They reached the mountains sooner than Airedel had expected, but they were awaited by many Orcs, and by the state of them, they had surely been there a while. Several bodies were scattered about, their abdomens torn open. The live ones seemed to have resorted to cannibalism, eating their own kind. Meliel scoured over the lot of them with her deep crimson eyes, counting forty of them altogether.
A smirk crossed her lips, and she held her hand out to the side, a large broadsword appearing in her hand. Her smirk grew wider, into a smile, then to a malicious grin, her oversized canines showing and seemingly gleaming.
" Survivors from Barad-dur, then?"
She chuckled, and then laughed.
"They're advancing…"
Airedel said nervously to the grinning demon, her azure eyes flitting from orc to orc, her grip tightening on the bow in her hand.
"Let them come! Man nor beast shall live while in MY path!"
She yelled, holding her broadsword at ready, the intricate gold designs glinting in the sun.
Raven readied her bow, a smirk implanted upon her lips. Though, as the two concentrated on the orcs before them, their concentration on Airedel was lost, causing the floating elf to drop to the ground, landing on her rear end.
Airedel sprung to her feet, bow aimed. There were too many! She couldn't handle all of them!
Not to worry. I can easily take thirty.
I can handle thirty also, but there aren't enough.
We'll split then. Twenty for me, twenty for you.
At that the two took action. Meliel charged forward, first swinging the large broadsword high in the air and bringing it down, the orc before her splitting in two, then using it one handed to slice an orc across the belly. A third orc charged her, weapon held high, ready to bring the blade down across her shoulder, but she read his moves and slid to the side, thereafter crouching down and sweeping the orc to the ground with a kick. She stood and thrust her sword down into the fallen creature's body.
Raven, on the other hand, was using her bow, shooting orcs in the forehead, heart, and neck with deadly accuracy.
Hmph! Didn't pay attention in health class for nothing!
Ooh! Don't remind me!!!!
After a few long minutes, the orcs had all been slain, and Airedel let out a sigh.
"You could've let ME fight some…"
She said, although she was actually grateful that the two were so skilled in battle. Airedel heard a loud thump, which she realized was the tip of Telpëmeliel's sword digging into the ground. The Elf looked to her, who was leaning on her sword like a cane, a grin on her face, but not malicious like the last.
Raven chuckled and walked to Meliel, a smile on her face. She poked Meliel's side and simply said,
"You're bleeding,"
before the sword-wielding demon fell to the ground, unconscious. Airedel stared.
"She'll be alright…right?"
She asked, obviously concerned. Raven turned to her and laughed.
"Of course she will, she just needs to stop being so full of herself."
"I heard that!"
Meliel opened her eyes and stood, glaring at Raven.
Raven raised an eyebrow, and laughed, holding her belly as she bent over. What had tickled the drow's funny bone she did not know, but the Airedel was laughing also.
"Look at you're face, Mel!!!"
Meliel wiped her face, and looked to her hand. Her eyes went from her palm to the entire front of what she was wearing. She was covered in mud and foul ichor from the orcs. Her face twisted in disgust and she stuck out her tongue to emphasize her feeling.
Time to change then…
Meliel snapped her fingers and was suddenly dressed in an unusual but flattering outfit. This ensemble consisted of a black leather top, of which could be mistaken for a bra, that laced up the front, a black trenchcoat, the thick material draping down to her ankles, a pair of black pants, and knee-high black boots, much like Raven's.
Her face and body were now clean of the foul ichor and mud, and her hair, which had been in a ponytail, was let down, and hung down almost to her waist. It shone as the sun hit it, and she smiled.
"Haven't worn this outfit for a while."
"I suppose I'll have to change as well, not only because I've become dirty, but because we are to fly over the mountains, and I don't believe I WANT passers by to see up my skirt."
Raven snapped her fingers, and though her hairstyle remained the same, her outfit changed dramatically. She was wearing a pair of dark navy blue pants, black boots identical to the ones before, and a burgundy tank top, her bow nowhere to be seen.
Airedel sighed, unable to change her clothes just yet. It was then that she noticed something…
Meliel's ears were not human, nor were they Elven… They were like a cat's, elongated and black in color, and from the looks of them, they were soft to the touch as well. Raven's, on the other hand, were almost elvish, but a bit different.
"Shall we set off for Mirkwood, then?"
Raven asked, not even waiting for an answer before lifting into the air, as did Meliel and Airedel.
The mountains were tall, and the trio was constantly swerving and turning, going over the peaks and around. The mist slowed their process greatly, what with the concealed rocks that were waiting for someone to run into them.
"Kela, gonn rim!" 'Go away, rocks!'
Meliel muttered in Elvish, having bumped into another rock, the seventh one since departing from the foot of the mountain.
"Kela, hiiith! Kela, orod rin" 'Go away, mist! Go away, mountains!'
At long last they reached the opposite side of the mountains, and the three descended to the path before them. Airedel, having not said a word since the two demons fought the orcs, sighed.
"Maybe we should walk the rest of the way? Mirkwood is not far, merely beyond the river…"
"Anduin will not be easy to cross, for we are not to use the route along the road."
Meliel took a few steps forward, eyes closed, listening intently. Airedel looked at her.
"Why are we not to cross where the path meets it? Is there something amiss?"
Raven took seven paces to the north.
"Our kind are forbidden to pass along the road, that area of the Anduin has magic enforcing against any evils, and Drow and Demon alike are restricted, whether their intent is well or not."
Meliel opened her crimson eyes, turning to face Airedel.
"You, on the other hand, can pass as you will. Follow the road to the centre of the forest, until you can see the mountains. Then head northeast, and ask directions if you must. Raven and I shall meet you at Tharanduil's palace, you'll be able to ask you're questions there."
"We'll be taking a different road. The magic of the forest and river will have us bound to our feet, and the area we are to cross is treacherous. Our road is north of here, and has never been used. Until next we meet!"
Raven and Meliel snapped their fingers in unison, and the two were suddenly garbed in Elvish armour, much to the disgust of Meliel, though it was obvious that the disgust was waning. The two drew their weapons, Meliel two daggers and Raven a bow, and ran off north, soon disappearing into the distance.
Airedel could hear the river roaring close by, and she sighed.
"And if I knew how to swim…would my mind be more at ease?"
She headed along the path, looking down at the many footprints left by passers by. She put a hand to the green jewel about her neck, looking at it as though it were a book she was to read. A blue flame flashed in the centre of the jewel, causing her to pause briefly.
The Elf stared, trying to see the flame again, but it did not return, nor did the jewel show any signs of it being there. She resumed, still wondering if what she had seen was real.
Her soft boots made not a sound upon the ground, and she suspected that she looked rather scraggly, her hair mussed, her feeble armour dirty, her cheeks smeared with mud and her clothes damp from the mist of the mountains. She sighed once again and tilted her head to the side, and smiled. She hadn't a clue that this would happen. Two strangers meet up with her by chance, she sets off to find her origin, and progress was good.
She had a feeling that she was going to like this journey.
Unfortunately, the fates had a different thing planned for this particular Elf…
Above the land of Rhovanion, two pairs of ominous green eyes peered down at the Elf, oblivious to who she was.
" The times have changed…I never thought the day would come when an Elven princess would forget who she was and search for a lie…"
The voice in the darkness belonged to a woman, young in appearance. Her long brown hair held a tint of red, her green eyes narrowing, the colour changing to a piercing blue.
"Hm… And she has the help of two demons? This is interesting… The prince should like to hear of this evil that is brewing in his homeland…"
"Yes, very much so, my dear sister…"
The remaining green eyes flashed, turning silver, then turning almost black, and the blue eyes sparkled.
The large door to the dark chamber opened, and a stout man stormed in, a few scrolls tucked beneath his left arm.
"Eglantine! Mentha! You are needed!"
The aforementioned women turned from the glassy pool, in which was the moving picture of Airedelothwen, Princess of Barazhul. (Yes, Airedel is a princess)
"Is it important?"
The brown haired one, Eglantine, asked impertinously.
"Indeed it is! The two other Fates have arrived, awaiting your appearance on Middle Eart—"
The stout man hadn't time to finish his sentence, for he was nudged aside by a third woman, clad in sleek armour and a black cape. Her long silver hair cascaded down her back, flowing behind her, imitating her cape, as she walked.
Another woman walked in, a bit more gracefully, after the one clad in armour. Her hair was black, and her cape a dark red. She wore the same armour, but seemed to be older than the first.
The two stopped a few feet before Eglantine and Mentha, no trace of a smile on their faces.
"You know of why we come."
The first said, her words coated with an icy tone.
"The princess is a danger to Middle Earth, that is the reason, if you want it, Telpëmeliel."
Telpëmeliel scoffed.
"I know the reason, and do not question it. Why must we wait for an Elf to kill her? My heart longs to slay her ignorant heart and put the world at peace."
The second woman stepped up, her burgundy eyes flickering like a flame.
" What does it matter who kills her? Must we wait until she sees her destiny?"
Mentha raised her hand for silence. Though she was not senior to any in that room, their voices ceased.
" Thaliramien…Telpëmeliel… The Princess must realize that she was destined to destroy all that is fair and good, before it is just to kill her. You would be killing an innocent, if your actions were premature. There are twists among the road that has been forged for you, and even the Higher Fates could not fathom what would happen there. You're journey will be long, but not necessarily with Airedelothwen.
"Before she sees her destiny, you must first meet up with several accomplices. I cannot tell you who they are, but I can tell you what they are. You must meet a male human, one of great power and strength, he will know of the evils that are to pass, but not by whom or when. You must also meet up with a male Elf, one of great skill and speed, he also knows of the evil, but by whom is beyond him."
Eglantine nodded slowly at her sister's words.
" The man shall be on a mission to destroy the evil. Be wary, for there is a wicked twist in the road set before you when the time comes. He will not be able to fulfill his mission, and the Elf will have to, with your help. We do not know of the reason the man cannot fulfill his mission, so again, be wary."
Telpemeliel sighed and shook her head, turning around and walking hastily out the door, past the recoiling stout man.
Thaliramien sighed as well, and followed her companion out the door, running her fingers through her hair.
A loose cannon is not to be allowed on this mission, Thaliramien… Your sister is to be watched like a hawk.
Mentha's voice cut through the thoughts in her mind like a sword through flesh, and she knew what the two other Fates meant.
I understand…