Chapter 6
Trouble in Middle-Earth
"A beautiful bow and quiver of arrows, Irene! Isn't it beautiful?" Erisana cried one morning. The two women came downstairs to the kitchen to find the gift on the table. Irene's chocolate-colored eyes had widened as she glanced at the craft and looked at Erisana.
"For me?" she asked in a quiet voice.
Erisana nodded. "For you, Irene.Natannael made it himself.he thought that since you had a bit of Mirkwood blood in your veins that you might want to try archery. I am no good at it, mind you, but I am rather handy with a sword when it comes time for it."
Irene lifted the bow, which felt light as a feather in her hands and was just the right height.
"Why don't you go on outside and give it a try?" Erisana suggested after a few moments of silence.
"Where is Natannael?" Irene wanted to know.
Erisana snorted. "How would I know? He does this to me all the time.leaving signs that he has been here but when I go to try and find him he is never around!"
Irene smiled as she took her present outside. The weather was beautiful-the sky a sapphire blue with hardly any clouds. The air was cool hinting that autumn was coming but not so cold that it was unbearable to be outdoors. Irene unstrapped her new quiver and pulled out her first arrow, inspecting it. The arrow brought back painful memories but she was determined not to let them bother her. She had a feeling her adoptive father had reasons why he did not want to take her back. He had loved her with all of his heart when she was with him in Mirkwood, allowing her to attend all of the councils and to come with him into the forest when he was on guard. She sighed thoughtfully, realizing how quickly she had gotten over the hurt of his last letter. 'I will make you proud, father,' she thought to herself. 'One day, perhaps, we will meet again and will be able to settle our differences.'
She notched the arrow and pulled it back, aiming at the center of one of the trees and let go. Suddenly: "ARGH!"
Irene jumped back with a cry and covered her mouth with both hands when she saw a dwarf coming out from the forest. In his hands he clutched his hat and she saw that her arrow had lodged itself right through the center of the fabric. "I believe this is yours, madame." The dwarf grunted as he pulled the arrow out and handed it back to Irene.
She blinked and gasped in Elvish (she tended to speak in Elvish when she was frightened) "Amin hiraetha!" (I'm sorry)
The dwarf was just about to respond when Erisana came outside. "Omar Ironwood! What a surprise.coming to Silverymoon uninvited!"
Irene looked up at Erisana and then glanced at the dwarf who bowed respectfully.
"I was looking for Master Natannael. He wasn't at his home so I assumed he would be here but obviously I am wrong."
Erisana nodded. "You are, Omar. I have no idea where he went.he left a gift for Irene and I guess he hurried off right after doing so."
Omar frowned. "I wanted to spare you this," he began. "But the Orcs are multiplying in Isengard."
"Orcs! I thought you and Natannael had killed most of them off the last time!"
"Most of them. Not all of them.Natannael and I must ride to Isengard to try and stop the breeder of those foul creatures from attacking the Pretesca caravans."
Erisana's face paled. "You and Natannael are to ride off again? He just returned from the last journey a little over a month ago!"
"I am sorry, lady, but we were asked for specifically and we."
"Omar my friend! I did not expect to see you in Silverymoon!" All heads turned to see a brilliant white stallion approaching. "Norotai, Mistmaid." (Slow down, Mistmaid) He dismounted and went to kiss Erisana. "Did you like your bow, Irene?"
Irene nodded. "Diolla lle."
Natannael folded his arms and looked at the dwarf. "Mankoi naa lle sinome?" (Why are you here?"
Erisana spoke up. "Omar says that the Orcs are multiplying in Isengard. He says that you and he have been called to attempt to stop them from attacking the Pretesca Caravans."
Natannael frowned. "Then at first light we go."
Erisana grabbed his arm. "I am going with you!"
Natannael stared. "It is not a safe trip for a lady. You will stay behind in Silverymoon.our borders are well-protected."
Erisana gazed into Natannael's eyes. "Amin mela lle-amin khlluva lle a qurtha ar thar." (I love you-I will follow you to death and beyond.)
Natannael glanced at Omar who was watching them. Suddenly Irene stepped in. "Then if she goes I go."
Natannael and Omar looked at each other with expressions of amusement. "It is best not to argue, Natannael. Arguing with females I have found out is more dangerous than sneaking into a camp full of orcs."
Natannael sniggered at the comment and then looked at both of the women seriously. "If you truly are coming with us," he began, "Once we start off we will not turn back. Not for anything."
Erisana threw her arms around him. "I would not let you leave me behind again. I have bound myself to you."
Natannael nodded. "All right. Go and pack." He glanced at Irene. "But does she have to come too?"
Irene rolled her eyes and Erisana smiled. "She goes with us as well, Natannael. She is my lady in waiting after all. You appointed her that position do not forget."
Natannael watched as they hurried into the house and then he looked down at the dwarf. "I'll let her father know she is going with us."
"Let us hope we are not making a big mistake." Omar replied watching as Natannael led Mistmaid around to the back of the house.
Trouble in Middle-Earth
"A beautiful bow and quiver of arrows, Irene! Isn't it beautiful?" Erisana cried one morning. The two women came downstairs to the kitchen to find the gift on the table. Irene's chocolate-colored eyes had widened as she glanced at the craft and looked at Erisana.
"For me?" she asked in a quiet voice.
Erisana nodded. "For you, Irene.Natannael made it himself.he thought that since you had a bit of Mirkwood blood in your veins that you might want to try archery. I am no good at it, mind you, but I am rather handy with a sword when it comes time for it."
Irene lifted the bow, which felt light as a feather in her hands and was just the right height.
"Why don't you go on outside and give it a try?" Erisana suggested after a few moments of silence.
"Where is Natannael?" Irene wanted to know.
Erisana snorted. "How would I know? He does this to me all the time.leaving signs that he has been here but when I go to try and find him he is never around!"
Irene smiled as she took her present outside. The weather was beautiful-the sky a sapphire blue with hardly any clouds. The air was cool hinting that autumn was coming but not so cold that it was unbearable to be outdoors. Irene unstrapped her new quiver and pulled out her first arrow, inspecting it. The arrow brought back painful memories but she was determined not to let them bother her. She had a feeling her adoptive father had reasons why he did not want to take her back. He had loved her with all of his heart when she was with him in Mirkwood, allowing her to attend all of the councils and to come with him into the forest when he was on guard. She sighed thoughtfully, realizing how quickly she had gotten over the hurt of his last letter. 'I will make you proud, father,' she thought to herself. 'One day, perhaps, we will meet again and will be able to settle our differences.'
She notched the arrow and pulled it back, aiming at the center of one of the trees and let go. Suddenly: "ARGH!"
Irene jumped back with a cry and covered her mouth with both hands when she saw a dwarf coming out from the forest. In his hands he clutched his hat and she saw that her arrow had lodged itself right through the center of the fabric. "I believe this is yours, madame." The dwarf grunted as he pulled the arrow out and handed it back to Irene.
She blinked and gasped in Elvish (she tended to speak in Elvish when she was frightened) "Amin hiraetha!" (I'm sorry)
The dwarf was just about to respond when Erisana came outside. "Omar Ironwood! What a surprise.coming to Silverymoon uninvited!"
Irene looked up at Erisana and then glanced at the dwarf who bowed respectfully.
"I was looking for Master Natannael. He wasn't at his home so I assumed he would be here but obviously I am wrong."
Erisana nodded. "You are, Omar. I have no idea where he went.he left a gift for Irene and I guess he hurried off right after doing so."
Omar frowned. "I wanted to spare you this," he began. "But the Orcs are multiplying in Isengard."
"Orcs! I thought you and Natannael had killed most of them off the last time!"
"Most of them. Not all of them.Natannael and I must ride to Isengard to try and stop the breeder of those foul creatures from attacking the Pretesca caravans."
Erisana's face paled. "You and Natannael are to ride off again? He just returned from the last journey a little over a month ago!"
"I am sorry, lady, but we were asked for specifically and we."
"Omar my friend! I did not expect to see you in Silverymoon!" All heads turned to see a brilliant white stallion approaching. "Norotai, Mistmaid." (Slow down, Mistmaid) He dismounted and went to kiss Erisana. "Did you like your bow, Irene?"
Irene nodded. "Diolla lle."
Natannael folded his arms and looked at the dwarf. "Mankoi naa lle sinome?" (Why are you here?"
Erisana spoke up. "Omar says that the Orcs are multiplying in Isengard. He says that you and he have been called to attempt to stop them from attacking the Pretesca Caravans."
Natannael frowned. "Then at first light we go."
Erisana grabbed his arm. "I am going with you!"
Natannael stared. "It is not a safe trip for a lady. You will stay behind in Silverymoon.our borders are well-protected."
Erisana gazed into Natannael's eyes. "Amin mela lle-amin khlluva lle a qurtha ar thar." (I love you-I will follow you to death and beyond.)
Natannael glanced at Omar who was watching them. Suddenly Irene stepped in. "Then if she goes I go."
Natannael and Omar looked at each other with expressions of amusement. "It is best not to argue, Natannael. Arguing with females I have found out is more dangerous than sneaking into a camp full of orcs."
Natannael sniggered at the comment and then looked at both of the women seriously. "If you truly are coming with us," he began, "Once we start off we will not turn back. Not for anything."
Erisana threw her arms around him. "I would not let you leave me behind again. I have bound myself to you."
Natannael nodded. "All right. Go and pack." He glanced at Irene. "But does she have to come too?"
Irene rolled her eyes and Erisana smiled. "She goes with us as well, Natannael. She is my lady in waiting after all. You appointed her that position do not forget."
Natannael watched as they hurried into the house and then he looked down at the dwarf. "I'll let her father know she is going with us."
"Let us hope we are not making a big mistake." Omar replied watching as Natannael led Mistmaid around to the back of the house.