Princess Eloria
Sweeping some leaves into a pile, I lay down beneath a big tree. It's wide branches
offered me plenty of protection from the wind and any possibility of rain. I yawned, closed my eyes and hummed to myself softly. I had been walking all day in the hot sun. It had been my third day on the road and my supplies, the little I had started with, had dwindled down to practically nothing. I knew I could only rest for a short time, as the Orcs were probably close behind me.
I had never thought that I would ever be free of Orgath's evil clutches. He had always made sure I was guarded well, but it only takes one feebleminded guard to pave the way to freedom and after years of waiting I had found him. As soon as he turned his back on me I had knocked him out and ran without looking back.
Orgath had kidnapped me when I was younger. He and his troops had raided my family's small village and killed everyone there except for me. He never let me forget that I owed him my life. I was treated a little better than the other slaves he owned. This was because Orgath wanted me to marry him as soon as I was old enough.
Whenever I did something to infuriate Orgath he would take great pleasure in having me whipped. He only allowed them to whip my back. He wanted a pretty wife not a disfigured one. A trophy Elvin wife for an ugly old orc. That was all I meant to him. I wouldn't let that happen so I plotted my escape. I saved bits of my meals everyday for a month and then finally escaped.
I drifted off to sleep enjoying my few hours of slumber, knowing they would be over all too soon. When I awoke the sun was beginning to rise. I sat up and stretched my arms. I took a sip of what was left of my water and then stood up. I messed up my leaf pile bed to make sure there was no sign of my being there. Then I started on my journey again. The time passed rather quickly and soon I felt my stomach telling me I need to eat something. I looked in my bag and saw that all of my food was gone.
I sniffed the air and caught the scent of something delicious cooking. It smelled like sausages and tomatoes. I hastened my pace; following the scent and praying I would find some kind hearted person with extra rations to share with me. I soon came upon two hobbits sitting by a campfire. They were chatting amongst themselves and eating their breakfast. Before I could advance and talk to them, there came a voice behind me.
"What have we here? A lost elf maiden?" I heard the voice say.
I whirled around to face two more gentlemen hobbits. Both of them were looking at me quizzically.
"I am ever so sorry to disturb your camp, but I have been traveling for days and have run out of food. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to share a meal with me? I could pay you back somehow." I replied.
"No need for repayment. We would be glad to share a meal with a friend. What is your name?" the taller hobbit asked me.
"My parents called me Eloria." I replied.
"Welcome Eloria. My name is Meriadoc Brandybuck and this is Peregrin Took. You can just call us Merry and Pippin if you like." Merry took my hand and led me to the other hobbits. "This is Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins."
The other two hobbits turned around as Merry introduced them. "Hello, who is this? " Frodo asked.
"This is Eloria. She is joining us for breakfast." Pippin explained.
"Hello Eloria. Come sit down." Frodo held out a plate of food to me.
I took it from him and sat down to eat. I must have been hungrier that I had first thought because I wolfed my food down in a very unladylike manner. I looked up and saw the hobbits staring at me in amazement.
"Thank you for the meal." I handed my empty plate to Sam.
"If you don't mind our asking…how did you end up alone out here in the woods with no food?" Sam asked.
"It's a very sad story that I tell with a heavy heart. I have no family and until just recently I was enslaved by an orc named Orgath. He murdered my family and forced me to serve him. I escaped three days ago." I explained.
"Oh my! That's horrible!" exclaimed Pippen.
"We are on our way to Rivendell. It short distance from here. Why don't you join us?" Frodo asked.
"I don't know…Orgath and his troops can't be too far behind me. I wouldn't want to put you guys in any danger." I hesitated.
"We can leave right now. We are meeting some friends there who can help you." Merry pulled me up to my feet.
"Besides….we have faced some nasty Orcs in our time and defeated them." Pippen boasted.
"All right then. I would be delighted to join you on your journey." I hugged my new friends.
Sweeping some leaves into a pile, I lay down beneath a big tree. It's wide branches
offered me plenty of protection from the wind and any possibility of rain. I yawned, closed my eyes and hummed to myself softly. I had been walking all day in the hot sun. It had been my third day on the road and my supplies, the little I had started with, had dwindled down to practically nothing. I knew I could only rest for a short time, as the Orcs were probably close behind me.
I had never thought that I would ever be free of Orgath's evil clutches. He had always made sure I was guarded well, but it only takes one feebleminded guard to pave the way to freedom and after years of waiting I had found him. As soon as he turned his back on me I had knocked him out and ran without looking back.
Orgath had kidnapped me when I was younger. He and his troops had raided my family's small village and killed everyone there except for me. He never let me forget that I owed him my life. I was treated a little better than the other slaves he owned. This was because Orgath wanted me to marry him as soon as I was old enough.
Whenever I did something to infuriate Orgath he would take great pleasure in having me whipped. He only allowed them to whip my back. He wanted a pretty wife not a disfigured one. A trophy Elvin wife for an ugly old orc. That was all I meant to him. I wouldn't let that happen so I plotted my escape. I saved bits of my meals everyday for a month and then finally escaped.
I drifted off to sleep enjoying my few hours of slumber, knowing they would be over all too soon. When I awoke the sun was beginning to rise. I sat up and stretched my arms. I took a sip of what was left of my water and then stood up. I messed up my leaf pile bed to make sure there was no sign of my being there. Then I started on my journey again. The time passed rather quickly and soon I felt my stomach telling me I need to eat something. I looked in my bag and saw that all of my food was gone.
I sniffed the air and caught the scent of something delicious cooking. It smelled like sausages and tomatoes. I hastened my pace; following the scent and praying I would find some kind hearted person with extra rations to share with me. I soon came upon two hobbits sitting by a campfire. They were chatting amongst themselves and eating their breakfast. Before I could advance and talk to them, there came a voice behind me.
"What have we here? A lost elf maiden?" I heard the voice say.
I whirled around to face two more gentlemen hobbits. Both of them were looking at me quizzically.
"I am ever so sorry to disturb your camp, but I have been traveling for days and have run out of food. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to share a meal with me? I could pay you back somehow." I replied.
"No need for repayment. We would be glad to share a meal with a friend. What is your name?" the taller hobbit asked me.
"My parents called me Eloria." I replied.
"Welcome Eloria. My name is Meriadoc Brandybuck and this is Peregrin Took. You can just call us Merry and Pippin if you like." Merry took my hand and led me to the other hobbits. "This is Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins."
The other two hobbits turned around as Merry introduced them. "Hello, who is this? " Frodo asked.
"This is Eloria. She is joining us for breakfast." Pippin explained.
"Hello Eloria. Come sit down." Frodo held out a plate of food to me.
I took it from him and sat down to eat. I must have been hungrier that I had first thought because I wolfed my food down in a very unladylike manner. I looked up and saw the hobbits staring at me in amazement.
"Thank you for the meal." I handed my empty plate to Sam.
"If you don't mind our asking…how did you end up alone out here in the woods with no food?" Sam asked.
"It's a very sad story that I tell with a heavy heart. I have no family and until just recently I was enslaved by an orc named Orgath. He murdered my family and forced me to serve him. I escaped three days ago." I explained.
"Oh my! That's horrible!" exclaimed Pippen.
"We are on our way to Rivendell. It short distance from here. Why don't you join us?" Frodo asked.
"I don't know…Orgath and his troops can't be too far behind me. I wouldn't want to put you guys in any danger." I hesitated.
"We can leave right now. We are meeting some friends there who can help you." Merry pulled me up to my feet.
"Besides….we have faced some nasty Orcs in our time and defeated them." Pippen boasted.
"All right then. I would be delighted to join you on your journey." I hugged my new friends.