Legacy of the Ring
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the book.
Chapter 5
Phoenix looked out over Rivendell. She had never thought that she would be in a place so beautiful. Only in the ancient ballads had this place been described and they paled in comparison to the real place. She pushed back a stray lock of her raven black hair and stretched. Quickly, she braided her hair and made sure she'd combed all the tangles out of her tail. A rush of cold air alerted her to Talitha's return, as well as the happy chirp that was given off at the moment of arrival.
A voice called out her name, and he sounded startled. She silently approached the place where the cry had originated from and saw Frodo with an older hobbit. Not a sound had come from her hooves so they didn't realize she had come. "Telling him tales, Frodo? Or did he just scream my name for fun?" Humor was evident in her tone, yet her sudden appearance startled both of them. Their expressions made her burst out into laughter. When she finally got herself under control she asked, "Did you forget that huntresses have a keener sense of hearing than an average centaur?"
Frodo chuckled, scratching his head. "I didn't have a chance to tell him before he shouted." He stood up. "Phoenix, this is Bilbo Baggins, the Ring Bearer before me. Bilbo, this is High Princess Phoenix, Huntress of the line of Fire."
Phoenix curled up her golden legs so she could meet Bilbo's gaze easily. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bilbo. Chadesera." Bilbo blinked before he realized that she had greeted him as a huntress would a hobbit.
"It is nice to meet you as well, Phoenix. Please forgive me, but I don't know the proper response to your greeting." He seemed a little nervous as he didn't know what her reaction would be.
"That is simple enough to remedy. Come here." she commanded, her eyes twinkling. He stepped closer to her and was immediately wrapped up in a hug. Surprised, he found himself returning it. After a few minutes, they broke apart. "Such is the way a hobbit greets a huntress, Bilbo."
Talitha fluttered down to them, her eyes grave. The images she sent to her bound huntress caused her to shoot to her hooves. She was trembling with suppressed rage. Not even the beauty of Rivendell would calm her from rage at their incompitance. "Veroandas! Thea ki'la zera denomos loatta nocta caribos!" Her anger startled the elves. Such was not well known within their way of life. Out of all of them, only Elrond and Arwen had understood what she had said. Apparently the Watchers were not going to aid the huntresses in defending anything. "Talitha, is Firesprite's group still in the Shire?" An affirmative chirp calmed her. "Tell her that urocs are coming. Let her know how many you saw so the forces are spread evenly." Her command prompted the dragoness to flash between.
A great screech caused all to cover their ears. It was a cry of agony, yet who had let it out? A very different voice came to Phoenix, clear as a bell, the voice of her mother. She warned of the imminate attack upon Rivendell. All had to leave. "Rivendell must be evacuated! His dark forces are coming!" Her cry snapped the elves out of their startled stupor. Talitha reappeared, squacking urgently. That sudden reappearance lent speed to the elves. Most had not seen war since the Second Age. All split off into groups and ran off, knowing that the dark one would not be able to follow them all at this point.
Lord Elrond accompanied the Fellowship as they fled over the mountains. As Phoenix was with them, they found an easy path that was as swift as it was smooth. Yet with the trail so high up along the crest of the mountain, the danger presented itself just as well as the speed. He felt sorrow at leaving the only home he had known for centuries. Yet, he would have to leave it anyhow to go to their Grey Haven. Hours passed as they ran along the paths and passes of the mountains.
They halted their flight, as they were within the forest of Mirkwood. Legolas called out in Sindaran, and a group of Wood Elves appeared. "What do you mean, my Prince? Danger outside our borders?" He sounded inquisitive and a little disbelieving. Then, he noticed the huntress. Phoenix stood her ground as he approached, an angered light in her eyes. "As if friendship with a dwarf wasn't bad enough, now you bring a centaur?!"
He found himself gazing to the tree tops, leaves, and heavens. "Your overconfidence is your undoing. If a huntress with very little battle experience could knock you down, what would a battle-hardened enemy do?" Her angered demeanor shifted to one that was a little more reserved. "Why do you not believe your Prince? The signs of the times are all around you! Legolas has no reason to lie, you overconfident fool!"
The elf got back to his feet and slapped her face. Talitha let out an angered rumble and snapped at him. He jumped back barely avoiding her jaws as they snapped shut with the sound of thunder. Smoke curled from her nose as the fire started to burn. "Talitha, don't. He isn't worth your fire." Phoenix glared at him. "Besides, elven archers will be needed, even though he doesn't believe it yet."
Laughter sounded from behind the scouts. "My son would not lie about anything so serious. He hasn't lied about anything a day in his life."
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the book.
Chapter 5
Phoenix looked out over Rivendell. She had never thought that she would be in a place so beautiful. Only in the ancient ballads had this place been described and they paled in comparison to the real place. She pushed back a stray lock of her raven black hair and stretched. Quickly, she braided her hair and made sure she'd combed all the tangles out of her tail. A rush of cold air alerted her to Talitha's return, as well as the happy chirp that was given off at the moment of arrival.
A voice called out her name, and he sounded startled. She silently approached the place where the cry had originated from and saw Frodo with an older hobbit. Not a sound had come from her hooves so they didn't realize she had come. "Telling him tales, Frodo? Or did he just scream my name for fun?" Humor was evident in her tone, yet her sudden appearance startled both of them. Their expressions made her burst out into laughter. When she finally got herself under control she asked, "Did you forget that huntresses have a keener sense of hearing than an average centaur?"
Frodo chuckled, scratching his head. "I didn't have a chance to tell him before he shouted." He stood up. "Phoenix, this is Bilbo Baggins, the Ring Bearer before me. Bilbo, this is High Princess Phoenix, Huntress of the line of Fire."
Phoenix curled up her golden legs so she could meet Bilbo's gaze easily. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bilbo. Chadesera." Bilbo blinked before he realized that she had greeted him as a huntress would a hobbit.
"It is nice to meet you as well, Phoenix. Please forgive me, but I don't know the proper response to your greeting." He seemed a little nervous as he didn't know what her reaction would be.
"That is simple enough to remedy. Come here." she commanded, her eyes twinkling. He stepped closer to her and was immediately wrapped up in a hug. Surprised, he found himself returning it. After a few minutes, they broke apart. "Such is the way a hobbit greets a huntress, Bilbo."
Talitha fluttered down to them, her eyes grave. The images she sent to her bound huntress caused her to shoot to her hooves. She was trembling with suppressed rage. Not even the beauty of Rivendell would calm her from rage at their incompitance. "Veroandas! Thea ki'la zera denomos loatta nocta caribos!" Her anger startled the elves. Such was not well known within their way of life. Out of all of them, only Elrond and Arwen had understood what she had said. Apparently the Watchers were not going to aid the huntresses in defending anything. "Talitha, is Firesprite's group still in the Shire?" An affirmative chirp calmed her. "Tell her that urocs are coming. Let her know how many you saw so the forces are spread evenly." Her command prompted the dragoness to flash between.
A great screech caused all to cover their ears. It was a cry of agony, yet who had let it out? A very different voice came to Phoenix, clear as a bell, the voice of her mother. She warned of the imminate attack upon Rivendell. All had to leave. "Rivendell must be evacuated! His dark forces are coming!" Her cry snapped the elves out of their startled stupor. Talitha reappeared, squacking urgently. That sudden reappearance lent speed to the elves. Most had not seen war since the Second Age. All split off into groups and ran off, knowing that the dark one would not be able to follow them all at this point.
Lord Elrond accompanied the Fellowship as they fled over the mountains. As Phoenix was with them, they found an easy path that was as swift as it was smooth. Yet with the trail so high up along the crest of the mountain, the danger presented itself just as well as the speed. He felt sorrow at leaving the only home he had known for centuries. Yet, he would have to leave it anyhow to go to their Grey Haven. Hours passed as they ran along the paths and passes of the mountains.
They halted their flight, as they were within the forest of Mirkwood. Legolas called out in Sindaran, and a group of Wood Elves appeared. "What do you mean, my Prince? Danger outside our borders?" He sounded inquisitive and a little disbelieving. Then, he noticed the huntress. Phoenix stood her ground as he approached, an angered light in her eyes. "As if friendship with a dwarf wasn't bad enough, now you bring a centaur?!"
He found himself gazing to the tree tops, leaves, and heavens. "Your overconfidence is your undoing. If a huntress with very little battle experience could knock you down, what would a battle-hardened enemy do?" Her angered demeanor shifted to one that was a little more reserved. "Why do you not believe your Prince? The signs of the times are all around you! Legolas has no reason to lie, you overconfident fool!"
The elf got back to his feet and slapped her face. Talitha let out an angered rumble and snapped at him. He jumped back barely avoiding her jaws as they snapped shut with the sound of thunder. Smoke curled from her nose as the fire started to burn. "Talitha, don't. He isn't worth your fire." Phoenix glared at him. "Besides, elven archers will be needed, even though he doesn't believe it yet."
Laughter sounded from behind the scouts. "My son would not lie about anything so serious. He hasn't lied about anything a day in his life."