Chapter 1.
Miriel bit her lip as another jagged rock cut into her foot. She looked down at the rocky ground and saw the small trail of blood that had resulted from her cut feet. She breathed a sigh of relief and almost dissolved in tears as her feet met a grassy field. She had been walking for two days and was not even a quarter of the way to Mirkwood. She could see the southern most tip of it if she strained her eyes hard enough.
She needed to rest. She had had no food and almost no water since she had started running 2 days before. But then, she spotted a water hole a mile away. It looked like paradise to her tired eyes as she limped to it and collapsed under the trees.
~*~
Miriel felt a soft nudging in her side. Startled, she snapped awake and rolled to her feet. Her soles were almost fully healed and her eyes cleared to find a beautiful chestnut stallion at her side. She wandered how long she had slept as day had turned to night.
"Manke naa lle tuulo'?" she asked softly, her voice hoarse from thirst. She reached up and stroked the stallion's mane. The horse nuzzled her, and then moved toward the body of water. Miriel's eyes followed the horse and they lit up when her gaze landed on the water. She was feeling energized again and ran to the small oasis. Dropping to her knees, she scooped water into her dry mouth feverishly. After drinking to her heart's content, she splashed her face with the cool water.
The horse was watching her with an interested gleam in its brown eyes and she nearly laughed at the thought of how silly she looked.
"I am sorry mellon nin, I must look like a fool to you," she said, as she stroked the horse's mane once more. She did not feel foolish talking to it. She knew it could understand her perfectly well. She had always had a curious affinity with the gentle creatures. "This horse must be a wanderer with no home, just like me," she thought.
"It is no point traveling now. I will start again at dawn," she told herself. She lay down and leaned against the creature, it's warmth comforting her and lulling her into the dreamless state of sub- consciousness so familiar to elves.
~*~
Miriel woke just as dawn approached. Her newfound friend was off grazing in the distance. Miriel got up and once again took a long drink.
As she sat down to study her map, the horse came up behind her, nuzzling her neck. She was thoroughly enjoying the company of her new friend and travel companion. Mirkwood was still many miles northward though, many days journey on foot. Miriel looked thoughtfully at the stallion.
"Would you let me ride you?" she asked.
The horse snorted in agreement and knelt down for Miriel to climb on. "Diola lle mellon nin. Noro lim." She said soothingly and steered the horse toward the great woods.
They traveled for many days and many nights on a dangerous road. As they approached Mirkwood from the south, the horse suddenly reared up and let out a great cry. Thanks to her previous horse riding lessons, Miriel was able to hold on to the horse and bring him down gently. She knew what had frightened the animal so. There seemed to be a large shadow looming over the southern part of the wood.
Suddenly, out of the trees, an arrow came hurtling towards them. The distance was far, but the aim was true. The arrow pierced Miriel's left arm and a searing pain ran through her body.
"Ai!" she exclaimed clutching her left arm. She dug her heels into the horse's side and he started running. He ran like the wind, as arrows whistled behind them. It was a few hours before they reached the northeastern borders of Mirkwood, where Thranduil, the king and his people lived. By then, Miriel was slumped over the neck of the horse, barely conscious. The next she knew, her mount had halted and an arrow was pointed directly at her neck.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass in our lands?" a commanding voice asked.
"Take me to your king. please," Miriel whispered, before she succumbed to the pain.
Translations:
Manke naa lle tuulo'- Where are you from?
Mellon nin - my friend
Diola lle - thank you
Noro lim - ride on
A/N: The translations might not all be correct. Forgive me if they're wrong. This chapter isn't extremely good, but the real plot will come soon. This is still the intro.
Miriel bit her lip as another jagged rock cut into her foot. She looked down at the rocky ground and saw the small trail of blood that had resulted from her cut feet. She breathed a sigh of relief and almost dissolved in tears as her feet met a grassy field. She had been walking for two days and was not even a quarter of the way to Mirkwood. She could see the southern most tip of it if she strained her eyes hard enough.
She needed to rest. She had had no food and almost no water since she had started running 2 days before. But then, she spotted a water hole a mile away. It looked like paradise to her tired eyes as she limped to it and collapsed under the trees.
~*~
Miriel felt a soft nudging in her side. Startled, she snapped awake and rolled to her feet. Her soles were almost fully healed and her eyes cleared to find a beautiful chestnut stallion at her side. She wandered how long she had slept as day had turned to night.
"Manke naa lle tuulo'?" she asked softly, her voice hoarse from thirst. She reached up and stroked the stallion's mane. The horse nuzzled her, and then moved toward the body of water. Miriel's eyes followed the horse and they lit up when her gaze landed on the water. She was feeling energized again and ran to the small oasis. Dropping to her knees, she scooped water into her dry mouth feverishly. After drinking to her heart's content, she splashed her face with the cool water.
The horse was watching her with an interested gleam in its brown eyes and she nearly laughed at the thought of how silly she looked.
"I am sorry mellon nin, I must look like a fool to you," she said, as she stroked the horse's mane once more. She did not feel foolish talking to it. She knew it could understand her perfectly well. She had always had a curious affinity with the gentle creatures. "This horse must be a wanderer with no home, just like me," she thought.
"It is no point traveling now. I will start again at dawn," she told herself. She lay down and leaned against the creature, it's warmth comforting her and lulling her into the dreamless state of sub- consciousness so familiar to elves.
~*~
Miriel woke just as dawn approached. Her newfound friend was off grazing in the distance. Miriel got up and once again took a long drink.
As she sat down to study her map, the horse came up behind her, nuzzling her neck. She was thoroughly enjoying the company of her new friend and travel companion. Mirkwood was still many miles northward though, many days journey on foot. Miriel looked thoughtfully at the stallion.
"Would you let me ride you?" she asked.
The horse snorted in agreement and knelt down for Miriel to climb on. "Diola lle mellon nin. Noro lim." She said soothingly and steered the horse toward the great woods.
They traveled for many days and many nights on a dangerous road. As they approached Mirkwood from the south, the horse suddenly reared up and let out a great cry. Thanks to her previous horse riding lessons, Miriel was able to hold on to the horse and bring him down gently. She knew what had frightened the animal so. There seemed to be a large shadow looming over the southern part of the wood.
Suddenly, out of the trees, an arrow came hurtling towards them. The distance was far, but the aim was true. The arrow pierced Miriel's left arm and a searing pain ran through her body.
"Ai!" she exclaimed clutching her left arm. She dug her heels into the horse's side and he started running. He ran like the wind, as arrows whistled behind them. It was a few hours before they reached the northeastern borders of Mirkwood, where Thranduil, the king and his people lived. By then, Miriel was slumped over the neck of the horse, barely conscious. The next she knew, her mount had halted and an arrow was pointed directly at her neck.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass in our lands?" a commanding voice asked.
"Take me to your king. please," Miriel whispered, before she succumbed to the pain.
Translations:
Manke naa lle tuulo'- Where are you from?
Mellon nin - my friend
Diola lle - thank you
Noro lim - ride on
A/N: The translations might not all be correct. Forgive me if they're wrong. This chapter isn't extremely good, but the real plot will come soon. This is still the intro.
