AN: I got the idea for this about a year ago. I wanted to challenge myself and make a character with a tragic backstory, but keep her out of Mary Sue land. Now, basically a year later, I believe I did just that. However, none of this would have been possible without the amazing manyscarletskies. If you want a good beta reader, I would recommend them in a heartbeat. Even if I would disappear for months, whenever I appeared again, they would be there to read what I had. Thank you so much.
Rain fell from the darkened sky, landing on the thin material covering my hair. Keeping my cloak wrapped around me, I looked down, sighing to myself. Slick mud clung to the heels of my boots, but it didn't faze me. It always seemed to rain in Bree, which was fine with me. Despite how good the rain's despair made me feel, I glared at the men littering the road, daring them to cross my path.
I was in no mood to spill any blood tonight. In fact, all I wanted was to drink away my problems at the Inn. Unfortunately, due to my mixed blood, drinking myself into oblivion was hard, and I usually gave up trying to numb myself after a few pints.
Easing my way across the street, I met the stare of a man who seemed to enjoy hanging out in front of my sanctuary, causing him to take a step away from me. Striding past him, I pushed my way into the Prancing Pony.
As usual, the dull murmur of soon-to-be brawls filled my ears, causing me to grip the hilt of my sword. Hopefully none of the action would reach my area, because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to stop myself from joining in. Sauntering away from the noisier side, I moved to the counter, leaning forward in front of Butterbur.
Casting a small glance my direction, he murmured, "The usual?"
Digging a coin out of my pouch, I slapped it on the wood. "You know me well."
Looking across the bar, I froze and looked at the man seated a few stools down. The glint in his eyes looked eerily familiar, and I pegged him as the man from before. The way he grinned at me over his mug of ale both terrified and angered me. Maintaining eye contact, I struggled to keep my breathing even and my fists unclenched. Silently, I hoped he would keep his distance. I didn't want to start a fight in here.
"Here's your pint," Butterbur muttered, sliding my drink across the counter. Nodding my thanks, I grabbed the drink and walked away to find a table in the back. Choosing one that was far enough away from the brawls, yet close enough to the bar, I sat down and immersed myself in my ale. Knowing exactly how many it would take to even begin to feel the effects, I drained the mug and refilled it in minutes. Still sipping away, I noticed that the man was looking in my direction with that strange expression on his face. Lowering my mug a bit, I stopped drinking for a moment. When would he quit looking at me? I wasn't going to suffer the same fate as my mother.
His chair slid out from behind his spot at the bar. Glaring at him from beneath my hood, I tipped the mug back a bit, letting more of the vile liquid drain into my mouth. Watching his every move, I decided to be polite and set my mug down when I noticed him stop at the edge of my table.
"May I join you?" he asked smoothly.
Every fiber in my body protested to any contact with him. Shaking my head, I drained my pint, grabbing another coin out of my pouch. Placing it in my now emptied mug, I stood, pushing myself past him. "I'm afraid I'm leaving."
"Excuse me, but I don't think you're going anywhere," he grabbed my arm quickly, making me gasp. Leaning in closer, he smiled a toothy sort of smile. "I would like to get to know you better. What do you say?" Snaking his other hand around my waist, he started moving it along the small of my back.
Wrenching my trapped arm from his grip, I pushed him away from me. "Get off of me. You don't know what you've done. Now, get out of my way before I make you regret everything you just did to me."
To my surprise, he backed off immediately, giving me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I must have gotten a little carried away. Evening then." Turning away from me, he winked, grinning too fiendishly for my taste, then walked away. Grabbing the mug, I set it down in front of Butterbur. "Thank you, for everything."
Nodding, he held my eye contact for a moment, his face unreadable, before looking down into the mug before him. I turned, walking out of the bar. I didn't expect to return. In fact, I needed to get away. Far away, but not to the East. The East didn't exist to me anymore. Somewhere South would work, at least until I decided what to do again. But I wasn't going back.
Walking out of the door, I made a quick left to the stables. I hadn't brought a horse with me, but that didn't mean I couldn't leave with one. Luckily for me, there were two of them tied up in the back. Quietly moving towards them, I didn't hear the sound of footsteps behind me. Before I could react, I was shoved against the wall. Looking deep into my eyes was the man from before.
"You aren't getting away from me that easily." Pushing my hood back, he gave me a sly smile, then leaned forward, roughly kissing me.
That snapped me to my senses. Not to me. This couldn't be happening to me too.
Driving my knee up, I made contact with his groin, causing him to stumble back in pain. Without hesitating, I grabbed my sword from my side, slicing his abdomen. Face contorted in agony, his arms fell from my sides to his. With a groan, he slumped to the ground.
Now, I'd done it. I had to leave immediately. Wiping my sword on my cloak, I sheathed my blade, and approached the horses. I knew one of them was Butterbur's, but I didn't know who owned the other one. Shrugging, I untied the unfamiliar one, got myself situated on her back, and then led her out of the stables. I led her to the gate, nodding to the gatekeeper. With a nod in return, he started to open the door. When it had been opened enough for me to get out, I shot past him.
I didn't look back.
I lost track of how many days I had been riding, but I knew it had been hours since I made my last camp, so it was probably time to give my borrowed horse a break. Slowing her to a stop, I dismounted swiftly, leading her off of the path so she could rest. I must have pushed her too much yesterday, a fact that was quickly becoming more evident as the day went on.
Then I heard the hoofbeats. Breathing quickly, I ran to the nearest tree I could find, climbing it as fast as I could. After pulling myself up to a point where I could eavesdrop and still be concealed, I crouched, looking out from my spot in the trees.
Two figures passed by me, neither saying a thing. One was a man, with scraggly dark hair. His posture was relaxed, but alert, as if he'd been trained to keep at least one eye and ear open at all time. Noticing a sword strapped at his side, I sucked in a breath. That was no guarantee he'd be a threat to me, but I couldn't be too sure.
Shifting my eyes to the other male, I froze, a burning sensation flickering in my stomach. Out of all of the races in the area, it had to be an elf. A skilled warrior at that, judging solely on his assortment of weapons. A bow was slung over his back, paired with a matching quiver stocked with arrows. Beneath his curtain of blond hair, I could see two matching daggers strapped to his back.
Curling my lip in disgust, I prayed that they'd move on and leave me alone. I wanted nothing to do with them. Unfortunately, my horse trotted out to greet them. Clenching my teeth to keep from cursing, I looked down at the two males, noting their astonished faces. Trying to back up to the trunk of the tree, my foot caught on a branch, throwing off my balance. Grabbing a different branch above my head, I managed to stay in the tree, but I alerted them to my presence. Hearing the elf draw an arrow from his quiver, I decided to drop down and explain myself in a way that wouldn't get my borrowed horse and me killed.
Landing easily, I turned to see the elf standing on the ground a few feet away, an arrow pointed at my head. The man stood beside him, his sword drawn. Lifting my hands above my head, I tentatively began to approach them.
"Who are you?" The man asked, his voice low, but not fully threatening.
Taking another step forward, I answered, "I'd tell you if I cared to remember." After hearing the elf pull the arrow a little tighter, I managed to say, "It's Daeris." After a moment, I asked, "Do I get the pleasure of knowing your names?"
"I'm Strider, a Ranger from the North. This is Delunir of Lorien." Strider nodded to his companion.
The elf didn't release any of the tension in his bow. "What are you doing out here?" His tone held more suspicion than that of the man's, and I was instantly reminded of my hatred for my kin. Glaring at him, I lifted my head a bit, refusing to answer him.
That clearly did not please the elf. He almost looked like he was really going to let the arrow fly, a fact that halted my movements. However, Strider stopped him, and asked, "What is your business out here?"
"I do not believe my business concerns the likes of you, but if you must know, I'm heading South. There is nothing left for me in the North." Judging it safe to keep moving closer to my horse, I couldn't help but add, "I don't see why your elven companion deems it to be fair to shoot me for trying to keep my business my own. I've made no attempt to grab my weapon."
Strider lowered his sword slightly. "Why will you not respond to him, Daeris?"
Wincing, I cleared my throat. "Please do not use that name. It, and your companion, are the reasons why I'm leaving the North. They remind me of too much."
"I have done nothing to you," the elf said, anger burning behind his eyes. "How could I do anything to you if I've never seen you before?"
Stiffening, I hesitated, but after a look from Strider, I stiffly replied, "It's merely the fact that you're similar to myself." Moving my hand, I revealed what I wished weren't a part of me. "I do not expect you to understand, so please, allow me to carry on."
After giving the elf a glance, Strider sheathed his sword and moved to look at my horse, who had wandered over to their horses. He inspected her for a moment, before looking up at me. "I don't know what you've done to her, but she can't possibly go on for long. Give her a while to rest." Turning to his companion, who was still intent on shooting an arrow through me, he said, "Perhaps we should join her. We've been traveling for a while by ourselves." Looking back at me, he smiled. "Maybe you could tell us more about yourself?"
"I would not share my story so readily to the likes of you." Moving a little faster, I made to get to my horse. Unfortunately, the elf stopped me.
"'The likes of you'? I would at least like to know what you mean by that." His tone less threatening than before, I noticed that he'd at least put his bow away.
Stiffening, I glared at him. "Perhaps I would feel more likely to explain without the Prince of the Woodland Realm in my presence. You for one would know nothing of my past."
Something flickered over his features, but it was gone so fast that I assumed it was never there. "How do you know me?"
"I make a point to learn the names and faces of those I hate. Makes it easier to know I'm hating the right person." Shrugging Legolas away from me, I slid around my horse, desperately keeping her in front of me. It seemed more likely that they wouldn't come after me if there was an animal in their way.
Cocking his head to the side, he looked at me with what seemed like sympathy. "Perhaps I might understand more than you give me credit. I may be a Prince, but that doesn't mean that I haven't had my share of suffering."
There was something raw in his tone that stopped me. I could feel my glare softening against my wishes, and with a voice more defeated than I'd have liked, I sighed, "Fine then. I'd love to prove to you how much you don't understand."
They let me lead my horse to water for a moment first, allowing me to think things through before they demanded my story. At least they were considerate enough to give me space to myself before I had to relive the very thing I'd tried so long to forget.
What was I going to say? Nothing much, if I could help it. They didn't need to know any specifics. Absentmindedly stroking my horse's back, I fought to keep my breathing even. All I needed to do was give them enough to get them off my case so I could be on my way. Giving my story a final check, I led my horse back to where they were waiting.
Strider gave me a sympathetic look, which I immediately hated. The last thing I wanted was sympathy. It was all I had gotten all those years ago, and it still made me sick. Narrowing my eyes into a glare, I hissed, "Don't start pitying me. I don't want any more of it."
Lifting his hands in surrender, Strider looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"See? You don't understand. Why should I bother telling you anything if you can't even understand that I don't want your sympathy?" Perhaps I was a bit too harsh with my words, since Strider flinched a bit, yet as I remembered the man from Bree, any doubt I had melted instantly. I couldn't lower my guard.
Legolas met my gaze, and said, "I've shown you nothing as of now. Who's to say I don't understand? Besides, there's nothing wrong with sympathy."
Bristling, I turned to glare at him, but found truth in his words. Calming myself down a bit, I took in a breath. "My mother died when I was very young, and I never knew my father. A couple from Rivendell raised me, but lied to me, saying that they were my real parents. I believed them, until they told me the truth. Since then, I've put my trust in no one." Looking between the two of them, I hissed, "Does that satisfy you?"
Strider still looked sympathetic, but it was less noticeable than before. Besides, I didn't have it in me to snap at him again. I couldn't read Legolas's expression, but I didn't care. I told them what little I could bear without getting upset, and now they were supposed to let me go.
It was silent for a while, but then Strider looked up. "I don't doubt what you've said is true, but that isn't all of it, is it?" When I didn't answer, Strider went on, "You're not leaving until you've told us all of it. Something pains you, and talking about it will help."
"How would you know that?" I growled, turning to attend to my horse.
Legolas took a step towards me. "You don't know us as well as you might think."
I didn't like what he was suggesting, so I tried to change the subject. "How do you know I won't just leave in the middle of the night?"
Strider turned to his horse. "We don't, but if you care so much about your story, you'll stay with us. You are not so different from us as you'd like to think."
I could only stare at him, unwilling to let myself believe him. No one knew what I felt, or what I'd been through. They couldn't, especially not Strider. He didn't look like he had any elven blood in him, but what did I know anymore? According to my new 'companions,' I knew little to nothing.
"Come, it is getting late, and we need to find a suitable place to camp." Legolas turned to Strider and nodded, leaving me to follow behind.
Looking up, I felt my blood run cold. It was getting late. I didn't want to sleep anywhere near them. I would not share my mother's fate, not after she gave up on me. What they were doing must have been an act. No one was that kind. Scowling to myself, I promised myself that if they tried anything, I wouldn't hesitate to kill them. My mother had been weak. Luckily, I was not my mother.
