1 This is a rewritten copy of chapter 2; it is now a lot better. Hope you
like it!!
2 Chapter 2: The Ride to Mirkwood
2.1 The air was filled with peace and harmony as Elawen finished her song, and she now shone brighter than she had ever done before. She walked over to her table that had been beautifully cavern by the hands of elves, and picked up her quill. She carefully wrote a note on some golden paper, gently pressing the nib of the quill to the paper she wrote the elegant letters of elvish.
Lothron sen, aglonn i erin an nin ada, Gar an dartha ah durn mellon na i edrian ned Rivendell, Al ir bar, dan i aduial ned rhiw. Gasdil Elawen
This letter wrote "Who ever my read this note, could they please pass this onto my father: I have gone to stay with some old friends just outside Rivendell, I am not sure when I will return home, but I promise that I will be back before the eve of winter. Signed Elawen." With that, Elawen silently walked down towards the courtyard where Elrond and Galindor were waiting.
The sun was fully set now and the stars were glistening brightly. The stars highlighted the shadows of Elrond and Galindor, as they slowly walked towards her. Galindor spoke first of the task in which she had been appointed for, explaining the routes in which she would take to get passed the Misty Mountains. It all sounded rather complicated to Elawen, and she was relieved when Elrond announced that Galindor would travel with her to Mirkwood. For she would not have enjoyed getting lost on the way to a place she had always dreamed of visiting.
Across from where she was standing, Elawen's horse, Celebaras was waiting patiently for his, supposed mistress, and was startled when the figure of an elven archer came forward and tried to mount him. The horse struggled as the warm touch of Elawen's hands stroked his mane, trying to reassure him. "Celebaras, please don't worry. It's me, Elawen," the gentle words of Elawen whispered in the horse's ear. Celebaras calmed down at the words of his mistress, and gladly let Elawen mount onto his back. Galindor was already mounted, with their few, light supplies tied gently about the horses back, ready to go. Both Elawen and Galindor rode through the great gates of the city on bare back, as this was the way of elves. In the night air the words of Galindor flowed, "Fare well my Lord, I trust we will return soon enough." Elawen's voice soon followed but with much more radiance, "Namarie, I will not fail you my Lord." Elrond was now positioned on a balcony, watching the two elves ride off along the banks of the river, and into the night. His eyes were filled with both fear and gladness, for he felt as though something very precious to him had gone, but the warmth inside him, telling him that his decision would somehow prove good reassured him.
For many leagues, Galindor and Elawen followed the valley, which passed through the Misty Mountains. Its sides were steep and rocky, but the valley floor was smooth and flat, supporting flowers of many beautiful shades. Elawen gazed at their magnificence with keen eyes, gladdened by their sweet aroma. Many times she had had an urge to lay about them and look up towards the heavens, but she knew how pressed they were for time, and Galindor had hardly ever hesitated to rest for almost two days.
Elawen could feel the ground bellow her, gradually becoming more and more uneasy as they rode on slowly, through the evening. Small waves of mist were gathering at their feet, and the cold night air was drawing in.
"We had better ride by our horses side," Galindor pointed out, "For the ground is becoming far too sodden for us to carry on horseback." Elawen and Galindor dismounted their horses, holding the rains at their sides. The gathering mist was thickening as the sun was setting along the Harrison. All colours were drained from the landscape, except for the golden hue of the sun eliminating the tops of trees in the distance. Galindor looked up towards the stars with troubled eyes, "Oh I do hope Thranduil's son has returned from the south." He sighed, turning his face towards the foreboding darkness, "For we need him dearly." Elawen was curious about Galindor's comment, and softly asked, "Who is Thranduil's son? Why will we need him?" Galindor looked towards Elawen, the city guard whom he had trained once in Rivendell, and smiled. "My dear Eluthas, Thranduil's son is the prince of Mirkwood, and apparently a magnificent archer." Galindor moved closer to Elawen and whispered with a grin, "Looks like you got some competition." Elawen was astounded by what Galindor had just said, who would dare to compete against her. But she could not help wondering who this elf prince was. Everything was quiet as Elawen pondered on this thought, until the silence was broken by a sigh from Galindor who then spoke. "His name is Legolas Greenleaf, which symbolises the evergreen leaves of Mirkwood." Elawen felt as though she had been brought into a dream. "His golden blonde hair flows in the gentle breeze, and his bright blue eyes shine like diamonds in the moonlight." The anger that she felt about her competition was gone and now Elawen's eyes were shining brightly with desire, she could not wait till she could see the prince with her own eyes.
Elawen was brought back to reality a while later, and she could see that they were no longer surrounded by the rocky cliffs of the valley, but they were now out in an open meadow. The grasses were waving at their knees, brushing gently passed as the two elves strode on in the evening light.
Elawen and Galindor were now heading for the cluster of trees not far from them, hoping to find some shelter and make camp for the night. The gathering mist bellow them had thickened considerably and Elawen could no longer see her feet. The air around them had dropped in temperature, and their breath now joined the hosting fog. Elawen and Galindor were walking fast to try and reach the safety of the trees, for now the glow of the sun was fading and the landscape was beginning to fade into darkness.
As Elawen strode onwards at Galindor's side, a strange presence fell upon her. Galindor too, could fell this presence, for their fair elven faces had the same look of fear. They both stopped in their tracks, and looked about them. Nothing could be seen in the black abyss around them, except for the small ray of dying sunlight in the distance. The two elves had now decided to pick up the pace, if there was any chance of them ever reaching the shelter of the trees. A breeze was beginning to pick up, and a fell voice filled the air.
Elawen was running as fast as she could, and tears of fear were forming in her grey blue eyes as they fell down her pale cheeks. She felt as though they were being pursued, and quickly glanced back. Amidst the icy fog bellow them, a dark shadow was pursuing in the night. The two elves were running alongside their galloping horses, and they could just about make out the shadows of trees ahead of them. This was it, they would finally make it and the hopefully the dark shadow would return to were it had come from. Hope filled the hearts of the elves as the trees drew closer and closer.
Elawen was running towards the trees with delight in her face, until a shiver fell upon her. At this something cold thrust at her back, causing her to jolt forward. Her chest was filled with an unendurable pain and her face was filled with agony, as the shadow appeared in front of her. Elawen toppled to the ground with her hands about her chest. Galindor thrust his elven blade out at the shadow, but it was gone.
Galindor run over to Elawen and turned her onto her back. Elawen's face was a ghostly white and her eyes were sore and blood shot. "Oh, Elbereth!" Galindor cried, "Please save him!"
2 Chapter 2: The Ride to Mirkwood
2.1 The air was filled with peace and harmony as Elawen finished her song, and she now shone brighter than she had ever done before. She walked over to her table that had been beautifully cavern by the hands of elves, and picked up her quill. She carefully wrote a note on some golden paper, gently pressing the nib of the quill to the paper she wrote the elegant letters of elvish.
Lothron sen, aglonn i erin an nin ada, Gar an dartha ah durn mellon na i edrian ned Rivendell, Al ir bar, dan i aduial ned rhiw. Gasdil Elawen
This letter wrote "Who ever my read this note, could they please pass this onto my father: I have gone to stay with some old friends just outside Rivendell, I am not sure when I will return home, but I promise that I will be back before the eve of winter. Signed Elawen." With that, Elawen silently walked down towards the courtyard where Elrond and Galindor were waiting.
The sun was fully set now and the stars were glistening brightly. The stars highlighted the shadows of Elrond and Galindor, as they slowly walked towards her. Galindor spoke first of the task in which she had been appointed for, explaining the routes in which she would take to get passed the Misty Mountains. It all sounded rather complicated to Elawen, and she was relieved when Elrond announced that Galindor would travel with her to Mirkwood. For she would not have enjoyed getting lost on the way to a place she had always dreamed of visiting.
Across from where she was standing, Elawen's horse, Celebaras was waiting patiently for his, supposed mistress, and was startled when the figure of an elven archer came forward and tried to mount him. The horse struggled as the warm touch of Elawen's hands stroked his mane, trying to reassure him. "Celebaras, please don't worry. It's me, Elawen," the gentle words of Elawen whispered in the horse's ear. Celebaras calmed down at the words of his mistress, and gladly let Elawen mount onto his back. Galindor was already mounted, with their few, light supplies tied gently about the horses back, ready to go. Both Elawen and Galindor rode through the great gates of the city on bare back, as this was the way of elves. In the night air the words of Galindor flowed, "Fare well my Lord, I trust we will return soon enough." Elawen's voice soon followed but with much more radiance, "Namarie, I will not fail you my Lord." Elrond was now positioned on a balcony, watching the two elves ride off along the banks of the river, and into the night. His eyes were filled with both fear and gladness, for he felt as though something very precious to him had gone, but the warmth inside him, telling him that his decision would somehow prove good reassured him.
For many leagues, Galindor and Elawen followed the valley, which passed through the Misty Mountains. Its sides were steep and rocky, but the valley floor was smooth and flat, supporting flowers of many beautiful shades. Elawen gazed at their magnificence with keen eyes, gladdened by their sweet aroma. Many times she had had an urge to lay about them and look up towards the heavens, but she knew how pressed they were for time, and Galindor had hardly ever hesitated to rest for almost two days.
Elawen could feel the ground bellow her, gradually becoming more and more uneasy as they rode on slowly, through the evening. Small waves of mist were gathering at their feet, and the cold night air was drawing in.
"We had better ride by our horses side," Galindor pointed out, "For the ground is becoming far too sodden for us to carry on horseback." Elawen and Galindor dismounted their horses, holding the rains at their sides. The gathering mist was thickening as the sun was setting along the Harrison. All colours were drained from the landscape, except for the golden hue of the sun eliminating the tops of trees in the distance. Galindor looked up towards the stars with troubled eyes, "Oh I do hope Thranduil's son has returned from the south." He sighed, turning his face towards the foreboding darkness, "For we need him dearly." Elawen was curious about Galindor's comment, and softly asked, "Who is Thranduil's son? Why will we need him?" Galindor looked towards Elawen, the city guard whom he had trained once in Rivendell, and smiled. "My dear Eluthas, Thranduil's son is the prince of Mirkwood, and apparently a magnificent archer." Galindor moved closer to Elawen and whispered with a grin, "Looks like you got some competition." Elawen was astounded by what Galindor had just said, who would dare to compete against her. But she could not help wondering who this elf prince was. Everything was quiet as Elawen pondered on this thought, until the silence was broken by a sigh from Galindor who then spoke. "His name is Legolas Greenleaf, which symbolises the evergreen leaves of Mirkwood." Elawen felt as though she had been brought into a dream. "His golden blonde hair flows in the gentle breeze, and his bright blue eyes shine like diamonds in the moonlight." The anger that she felt about her competition was gone and now Elawen's eyes were shining brightly with desire, she could not wait till she could see the prince with her own eyes.
Elawen was brought back to reality a while later, and she could see that they were no longer surrounded by the rocky cliffs of the valley, but they were now out in an open meadow. The grasses were waving at their knees, brushing gently passed as the two elves strode on in the evening light.
Elawen and Galindor were now heading for the cluster of trees not far from them, hoping to find some shelter and make camp for the night. The gathering mist bellow them had thickened considerably and Elawen could no longer see her feet. The air around them had dropped in temperature, and their breath now joined the hosting fog. Elawen and Galindor were walking fast to try and reach the safety of the trees, for now the glow of the sun was fading and the landscape was beginning to fade into darkness.
As Elawen strode onwards at Galindor's side, a strange presence fell upon her. Galindor too, could fell this presence, for their fair elven faces had the same look of fear. They both stopped in their tracks, and looked about them. Nothing could be seen in the black abyss around them, except for the small ray of dying sunlight in the distance. The two elves had now decided to pick up the pace, if there was any chance of them ever reaching the shelter of the trees. A breeze was beginning to pick up, and a fell voice filled the air.
Elawen was running as fast as she could, and tears of fear were forming in her grey blue eyes as they fell down her pale cheeks. She felt as though they were being pursued, and quickly glanced back. Amidst the icy fog bellow them, a dark shadow was pursuing in the night. The two elves were running alongside their galloping horses, and they could just about make out the shadows of trees ahead of them. This was it, they would finally make it and the hopefully the dark shadow would return to were it had come from. Hope filled the hearts of the elves as the trees drew closer and closer.
Elawen was running towards the trees with delight in her face, until a shiver fell upon her. At this something cold thrust at her back, causing her to jolt forward. Her chest was filled with an unendurable pain and her face was filled with agony, as the shadow appeared in front of her. Elawen toppled to the ground with her hands about her chest. Galindor thrust his elven blade out at the shadow, but it was gone.
Galindor run over to Elawen and turned her onto her back. Elawen's face was a ghostly white and her eyes were sore and blood shot. "Oh, Elbereth!" Galindor cried, "Please save him!"