Triswyn was awoken in the dead of night by a hand grabbing her arm. It took her a moment to register what was going on.
Arandir had grabbed her arm, he was sweating profusely, his hand trembling.
Immediately, Triswyn put her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"A…" She was cut off with a hand to her mouth, Arandir shushed her, pointing to the tree-line of Fangorn forest.
It was foggy, and Triswyn could hardly lift her eyes in her daze. She rubbed her eyes, after slapping Arandir's hand away. She drew her sword as she stood up to get a better look and held her sword in her left hand.
Milodan snickered behind her, stomping his hooves into the dirt.
"What did you see?" Triswyn turned back to Arandir.
"I didn't...I heard something. I...It was like whispering from the forest. I don't…" He stuttered, holding his chest.
Triswyn turned to face the forest once more. She swallowed her fear, taking cautious steps closer. Not allowing herself to think of the horrors that might fall upon them, she pressed closer to the tree-line.
She stopped.
A long and painful silence followed. Triswyn felt her heart pounding ferociously, it threatened to burst forth from her chest.
Suddenly, there was a soft sound, almost like the release of breath on a cold winter's night. All around her, Triswyn could feel the sound getting closer, brushing her ears, almost like a cool wind.
It would have frightened her, had it not been for the glowing blue orb that started to form in front of her.
"You again." Triswyn whispered, she reached her delicate fingers out to it.
The wisp hovered for a bit, then moved away before she could touch it.
Triswyn recoiled, "Sorry." She spoke softly.
It circled around her once, glowing like a bright sapphire, then it moved closer to the trees.
"I can't." She whispered.
The light faded slightly, then glowed purple. It flashed again, brighter this time. The wisp headed slightly northwards, glowing an urgent red this time.
"I don't understand." Triswyns voice wavered with frustration, "Is something going to happen?"
The light went back to blue. Triswyn wasn't sure if what she had said was the correct thing, but now she had the feeling it was warning her about something.
But what?
It flew back and forth in light, liquid movements. Triswyns whole body felt frigid and stiff.
She raced back to Arandir.
"We have to move." She barked, putting Milodans saddle on in one fluid motion.
"What are you talking about? What was out there?" Arandir questioned.
"Arandir, I can tell you when we're at a safe distance, but we need to move." Triswyn was adamant.
Both of them paused. The silence was broken by the sounds of men shouting down the river.
"Oh Gods." Triswyn stamped out their small fire, hoisting the supplies onto her horse.
Arandir didn't question her again, he managed to get himself up on the horse. Triswyn fell in behind him, taking the reins and urging Milodan forward.
Milodan took off at a strong gallop. Triswyn averted her gaze every now and then, the blue light seemingly parallel to them. It swerved between trees, going further than the small party so show Triswyn where to go.
"Who are those men?" Arandir asked.
Triswyns voice broke, "I think they're the ones working for my uncle. He probably sent them for us."
"He doesn't think I'm still alive does he?" Arandir groaned.
"Probably not. But he can't take the chance if you are."
Triswyn looked again to the forest. The wisp could be seen going in and out of the forest. Triswyn moved closer to the treeline.
"What are you even looking at?" Arandir yelled.
Triswyn didn't answer, instead she focused on riding Northwards.
Some of the men must have seen the small fire. They could be heard yelling for each other to row harder, trying to catch up to the princess.
Triswyn kicked Milodan in the side to make him go faster. The horse surged forward, sensing their impending danger.
"The river is going to narrow soon, they won't be able to row this far." Arandir called to Triswyn.
"They can move just as fast on last given proper motivation." Triswyn said, hopeful the thinning river would give them the advantage they need to escape.
Closer and closer they came to the trees. Triswyn felt like the trees were staring at her while she was trying to ride for her life, as well as Arandirs.
"What's that?" Arandir pointed ahead.
Triswyn saw a glittery, snake-like object just ahead. The wisp went over it, and she could see it was another small river.
"The Limlight! Milodan, go!" Triswyn yelled.
Milodan pressed forward, his hooves eventually hitting the water. The river came up to Triswyns waist, but it was nothing they couldn't wade through to get to the other side. When they reached dry land, Triswyn turned Milodan so she could see if her pursuers were still after them. Off in the distance she could see the shape of a black boat. Small fires were being made, torches.
Triswyn turned back to the North, urging her horse forward once more, her heart racing.
"Where are we going, Winnie?" Arandir demanded.
"Shut up or I'll push you off of my horse!" Triswyn screamed.
The ground under them turned into a marshland of sorts. It was dark and green, and gave them a feeling of unpleasantness.
Light started to come over the land, and they could see a wide field going on for miles. But Triswyn pushed them further.
The ground turned from marsh into hard dirt and long green grass. The wind began to pick up, and it was as if the small party had been sailing a great sea of green.
With the oncoming light, the wisp began to disappear.
"No!" Triswyn yelled, "Where do I go?"
"Who are you talking to?" Arandir asked.
"Shut up!" Triswyn yelled once more, trying not to let herself cry.
She kept directing her horse Northwards. She knew that's where she had to be, she felt it in her gut.
Triswyn ignored Arandir's incessant questioning, focused on the large amount of land they had to cross. To where? She didn't really know. But the one thing she felt she had to do, was get to whatever it was that was Northwards.
On the horizon, Triswyn could make out long dark shapes. The closer Milodan galloped, the more she could make out that it was yet again another tree-line.
The sight of it made Triswyns heart leap. She had a feeling she knew what they were heading towards, but she didn't want to say.
She wasn't sure of the amount of time that passed, Triswyn was only aware of the growing shapes of trees. In the oncoming dawn, she could see that they were almost a dull brown.
Milodan slowed as he came to another river. Triswyn dismounted. Her breath almost left her. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her eyes as she looked up at the magnificence of the forest.
She saw that the water was almost white, clear and clean. The tall trees were grand indeed, but nothing compared to what it must have been in the days of Frodo and the Ring.
"What is this place?" Arandir painfully dismounted Milodan.
Unable to control her joyful tears, Triswyn's voice cracked, "Lothlorien."
"Oh my Gods." Arandir stood in awe.
"This is why we needed to ride North. The wisp was trying to get us here." Triswyn mumbled to herself, "But there are no elves left I thought…"
She stood up, "We have to cross." She took off her boots and stockings, rolling up her pant legs.
"What?"
"Trust me. We have to cross."
Triswyn took Milodans reins, bringing him to the rocky river.
There was almost a sob coming from her throat when she slowly stepped into the water. Her stomach fluttered.
An overwhelming sense of relief flooded over her, she felt rested, and safe.
Warily, Arandir did the same. The cool water made his skin raise up, the wounds he had once sustained felt almost non-existent.
"Winnie, what's going on?" He asked.
"Shh. You're talking too much." Triswyn said, almost giggling.. This was the happiest she had felt since she saw her brother, "You don't understand." She spoke softly, slowly wading through the clear waters of Nimrodel, "Long has my heart ached to look upon that which the elves left behind. And now, now I am. In this dark time, there is still a magnificence to behold."
Arandir fell silent, looking at the color coming back to Triswyns freckled cheeks. She was so sweet, and warm. His stomach fluttering slightly while he watched her eyes grow in wonder as she looked up at the trees.
"It is beautiful." He whispered.
They had crossed Nimrodel. Triswyn shakily stepped onto the shore. She held her chest, feeling no breath. She could see abandoned flets all through the forest, imagining elven archers sitting upon them, waiting for a disturbance in the border.
She could almost hear the whispers of those long gone. The sounds had consumed her. She dropped Milodans reins, walking forward and looking up at the trees.
"Imagine. All of this had once been gold, the leaves I mean. And at one point, they were green, with large golden flowers dotting the canopy. Oh, what I would give to see those flowers in bloom." Triswyn marveled.
Awestruck, she went a little further into the forest. She brought her hand up to her forehead, a painful headache settling in. There were too many voices in her head. She couldn't understand.
"Princess?" Arandir stepped towards her.
He watched Triswyn fall to the ground, seemingly unconscious.
"Triswyn!" Arandir shouted, racing towards her.
He lifted her head up, listening for breaths. He shook her, trying to get her eyes to open, but to no avail.
Milodan nickered, trying to warn Arandir.
He hadn't noticed, until he saw a man towering over him.