Mírnna

Disclaimer- I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of its characters. The land of Mírnna and any characters originating from there belong to me.

Author's note: ' ' denotes thought, " " denotes speaking, just so you know!

A new day dawned fair and clear in the land of Mírnna. The beauty of springtime was in full bloom. The flowers had all opened, the sun was shining, birds were singing….and young gelflins were looking for trouble.

Naomiel peered through the bushes, her violet eyes catching a few rays of the sun. She looked around the glade suspiciously. All appeared calm, but she knew better. She stayed where she was. Abruptly, a figure leapt into the clearing and gazed about nervously.

Naomiel grinned evilly. '3…2…1' She sprang out and tackled her surprised victim. The two tumbled down a hill before falling off the edge of a bank and splashing into a spring. The pair emerged from the water, the victim glaring at his attacker.

"Naomi, what did you do that for?! Father is going to kill us!" he cried.

She just smiled at her brother. He was older than her, by about 400 years, but he would still play games with her sometimes. Naomiel, while full grown, was only 100 and therefore still very young by her people's standards. 'Being immortal is so great,' she thought to herself, 'You can get away with so much more for so much longer!'

"Relax Tulimo, it's just a little water." She said.

Tulimo shook his head as he pulled himself and his sister out of the water. "Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you can't get into trouble." He said, smiling.

Naomiel grinned and rung her hair out. "Not just any birthday, Tulimo. Today is my 100th birthday!"

The older gelflin laughed. "Yes, it sure is. Now lets go and get dried off so you'll be presentable, birthday girl."

She tackled him again, but he was ready for her. They managed not to fall into the spring this time. They wrestled on the ground for a while until Tulimo was able to pin her on the ground with her hands behind her back. Naomiel sighed in defeat.

****

The two walked back to their village. Their home very closely resembled a hobbit hole, but for one major difference. Gelflins homes were usually in the trees! Brother and sister unfolded their fairy-like wings and flew up to their front door.

They had all but dried off by then, but they were both pretty filthy from wrestling on the ground. Their parents, of course, made a bit of a fuss about this then laughingly sent their children off to get cleaned up for the party.

The time of the party came, and what a party it was! Singing, dancing, eating drinking, storytelling, the party was perfect! People of all races were there, for Naomiel had many friends.

There was Yala, a fairy she had met when she was a child, Netsi, a water nymph, and Thalo, the only dragon that lived in eastern Mírnna. Of course there were mostly gelflins at the party, but all of the races lived in peace together, and were welcomed.

That night, after the party was over and everyone had gone home, Naomiel sat in her room by the window. She was looking out towards the North, and not moving a muscle. Ever since she had come home that night, she had been getting chills, and there was an unpleasant prickling feeling going down her spine. It got worse whenever she looked northwards. Her fair face frowning in concentration, she didn't notice Tulimo approach from behind.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when he put his hand on her shoulder. "Ai!" she exclaimed, and spun around to face her brother. "Tulimo don't DO that!" she whispered fiercely. It was pretty late, and she didn't want to wake her parents.

Tulimo sat across from her and stared out the window as she had been doing herself. Naomiel watched his face closely, she saw anxiety…trepidation there. She looked back out the window, she couldn't help but feel that something terrible had happened somewhere, and that something even more terrible was going to happen. For a long while neither said anything, then her brother broke the silence.

"You feel it too, don't you?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I do. And I don't like it one bit."

Tulimo shook his head, "Neither do I baby sister, neither do I."

At that moment, they saw a unicorn emerge from the forest at great speed. He had come from the North, and seemed agitated about something. Naomiel looked at her brother. Tulimo nodded, and they both crept out of their treetop home and went to meet the noble creature.

They came to the unicorn and noticed that he was exhausted and had mud on him, as though he had been running all day without stopping once. Tulimo stepped forward. "Greetings friend, what brings you to our village at this late hour?"

The unicorn bowed his head briefly. "Oh fair ones," he said, somewhat out of breath, "I fear that I bring you ill tidings, for there is great devilry in the North. A great darkness has begun to devour our home. I know not it's origin, nor why it has come, but there are fell creatures that now roam the northeastern territories. Evil, evil things."

Here he paused and sighed. "They have yet to do harm to any people…but all the trees that made up Sarnwood forest have been torn down and burned, and the animals slaughtered." He looked at them with eyes filled with sorrow. "Sarnwood forest has been completely destroyed."

Naomiel gasped when she heard this, for Sarnwood had been a vast, beautiful place and had been full of life. It was also where her people went for their medicines, and some of the herbs they used could only be found in that forest. 'Destroyed?' she thought to herself.

Tulimo stood there in shock, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. 'It just isn't possible…' he thought. He took a deep breath, "Who would do such a thing? Who has done this?" he asked, shaking with barely contained rage.

The unicorn shook his head sadly. "I know not, for I did not stay long. Warn your people, for I must continue my flight. Farewell, and good luck fair ones!" With that, he disappeared silently into the night.

The siblings looked at each other, wondering just what the world was coming to. Sarnwood forest…gone? It had stretched over the entirety of northeastern Mírnna! It couldn't be gone!

Naomiel shook her head. "No, Tulimo it can't be true! All those animals, and trees, they couldn't have just been swept away so quickly!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Her brother drew her into an embrace, his mind reeling from the whole situation. Even the rampant demon that had wreaked havoc on the land over 200 years ago hadn't been that bad, and that had been the worst one in history!

"NO!" Naomiel cried and tore away from her brother's grasp. "It just isn't possible! The whole forest couldn't have been destroyed, who would do such a horrid thing? I won't believe it!" She turned around and flew top speed into the forest…heading North. Tulimo took off after her.

"Naomiel, no! Come back! We don't know what's out there…Naomiel!"

They both disappeared into the forest, with the stars as the only witness to where the two young gelflins had spirited off to.

*Sigh* Well, another story out. I don't know how many chapter stories I have out at this point, but all I can do is ask my faithful readers to please be patient. I already have a good idea as to where this story is going to go. Please review it only takes a second! ^o^