The mist began to roll in over the moonlit grass. A raven called out to the night. Wind rustled the sea of grass in a dance, secret spirits singing to them the songs of night. Trickling water could be heard off to the right, meaning the Great River was nearing.
Triswyn held onto Milodan's reins tightly, pulling her dark green cowl over her frizzing red hair. She adjusted herself in the saddle; the unconscious Arandír was a heavy burden to bear, especially travelling all these miles. Milodan's hooves pounded the dirt, and then sloshed, as the ground became marshy and the air turned muggy. The marsh began to cake, and thick black peat came up every time Milodan took a step.
This was not the way she was supposed to go. Triswyn knew that. Her reconnaissance less than a day before had taken her towards Helm's Deep. Yet she was drawn northwards, far from her intended destination. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the pleas she heard in the night. Sad and alone.
Something called to her from the fog.
Sweat beaded down Triswyn's neck. Her head told her she was afraid, that she should turn around while she was still able to, before she had gone too far…
Her thoughts dissipated when Milodan stopped his march. The Princess looked around; letting her eyes deceive her into thinking the dark spirits of time were starting to suffocate her in the mist. Her heart pounded furiously, and she looked all around her, wishing to all Gods that Arandír would just wake up. Despite her intense hatred for the man, Triswyn needed someone to tell her it was nothing.
Eòfan used to say it was harmless sprites, coming to make sure that a young Princess was sleeping.
Her heart ached, knowing she'd never see his bright face again.
Another whisper from the dark.
This scared her even more. Her pupils grew, and her heart raced faster than her father's finest of horses.
Triswyn wanted to fall to the ground and sob, but pride wouldn't let her. She sat even straighter in the saddle, holding herself up at attention. She painstakingly forced herself to survey all around her.
Her fear slowly went away when she observed the light blue flame appearing in front of her horse, only a yard away.
"Milodan," Triswyn said boldly, "Follow."
The horse obeyed his mistress, no reluctance found itself in each step he took. For half an hour, the blue light led them forward. Triswyn had no doubt in her mind the light was good. She felt in her bones the wisdom and kindness emanating from this small blue will-o-wisp.
Sloshing from the marsh turned into a hard thud. Grass became greener, and it lightly kissed at the dark brown legs of the velvety steed. The greener the grass became, the fainter the blue flame would flicker. Triswyn made her horse stop; Milodan knelt down, and Triswyn settled Arandír next to the horse's warm belly.
"I'll be back." The Princess kissed the horse's fuzzy nose.
As much as the stallion hated it, he had to stay behind and protect the man-human. So he only snorted in reply.
Triswyn made sure her sword was in its scabbard, and she followed on foot to catch up with the blue light. Her cowl fell and her wild red locks flew all about her in the cooling breeze of her run. All tiredness left her as she got closer to the blue flame. All sense of curiosity piqued at its highest in herself, and she moved on adrenaline and wonder.
She came to a stop, just feet from the inviting light. It whispered smoothly, no particular language put a name to what this light was saying. It was comforting to Triswyn nonetheless. It flickered dimly, until it came to a complete burn out.
Triswyn was breathless. What was this? A game? She kicked the ground, upset at being led…
She looked up.
"Oh no." She whispered.
Looming in front of her was the old forest, the one that used to crawl into her nightmares as a child, right after her brother told her spooky stories. Her entire childhood, she spent wondering what it would be like to see it. And now that she was there, all of her fear came flooding back.
She remembered sitting under her blankets, holding it around her face as she watched Eòfan dancing in the candlelight, telling tales of the trees in Fangorn Forest that woke up and snatched you away.
Large trees stood above her, taller than Triswyn could ever have imagined. Black trunks and dark thick leaves. No moonlight penetrated this intense canopy. The forest seemed ages old, filled with anger and sadness. Looking at the darkness inside, Triswyn shuddered. She felt the trees screaming at her. Telling her to go away, that she was unwanted. Her head swooned at the taunting of this voiceless wood.
Her mind told her it was unwise to take such a journey through the old haunted forest. Perhaps it was right…
She lifted her evergreen eyes up to the very trees that mocked her mortal presence. Her pink lips parted before she turned away.
"Next time."
