Author's note: my stupid computer deleted the chapter AGAIN! i hate this
stupid machine! o well. there's some (ok, alot) of dialogue in this
chapter. so if you survive it, please r&r.
p.s. these characters don't belong to me. (sniff, sniff) Except Crysta and Ian.
A Haunting Past
"Gandalf! What are you doing here?"
"I was making toward the Shire to say hello to the hobbits. What are you doing outside the fairylands?" The figure stepped into the light. He was robed in white. What surprised Ian was his beard. It was very long and white, and the old man's eyebrows popped out from under his hat. He must be a wizard, no one else would have a beard like that. Except maybe a dwarf. he thought.
"Well," Crysta replied, "It's like this." She told the story of Ian coming to her house and telling her about the shadows. How she flew above the trees and saw them over Mirkwood and Gondor. "And it seems I'm the only one who can see them. Unless you can Gandalf."
Gandalf sighed. "No, Crysta, I cannot see them. But I have heard of these Black Shadows. They hover over great lands and gather strength. Then, they explode with evil armies of orcs and men. They destroy the land and kill all the people. So you are going to warn Legolas and Aragorn of these shadows?" Crysta nodded. " Well, what do you propose we do Crysta?"
"I think you should continue to the Shire. But bring the hobbits to Mirkwood. We don't know how much time we have until the armies come,and we need all the help we can get. We will meet you in Mirkwood and continue together to Gondor."
Gandalf smiled. "I think that is a fine idea. But I think I shall take Ian with me. You need to travel fast and Ian will slow your horse. No offense Ian."
Ian finnaly spoke up. "None taken. But how is Crysta supposed to defend herself? We've been attacked once already. We came out with two nasty gashes. Mine on my arm and Crysta's above her eye."
The old wizard looked surprised at this. "Oh? I was wondering were you two got those nasty cuts. I have perfect confidence that Crysta will be able to avoid danger. And, if danger finds her, she will be able to defend herself. Unless those two years in the fairylands has softened you."
Crysta sat up straight. "Of course not! When do we leave?"
"In the morning when it is light, orcs will not likely attack then. But if it gets dark before you reach Mirkwood, stay hidden. You cannot defeat alot of orcs on your own."
"Very well Gandalf." They laid out their blankets and slept.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night Crysta again had visions. She was in a deep, dark forest. Orcs were everywhere. Crysta was fighting, agan feeling small. She lashed out again and again. Suddenly, a golden haired elf came through the trees. He and Crysta bumped backs. She whirled around and saw an orc about to attack behind him. Then a small voice, hardly to be heard shouted "Look out!" Crysta was surprised to see that the voice had come from her mouth. The elf ducked down as Crysta swung and killed the orc in back of him. Suddenly, she felt the pain of a knife go through her leg. She screamed. All was black.
Crysta bolted upright once more. Covered in cold sweat. She tried desperatly to control her breathing. She got up and walked away from the campsite. She kept going until she came to a stream. She filled her hands with water and drank, then splashed her face. The water was cool and refreshing. She went back to the campsite and looked at the others, they looked so peaceful in sleep. She laid down and passed into sleep once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Gandalf was the first to wake up and he roused the others. Crysta rolled over and groaned. She had not slept well that night and knew she would pay for it on the journey. She picked up her things and slung them on her back. Ian however, slept ten more minutes before Gandalf finnaly got him up.
"Ian Lightfoot! Crysta says you live on a farm? You are as lazy as a hobbit! You get up or I shall fry you!" Ian finnaly woke up. He bolted up quite suddenly when Gandalf threatened to fry him. Crysta laughed out loud at the laziness of her friend.
Crysta jumped on Starblade, and Gandalf and Ian jumped on Shadowfax. "Ian, you be good cargo," she giggled, "Though Gandalf is used to carrying passengers."
Gandalf laughed silently. "And you remember to stay out of sight at night. Blessed be and travel safetly." Ian was still to drowzy to talk, but he managed a goodbye and goodluck.
"I will. You travel safely to. And say hello to the hobbits for me." She beckoned Starblade on and the mare took off. While Shadowfax sprinted off in the opposite direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Starblade ran siftly and tirelessly. And Crysta felt drowziness seep over her. She definetly regretted not getting much sleep last night. Since she's an elf, she can go for a few days without sleep. But she haden't slept for days so she was out of luck.
The dark came. She slowed Starblade and looked for shelter. She felt sure something was following her. She turned around and saw the shadows of orcs following her on the hills beside her. They had swords made in orc fashion. She looked around all the quicker when she saw them. Finally she spotted a glen with a rock over a hole in the ground. it was the perfect hiding place. Unfortunatly, the sun set right as she saw the trees and the orcs charged at her. Right when they reached the bottom of the hill Crysta let forth a bolt of lightning, lighting up the valley and causing the orcs to flinch. When they recovered, she was gone.
When Crysta set forth the lightning she had urged starblade toward the glen. She jumped off and let the white mare run free. She quickly crawled under the rock. The orcs were talking in their own, hideous language. They were searching for her. She backed up into the shadows praying that the orcs would not find her, for there were many.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning came without the orcs finding her. She was greatful for if they had found her she probably would not have been able to defeat them.
She rode on. Then, she saw the trees of Mirkwood before her. When she reached it she jumped off of Starblade and led her into the forest. It was dark, but Crysta felt comfortable. Most likely because she was a Silvan elf. She looked around for a while trying to decide which way to go. She was anxious to see her friend's great city, but she didn't know how to get there. Suddenly, an arrow whistled by her ear and landed in the tree in back of her.
"Halt! Who are you and what is your business here?" cried a stern voice in the tree above her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The gigantic orc walked into the cave once more. "Master, they have parted. The girl is going to Mirkwood, and the wizard and boy are going to the Shire to retrieve the hobbits."
The creature smiled. "Have you found out if she is the one?"
"Yes, she summoned a lightning bolt to get away. We tried to capture her, but she eluded our soldiers." the orc flinched, for he knew this would not be pretty.
"WHAT!!" the creature screamed. "Now we have to wait until she leaves Mirkwood!"
"Pardon me Master, but why do we have to wait? Can't we just go in and get her?"
"Are you kidding? Those blasted elves would have you dead the moment you entered the forest. We shall wait." The orc bowed and left the chamber, flattered that his master let him live.
p.s. these characters don't belong to me. (sniff, sniff) Except Crysta and Ian.
A Haunting Past
"Gandalf! What are you doing here?"
"I was making toward the Shire to say hello to the hobbits. What are you doing outside the fairylands?" The figure stepped into the light. He was robed in white. What surprised Ian was his beard. It was very long and white, and the old man's eyebrows popped out from under his hat. He must be a wizard, no one else would have a beard like that. Except maybe a dwarf. he thought.
"Well," Crysta replied, "It's like this." She told the story of Ian coming to her house and telling her about the shadows. How she flew above the trees and saw them over Mirkwood and Gondor. "And it seems I'm the only one who can see them. Unless you can Gandalf."
Gandalf sighed. "No, Crysta, I cannot see them. But I have heard of these Black Shadows. They hover over great lands and gather strength. Then, they explode with evil armies of orcs and men. They destroy the land and kill all the people. So you are going to warn Legolas and Aragorn of these shadows?" Crysta nodded. " Well, what do you propose we do Crysta?"
"I think you should continue to the Shire. But bring the hobbits to Mirkwood. We don't know how much time we have until the armies come,and we need all the help we can get. We will meet you in Mirkwood and continue together to Gondor."
Gandalf smiled. "I think that is a fine idea. But I think I shall take Ian with me. You need to travel fast and Ian will slow your horse. No offense Ian."
Ian finnaly spoke up. "None taken. But how is Crysta supposed to defend herself? We've been attacked once already. We came out with two nasty gashes. Mine on my arm and Crysta's above her eye."
The old wizard looked surprised at this. "Oh? I was wondering were you two got those nasty cuts. I have perfect confidence that Crysta will be able to avoid danger. And, if danger finds her, she will be able to defend herself. Unless those two years in the fairylands has softened you."
Crysta sat up straight. "Of course not! When do we leave?"
"In the morning when it is light, orcs will not likely attack then. But if it gets dark before you reach Mirkwood, stay hidden. You cannot defeat alot of orcs on your own."
"Very well Gandalf." They laid out their blankets and slept.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night Crysta again had visions. She was in a deep, dark forest. Orcs were everywhere. Crysta was fighting, agan feeling small. She lashed out again and again. Suddenly, a golden haired elf came through the trees. He and Crysta bumped backs. She whirled around and saw an orc about to attack behind him. Then a small voice, hardly to be heard shouted "Look out!" Crysta was surprised to see that the voice had come from her mouth. The elf ducked down as Crysta swung and killed the orc in back of him. Suddenly, she felt the pain of a knife go through her leg. She screamed. All was black.
Crysta bolted upright once more. Covered in cold sweat. She tried desperatly to control her breathing. She got up and walked away from the campsite. She kept going until she came to a stream. She filled her hands with water and drank, then splashed her face. The water was cool and refreshing. She went back to the campsite and looked at the others, they looked so peaceful in sleep. She laid down and passed into sleep once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Gandalf was the first to wake up and he roused the others. Crysta rolled over and groaned. She had not slept well that night and knew she would pay for it on the journey. She picked up her things and slung them on her back. Ian however, slept ten more minutes before Gandalf finnaly got him up.
"Ian Lightfoot! Crysta says you live on a farm? You are as lazy as a hobbit! You get up or I shall fry you!" Ian finnaly woke up. He bolted up quite suddenly when Gandalf threatened to fry him. Crysta laughed out loud at the laziness of her friend.
Crysta jumped on Starblade, and Gandalf and Ian jumped on Shadowfax. "Ian, you be good cargo," she giggled, "Though Gandalf is used to carrying passengers."
Gandalf laughed silently. "And you remember to stay out of sight at night. Blessed be and travel safetly." Ian was still to drowzy to talk, but he managed a goodbye and goodluck.
"I will. You travel safely to. And say hello to the hobbits for me." She beckoned Starblade on and the mare took off. While Shadowfax sprinted off in the opposite direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Starblade ran siftly and tirelessly. And Crysta felt drowziness seep over her. She definetly regretted not getting much sleep last night. Since she's an elf, she can go for a few days without sleep. But she haden't slept for days so she was out of luck.
The dark came. She slowed Starblade and looked for shelter. She felt sure something was following her. She turned around and saw the shadows of orcs following her on the hills beside her. They had swords made in orc fashion. She looked around all the quicker when she saw them. Finally she spotted a glen with a rock over a hole in the ground. it was the perfect hiding place. Unfortunatly, the sun set right as she saw the trees and the orcs charged at her. Right when they reached the bottom of the hill Crysta let forth a bolt of lightning, lighting up the valley and causing the orcs to flinch. When they recovered, she was gone.
When Crysta set forth the lightning she had urged starblade toward the glen. She jumped off and let the white mare run free. She quickly crawled under the rock. The orcs were talking in their own, hideous language. They were searching for her. She backed up into the shadows praying that the orcs would not find her, for there were many.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning came without the orcs finding her. She was greatful for if they had found her she probably would not have been able to defeat them.
She rode on. Then, she saw the trees of Mirkwood before her. When she reached it she jumped off of Starblade and led her into the forest. It was dark, but Crysta felt comfortable. Most likely because she was a Silvan elf. She looked around for a while trying to decide which way to go. She was anxious to see her friend's great city, but she didn't know how to get there. Suddenly, an arrow whistled by her ear and landed in the tree in back of her.
"Halt! Who are you and what is your business here?" cried a stern voice in the tree above her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The gigantic orc walked into the cave once more. "Master, they have parted. The girl is going to Mirkwood, and the wizard and boy are going to the Shire to retrieve the hobbits."
The creature smiled. "Have you found out if she is the one?"
"Yes, she summoned a lightning bolt to get away. We tried to capture her, but she eluded our soldiers." the orc flinched, for he knew this would not be pretty.
"WHAT!!" the creature screamed. "Now we have to wait until she leaves Mirkwood!"
"Pardon me Master, but why do we have to wait? Can't we just go in and get her?"
"Are you kidding? Those blasted elves would have you dead the moment you entered the forest. We shall wait." The orc bowed and left the chamber, flattered that his master let him live.