may sleep in these talans. Be warned. There are strange creatures abroad and it is not of Orcs I speak."