Disclaimer-My characters are mine, Tolkien's are his.
Author's note- O_o this chapter is all mysterious-ish. by the way, you pronounce Kalea:
Kal-ee-a . Just to make that clear..A lot of new characters are introduced so pay attention!! I use weird names so it may become confusing. And I'm SOO SORRY I took so long getting this up! I have been REALLY busy---but thanks to all my wonderful readers!!:)
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Chapter 2, Nothing to Lose
Kalea got into bed gingerly, rubbing her sore arm as she went. Just above the elbow there was a nasty bruise, and a large scar that had never quite healed. She sighed as she stared at the ceiling, reviewing the events of the past few days.
She wasn't looking forward to starting over. Not again. How many times now had she been forced to leave a place she loved dearly? Everything was so complicated. Why was everyone leaving her?
Her mother had told her stories when she was little that inspired her impulse to seek a job in Rohan. She told of the ancient horse-lords, and the mysterious Shadowfax, who was said to be the king of the horses. She told of the bravery the country had shown in ancient battles, and the amazing war horses who saved their master's lives thousands of times. Kalea faced conflicting emotions when she decided to seek refuge there. She was risking remembering.well.things that were better left forgotten.
Kalea listened to the rain splatter against the wooden panels of the roof. She loved storms, especially furious ones like this one. It was like they were expressing the emotions she tried so hard to keep inside.the anger, the sorrow, the loneliness.
Her experience in the land of Rohan so far had been pleasant. Her horse, Everad, had made the journey safely, and seemed quite at home with the rolling hills and soft green meadows Rohan had to offer. Kalea smiled. The horse's paradise. The few people she met had been friendly so far, too. The motherly innkeeper had been sweet and Will seemed like a very nice boy. He had the potential to become a great friend.but no. Kalea did not want any friends. She didn't want any commitment at all. Nothing she could lose.
Kalea, promise you'll never forget us. Please, Kay. . . . . never. . . . forget . . .
I'm sorry, Landin. . . . I'm sorry. . . .
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While Kalea continued to be in her miserable state, Will was ecstatic. He received news from his commander, Imam, that the dispatch would leave first thing in the morning. Although the Ringbearer had fulfilled his quest, orcs and other evil creatures were still swarming about the plains, hiding deep in their fowl lairs and coming out only at night. This was when they were most dangerous. They swarmed through villages and killed everyone in sight, then scouring the town for food and other supplies. Their numbers were dwindling, as few had escaped the earthquake that followed the destroying of the Ring, but they were still a threat to the unprotected civilians.
It was not that Will enjoyed killing, but fighting put him in a wonderful mood. He loved protecting others, it was just his nature. Unlike most boys his age, he was eager to join the King's army and was delighted when he was accepted into higher ranks. He was skillful with a sword and was learning to use a bow, though he felt that his bowman-ship (is that a word?) would never quite meet the standards.
Then there was the girl to consider..Kalea, she said her name was. What was she hiding, and what was her real purpose of coming to Rohan? What was the deep, mysterious wound that left traces of suffering in her large brown eyes? Will had never met anyone like her before. He barely knew her, but he felt that once he penetrated the invisible barrier which had laid itself between them, they would be friends. Finally, Will drifted to sleep, dreaming of orcs and a girl that looked strangely like Kalea screaming, "Noooo! Landin! Don't leave me!"