The story takes place many years after Frodo destroyed the ring! I owe nithing but my own characters.
Hope you like the story. Second chapter already written ;o)


I was sitting next to the people of my kind but felt bitterly wrong in this place. They were all singing along to the songs of our forefathers, while I couldn't chant along, I was too into my thoughts. In the front line was our king, standing next to the queen. Though I was standing far behind, I could hear her lovely voice and was enchanted of that soft chanting. She was beautiful as was her singing. Her voice made me feel better and kind of relieved. The priest of our kingdom stood up, raised his voice and everyone grew silent. All eyes were on him as he spoke the old language of our ancestors. He spoke of the prophecy, as it was the subject of his talking mostly. His words filled the room, but not my heart. "There will come a hero to save us all." Again I felt out of place. He was talking about that special one who will free us all of mischief and darkness. Freeing us of the lord, who reigned a land that didn't belong to him. My thoughts drifted to that land he called his own, a land I have never seen. The land of the lord I have only heard of was dark and of no love. Why was no one fighting him? The priests always told us of the perdition the lord will bring upon the world, but no one stood up. Were they all waiting of the one of the prophecy? I shook my head. My heart skipped a beat and I tried to calm myself down. I would never understand everyone waiting for that man or woman or whatever that will come. I looked up from my clenched hands. The people surrounding me thought the evil wouldn't come here and we all stay safe for believing in that prophecy. Why couldn't I believe? Since I was little they told us of the lord, but he was far away so we shouldn't bother. People lived their life as if there was no evil. I wonder why they told us stories about the ferocity of the lord and the prophecy but still move on like there is no harassment. The priest still kept talking as I looked around. I saw all people with eyes closed and head down. He spoke a prayer and blessed us all. The faces of them were happy and full of joy. I felt miserable not sharing that feeling at all. Again I was wondering why I couldn't feel blessed like them.

After the blessing ceremony I walked out into the sunlight. It was a warm day and I sucked in the summer air. I didn't realize my aunt was next to me. "I feel you are in deep thoughts again. What is that bothering you?" My aunt took my hand and held it to her cheek. I never shared my feeling with anyone; I kept all my thoughts to myself. "It is nothing. No need to worry." She padded me on the back. "You are a bad liar my dear. But I don't want to bother you if you are not willing to tell me." I was grateful that she didn't force me to tell. She gave me a kiss on my head. "Let us go home." I nodded. We walked through the streets of the inner circle. "Sophie, wait!" The voice of my friend Belle made me stop. I turned around and saw my close friend running towards us. "Belle!" She smiled. "My brother has returned home. He is meeting old friends in the tavern and asked us to come too." Her brother was a soldier of the king. He wasn't home often, so I looked at my aunt. I know she didn't like me being out, especially out in the tavern. But she knew too that I wanted to spent time with my friends. "Please …" I tried to look as sweet as can be and she laughed. "Go and have fun but don't be out too long. Your cousin wants you to tell him the end of the story." I nodded and she went home alone. I thought of my ill cousin who always wants me to tell him stories. Since he was confined to bed, I told him stories about the old kings and queens, of humans and dwarfs, of fairies and elves. Sometimes I told him stories that I have heard from Belles brother or just made something up. He loved my own stories the most. Belle took my hand. "Let us go, they must be waiting."

We entered the tavern. It was gloomy inside and candles were the only light. I saw Belles brother Nuk with a big beer in his hand. He saw us too and beckoned us over. He hugged me. "Ah, Sophie. Good to see ya." I made a little bow. "Nice to see you too Nuk. It has been a long time." Other friends of ours were sitting next to him. I saw the twins Ben and Abel and greeted them too. Nuks wife Amber came across and greeted me friendly. "I haven't seen you in days Sophie." "I am training with my uncle a lot these days." "Training?" Ciel, a friend of Nuk – who didn't talk a lot – came into my sight. "What training?" Amber laughed while she wrapped herself around her husband and kissed him softly. "I think Sophie is the only female of our kind who knows best how to fight with a knife." I felt how my cheeks turned red and tried badly not to blush. "How can that little fragile girl fight?" Nuk punched his friend softly on the shoulder. "Calm yourself Ciel. You talk to a lady." Ciel examined me and I didn't like his glance on me. I could hear him murmur something, but didn't understand. Belle was behind me. With too much proud in her voice I heard her standing up for me. "You foolish man, she is the best in fighting with a knife and you should see her archery." Ciels mouth became a thin line. "Women. Don't. Fight." I stood silent the whole time, but now I became furious. "How dare you say that?" Belle squeezed my hand. Ciel stood up. "I said women don't fight." He stood right in front of me, a tall man I must say. He was more than one and a half head taller than me. "I understood what you said, soldier, but that was not my question." "Women can't fight." "How do you know?" I was mad at him. There were female soldiers in the king's army, so why dare he say women can't fight? I heard Nuk and Amber saying something about us to finish the quarrel, but I focused on Ciel. His eyes were on me too. "You dull girl, what do you know about fighting? I saw so many men dying in war. You live a happy life in the protecting walls of this kingdom. You have never known fear and grew up secure." His words made me feel small, smaller than in front of his height. But I did not want to let him win this fight. "That has nothing to do with a women fighting." I looked him right in the eye. He suddenly threw his clenched fist at me. I sensed his action and jumped back. There was a wry smile on my lips as I saw his surprised face. Belle screamed in shock. "How dare you would punch a lady?" Ciel didn't answer. "You are slow, soldier. I wonder how you could fight a battle." His face went red, I must have gone too far. With one jump he was in front of me, his hand at his sword. I jumped to the left behind a table. "Again, too slow!" I suppressed a smile. The owner of the tavern shouted at us. "No fighting in my tavern!" Ciel didn't care. He wanted to hit me with his sword, but I moved backwards to the door. He missed his target – again. Nuk tried to stop his friend, but Ciel was too mad. He shook off Nuks hand and ran after me. I was moving fast down the streets and could feel him running after me. The wind blew softly through my hair and it felt like a warm hand touching my head. I closed my eyes as I was still running. I enjoyed the nature around, but stopped when I was near the forest. The forbidden forest … I watched the trees bending in the wind. The forbidden forest didn't seem wicked to me at all. I was standing in soft grass, no shoes on my feet. I turned and watched Ciel coming towards me. Behind him were my friends, still begging us to stop. He stopped a few steps away from me. I looked at him with a grin smile. "You want to fight soldier?" I never liked his name and always called him soldier. Now I just want to annoy him. He didn't answer. "But do not cry if you lose." That gave him the rest. With a loud scream he swung his sword but missed me. That one was close. I stumbled over my dress and his fist punched me in the back. A yelp came out of my mouth. I stood up and ripped my dress. I was wearing light brown trousers underneath my blue dress, with small daggers on my thigh. My dress – of what was left of it – hung silly around my upper body. Ciel looked at me in surprise. Belle wanted to interfere but I stopped her with a harsh glance. I took out one of my knife. Ciel lowered his sword. "I think that is enough." I didn't move. "I am sorry I hit you." I still didn't move, my knife pointed at him. Nuk stepped closer and he touched my knife-holding hand. "Sophie you heard him. Stop this reckless stupidity. Now." I looked at Belles brother and understood. I put away my knife.

In this moment I felt a cold hand coming at me, I spun around. I looked into the forest and heard a sound that scared me to death. The others must have heard it too, cause they all moved away. "What was that?" "Sophie, come here." I was paralyzed, still looking curious into the dark forest. "Sophie." Belle screamed my name again and again. I heard a crack and felt cold again. I moved slowly backwards, my right hand on my knifes. Ciel took my hand and pulled me away. In that very moment a black creature came out of the woods. His big wings stormed me to the ground. Ciel released my hand and took his sword, but the creature's tail hit him hard. He fell back and remained lying on the ground, unconscious. I stood up, but the creature's huge claw was suddenly put on my throat and pushed me down. I panted for air. My body went hot and my lungs longed for air. I looked into the creatures dark eyes and saw my reflection. I tried to reach one of my knifes. The grip around my throat hardened. "Don't dare to attack me for it will be your death." A hoarse voice was speaking to me. My eyes widened. Did that creature just spoke to me? I grabbed my knife and stabbed it into the creature's claw. It set me free. Immediately I grabbed for another knife and threw it on the creature. "I will kill you!" The hatred voice of the creature was all over me. The monster reached for me again, but I danced around his claw and stabbed another knife into it. I jumped and kicked the knife deeper into his flesh. It screamed loud. The scream pierced through my soul. I looked to my friends who were all lying on the ground. When did they pass out? Horror came to me. Were they hurt? But there was no time to check, nor to panic. The black creature attacked again. I blocked his wounded claw, but was hidden by his long tail. I fell back on the ground. My head was ringing and everything went blur. I could see something dark coming right at me …