Disclaimer: I own Morna and Sycha. The great Tolkien owns the rest.
I welcome any and all feedback, email, and IM's. I do not have the next chapters written, and
would well welcome any and all ideas from the wonderful people who have written to me and
reviewed. Thank you to all who have supported this fic.....belethil@winterchill.com
First light came and the day passed. The wind picked up again later in the next day, bringing with
it a misty rain that was more annoyance than help. There was more than one time, they both
thought they heard something fell carried upon the wind. Because of this, they rode through the
night, into the eighth day of their journey. Conversation was sparse, filled more with hushed
whispers than anything. Hours after night had fallen that evening, Sycha bade Haldir they stop for
the night. "Haldir, we are resilient, but you must realize we need rest.....even yourself." He
relented and they made a hasty camp for that evening. It was damp and cold, which made for a
fitful sleep, filled with dark and disturbing dreams for her. Some time before dawn, she awoke
with a start. Sitting up, she looked around; Morna was fast asleep as was Haldir's steed, his long
grey head draped over Morna's withers. But she did not see Haldir. Rising slowly, she scanned
the dark trees, apprehension building quickly in her muscles. Morna stirred slowly, hearing her
mistress's movemements. "Haldir?!" The first night he had gone off, but it was not like him
considering the uncertainty of what was around them now. The sounds they had heard during the
day, carried to them on the changing wind, had not done much for a feeling of security. They
were the sounds of movement and rustling, and occasionally what she had called a growling
sound. She moved past the horses, stepping quietly over some of the larger brush. "Haldir!?" She
called again, as loudly as she could without breaking a harsh whisper. There was no answer
except the wind and the misting rain. She would be far glad when they were off of the water's
vicinity, and away from the resulting breeze. She wandered as far as she dared, searching what
little she could see. `Haldir, answer me, please!" She heard a movement above her and jumped
back, sprawling as her foot tangled in the overgrowth. Haldir bent over her, having jumped down
from the tree he had been in, two fingers pressed tightly over her lips. "Be quiet....there is
movement that is not too far from us and it is difficult to see through the darkness, even with
elvish sight for there is no moon to aid me." He helped her up as she nodded and held fast to him.
"What do you think it is?" He fixed her with a withering look. "What do you think? Orcs, of course."
Her eyes narrowed. As close as they were, the extended travel and lack of rest had begun to
wear upon both of them. She sighed and he glanced back. "My apologies...come, we will sleep in
the trees." She nodded and let him help her up the steep climb. It had been ages since she had
done this, and she had never become that proficient in climbing trees....though now it seemed
odd to her that she hadn't. She searched, once Haldir had her settled securely against him,
through the trees to see for the horses. She could see nothing, really, and gave up. She knew
Morna would well handle anything that came along.
She woke to Haldir's fingers lightly pressing against her collarbone. "Wake, Sycha, we've need to
be on our way....something has passed near us not too long ago...pray we do not come across it
or them as we go." She nodded and they made their way quietly and nimbly through the trees,
her hand tightly woven into his. She was concentrating on her footing when he stopped, and drew
her close, pointing down. "We slept there.....but something is wrong...." She peered through the
trees, and could not see the horses, nor the packs. She felt her chest tightening, as she searched
for the horses. "Morna...." She had faith in the great mare, but it was not like her at all to run off
unless the need arose. Sycha let go of Haldir's hand, and moved herself over the branches.
Haldir watched her, minding that she did not slip or fall. He looked down again, the sickening
feeling that something was very wrong. That feeling increased tenfold as he saw Sycha begin to
clamber down the tree. "Sycha!" She dropped to the ground and ran headlong; his eyes followed
her to her destination and clamped a hand over his mouth. He shook off the initial shock and
dread and moved over through the trees with all of his years of skill. She ran headlong, fighting
the urge to scream and fell to her knees at the fallen body of Haldir's steel grey steed. She paid
no heed to any possibility of danger around her, sheer terror filling her. The steed had been
rended nearly to pieces by what she guessed to be a jagged sword or maybe an axe. She closed
its hazed, still-open eyes, and rose, drawing the dual swords she carried upon her back. She
scanned the area around her, and realized she had made a sudden, horrible error; she had
fallen into a trap. She heard the glinting sound of steel behind her, and ducked, turning as she did
so. An orc, the kind of which she had never seen before, lunged past her. She managed to
riposte back and behead him with one fell movement. She turned on her heel in time to see three
more moving toward her. Haldir, in this time, dropped from the tree, and that was all she knew.
Two more orcs came forth to her right and she fell into the fight; relying on her will to survive and
her power. She turned earth to mud, slowing the great orcs that surrounded her; enabling her to
finish off four more, her quickness keeping her from sinking. Screaming in the dark speech of
Mordor, the guttural sounds issuing from her throat seemingly surprising the last two orcs that
surrounded her, she rended the first and sliced through the neck of the second, falling to her
hands and knees as the second fell, and her ears were met with a sickening silence then. Upon
her third breath, she threw her head up, yanking her arms from the mud. Haldir's bow lay where
he did not and her breath caught in her throat. Pulling herself forcefully from the ground, wincing
as a growing pain grew through her side, she stumbled across the ground and dropped down to
Haldir's fallen body. Sheer desperation filled her as she pulled him up, cradling his head upon her
lap. "Dearest Haldir! Please! Open your eyes.....you cannot leave me!!" He shuddered, and his
eyes came open, fixing and focusing upon her. She looked over him, coming to the sick
realization that there was a great amount of red mixed through the mud that covered him. He
moved, slowly, lacking the grace that she had always admired in him. He smiled softly, and
glanced around. "Twas a good fight, dear Sycha.....bad luck that I got caught in the earth." She
whimpered, guilt washing over her. "Oh Haldir....please...where are you hurt?" He drew himself
up and winced, gasping softly. She slid her hands over his sides, finding a rather harsh gash
upon his lower left side, stretching across his back. There was another cut above his left eye, but
not so severe. She pulled a small dagger she kept at her thigh and began to shred her cloak,
gently binding his wounds. "Don't you leave me, Haldir.....don't you dare." He shook his head,
pushing his now soaked hair from his face. "Elves don't die so easily, Sycha....least of all me."
She moved to bring him to his feet, and stumbled, falling back to her knees, sucking her breath
through her teeth. "I should say I am not the only one hurt, dear." She reached her hand back,
feeling the split in her bodice, and looked down. Her wound stretched from her side across her
midsection, thin and deep. The deeper pain came from her thigh, where an orc's axe had come
down upon. She rose again, and summoned enough power to dry some of the earth, allowing her
enough traction to stand up and draw Haldir to his feet. "Ah, we are a pair....I'd not think we
would be able to take another attack, though." She moved then, bringing him with her. "Haldir, I
have not seen Morna.....have you?" He shook his head, leaning heavily upon her. "I've not.....I
should think she would have fled....unless they would have taken her. Her stature alone would
have been enough for them to try to take her for their own use....." Sycha pushed that thought
from her mind, and concentrated upon making some sort of distance. There was little hope of
scaling a tree to gain the protection height would give them, given their collected conditions.
"Haldir, what distance do we have left to where we would be meeting the others.....we are to
meet them tomorrow....we have made good time." Haldir nodded, peering ahead. "We need to
make it toward the river.....the land is leveling out, and we should be rather close...close enough
to reach the shore and......rest for a bit." She slowed and looked over at him. He had a hazy look
in his eyes and he had paled; if elves could pale. "Haldir.....we will make it....I'm sorry I'm not
able to heal you....I'm sorry I caused this." He shook his head, taking a shuddering breath. "Oh,
don't start.....you are not the cause of this....you did what was needed. We will make it....all will
be well in the end." She was not so sure of his words, but concentrated on moving toward the
water, wondering darkly what became of Morna, and missing her in the process.
I welcome any and all feedback, email, and IM's. I do not have the next chapters written, and
would well welcome any and all ideas from the wonderful people who have written to me and
reviewed. Thank you to all who have supported this fic.....belethil@winterchill.com
First light came and the day passed. The wind picked up again later in the next day, bringing with
it a misty rain that was more annoyance than help. There was more than one time, they both
thought they heard something fell carried upon the wind. Because of this, they rode through the
night, into the eighth day of their journey. Conversation was sparse, filled more with hushed
whispers than anything. Hours after night had fallen that evening, Sycha bade Haldir they stop for
the night. "Haldir, we are resilient, but you must realize we need rest.....even yourself." He
relented and they made a hasty camp for that evening. It was damp and cold, which made for a
fitful sleep, filled with dark and disturbing dreams for her. Some time before dawn, she awoke
with a start. Sitting up, she looked around; Morna was fast asleep as was Haldir's steed, his long
grey head draped over Morna's withers. But she did not see Haldir. Rising slowly, she scanned
the dark trees, apprehension building quickly in her muscles. Morna stirred slowly, hearing her
mistress's movemements. "Haldir?!" The first night he had gone off, but it was not like him
considering the uncertainty of what was around them now. The sounds they had heard during the
day, carried to them on the changing wind, had not done much for a feeling of security. They
were the sounds of movement and rustling, and occasionally what she had called a growling
sound. She moved past the horses, stepping quietly over some of the larger brush. "Haldir!?" She
called again, as loudly as she could without breaking a harsh whisper. There was no answer
except the wind and the misting rain. She would be far glad when they were off of the water's
vicinity, and away from the resulting breeze. She wandered as far as she dared, searching what
little she could see. `Haldir, answer me, please!" She heard a movement above her and jumped
back, sprawling as her foot tangled in the overgrowth. Haldir bent over her, having jumped down
from the tree he had been in, two fingers pressed tightly over her lips. "Be quiet....there is
movement that is not too far from us and it is difficult to see through the darkness, even with
elvish sight for there is no moon to aid me." He helped her up as she nodded and held fast to him.
"What do you think it is?" He fixed her with a withering look. "What do you think? Orcs, of course."
Her eyes narrowed. As close as they were, the extended travel and lack of rest had begun to
wear upon both of them. She sighed and he glanced back. "My apologies...come, we will sleep in
the trees." She nodded and let him help her up the steep climb. It had been ages since she had
done this, and she had never become that proficient in climbing trees....though now it seemed
odd to her that she hadn't. She searched, once Haldir had her settled securely against him,
through the trees to see for the horses. She could see nothing, really, and gave up. She knew
Morna would well handle anything that came along.
She woke to Haldir's fingers lightly pressing against her collarbone. "Wake, Sycha, we've need to
be on our way....something has passed near us not too long ago...pray we do not come across it
or them as we go." She nodded and they made their way quietly and nimbly through the trees,
her hand tightly woven into his. She was concentrating on her footing when he stopped, and drew
her close, pointing down. "We slept there.....but something is wrong...." She peered through the
trees, and could not see the horses, nor the packs. She felt her chest tightening, as she searched
for the horses. "Morna...." She had faith in the great mare, but it was not like her at all to run off
unless the need arose. Sycha let go of Haldir's hand, and moved herself over the branches.
Haldir watched her, minding that she did not slip or fall. He looked down again, the sickening
feeling that something was very wrong. That feeling increased tenfold as he saw Sycha begin to
clamber down the tree. "Sycha!" She dropped to the ground and ran headlong; his eyes followed
her to her destination and clamped a hand over his mouth. He shook off the initial shock and
dread and moved over through the trees with all of his years of skill. She ran headlong, fighting
the urge to scream and fell to her knees at the fallen body of Haldir's steel grey steed. She paid
no heed to any possibility of danger around her, sheer terror filling her. The steed had been
rended nearly to pieces by what she guessed to be a jagged sword or maybe an axe. She closed
its hazed, still-open eyes, and rose, drawing the dual swords she carried upon her back. She
scanned the area around her, and realized she had made a sudden, horrible error; she had
fallen into a trap. She heard the glinting sound of steel behind her, and ducked, turning as she did
so. An orc, the kind of which she had never seen before, lunged past her. She managed to
riposte back and behead him with one fell movement. She turned on her heel in time to see three
more moving toward her. Haldir, in this time, dropped from the tree, and that was all she knew.
Two more orcs came forth to her right and she fell into the fight; relying on her will to survive and
her power. She turned earth to mud, slowing the great orcs that surrounded her; enabling her to
finish off four more, her quickness keeping her from sinking. Screaming in the dark speech of
Mordor, the guttural sounds issuing from her throat seemingly surprising the last two orcs that
surrounded her, she rended the first and sliced through the neck of the second, falling to her
hands and knees as the second fell, and her ears were met with a sickening silence then. Upon
her third breath, she threw her head up, yanking her arms from the mud. Haldir's bow lay where
he did not and her breath caught in her throat. Pulling herself forcefully from the ground, wincing
as a growing pain grew through her side, she stumbled across the ground and dropped down to
Haldir's fallen body. Sheer desperation filled her as she pulled him up, cradling his head upon her
lap. "Dearest Haldir! Please! Open your eyes.....you cannot leave me!!" He shuddered, and his
eyes came open, fixing and focusing upon her. She looked over him, coming to the sick
realization that there was a great amount of red mixed through the mud that covered him. He
moved, slowly, lacking the grace that she had always admired in him. He smiled softly, and
glanced around. "Twas a good fight, dear Sycha.....bad luck that I got caught in the earth." She
whimpered, guilt washing over her. "Oh Haldir....please...where are you hurt?" He drew himself
up and winced, gasping softly. She slid her hands over his sides, finding a rather harsh gash
upon his lower left side, stretching across his back. There was another cut above his left eye, but
not so severe. She pulled a small dagger she kept at her thigh and began to shred her cloak,
gently binding his wounds. "Don't you leave me, Haldir.....don't you dare." He shook his head,
pushing his now soaked hair from his face. "Elves don't die so easily, Sycha....least of all me."
She moved to bring him to his feet, and stumbled, falling back to her knees, sucking her breath
through her teeth. "I should say I am not the only one hurt, dear." She reached her hand back,
feeling the split in her bodice, and looked down. Her wound stretched from her side across her
midsection, thin and deep. The deeper pain came from her thigh, where an orc's axe had come
down upon. She rose again, and summoned enough power to dry some of the earth, allowing her
enough traction to stand up and draw Haldir to his feet. "Ah, we are a pair....I'd not think we
would be able to take another attack, though." She moved then, bringing him with her. "Haldir, I
have not seen Morna.....have you?" He shook his head, leaning heavily upon her. "I've not.....I
should think she would have fled....unless they would have taken her. Her stature alone would
have been enough for them to try to take her for their own use....." Sycha pushed that thought
from her mind, and concentrated upon making some sort of distance. There was little hope of
scaling a tree to gain the protection height would give them, given their collected conditions.
"Haldir, what distance do we have left to where we would be meeting the others.....we are to
meet them tomorrow....we have made good time." Haldir nodded, peering ahead. "We need to
make it toward the river.....the land is leveling out, and we should be rather close...close enough
to reach the shore and......rest for a bit." She slowed and looked over at him. He had a hazy look
in his eyes and he had paled; if elves could pale. "Haldir.....we will make it....I'm sorry I'm not
able to heal you....I'm sorry I caused this." He shook his head, taking a shuddering breath. "Oh,
don't start.....you are not the cause of this....you did what was needed. We will make it....all will
be well in the end." She was not so sure of his words, but concentrated on moving toward the
water, wondering darkly what became of Morna, and missing her in the process.