* Well a certain someone shows up in this one. You may think there is romance "blooming"*hint hint* but there isn't quite yet*
"Celendir! Celendir!" An elf pushed through the crowd of guests in the dining room. It was Morion. The elf almost fell on trying to get to him. Celendir caught the shaken elf in his arms and helped him to his feet. Delani who was across the room, made her way over to the commotion. She knew that this elf guard usually stood guard at night in front of the gates that opened up to Neverwinter. The crowd of guests also made their way to Celendir and Morion.
"Celendir, there is news of some shades of darkness coming near Neverwinter." Morion continued, his chest heaving up and down from running. It must have been raining outside, for his dark hair was wet and messed. " We have our forces all around the kingdom, we are collecting more of our guards to patrol the outskirts of the city." Delani needed to hear only this. She took her leave quietly through the concerned crowd of guests. She went to the nearest door, then looked around to make sure that Thranduil or Celendir were looking for her, she could see the weren't, Celendir was still gripping Morion's shoulders, and Thranduil was standing by Celendir's side. With that, she fled the room.
"Now Morion, have you heard anything else?" Celendir asked the jumpy elf. He gripped Morion's shoulders trying to balance him. `He had to have run for miles.' Celendir thought to himself, for elves did not tire so easily. Thranduil stood by the Celendir's side. He looked about the room then looking for Delani.
"Celendir, where is your sister?" He said to him. The young king let go of Morion, he was the first to realize it.
"She is off to her post." He said. Delani had a post behind the city. She went there and stood guard whenever there was news of Orcs, or other evil doings near Neverwinter.
In Delani's chamber...
Delani stood in front of the silver mirror. She finished pulling her acorn colored hair into a braid. She stood and looked at her reflection. She was almost full grown. A piece of hair fell in front of her hazel eyes. She pushed it aside. She wasn't like other elf-maidens. She didn't enjoy sewing, or flirting with the elf men. She didn't bat her eyelashes, or constantly fluff her hair, she didn't mind if she ripped a hole in her gown, she would always mend it herself. She was raised like any other royal maiden, only she was also taught the skills for fighting by her father, and she had the heart of a warrior as well.
Legolas suddenly came into her mind. She remembered him giving her a few lessons in fighting as well. He taught her one trick that he said he would never show anyone else but her. She used the trick almost every time she was against an orc, or goblin. The trick was if an attacker held a knife at your throat, you were to punch him in the stomach, and with their free arm waving about, grab the arm, fling them over your shoulder and make them land on their stomach. With that take your feet and press them firmly on their arms so that they won't budge, then last was to take your bow push their head in between the string and trunk and pull up so that the string cut off their breathing.
She smiled to herself when she remembered Legolas teaching her the trick. He would use Celendir as the attacker.
`Poor Celendir' Delani thought. They both would make her laugh, Legolas always had Celendir pinned, but her brother never thought it was that funny and would end up wrestling Legolas to the ground. Some times Celendir would win, but it was mostly her young tutor that had the last laugh.
Delani came back from her flashback. She looked at herself in the mirror once more. She wore black tunic and leggings, so that she could blend in with the darkness. Her bow and arrows were slung over her shoulder, and her sword stayed ready at her hip. She clasped her black cloak onto her shoulders, she would need it tonight for rain was still falling outside. With that she left her room and walked out into the hallway. Torches lit the hallways. It gave off a warm dim light. She saw that some of the guests were returning from the dinner and were fleeing to their rooms. Obviously they took the news quite seriously. She walked quickly down the hall. Some guests pushed passed her, mumbling things to her like; be careful princess, or you should stay inside tonight it is not safe. She only ignored them.
"Delani! Delani wait!" yelled a male voice. Delani flashed her head around to see who was calling her but did not stop walking. She saw it was Perion. He was running down to her, he had his cloak on and weapons at hand. He caught up to her.
"Well I can see you're not that waiting kind." He huffed.
"I have to get to my post. I suggest you go to west outskirts of the city, I think they need more watchers on that side." She said. She turned the corner, and they ran down steps that led outside. The rain fell upon their heads hard. Lighting was even upon their city. The flashes lit up the sky and city. Delani quickly pulled her hood over her head.
"I think that I'll shall stay with you." Perion said as he pulled the hood of his dark green cloak over his brown head of hair. She looked at him, she placed a hand upon the hilt of her sword.
"They need watchers in the west. Go to them, I shall be fine, Virion will be in the same area as I, if needed he'll protect me." With that she drew her sword and ran to the woods.
The woods were almost pitch black, only when the lightning flashed that Delani knew where she was going. The rain didn't fall so hard upon her head now that she ran below the protection of the trees. She heard the wind howl through the leaves, and the thunder crack. It sounded like the song of darkness. Lightning flashed she saw a figure in the distance running up through the trees. She knew who it was and called out the name of the figure.
"Virion!" she ran over to his direction. Virion stopped running, and turned to face the voice that was calling him. He looked to see the young princess of Neverwinter run to him.
"Nice night eh?" he yelled out, making a little humor. Delani finally caught up to him.
"Which area do you plan to patrol?" She yelled back the thunder was drowning out their voices.
"I am to guess here. Naldur is taking the front, I am going to stand guard here."
"Then I shall watch the back road." She yelled once more.
"Alright, be careful!" He smiled at her, than turned to the nearest tree and climbed it. Delani fled once more through the maze of trees. Lighting being her only eye's, she finally reached the back road. She climbed the tree that looked over the road best. The back road led into the city, but it was rarely used. It was overgrown with ferns and grass.
She nestled on a thick branch, and leaned her back against the trunk. She thought about their journey ahead. She knew that Perion, Naldur, Virion, and Legolas were to accompany her and Celendir on the journey. They were to cross the border or Modor, which sounded like sucide. But it was the only way to get to Lothlorien, without taking a 1 year trip around it. Something cracked in the woods. Delani's ears sharpened, and her eye sight increased to its best level. A dark figure cloaked, was came around the corner. She couldn't tell what it was. She couldn't think of what it could be. An orc? No to slim. A goblin? They hadn't been seen here in over 5 years. Then thought of a Nagzul sent a chill through her spine. There were rumors that lay upon the lands of middle earth saying 3 riders still lived roaming the forests, looking in hopes to find the lidless eye, calling them for duty.
`Could it be?' She thought to herself. She shifted her weight on her feat, preparing to pounce on the mysterious rider. It came closer to her tree. Delani's heavy breath came out as thick clouds of mists. She quietly drew out a dagger that lay inside the fabric of her tunic. She placed her weight now upon her left foot, and left hand. The rider was now right under the tree. A yell was heard in the distance. The rider looked up to the call. It began to draw out it's sword, but before it could Delani jumped onto the rider, knocking them both of the horse.
They both fell to the overgrown road. Delani pinned herself onto of the rider. She took her dagger and pressed it against it's neck.
"You shall see death before you will ever receive the chance to enter Neverwinter!" She whispered harshly into its ear. She tightened her grip on it's cloak, but not tight enough. The rider pushed Delanio off of him, knocking the dagger from her hands. She scrambled off the floor in time to draw her sword out. The rider stood up and drew out his sword.
"Foolish goblin..." he hissed. With that he exposed his sword. The rain poured fiercely upon their heads. He ran to her and held his sword up high above his head. Delani thrashed her sword upwards, claming his as well. He pushed her fiercely against a trunk of a tree.
"A goblin! Dark rider I shall have you head!" She brought her knee up to her breast, took her foot, placed it on his chest and pushed him away from her. He fell backwards but did not lose his balance.
"Dark rider eh? Clever one." He started towards her. He was not a dark rider. He wasn't any dark creature. Who was he then?
"Who are you?" She stood, her sword dropped.
"The one who will stop you from bringing darkness to King Celendir and Princess Delani." He said as he came toward her. He raised his sword ready to sever her head from her shoulders. Delani raised her sword in defense. This was no dark creature, but and elf or human.
"I am Delani!" She yelled. The rider stopped just as he was about to thrust down hard upon her body.
"What?" he snapped. Delani removed her hood. Through the thickness of the rain, the rider saw the head of a young elf maiden. His heart stopped. His sword dropped to his side in the effect of being shocked by this realization.
A strong but graceful hand reached out from under the hood and found it's place upon her now, wet, cheeks. The rider sighed, he had almost killed a person so dear to him. Delani knew not what to think of this. She stood there breathing hard. She was so confused. The warmth of the hand upon her cheeks hastened through her body. She now took her small hand, she took the fabric in between her index finger and middle finger. She pushed the hood of the dark green cloak back. A glimpse of blonde hair had presented itself brightly, even in the darkness. A pair of blue eyes glistened through the driving rain. She knew then who stood before her.
"Legolas?" She whispered. Legolas scarcely hear his name from her lips. He enveloped her in his arms and pressed her face against his chest. Her hands clung to his shoulders. They both fell to their knees. Fear ran through Legoals. They almost killed eachother, he had almost killed her. The same thing ran through Delani's mind, she could not bare the thought of him slashing his sword into her flesh, or perhaps her glaring down upon his dead body. Her body shook, he held her tighter. She finally drew away from him She looked deep into him, she had not seen him for such a long time. It had been almost half a century since she had seen him ride away on his horse. He had tickled her underneath her chin before her mounted his white steed. She looked at every line and curve on his face. She raised her hand and touched his trembling lip.
Legolas did not take his eyes away from her. He remembered leaving a little girl behind, but he never expected to return to such a beauty. She was grown up, the warmth of her hand told him that. A small smile played upon her lips.
"Welcome back." She said.
"Celendir! Celendir!" An elf pushed through the crowd of guests in the dining room. It was Morion. The elf almost fell on trying to get to him. Celendir caught the shaken elf in his arms and helped him to his feet. Delani who was across the room, made her way over to the commotion. She knew that this elf guard usually stood guard at night in front of the gates that opened up to Neverwinter. The crowd of guests also made their way to Celendir and Morion.
"Celendir, there is news of some shades of darkness coming near Neverwinter." Morion continued, his chest heaving up and down from running. It must have been raining outside, for his dark hair was wet and messed. " We have our forces all around the kingdom, we are collecting more of our guards to patrol the outskirts of the city." Delani needed to hear only this. She took her leave quietly through the concerned crowd of guests. She went to the nearest door, then looked around to make sure that Thranduil or Celendir were looking for her, she could see the weren't, Celendir was still gripping Morion's shoulders, and Thranduil was standing by Celendir's side. With that, she fled the room.
"Now Morion, have you heard anything else?" Celendir asked the jumpy elf. He gripped Morion's shoulders trying to balance him. `He had to have run for miles.' Celendir thought to himself, for elves did not tire so easily. Thranduil stood by the Celendir's side. He looked about the room then looking for Delani.
"Celendir, where is your sister?" He said to him. The young king let go of Morion, he was the first to realize it.
"She is off to her post." He said. Delani had a post behind the city. She went there and stood guard whenever there was news of Orcs, or other evil doings near Neverwinter.
In Delani's chamber...
Delani stood in front of the silver mirror. She finished pulling her acorn colored hair into a braid. She stood and looked at her reflection. She was almost full grown. A piece of hair fell in front of her hazel eyes. She pushed it aside. She wasn't like other elf-maidens. She didn't enjoy sewing, or flirting with the elf men. She didn't bat her eyelashes, or constantly fluff her hair, she didn't mind if she ripped a hole in her gown, she would always mend it herself. She was raised like any other royal maiden, only she was also taught the skills for fighting by her father, and she had the heart of a warrior as well.
Legolas suddenly came into her mind. She remembered him giving her a few lessons in fighting as well. He taught her one trick that he said he would never show anyone else but her. She used the trick almost every time she was against an orc, or goblin. The trick was if an attacker held a knife at your throat, you were to punch him in the stomach, and with their free arm waving about, grab the arm, fling them over your shoulder and make them land on their stomach. With that take your feet and press them firmly on their arms so that they won't budge, then last was to take your bow push their head in between the string and trunk and pull up so that the string cut off their breathing.
She smiled to herself when she remembered Legolas teaching her the trick. He would use Celendir as the attacker.
`Poor Celendir' Delani thought. They both would make her laugh, Legolas always had Celendir pinned, but her brother never thought it was that funny and would end up wrestling Legolas to the ground. Some times Celendir would win, but it was mostly her young tutor that had the last laugh.
Delani came back from her flashback. She looked at herself in the mirror once more. She wore black tunic and leggings, so that she could blend in with the darkness. Her bow and arrows were slung over her shoulder, and her sword stayed ready at her hip. She clasped her black cloak onto her shoulders, she would need it tonight for rain was still falling outside. With that she left her room and walked out into the hallway. Torches lit the hallways. It gave off a warm dim light. She saw that some of the guests were returning from the dinner and were fleeing to their rooms. Obviously they took the news quite seriously. She walked quickly down the hall. Some guests pushed passed her, mumbling things to her like; be careful princess, or you should stay inside tonight it is not safe. She only ignored them.
"Delani! Delani wait!" yelled a male voice. Delani flashed her head around to see who was calling her but did not stop walking. She saw it was Perion. He was running down to her, he had his cloak on and weapons at hand. He caught up to her.
"Well I can see you're not that waiting kind." He huffed.
"I have to get to my post. I suggest you go to west outskirts of the city, I think they need more watchers on that side." She said. She turned the corner, and they ran down steps that led outside. The rain fell upon their heads hard. Lighting was even upon their city. The flashes lit up the sky and city. Delani quickly pulled her hood over her head.
"I think that I'll shall stay with you." Perion said as he pulled the hood of his dark green cloak over his brown head of hair. She looked at him, she placed a hand upon the hilt of her sword.
"They need watchers in the west. Go to them, I shall be fine, Virion will be in the same area as I, if needed he'll protect me." With that she drew her sword and ran to the woods.
The woods were almost pitch black, only when the lightning flashed that Delani knew where she was going. The rain didn't fall so hard upon her head now that she ran below the protection of the trees. She heard the wind howl through the leaves, and the thunder crack. It sounded like the song of darkness. Lightning flashed she saw a figure in the distance running up through the trees. She knew who it was and called out the name of the figure.
"Virion!" she ran over to his direction. Virion stopped running, and turned to face the voice that was calling him. He looked to see the young princess of Neverwinter run to him.
"Nice night eh?" he yelled out, making a little humor. Delani finally caught up to him.
"Which area do you plan to patrol?" She yelled back the thunder was drowning out their voices.
"I am to guess here. Naldur is taking the front, I am going to stand guard here."
"Then I shall watch the back road." She yelled once more.
"Alright, be careful!" He smiled at her, than turned to the nearest tree and climbed it. Delani fled once more through the maze of trees. Lighting being her only eye's, she finally reached the back road. She climbed the tree that looked over the road best. The back road led into the city, but it was rarely used. It was overgrown with ferns and grass.
She nestled on a thick branch, and leaned her back against the trunk. She thought about their journey ahead. She knew that Perion, Naldur, Virion, and Legolas were to accompany her and Celendir on the journey. They were to cross the border or Modor, which sounded like sucide. But it was the only way to get to Lothlorien, without taking a 1 year trip around it. Something cracked in the woods. Delani's ears sharpened, and her eye sight increased to its best level. A dark figure cloaked, was came around the corner. She couldn't tell what it was. She couldn't think of what it could be. An orc? No to slim. A goblin? They hadn't been seen here in over 5 years. Then thought of a Nagzul sent a chill through her spine. There were rumors that lay upon the lands of middle earth saying 3 riders still lived roaming the forests, looking in hopes to find the lidless eye, calling them for duty.
`Could it be?' She thought to herself. She shifted her weight on her feat, preparing to pounce on the mysterious rider. It came closer to her tree. Delani's heavy breath came out as thick clouds of mists. She quietly drew out a dagger that lay inside the fabric of her tunic. She placed her weight now upon her left foot, and left hand. The rider was now right under the tree. A yell was heard in the distance. The rider looked up to the call. It began to draw out it's sword, but before it could Delani jumped onto the rider, knocking them both of the horse.
They both fell to the overgrown road. Delani pinned herself onto of the rider. She took her dagger and pressed it against it's neck.
"You shall see death before you will ever receive the chance to enter Neverwinter!" She whispered harshly into its ear. She tightened her grip on it's cloak, but not tight enough. The rider pushed Delanio off of him, knocking the dagger from her hands. She scrambled off the floor in time to draw her sword out. The rider stood up and drew out his sword.
"Foolish goblin..." he hissed. With that he exposed his sword. The rain poured fiercely upon their heads. He ran to her and held his sword up high above his head. Delani thrashed her sword upwards, claming his as well. He pushed her fiercely against a trunk of a tree.
"A goblin! Dark rider I shall have you head!" She brought her knee up to her breast, took her foot, placed it on his chest and pushed him away from her. He fell backwards but did not lose his balance.
"Dark rider eh? Clever one." He started towards her. He was not a dark rider. He wasn't any dark creature. Who was he then?
"Who are you?" She stood, her sword dropped.
"The one who will stop you from bringing darkness to King Celendir and Princess Delani." He said as he came toward her. He raised his sword ready to sever her head from her shoulders. Delani raised her sword in defense. This was no dark creature, but and elf or human.
"I am Delani!" She yelled. The rider stopped just as he was about to thrust down hard upon her body.
"What?" he snapped. Delani removed her hood. Through the thickness of the rain, the rider saw the head of a young elf maiden. His heart stopped. His sword dropped to his side in the effect of being shocked by this realization.
A strong but graceful hand reached out from under the hood and found it's place upon her now, wet, cheeks. The rider sighed, he had almost killed a person so dear to him. Delani knew not what to think of this. She stood there breathing hard. She was so confused. The warmth of the hand upon her cheeks hastened through her body. She now took her small hand, she took the fabric in between her index finger and middle finger. She pushed the hood of the dark green cloak back. A glimpse of blonde hair had presented itself brightly, even in the darkness. A pair of blue eyes glistened through the driving rain. She knew then who stood before her.
"Legolas?" She whispered. Legolas scarcely hear his name from her lips. He enveloped her in his arms and pressed her face against his chest. Her hands clung to his shoulders. They both fell to their knees. Fear ran through Legoals. They almost killed eachother, he had almost killed her. The same thing ran through Delani's mind, she could not bare the thought of him slashing his sword into her flesh, or perhaps her glaring down upon his dead body. Her body shook, he held her tighter. She finally drew away from him She looked deep into him, she had not seen him for such a long time. It had been almost half a century since she had seen him ride away on his horse. He had tickled her underneath her chin before her mounted his white steed. She looked at every line and curve on his face. She raised her hand and touched his trembling lip.
Legolas did not take his eyes away from her. He remembered leaving a little girl behind, but he never expected to return to such a beauty. She was grown up, the warmth of her hand told him that. A small smile played upon her lips.
"Welcome back." She said.