DISCLAIMER: All Middle-earth characters belong to the wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien. Again, my preciousses are all mine, that is Urima and Mordina (sisters of terror. Mwahaha!) ^_^;;
A/N: This part occurred in the middle of the second book.
When the Moon Stops Shining
II. Middle-earth: Paradise Found and Lost
Urima felt herself falling, falling into an abyss of darkness. She felt a heavy weight upon her body as if some pressure is pressing her down. She felt her muscles contract, trying to lift the force off her. But then, she couldn't move.
She wondered if she would be like this forever. A deathless thing forever in a vacuum, trapped in a void. Now she desperately wished that she didn't touch that green orb. She feared that if her sister found out then, that would be the end of her and the world. Just as her thoughts started getting deeper and darker in despair, a tingling sensation coursed through her body. Jolts of electricity seemed to gather around her.
* Have I died? * She asked herself. But that is an irony. She is dead, or rather an Undead. * Maybe this is all a dark dream. * She thought wildly but she knew it isn't.
Suddenly, she saw colors swirl around her. At first it was dull then the colors got brighter and brighter every passing moment. The swirling colors reminded Urima strongly of an artist's palette, colors mixed and matched in different combinations.
The colors began to take shape. She saw trees, mountains and rivers. Again she felt herself falling.
She reached the ground with a soft thud.
* Unbelievable! * She thought as she surveyed where she landed. The ground was layered with soft green grass that broke her fall. A scent of wildflowers filled the air.
Then, she looked up. An arrow is pointed straight at her throat.
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Legolas Greenleaf had not been idle. Gandalf had told him to search the woods around the borders of Lórien 'people not meant to be here and bring that people here'. He found the instructions strange but since it is was Gandalf then strangeness is excusable. He feared that instead of 'the strangers' Gandalf is talking about, he might encounter Orcs and he knew he couldn't fend them of. He had searched the area twice and he found nothing so he went swiftly passing the river Nimrodel to the opening of the forest of Fangorn. The sun had reached its height when he decided to give it a last try before retiring back to Lothlórien. He chuckled softly to himself as he thought that Gandalf would not be wholly happy if he didn't bring back what Gandalf had expected. Just then, he noticed that the ground was slightly shaking. With his keen ears he heard a sound as if a great wind is sucking all things around it. Nudging his horse, the great Arod, towards the sound he came across an open glade. There was a blinding green flash and then all was quiet save for the chirping of young birds in their nestlings.
As the light vanished he became aware of a young girl sitting in the middle of the glade. She didn't seem to notice him and he came toward her stealthily. He fitted an arrow upon his bow and pointed it at her throat, ready to shoot.
Just then the girl look at him.
"Who are you?" Legolas asked in Elvish.
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Urima looked at the man as he spoke a strange language. Her gaze is hazy and grayish as if a light veil is hung in front of her.
The man spoke again, this time in English. Who are you, he said. Even as the man spoke her view got clearer and clearer. The man in front of her looked utterly odd. He wore a garment of green and brown that looked like one of King Arthur's archers during the Medieval Era. He had fine, silken hair some part of it tied in a braid and knotted at the back. Oddest are his ears that reminded Urima strongly of a pony's ears.
"U…Urima." She answered with uncertainty. She knew that the silver tip of the arrow could not touch her being a vampire that she is but, the sensible and cautious side of her advice her to be wary and to heed the man's words.
Urima. * So, she had a name. * Legolas thought. But this girl is remarkable! She is utterly white under the sun as if she was one of the stone sculptures in the Halls of Kings the complete opposite of her raven-black hair. Her lips were in the palest shade of pink that he saw and as she spoke, he noticed two sharp teeth like the teeth of wolves. She wore a gown of black in a material he never saw before. The style of it was utterly foreign to him. Most curious of all is her eyes for it shone with the intensity akin to the green flash that he saw before. He was almost sure that this is the one Gandalf had meant.
Slowly, he put his bow than and his shoulders slightly relaxed but he didn't let his guard down. He half-expected that the girl would attack him suddenly this very moment but she didn't. He went down his horse and held out his hand to her and she took it. Legolas gave an unintentional shudder. Her hand is icy cold.
"Thanks." Urima said smiling a bit as she stood up. She looked at the sky. The sun is at its peak and it momentarily stung her eyes. The sun was not burning her she noted. She felt lightheaded and forced herself to take a step.
"Come." He said as he pulled his horse towards the path.
"Where are you taking me? And where am I?" Urima asked following him. She was in a place alien to her where the sun had no effect to her vampiric self.
"I'm taking you to Lórien. You're in Middle-earth." He answered walking in front of her.
"Where the hell is Middle-earth?"
Legolas didn't reply. He had stopped and seemed to be listening to something. Urima feel quiet. Her vampire senses told her that danger lurked ahead. It seemed far away but the look on her companion's face did not look assuring.
"Orcs." Legolas whispered, barely audible as if he was afraid that whatever it was out there could hear him at such distance. No doubt the green light must have been seen by the spies of the Enemy and the Enemy must have sent his servants to inspect the area. The place is dangerous. The Orcs must have sensed their trail and there is no escaping them. The only way is to fight them, no matter how many they are. He half-glanced at Urima hoping she herself is no spy of Sauron and that she would help him.
*Five… six… seven… nine… ten…* Legolas mentally counted. There were at least ten Orcs out there or many more that he couldn't count. He took his bow and readied an arrow on it. Then there were heavy trampling of feet. Suddenly, Legolas let loose his arrow. His aim proved true as he heard a yell of pain. Then quicker than Urima's vampire eyes could see he shot arrow after arrow until five more fell down. And still Legolas aimed his arrows until none of them are left alive.
Urima stared at the creatures Legolas has slain and felt no remorse for having Legolas kill them. The Orcs were ugly creatures. Goblin-like they were with slanted eyes and swart. Dark blood was dripping from where Legolas' arrows had pierced.
"We better move now. More of them might come." Legolas said while picking up unspoiled arrows from the slain orc-host.
Urima nodded moving forward. The scent of the Orc-blood was sickening. It wasn't the same as the blood of men.
They started moving on into the woods.
"Where do you came from?" it was Legolas' turn to ask.
"Earth." She answered.
"Is that the same to this place?"
Urima stared at him. She started getting annoyed. She felt being tried in a court and found wanting.
"I guess so." She said carefully. "We don't have those… orcs and people like you. What are you anyway?"
"Elf." He answered.
"An Elf?" then she laughed.
"What is so funny about that?"
"Oh," Urima replied, shaking her head to keep herself from laugh more. "I always thought that elves are miserable creatures. They are half your height and stout and have long beards or sometimes have pointed faces. They are impish, known for their tricks among humans. They are sometimes called as dwarves, imps, leprechauns and all that. Besides, they are just imaginary. Something to tell to little children."
Legolas smiled at Urima's description of an Elf.
"We had dwarves to. Fitted like the one you described save for their pointed faces. But I am an Elf. What sorts of creatures else do you have?"
"You mean like your sort? Well, none are real but we have plenty of names. We have faeries, goblins, ghouls and ghosts. We have werewolves, witches, a creature form a blue lagoon, the Loch Ness monster, dragons, unicorns any yes, vampires. Of course there are more than I could tell you."
"Vampires you say? Well that name is appealing though I never heard about it. What are they?"
Urima fell silent. She didn't want the Elf to know what kind of creature she is. A monster, a horrible blood-sucking monster with no respect for human blood except to satisfy their dark lust.
"I do not remember much about them." She said instead.
Legolas acquiesced but he had a feeling that she was one of the creatures that Urima had mentioned.
They continued to walk in silence for a long time. The sun cast long shadows on the trees and Urima was silently delighted. She hadn't seen the sun for so long years.
At last Legolas halted.
"We must camp here." He said, surveying the surrounding. They were under a great tree that had witnessed many winter and spring. "It is not safe to wander in the open plain for spies might see us." Even as he spoke, the sun was coming down and darkness was soon settling in. They lit a small fire using old wood lying around and Legolas brought out food from his pack.
"Here, have some of these. They are the only ones that I brought but it will give you vigor and strength. Lembas it is called in our tongue or waybread."
But Urima didn't take it. She knew she couldn't take any kind of food. For the rest of the night, she didn't eat nor drink anything. After Legolas was done eating, he told Urima to wait then he climb swiftly up the tree. The branches were big enough to let them stay comfortably for the rest of the night. He went down again and tied the horse around the might trunk.
"But what if some wild beast or Orc passed by underneath? Surely they wouldn't wait a second chance for this horse." Urima said.
"We will only see ere the coming of the dawn." Legolas answered.
"Maybe its better to stay under the tree." She suggested. "Its safe enough to keep the fire going."
Legolas concurred. Using his gray and green cloak as a pillow, he lay down and fell asleep, if falling asleep meant dreaming Elvish dreams yet mind and body are fully awake. Urima lay down beside him drawing warmth from the fire.
In the middle of the night, she got up in stealth and prowled around to satisfy her craving for blood. Not far she saw a fox and quickly sucked the animal without leaving a trace of blood and laid it down on the forest ground. Then she went back to the camp and rekindled the dying embers of fire. She rested falling into a deathlike sleep. She didn't notice that her companion had witnessed everything she did and kept it all in his mind.
Morning came soon and the gentle shaking of Legolas roused Urima.
"We better make this journey fast to Lórien, for they looking for me since I didn't return the evening that passed.
"Climb behind my horse and do not worry of falling for he will bore you as fast and sure as the wind. At this speed we shall reach Lórien ere the setting of the sun. "
The traveled the plain. On and on they went without stop and rest, without being hindered by obstacles. And at last, when their horse became weary of its pace, they reached the eaves of Lórien.
To be continued…
A/N: I am not really sure on how long it will take to travel between Fangorn and Lórien. Anyway, I'm too lazy to check the book if it would give valuable information. Selene-Chan
… Again, I welcome reviews, suggestions, flames, blah, blah, blah… ^_^