Chapter 3- Confronting the light
Anareil moaned as a sharp slap woke her from her tired sleep. Muttering mixed words, her eyes began to focus on the man bent in front of her.
" Wh- where am I?" she whispered, finding it hard to squeeze the words from her lips. She went to sit up, when a hand held her gently down. Confused, she tried again, only to feel burning pain erupt through her shoulder. She remembered what had happened, and drew herself into the best bow she could manage onto her knees, trembling under the strain of her low energy.
" My Lord, please forgive my rudeness, I don't know what came over me." She said from sunken knee, her head hung low from shame. Eventually, dizziness overtook her, and she fell back down, on the soft grass at the foot of a large tree. It seemed to welcome her back. She could feel her father's disapproving stare on her neck, though she knew he wasn't there. Surprisingly, the man chuckled.
" Your rudeness? My dear girl, you saved my life! You passed out from pain; it is not a wonder that you are somewhat confused of your surroundings. Please, do not apologise." He stepped lightly behind her and began dressing her shoulder. He enquired after how she got to be where she was at that moment, and to have a sword on her. Ani told him the whole story, not skipping a single detail. For a while afterwards, Boromir sat quietly next to this girl, overwhelming sadness in his eyes. She had to be 22 at the most, yet she was now quite alone in the world. There seemed only one thing he could do with her. She told him that her father's request for her to find her father, and to hunt down those creatures, had become her quest.
"Those creatures are called Orcs. They work for Sauron. What did you say your name was?"
"Anareil, at your service, my Lord." She said with a polite nod of her head.
" Well, Anareil, I would like to ask you a question. Will you be my assistor?" at this point, Boromir looked at Ani, and saw only confusion in her eyes. He decided to make it clearer for her. He stood up, and paced in front of her, using his hands to emphasise his point.
"Now, this position is not an easy task. You would have to ride long distances, camp out, all these things that young ladies such as yourself sometimes have difficulties dealing with. By accepting this position, you would become my right hand man, or woman, in this case." He looked at her again, but saw a look of amazement, and the starts of what he thought could possibly result in being a smile. He dropped down, so his face was even with her own, so she could see he meant the words he was saying.
"By the way you showed your loyalty to me tonight, I feel I could trust my life in your hands. You would never betray me. Am I right?"
"Ye. yes, my Lord." Ani whispered, having to force the words out in complete disbelief.
" Well then, will you do me the honour?" he said, with a cocky half grin lighting up his face.
"Of course, my Lord, it would be an honour." Ani said, nodding her head, still staring at the man in front of her. He gave a small grunt of approval, turned and started walking away.
" We leave tomorrow. Have someone fetch Ani a horse," he said to the other men, who had finally caught up with them. He turned to look back at her.
"Please, call me Boromir, Anareil. Be ready to ride at dawn." He turned, to leave again. The realisation of what was happening started to kick in for Ani. She was leaving the place she grew up in. she looked up at the canopy of leaves above her, and realised she could not stay here anyway. This was a place of great sorrow, her father's grief for her brother, and her mother, and Ani's grief for them all. She would be glad to move on, though she would never forget them.s
" Oh, and Anareil? Do you have a problem with wearing men's clothing?"
Anareil moaned as a sharp slap woke her from her tired sleep. Muttering mixed words, her eyes began to focus on the man bent in front of her.
" Wh- where am I?" she whispered, finding it hard to squeeze the words from her lips. She went to sit up, when a hand held her gently down. Confused, she tried again, only to feel burning pain erupt through her shoulder. She remembered what had happened, and drew herself into the best bow she could manage onto her knees, trembling under the strain of her low energy.
" My Lord, please forgive my rudeness, I don't know what came over me." She said from sunken knee, her head hung low from shame. Eventually, dizziness overtook her, and she fell back down, on the soft grass at the foot of a large tree. It seemed to welcome her back. She could feel her father's disapproving stare on her neck, though she knew he wasn't there. Surprisingly, the man chuckled.
" Your rudeness? My dear girl, you saved my life! You passed out from pain; it is not a wonder that you are somewhat confused of your surroundings. Please, do not apologise." He stepped lightly behind her and began dressing her shoulder. He enquired after how she got to be where she was at that moment, and to have a sword on her. Ani told him the whole story, not skipping a single detail. For a while afterwards, Boromir sat quietly next to this girl, overwhelming sadness in his eyes. She had to be 22 at the most, yet she was now quite alone in the world. There seemed only one thing he could do with her. She told him that her father's request for her to find her father, and to hunt down those creatures, had become her quest.
"Those creatures are called Orcs. They work for Sauron. What did you say your name was?"
"Anareil, at your service, my Lord." She said with a polite nod of her head.
" Well, Anareil, I would like to ask you a question. Will you be my assistor?" at this point, Boromir looked at Ani, and saw only confusion in her eyes. He decided to make it clearer for her. He stood up, and paced in front of her, using his hands to emphasise his point.
"Now, this position is not an easy task. You would have to ride long distances, camp out, all these things that young ladies such as yourself sometimes have difficulties dealing with. By accepting this position, you would become my right hand man, or woman, in this case." He looked at her again, but saw a look of amazement, and the starts of what he thought could possibly result in being a smile. He dropped down, so his face was even with her own, so she could see he meant the words he was saying.
"By the way you showed your loyalty to me tonight, I feel I could trust my life in your hands. You would never betray me. Am I right?"
"Ye. yes, my Lord." Ani whispered, having to force the words out in complete disbelief.
" Well then, will you do me the honour?" he said, with a cocky half grin lighting up his face.
"Of course, my Lord, it would be an honour." Ani said, nodding her head, still staring at the man in front of her. He gave a small grunt of approval, turned and started walking away.
" We leave tomorrow. Have someone fetch Ani a horse," he said to the other men, who had finally caught up with them. He turned to look back at her.
"Please, call me Boromir, Anareil. Be ready to ride at dawn." He turned, to leave again. The realisation of what was happening started to kick in for Ani. She was leaving the place she grew up in. she looked up at the canopy of leaves above her, and realised she could not stay here anyway. This was a place of great sorrow, her father's grief for her brother, and her mother, and Ani's grief for them all. She would be glad to move on, though she would never forget them.s
" Oh, and Anareil? Do you have a problem with wearing men's clothing?"