So, im sorry for not updating. like the rest of my stories that should be up this week, you'll get the same shitty apology about how school came first, then my anime convention/cosplay, and of course people keep dieing around me. Regardless enjoy this chapter that is more a filler then anything due to the fact i really didnt know how much i wanted to shove into it. so yea, enjoy.
Chapter 4: For the Night is dark and full of terrors
It was a hurried action, one that seemed to last years. Lara was sitting atop the ice, her hands flat against the frozen water. Arvid was standing not too far off, his eyes quickly scanning the ice, hoping to catch a glimpse of the dark haired girl beneath its surface. It wasn't until he'd heard a screech that he turned his head to find Lara banging hurriedly on the ice. Her blonde hair was still matted to her face, and her clothing hanging off her pale skin at odd angles. Her glasses had been lost further up stream, and she was currently using the bow in hopes of breaking through the ice. Her eyes were frantic, and with the first crack of the ice her resolve seemed to strengthen as did her beating on the ice. Quickly, Arvid made his way toward her, grasping one of his daggers and hurriedly plummeting it through the thick ice. He was greeted with the site of Ophelia, her face was blurred, but the fear was evident across her features; hands pressed onto the ice, she knocked on it from within the water, her fist hitting it with a dull thud.
Lara hurried her assault on the ice, only to have her bow snap in half; Arvid's own dagger having been impaled into the ice moments earlier and refused to budge. With a strangled gasp, Lara beat her fists onto the ice, all the while speaking in hurried tones to her friend. Ophelia at this point had calmly placed her hands against the ice and shook her head in a futile manner.
"We can't just leave you! Arvid, haul ass and keep it up!" Quickly turning her head, Lara was welcomed with a grim face accompanied with a shaking head.
"W-We cannot continue in this manner.." He breathed out, his hands flat on the ice.
"There is no chance at us even remotely breaking through this, and even then she's struggling to hold her breath."
"There has to be a way for her to get out!" Lara rushed out, her gaze going back to her friend who seemed to be struggling to hold her breath.
"The Ice bay has been known to not yield, not even to the most sincere of pleading."
They were welcomed to Lothlorien with wide arms and hesitant smiles. It was well known that something horrible was plaguing the realm, and Galadriel seemed to already have an idea of exactly what was causing terrors within the night. They were sitting around a small table, Elladan having already spread a map over it, his finger skimming over major mountain formations and trails as he mumbled to Celeborn of what course of action they should take to keep the Elven cities safe. Aragorn on the other hand had taken to speaking to Galadriel about what is known about the beings that have been attacked the inhabitants of middle earth.
What Legolas thought would be a discussion over what plan of action they should take; was more so along the lines of how to keep everyone safe without any interference. It was to be understood of course; many people wouldn't be able to stand slaughtering their own families and friends. Perhaps they were better off biding their time and figuring out a way to stop the Moriquendi, rather than just heading into battle.
It had taken several moments before Legolas took note of the fact it was only him and Galadriel within the confines of the room, and her stare was harsh on his face. He'd opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it as she approached him.
"I have been told that sleep has taken hold of you young one." She paused after she spoke then, her hands moving to encase themselves within the sleeves of her gown as she walked past him in a flurry of silks.
"Not nearly as often as all seem to claim though my lady."
"And every night is not an often occurrence you say?" She'd turned around to face him once more, her eyes hard as she looked him over. Mindful of who he was speaking to, Legolas clasped his hands behind his back and bowed his head forward slightly.
"I have had the pleasure of seeing this…Ophelia as she is named. Have you nothing to say
about this whole ordeal?" There was a pause in conversation once more, and Legolas found himself finally able to understand what a 'pregnant pause' happened to be. Galadriel placed her hands on the table and sent him a weary glance, patiently waiting for him to speak once again.
"Is there nothing for you to say?"
"Surely you know just as much as I myself do…my Lady." She paused mid movement, her eyes roaming over him with a look akin to that of displeasure before she opened her mouth to speak once more.
"Regarding the issue at hand, we have enough men at our disposal to aid your Fathers own forces. You would do well to see what the Humans can add. I fear this war will be tiresome and long…"
The Shikoba came across Arvid and Lara before either had taken notice. Having both been immersed in sorrow and intense need to save their friend; neither had taken note of the quickly approaching group of hulking men and lithe women. The Shikoba were a well known group of humans with elf blood (as well as elves that married into the tribe, or simply decided to become part of the tribe years prior) that were nomadic and rarely seen outside of the winter lands that surrounded the Ice Bay of Forochel. Dawning furs of the beasts they'd killed; the Shikoba tribe was also well known for the Crebain feathers they wore in their hair to not only signify unity as a whole tribe, but to show the strength a single individual might have. The more Crebain feathers weaved into the beaded braids on their heads, the more victories and service the wearer had done in service to the tribe.
It was not uncommon to see them accompanied by several wargs (those of which were pulling sleds covered with carcasses from their most recent hunt) but also the younger members of the tribe. The furs they wore ranged from pale grays and browns, to the darkest of blacks as well as most pristine of whites. The most common feature among the Shikoba tribe was that of their stark sapphire eyes and blood red hair; a symbol of not only their slight inbreeding (cousins marrying cousins) but the sapphire eyes to show the elf blood that flowed their veins. Making the Shikoba tribe not only one of the most beautiful races of Man, but also one of the deadliest. It is known that the moment a boy had reached his eleventh year, and a girl that of her first blood that they were immediately taken to the frozen bay of Forochel to learn to hunt, scavenge, and to use weapons properly; it was no longer child's play for they were no longer children.
It was when one of the Shikoba children had found their over to where the pair was crouched, that Arvid took note of the group quickly approaching group from only several yards away. The child's hair was a mop of red curls about her head; a single black feather nestled within one of the curls amongst an array of beads. She was bundled in white furs and a wolf head dangling about her neck as a makeshift hood. Arvid barely managed to pull Lara back from the ice where Ophelia rested before a large hulking axe was embedded into the ice where she was previously sitting. The man quickly continued the assault on the ice just as a woman approached with a spear to aid him in breaking through the ice.
Tightening his grip on Lara's shoulder, Arvid turned to face a young Shikoba male who carried what seemed to be a large fur blanket in his arms. He spoke in a hurried voice, the language lost to the pairs ears just before he dropped it over their heads.
"öyle ringwe, Yamen Bu Konuda yuuyo en' lle." Peeking from beneath the mass of fur, Lara watched as two females reached within the frozen waters to pull out a fairly blue and unconscious Ophelia. Placing her on an empty sled, the females sat on either side of her; piling furs onto her body and pouring a dark red liquid into her mouth. The hulking man from earlier helped Lara and Arvid to their feet then, motioning them over to a particularly heinous warg before picking them each up separately and placing them atop it just before it began to move at a brisk pace. Another warg approached them not several moments later with a female riding atop it. Her flaming hair fell over her right shoulder in a large braid with a mass of feathers and beads seemingly attached to every strand. Her eyes were a hazel color, which was a stark difference compared to a majority of the Shikoba tribal members. She wore a black fur cape about her neck; the rest of her body clad in what looked to be a thin white dress with a collar made of black feathers. Her hands were tangled within the Warg's fur, and her focus was completely on Lara and her confused features.
"Pray tell child, why such puzzled features-?" Her voice was as crisp as the snow that crunching beneath their feet; but also pale and void of life.
"Do you fear us?" she uttered out lightly. Lara gently shook her head, before opening her mouth to speak.
"I'm not scared of some video game boss." When the female didn't answer back, Lara sighed and turned her gaze to the direction they seemed to be traveling in.
"Cue dramatic music..." she uttered out in an annoyed tone.
the line: öyle ringwe, Yamen Bu Konuda yuuyo en' lle. is a mix of turkish and elvish, which i decided would be the dialect of the Shikoba tribe ( i made it up off the top of my head) and the line translates to:
"It is cold, place this about both of you."
