A/N:
Nelinde: Thank you for your review. I really appreciate knowing that you
like my story and that you let me know about it.
I want to know if people are actually reading this story. I hope you will review and let me know if you are. If I don't see a lot of intrest, then I will abadon this story and start on the new one I have an idea for. I don't mind if you critize or tell me things I need to fix, I would just like to know if you are reading the story. Thank you. Now on with chapter four.
Chapter Four: The Journey Begins
"Aethyrelda!" Someone was calling her. The voice was familiar. She heard horse's hooves and looked up. Tári was riding toward her.
She neared and jumped off her horse. Her arms swallowed Aethyrelda in a hug. She pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"I heard what happened. Oh, look at you." Her friend's fingers touched her broken nose and jaw. "I can't believe they are doing this to you. I would come with you, but I have been forbidden. I brought you food, clothing, and a horse." She turned away and whistled.
A gorgeous chestnut brown horse came galloping over.
"Thank you," she whispered to her friend.
"I wish I could do more. I will do everything in my power to persuade the king to let you come back, although I fear there is nothing I can do."
"This will help."
"I smuggled all I could." She glanced over her shoulder. "I must go, the guards are following me. Travel quickly and safely. I will be thinking of you. Until I see you again."
~~~
Aethyrelda dismounted her horse. She had ridden for a full day. She was exhausted. Collapsing on the ground, she fell into a deep elven sleep.
~~~
It had been days since the battle in Mirkwood. Her food supply was starting to run low. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Having no idea where to go, she rode and only stopped when her eyelids were too heavy to hold open.
When she did stop, it was only for a few hours. She needed to get to Rivendell or somewhere or she was going to die in the forest.
Suddenly, she realized she was no longer in the forest, but in a vast plain that extended as far as the elven eye could see. Here, she'd be able to see all harm before it arrived, but she was also vulnerable. For this reason, she did not stop, but urged her horse onward.
~~~
Lost. She had never been out of Mirkwood's gates before this incident. Now, because of that, she was going to die. It had been days since she had left. Her lamba supply was running low and by the end of the week she would have to start hunting. How couldn't the king see that if it weren't for her, they'd all be dead? The story -even told by the guard's point of view-clearly pointed that out. They were so drunk and singing so loudly they wouldn't have heard the orcs rip down the door.
She sighed and lay back in the grass. She would never make it to Rivendell. To add to her problem, her horse, whom she named Finduilas, was only a couple years old and not left Mirkwood, let alone his mother's side, in his life. But he was very fast and full of energy, unlike Aethyrelda. She did not know what she'd do without him. They covered countless more amounts of land than she would have on foot.
***
Meanwhile, the Fellowship was entering the Mines of Moria. Or, shall I say, had already entered. The wall had collapsed behind them and they were forced to continue through.
***
In Mirkwood, the king was taking charge. To prevent another attack, he was drafting more guards and spreading them out at posts in the woods. The prince's private archery field was opened to the new guards to practice and be assessed on their skills. Classes were held for the challenged.
Tári stood on Aethyrelda's porch. She cleared the room, for the king was replacing her.
She tried to convince him otherwise and that the orcs would have done more damage if she hadn't warned the guards. He saw her position, but did not change his decision. Tári collected Aethyrelda's few personal possessions against the king's will and put them in a keepsake bows in her room. She now stood on the porch for the last time, overlooking the archery field and the talented young men practicing. She wished Aethyrelda were here so she could help pick out a guy for her. Since Tári had Legolas, Aethyrelda needed a handsome elf.
A tear slid down her cheek. She had lost both of her closest friends in less than a few months. And might never see them again.
~~~
Food.water.sleep.It was all Aethyrelda could think. When her mind called for sleep, it did not call for a mortal's sleep. It called for the sleep you do not wake from.
She struggled to keep her eyelids open. Finduilas was running. There was a river ahead. Aethyrelda could see it, but she feared she could not make it. She was so weak, so tired. She no longer had the strength to sit, let alone ride. She slipped off the moving horse and fell to the ground. She heard Finduilas turn and canter towards her, nuzzling his nose in her face and she gave into the sleep.
***
"Aragorn!" Legolas yelled to the company behind him. Aragorn, son of Arathorn, jogged up behind him.
"What is it you see, Legolas?"
"It looks like a horse."
"A horse? Out here?"
"Come, let us quicken the pace and see."
Legolas ran ahead of the group. As he neared, he saw the horse was with something, or someone.
It was an elf. He knelt down beside him. He was dirty and his face seemed swollen and bruised. He was no longer conscious.
Quickly, Legolas rushed to the water's edge and filled his spare canteen. He hurried back and tried to pour some of the water in the man's lips when what was left of the Fellowship---Gimli and Aragorn---arrived.
"An elf? Do you suppose, Legolas.." Legolas knew what he meant.
"I do not know. But it looks as if he is malnourished. He doesn't appear to have any wounds, although, he does look like he was in battle." He paused and looked to Aragorn and back to the stranger he partially held. "We shall bring him with us and help him regain his strength."
"Do you think it was those orcs that we fought downstream? " Gimli asked.
"Perhaps, but he must have defended them for he had no mortal wounds. We shall rest here for the night; then see how our guest fairs in the morning."
I want to know if people are actually reading this story. I hope you will review and let me know if you are. If I don't see a lot of intrest, then I will abadon this story and start on the new one I have an idea for. I don't mind if you critize or tell me things I need to fix, I would just like to know if you are reading the story. Thank you. Now on with chapter four.
Chapter Four: The Journey Begins
"Aethyrelda!" Someone was calling her. The voice was familiar. She heard horse's hooves and looked up. Tári was riding toward her.
She neared and jumped off her horse. Her arms swallowed Aethyrelda in a hug. She pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"I heard what happened. Oh, look at you." Her friend's fingers touched her broken nose and jaw. "I can't believe they are doing this to you. I would come with you, but I have been forbidden. I brought you food, clothing, and a horse." She turned away and whistled.
A gorgeous chestnut brown horse came galloping over.
"Thank you," she whispered to her friend.
"I wish I could do more. I will do everything in my power to persuade the king to let you come back, although I fear there is nothing I can do."
"This will help."
"I smuggled all I could." She glanced over her shoulder. "I must go, the guards are following me. Travel quickly and safely. I will be thinking of you. Until I see you again."
~~~
Aethyrelda dismounted her horse. She had ridden for a full day. She was exhausted. Collapsing on the ground, she fell into a deep elven sleep.
~~~
It had been days since the battle in Mirkwood. Her food supply was starting to run low. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Having no idea where to go, she rode and only stopped when her eyelids were too heavy to hold open.
When she did stop, it was only for a few hours. She needed to get to Rivendell or somewhere or she was going to die in the forest.
Suddenly, she realized she was no longer in the forest, but in a vast plain that extended as far as the elven eye could see. Here, she'd be able to see all harm before it arrived, but she was also vulnerable. For this reason, she did not stop, but urged her horse onward.
~~~
Lost. She had never been out of Mirkwood's gates before this incident. Now, because of that, she was going to die. It had been days since she had left. Her lamba supply was running low and by the end of the week she would have to start hunting. How couldn't the king see that if it weren't for her, they'd all be dead? The story -even told by the guard's point of view-clearly pointed that out. They were so drunk and singing so loudly they wouldn't have heard the orcs rip down the door.
She sighed and lay back in the grass. She would never make it to Rivendell. To add to her problem, her horse, whom she named Finduilas, was only a couple years old and not left Mirkwood, let alone his mother's side, in his life. But he was very fast and full of energy, unlike Aethyrelda. She did not know what she'd do without him. They covered countless more amounts of land than she would have on foot.
***
Meanwhile, the Fellowship was entering the Mines of Moria. Or, shall I say, had already entered. The wall had collapsed behind them and they were forced to continue through.
***
In Mirkwood, the king was taking charge. To prevent another attack, he was drafting more guards and spreading them out at posts in the woods. The prince's private archery field was opened to the new guards to practice and be assessed on their skills. Classes were held for the challenged.
Tári stood on Aethyrelda's porch. She cleared the room, for the king was replacing her.
She tried to convince him otherwise and that the orcs would have done more damage if she hadn't warned the guards. He saw her position, but did not change his decision. Tári collected Aethyrelda's few personal possessions against the king's will and put them in a keepsake bows in her room. She now stood on the porch for the last time, overlooking the archery field and the talented young men practicing. She wished Aethyrelda were here so she could help pick out a guy for her. Since Tári had Legolas, Aethyrelda needed a handsome elf.
A tear slid down her cheek. She had lost both of her closest friends in less than a few months. And might never see them again.
~~~
Food.water.sleep.It was all Aethyrelda could think. When her mind called for sleep, it did not call for a mortal's sleep. It called for the sleep you do not wake from.
She struggled to keep her eyelids open. Finduilas was running. There was a river ahead. Aethyrelda could see it, but she feared she could not make it. She was so weak, so tired. She no longer had the strength to sit, let alone ride. She slipped off the moving horse and fell to the ground. She heard Finduilas turn and canter towards her, nuzzling his nose in her face and she gave into the sleep.
***
"Aragorn!" Legolas yelled to the company behind him. Aragorn, son of Arathorn, jogged up behind him.
"What is it you see, Legolas?"
"It looks like a horse."
"A horse? Out here?"
"Come, let us quicken the pace and see."
Legolas ran ahead of the group. As he neared, he saw the horse was with something, or someone.
It was an elf. He knelt down beside him. He was dirty and his face seemed swollen and bruised. He was no longer conscious.
Quickly, Legolas rushed to the water's edge and filled his spare canteen. He hurried back and tried to pour some of the water in the man's lips when what was left of the Fellowship---Gimli and Aragorn---arrived.
"An elf? Do you suppose, Legolas.." Legolas knew what he meant.
"I do not know. But it looks as if he is malnourished. He doesn't appear to have any wounds, although, he does look like he was in battle." He paused and looked to Aragorn and back to the stranger he partially held. "We shall bring him with us and help him regain his strength."
"Do you think it was those orcs that we fought downstream? " Gimli asked.
"Perhaps, but he must have defended them for he had no mortal wounds. We shall rest here for the night; then see how our guest fairs in the morning."