*Yep, this takes forever. What with upcoming exams to worry about and my
personal life....sigh Please review! The reviews are all I live
for!!!/i
Chapter Three
The days passed swiftly by in the House of Elrond, and in that time Mikhaella and Arwen walked, rode, sang, practiced archery and swordfighting (as a child Mikhaella had been trained in the use of the bow while Arwen had learned the way of the sword), and laughed, enjoying themselves mightily. The last homely house was never still; elven minstrels and musicians played and sang, perpetual merry-making resounded throughout its halls, and the voices of the Rivendell elves sang always. All things good and fresh were present there, and Mikhaella spent her days in peace. But within her she knew that this serenity could not --- would not --- last. All around them so many terrible things were happening. There were dark rumors throughout the land, and tales of shadowy creatures being abroad by night AND day. Elrond could be seen pacing the floors of the halls, his noble brow wrinkled in deep thought and worry. Sentries were positioned on stations that went further and further from the elvenhome, and the city's defences were doubled. There was little doubt that there was something afoot.
But one day came when messengers arrived from the woods, bearing urgent news for the Lord of Rivendell. And all their fears were confirmed, and the darkness slowly made its presence felt even in the sheltered nook of the valley that housed the elvenhome.
Mikhaella was not with Arwen when it happened. She was in the gardens, where she spent most of her time those days, helping the gardener water the delicate-looking blooms. Movement from within the House caught her attention, and she looked up.
Their clothes a flurry of silver and white, Elrond and several of his advisers walked purposefully and swiftly by. The looks on their faces and their hurried steps sent a tingle of warning down Mikhaella's spine, and she straightened. "I'll return in a while, Uthaer." She dropped her gardening tools and followed, not heeding her state of dress, nor Uthaer's startled, worried look.
The members of the court were already gathered in the courtyard of Elrond's House. With them, too, were several green-clad Elves who wore drawn expressions on their faces. They were scouts who were tasked by Elrond to oversee the border of the elfhome. Mikhaella wondered as to why they were not at their patrol, then decided that they must have been summoned by Elrond to report.
The foremost of the scouts, a tall Elf with anxious blye eyes, stepped forward. "Urgent news, my lord. I'm afraid it cannot wait."
Elrond brushed aside his followers, skipped the formalities and went straight to the point, looking the elf in the eye, "Has it occurred?" he asked quietly.
"Yes." The look in the elf's eyes did nothing to alleviate Mikhaella's anxiety. Something was wrong. "They've been sighted near the woods, a few miles off the Bruinen."
"How many?" Elrond's face was grave.
"Five, my lord."
Five? Five what?
"I see," said Elrond slowly, "Return to the Bruinen and send a few scouts east, then west to where you spotted them. But whatever you do, do not alert them to your presence. Now excuse us; we must discuss what course of action to take." With a swift turn, his robes whirling in the air, Elrond walked swiftly to the inner chambers of his House, his followers not far behind. The scouting party was left in the courtyard. Their leader, the Elf Elrond had spoken with, stood to the side, eyes darting nervously about. Mikhaella could not recall seeing an elf more jittery. Normally those in Elrond's employ displayed the usual stoic detachment of emotions that their lord Elrond usually did. Something must have shook the elves greatly, for them to be in such a state.
Wiping her not-so-clean hands on her skirt, she stepped forward and stood before the leader of the scouting party. "Master elf, may I speak with you?" she asked gently.
Turning to look at her, the elf noticed her for the first time. Though she was quite dishevelled from her gardening, there was no mistaking her gentle yet regal demeanor, nor her astonishing beauty. Most, if not all, of the inhabitants of Rivendell knew of the great friendship their Evenstar had with the princess of the kingdom of Imradriel. The elf recognized her. "My lady," he gave a bow, then straightened. "What would you have of me?"
"Your name first, good sir," she said.
"Hundir," he answered.
"Hundir, you spoke a while ago with the Lord Elrond. You said something about five...individuals. I ask you now, what are you talking about?"
His eyes grew wider. "You do not know?"
"You are the messenger. As far as I know, only you and Elrond know of the matter. Please do not leave me in the dark. I would really like to know what is going on." Mikhaella raised pleading eyes to his.
Hundir hesitated. "My lady, do you really want to know?"
Mikhaella was deadly serious. "I do."
Exchanging a look with the rest of the scouting group, Hundir decided to give in, first looking around to make certain no one could overhear. "Very well, my lady. The Lord Elrond and I were talking about five intruders who had passed through our territory and have made their way through to the Bruinen area. The intruders aren't ordinary intruders, hence the need for caution and further deliberation. They were Nazgul, my lady." he finished quietly. "Five of the foul creatures. And so near elven lands! 'Tis almost unheard of. Yet it has happened. We saw them with our own eyes."
Mikhaella, pale, echoed. "Ringwraiths? But how...? Why?"
"We believe they are hunting someone...or something." Hundir looked to the direction of the House of Elrond. "But I cannot say more, for that is all I know. You may have more luck with the Lord Elrond himself."
Nodding, mind awhirl, Mikhaella murmured,"Yes, yes. Thank you, Hundir. Good luck."
"Good day, my lady." Hundir bowed, then went off with the scouting group. Mikhaella watched them leave, then walked back to the house, looking up once at the darkening sky. Even the heavens seemd to foretell the dark times ahead. She shivered, then quickened her pace. She had to tell Arwen.
The days passed swiftly by in the House of Elrond, and in that time Mikhaella and Arwen walked, rode, sang, practiced archery and swordfighting (as a child Mikhaella had been trained in the use of the bow while Arwen had learned the way of the sword), and laughed, enjoying themselves mightily. The last homely house was never still; elven minstrels and musicians played and sang, perpetual merry-making resounded throughout its halls, and the voices of the Rivendell elves sang always. All things good and fresh were present there, and Mikhaella spent her days in peace. But within her she knew that this serenity could not --- would not --- last. All around them so many terrible things were happening. There were dark rumors throughout the land, and tales of shadowy creatures being abroad by night AND day. Elrond could be seen pacing the floors of the halls, his noble brow wrinkled in deep thought and worry. Sentries were positioned on stations that went further and further from the elvenhome, and the city's defences were doubled. There was little doubt that there was something afoot.
But one day came when messengers arrived from the woods, bearing urgent news for the Lord of Rivendell. And all their fears were confirmed, and the darkness slowly made its presence felt even in the sheltered nook of the valley that housed the elvenhome.
Mikhaella was not with Arwen when it happened. She was in the gardens, where she spent most of her time those days, helping the gardener water the delicate-looking blooms. Movement from within the House caught her attention, and she looked up.
Their clothes a flurry of silver and white, Elrond and several of his advisers walked purposefully and swiftly by. The looks on their faces and their hurried steps sent a tingle of warning down Mikhaella's spine, and she straightened. "I'll return in a while, Uthaer." She dropped her gardening tools and followed, not heeding her state of dress, nor Uthaer's startled, worried look.
The members of the court were already gathered in the courtyard of Elrond's House. With them, too, were several green-clad Elves who wore drawn expressions on their faces. They were scouts who were tasked by Elrond to oversee the border of the elfhome. Mikhaella wondered as to why they were not at their patrol, then decided that they must have been summoned by Elrond to report.
The foremost of the scouts, a tall Elf with anxious blye eyes, stepped forward. "Urgent news, my lord. I'm afraid it cannot wait."
Elrond brushed aside his followers, skipped the formalities and went straight to the point, looking the elf in the eye, "Has it occurred?" he asked quietly.
"Yes." The look in the elf's eyes did nothing to alleviate Mikhaella's anxiety. Something was wrong. "They've been sighted near the woods, a few miles off the Bruinen."
"How many?" Elrond's face was grave.
"Five, my lord."
Five? Five what?
"I see," said Elrond slowly, "Return to the Bruinen and send a few scouts east, then west to where you spotted them. But whatever you do, do not alert them to your presence. Now excuse us; we must discuss what course of action to take." With a swift turn, his robes whirling in the air, Elrond walked swiftly to the inner chambers of his House, his followers not far behind. The scouting party was left in the courtyard. Their leader, the Elf Elrond had spoken with, stood to the side, eyes darting nervously about. Mikhaella could not recall seeing an elf more jittery. Normally those in Elrond's employ displayed the usual stoic detachment of emotions that their lord Elrond usually did. Something must have shook the elves greatly, for them to be in such a state.
Wiping her not-so-clean hands on her skirt, she stepped forward and stood before the leader of the scouting party. "Master elf, may I speak with you?" she asked gently.
Turning to look at her, the elf noticed her for the first time. Though she was quite dishevelled from her gardening, there was no mistaking her gentle yet regal demeanor, nor her astonishing beauty. Most, if not all, of the inhabitants of Rivendell knew of the great friendship their Evenstar had with the princess of the kingdom of Imradriel. The elf recognized her. "My lady," he gave a bow, then straightened. "What would you have of me?"
"Your name first, good sir," she said.
"Hundir," he answered.
"Hundir, you spoke a while ago with the Lord Elrond. You said something about five...individuals. I ask you now, what are you talking about?"
His eyes grew wider. "You do not know?"
"You are the messenger. As far as I know, only you and Elrond know of the matter. Please do not leave me in the dark. I would really like to know what is going on." Mikhaella raised pleading eyes to his.
Hundir hesitated. "My lady, do you really want to know?"
Mikhaella was deadly serious. "I do."
Exchanging a look with the rest of the scouting group, Hundir decided to give in, first looking around to make certain no one could overhear. "Very well, my lady. The Lord Elrond and I were talking about five intruders who had passed through our territory and have made their way through to the Bruinen area. The intruders aren't ordinary intruders, hence the need for caution and further deliberation. They were Nazgul, my lady." he finished quietly. "Five of the foul creatures. And so near elven lands! 'Tis almost unheard of. Yet it has happened. We saw them with our own eyes."
Mikhaella, pale, echoed. "Ringwraiths? But how...? Why?"
"We believe they are hunting someone...or something." Hundir looked to the direction of the House of Elrond. "But I cannot say more, for that is all I know. You may have more luck with the Lord Elrond himself."
Nodding, mind awhirl, Mikhaella murmured,"Yes, yes. Thank you, Hundir. Good luck."
"Good day, my lady." Hundir bowed, then went off with the scouting group. Mikhaella watched them leave, then walked back to the house, looking up once at the darkening sky. Even the heavens seemd to foretell the dark times ahead. She shivered, then quickened her pace. She had to tell Arwen.