Legacy of the Ring
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the book.
Chapter 6
Thranduil showed himself, bringing forth a startled gasp from Phoenix. His presence was regal, a little irritated with his scouts, yet still open-minded. He was studiously ignoring Gimli. She could sense them more easily than she thought. The huntress shook slightly, coming back to herself. Thranduil was looking at her. "Corta anyo." When she noticed his confusion, she hid a smile. "Corta anyo is the greeting a huntress gives to a ruling elf."
Legolas suppressed a grin. It was rare that one so confused his father. But then again, these days were confusing. The Huntress line of Earth had not come into Mirkwood for centuries, so many elves had forgotten to act. "Please join us. We do have other guests."
They followed the group into the heart of Mirkwood. Bilbo was startled by the change. No longer were they living in the cave of old, now they lived among the trees in the beauty of nature as the elves of Rivendell did. What had happened to cause this beautiful change? All seemed to blend together in the simplistic ease of nature.
Frodo was tackled by two particular hobbits and he rolled along with their hug, gathering leaves and other forest debris on his clothes. "Merry, Pippin, mind your armour!" he laughed. "The mithril shirt that Bilbo gave me is keeping you from skewering me, but you're forgetting your own strength!" They pulled back and helped him to his feet. Only then did they notice Phoenix as she quietly stood nearby, her eyes glittering as she held back laughter.
"Frodo, who is she?" Pippin inquired.
He shook his head before beginning the introductions. "Merry, Pippin, this is High Princess Phoenix, Huntress of the Line of Fire. Phoenix, this is Peregrine Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck." Phoenix curled up her legs before speaking.
"Chadesera Merry and Pippin." she stated. In their delight about her using their nicknames, they leapt at her. A fierce three-way hug was shared. The other two hobbits could hold it in no longer. They burst out laughing. Surprised, Merry and Pippin released her. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. That was the proper response to my greeting. But," she chuckled, "it must have been a funny sight: two armoured hobbits hugging a huntress."
Phoenix got to her hooves, chuckling softly. They livened up the fellowship. Abruptly, her good humor cut off. Talitha let out a squeal. A dark shadow seemed to pass between herself and those with her. It grew so dark that she shone like a light, a fire in the night.
"Sonya ria amarhea amakaiya, merama ali fueja. E se sonyar corasta, amarhea. Le siy las melare ura sonya."
"Zerale!" Her light flared, driving away the darkness a little. "E cria mi auras vaprocete mi kindari byin sho Riharan! Sonya nocta siy caribore ahn Mordor!" Phoenix's light shot out again, driving the darkness away. In exhaustion, she dropped to the ground. Panting, she desperately tried to remain conscious. That had been a very trying trial upon her and now darkness came over her. Not the darkness of evil, but of sleep. A recently matured huntress simply did not have the stamina to do what she had done for as long as she had done it. Talitha nudged her bound huntress in an attempt to wake her. When that didn't work, she turned to Legolas.
The image of a centaur's bed came to his mind and the sense of a question. "There is one large enough for her..." He trailed off, remembering the area. Then, he felt another question. "Yes, she can borrow it." A grateful chirp came from her as she vanished between. Suddenly, she reappeared and took Phoenix back with her.
"What happened to her?" Pippin sounded nearly demanding. He was so confused that it showed upon his face.
"Peregrine Took," Gandalf began, instantly getting his attention "Phoenix was confronted by a Dark Huntress on a shamanistic plane. If it took that much out of a direct descendant of Prairie Song, then the powers of Mordor have grown greater."
Thranduil gazed at them. How could they be so concerned about her? She wasn't Prairie Song; nay, that mare had passed on long before. "Legolas, I want her to tell me what it was she saw."
"Father..."
"Don't question me. That is my decision. I would rather have it from the source." He stalked away, leaving his son behind. Legolas rolled his eyes, irritated by his father's attitude.
~
Talitha curled up next to her huntress. I wish I could've helped her. Why couldn't I? Did she have to do that on her own? A sigh inflated her flanks before she settled once again. The brown and green blankets wrinkled a little as she cuddled up to Phoenix in a protective manner.
~*
Phoenix stirred under the warmth of the sun. Her eyes opened, revealing the tall grasses of the plains. She managed to get to an upright position, then a sudden dizziness swam through her. "E ora soh desayu." The filly trembled with the effort of staying in an upright position.
A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder causing the dizziness to flee. "After what you went through, I'm surprised your dreaming so soon." The mare's voice was like a song bird's sweetest melody. Phoenix looked up into the face of Prairie Song.
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the book.
Chapter 6
Thranduil showed himself, bringing forth a startled gasp from Phoenix. His presence was regal, a little irritated with his scouts, yet still open-minded. He was studiously ignoring Gimli. She could sense them more easily than she thought. The huntress shook slightly, coming back to herself. Thranduil was looking at her. "Corta anyo." When she noticed his confusion, she hid a smile. "Corta anyo is the greeting a huntress gives to a ruling elf."
Legolas suppressed a grin. It was rare that one so confused his father. But then again, these days were confusing. The Huntress line of Earth had not come into Mirkwood for centuries, so many elves had forgotten to act. "Please join us. We do have other guests."
They followed the group into the heart of Mirkwood. Bilbo was startled by the change. No longer were they living in the cave of old, now they lived among the trees in the beauty of nature as the elves of Rivendell did. What had happened to cause this beautiful change? All seemed to blend together in the simplistic ease of nature.
Frodo was tackled by two particular hobbits and he rolled along with their hug, gathering leaves and other forest debris on his clothes. "Merry, Pippin, mind your armour!" he laughed. "The mithril shirt that Bilbo gave me is keeping you from skewering me, but you're forgetting your own strength!" They pulled back and helped him to his feet. Only then did they notice Phoenix as she quietly stood nearby, her eyes glittering as she held back laughter.
"Frodo, who is she?" Pippin inquired.
He shook his head before beginning the introductions. "Merry, Pippin, this is High Princess Phoenix, Huntress of the Line of Fire. Phoenix, this is Peregrine Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck." Phoenix curled up her legs before speaking.
"Chadesera Merry and Pippin." she stated. In their delight about her using their nicknames, they leapt at her. A fierce three-way hug was shared. The other two hobbits could hold it in no longer. They burst out laughing. Surprised, Merry and Pippin released her. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. That was the proper response to my greeting. But," she chuckled, "it must have been a funny sight: two armoured hobbits hugging a huntress."
Phoenix got to her hooves, chuckling softly. They livened up the fellowship. Abruptly, her good humor cut off. Talitha let out a squeal. A dark shadow seemed to pass between herself and those with her. It grew so dark that she shone like a light, a fire in the night.
"Sonya ria amarhea amakaiya, merama ali fueja. E se sonyar corasta, amarhea. Le siy las melare ura sonya."
"Zerale!" Her light flared, driving away the darkness a little. "E cria mi auras vaprocete mi kindari byin sho Riharan! Sonya nocta siy caribore ahn Mordor!" Phoenix's light shot out again, driving the darkness away. In exhaustion, she dropped to the ground. Panting, she desperately tried to remain conscious. That had been a very trying trial upon her and now darkness came over her. Not the darkness of evil, but of sleep. A recently matured huntress simply did not have the stamina to do what she had done for as long as she had done it. Talitha nudged her bound huntress in an attempt to wake her. When that didn't work, she turned to Legolas.
The image of a centaur's bed came to his mind and the sense of a question. "There is one large enough for her..." He trailed off, remembering the area. Then, he felt another question. "Yes, she can borrow it." A grateful chirp came from her as she vanished between. Suddenly, she reappeared and took Phoenix back with her.
"What happened to her?" Pippin sounded nearly demanding. He was so confused that it showed upon his face.
"Peregrine Took," Gandalf began, instantly getting his attention "Phoenix was confronted by a Dark Huntress on a shamanistic plane. If it took that much out of a direct descendant of Prairie Song, then the powers of Mordor have grown greater."
Thranduil gazed at them. How could they be so concerned about her? She wasn't Prairie Song; nay, that mare had passed on long before. "Legolas, I want her to tell me what it was she saw."
"Father..."
"Don't question me. That is my decision. I would rather have it from the source." He stalked away, leaving his son behind. Legolas rolled his eyes, irritated by his father's attitude.
~
Talitha curled up next to her huntress. I wish I could've helped her. Why couldn't I? Did she have to do that on her own? A sigh inflated her flanks before she settled once again. The brown and green blankets wrinkled a little as she cuddled up to Phoenix in a protective manner.
~*
Phoenix stirred under the warmth of the sun. Her eyes opened, revealing the tall grasses of the plains. She managed to get to an upright position, then a sudden dizziness swam through her. "E ora soh desayu." The filly trembled with the effort of staying in an upright position.
A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder causing the dizziness to flee. "After what you went through, I'm surprised your dreaming so soon." The mare's voice was like a song bird's sweetest melody. Phoenix looked up into the face of Prairie Song.