Isabelle frowned. Her supplies were getting low. The Fellowship were taking longer then she had expected to reach the mountains. She would soon either have to go and find some food or reveal her presence. She reasoned that her best option was to reveal herself in a few days since, as they travelled during the day, she would have no time to collect further supplies.
Two days passed. Isabelle would never have admitted it to anyone, but she was finding it tiring keeping up with the group ahead. They walked at such a pace that at times she had to walk closer behind them, and drop back when they stopped for the night, in case she lost them. She couldn't help but wonder what it was that made them so cautious and hasty. It surely couldn't be just a normal "adventure", they were too watchful for that. And if it was, Lord Elrond wouldn't have called a secret council and seemed so preoccupied after the Fellowship had left. They were up to something, she could tell.
When twilight fell, and a fire was lit ahead, Isabelle stopped and put her pack on the ground underneath a tree. There was a faint glimmer of the sun left in the sky, hopefully enough to see some nuts and berries by. She also needed to find a stream to fill her water bottle. She drew her short sword out from the sheath that hung at her waist, and marked a tree so that she might find her belongings when she returned. She removed her water carrier and a small leather pouch from the pack and set out.
As she knelt down at the shallow stream to fill the water bottle, Isabelle could feel the small hairs at the back of her neck rising. She felt that someone was behind her and quickly turned her head. No one was there. All was silent, except for the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze that curled tendrils of her hair around her cheeks. She brushed the strands away from her eyes and attached the lid to the filled bottle. As she rose to her feet she scanned the wooded area slowly, making sure no one was standing in the shadows. No one was. Isabelle shook her head. "Being by myself so much must be getting to me," she murmured to herself, and walked across to a large blackberry bush she had seen earlier. She placed the water on the ground and took the leather pouch from her pocket. She chose the ripest blackberries she could see until the bag was full, and then drew the drawstring top closed.
When Isabelle reached the place where she had left her belongings she stopped dead, her previous fears of being watched reawakened. Her pack had been moved, of that she was sure. When she had left to go to the stream she had left it leaning against a tree, the buckles open, and now they were closed. A twig cracked behind her and she whirled round, her hand closed firmly around the grip on her sword. Once again, no one was in sight. Her grip relaxed and she sighed. "Not again. I'm going mad, I must be."
"I'm sure you're not," came a voice from behind her. "There was someone watching you at the stream."
"And I suppose it was you," Isabelle said. "Who are you? Come out where I can see you."
A figure stepped out of the shadows. "I believe that seeing as I could kill you in seconds, I should have the right to ask questions first, don't you think?"
Isabelle nodded, and backed away, hoping that the mysterious figure wouldn't notice and that she might have a chance to run.
"There is no point in trying to run," the figure stated, as though reading her mind. "I could kill you even as you turn to flee. Come with me."
"Where are you going to take me?" Isabelle demanded defiantly. "If you think I will follow you like some docile sheep, you are mistaken."
"If you do not come willingly I shall have to take you by force." The man's voice did not rise above a low monotone, which somehow managed to make him sound more threatening than if he had shouted.
Slowly and in silence Isabelle picked up her back and followed the man out of the small clearing, her heart feeling as though it had stopped, and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She couldn't help but feel that the man would kill her before asking questions. She also knew that there was no point in calling for help, as the Fellowship were too far away to hear, especially if they were talking with each other. Besides the man would probably kill her before the sound had left her throat.
Two days passed. Isabelle would never have admitted it to anyone, but she was finding it tiring keeping up with the group ahead. They walked at such a pace that at times she had to walk closer behind them, and drop back when they stopped for the night, in case she lost them. She couldn't help but wonder what it was that made them so cautious and hasty. It surely couldn't be just a normal "adventure", they were too watchful for that. And if it was, Lord Elrond wouldn't have called a secret council and seemed so preoccupied after the Fellowship had left. They were up to something, she could tell.
When twilight fell, and a fire was lit ahead, Isabelle stopped and put her pack on the ground underneath a tree. There was a faint glimmer of the sun left in the sky, hopefully enough to see some nuts and berries by. She also needed to find a stream to fill her water bottle. She drew her short sword out from the sheath that hung at her waist, and marked a tree so that she might find her belongings when she returned. She removed her water carrier and a small leather pouch from the pack and set out.
As she knelt down at the shallow stream to fill the water bottle, Isabelle could feel the small hairs at the back of her neck rising. She felt that someone was behind her and quickly turned her head. No one was there. All was silent, except for the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze that curled tendrils of her hair around her cheeks. She brushed the strands away from her eyes and attached the lid to the filled bottle. As she rose to her feet she scanned the wooded area slowly, making sure no one was standing in the shadows. No one was. Isabelle shook her head. "Being by myself so much must be getting to me," she murmured to herself, and walked across to a large blackberry bush she had seen earlier. She placed the water on the ground and took the leather pouch from her pocket. She chose the ripest blackberries she could see until the bag was full, and then drew the drawstring top closed.
When Isabelle reached the place where she had left her belongings she stopped dead, her previous fears of being watched reawakened. Her pack had been moved, of that she was sure. When she had left to go to the stream she had left it leaning against a tree, the buckles open, and now they were closed. A twig cracked behind her and she whirled round, her hand closed firmly around the grip on her sword. Once again, no one was in sight. Her grip relaxed and she sighed. "Not again. I'm going mad, I must be."
"I'm sure you're not," came a voice from behind her. "There was someone watching you at the stream."
"And I suppose it was you," Isabelle said. "Who are you? Come out where I can see you."
A figure stepped out of the shadows. "I believe that seeing as I could kill you in seconds, I should have the right to ask questions first, don't you think?"
Isabelle nodded, and backed away, hoping that the mysterious figure wouldn't notice and that she might have a chance to run.
"There is no point in trying to run," the figure stated, as though reading her mind. "I could kill you even as you turn to flee. Come with me."
"Where are you going to take me?" Isabelle demanded defiantly. "If you think I will follow you like some docile sheep, you are mistaken."
"If you do not come willingly I shall have to take you by force." The man's voice did not rise above a low monotone, which somehow managed to make him sound more threatening than if he had shouted.
Slowly and in silence Isabelle picked up her back and followed the man out of the small clearing, her heart feeling as though it had stopped, and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She couldn't help but feel that the man would kill her before asking questions. She also knew that there was no point in calling for help, as the Fellowship were too far away to hear, especially if they were talking with each other. Besides the man would probably kill her before the sound had left her throat.