Thanks a bunch to everyone who keeps reviewing. I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it.

Raven

There was snow.

Danali remembered glancing down at her feet trudging through the deep snow, her light shoes breaking through the ice-white crust to the frozen powder beneath, the cold shimmying up her legs to her stomach, then through to her hands and out her fingertips. She sniffed and looked up briefly as if to detect some danger on the chill wind, then dropped her head back down to her chest and crossed her arms over her belly in a vain attempt to retain warmth. She continued dragging on, one of a small automatic column of small automatic soldiers, each carrying her bow in a blue-grey fist, their midnight blue tunics barely showing from under their pitch-colored cloaks, the bare trees looming over and around, the outlines of their grotesque skeletons broken into jagged pieces by the swirling snow that flew into Danali's numb face. The sorry train of girls marched in silence, their breaths crystallizing into transparent cloudwisps, each young warrior trapped in her own personal hell.

There was a raven.

Danali remembered hearing it's coarse calls from somewhere high above the group, the rasping echoes narrowing through the avenue of cold and death to rest heavily on the girls' shoulders. It's voice suggested despair, it's black raiment mocked theirs.

Suddenly, a loud, wrenching crash of a large branch breaking under the weight of the ice and snow shattered the frail peace, the loud noise reverberating throughout the dormant forest.

Several of the weaker girls had already been on the edge of nervous panic, and the crack of the tree limb snapped their stony poise. Danali turned in time to see one girl gasp, spin about and raise her bow at the imaginary danger. Her arm jolted. Her hand slipped. The string twanged. The next Danali remembered was one of her comrades lying in the snow, her hands pressed on her lower belly, an arrow shaft protruding straight up from between her frozen grip, an eerily blank expression on her face as she calmly fought against the inevitable.

One of the girls reached down to pull out the deeply imbedded shaft, but she was fiercely waved away by the dying child.

There was blood.

A thin trickle of crimson streamed out from the corner of the girl's slightly parted lips. She was flat on her back, her dark hair and body framed by pure white, her dim eyes growing even darker as the cloudy light slowly faded from them.

Her cloak sprawled underneath her like great black wings.

The raven crowed in the distance, then fell silent. Danali remembered it's harsh music serenading the winter. She remembered the ice-laden breeze, the glimmering snow sparkling in the weak sun, the silent girls gathered in a circle, their faces devoid of all emotion. She remembered seeing a final flicker in the glassy eyes, remembered hearing the calm, belabored breathing stop, remembered the raven opening it's wings and lifting off the branch to soar away in graceful spirals and disappear over the horizon.

There was death, and there was life.



When Danali opened her eyes again, a single, small flower greeted them, it's exquisite slender blossom resting elegantly on her chest. She picked it up by the stem and slowly twirled it, admiring it's simple beauty and absently wondering how it got there.

When she shifted her eyes aside, the sight of the gently smiling Elf sitting beside her almost caused her to jump. She quickly raised her head and pushed away the blanket someone had pulled over her in the night, her surprise turning to mild irritation as she warily eyed the relaxed guard.

Orophin continued to regard Danali cheerfully, his knees drawn up to his chest with his hands clasped snugly around them. An impish smile twitched the corner of his mouth as he spoke, his soft voice blending with the songbirds welcoming the dawn.

"Good morning, Danali. Are you ready to go?"

Danali swung her head around at the unfamiliar surroundings. This was not where she had fallen asleep. Her confusion escalated as Orophin's words registered.

"What?"

Orophin could not help but chuckle at the poor girl's bewilderment. He leaned forward and carefully gripped her cold hands in his warm ones.

" Before you speak, first, my brother and I moved you to another flet last night so I could watch you. Second, Haldir wishes for Rumil, Lothir and I to guide you to our city so we may decide what is to be done with you. Do you understand?"

Puzzled, Danali tried to sort out the Elves' intentions, but their ways of thinking were closed to her.

" That's alright. You do not have to keep me here any longer. I'm better now, right?"

Orophin's hands remained wrapped around hers.

" I'm afraid you have to, Danali. Tis Haldir's orders that you not be allowed to leave."

His voice was gentle, but the words incensed Danali. She felt anger begin to simmer within her once again. She snatched her hands from Orophin's and pushed him away, her tone nervous and high.

" What?! Why? Why can't I leave to go where I will?"

She was breathing heavily now, her face flushed and frightened, her voice quivering with emotion. Orophin tried to break into her terrified questions, his hands raised in a soothing gesture, his eyes calm, gently pleading with Danali to hush, but her indignant protests grew all the louder.

Suddenly, she scrambled onto her feet and lunged for the edge of the flet, her legs moving unnaturally fast for freedom. Only Elvish reflexes could stop her, and she immediately began to violently struggle as two strong arms seized her around her chest and dragged her backwards, while a leg deftly swept her feet out from under her and dumped her on her back. She fell hard, but instantly swung her legs up, arched her back and popped up onto her feet again before Orophin shoved her down once more, this time firmly planting himself on her writhing form and waiting patiently for her to stop cursing Elves, Eru and the rest of the damn world for existing. He did not give up easily, but neither did she. Rage at the seeming betrayal blazed in her eyes as she yelled, and other Elves began to filter over to the dramatic scene.

" I am not your prisoner. You cannot hold me here-"

She tried to push Orophin off her, but he was heavier than he looked, and more stubborn as well. He tightly grasped her wrists and held them away from his face, all the while a calm determination hardening his features as he knelt with one knee pressing into her ribs. She began to tire, having met her match, but anger and pride caused her to prolong the struggle.

"You will not hold me here!"

With that, Danali made a final attempt and, mustering all her strength, managed to half lift herself and a startled Orophin off the ground before a new set of hands wrenched her arms roughly behind and over her head, pinning her to the floor and causing her to gasp as stabbing pains shot through her shoulders and spine. She quickly ceased her thrashing and laid still, her teeth clenched in agony, her eyes squeezed shut, small tears of frustration and pain sliding from their corners to drip on the clean wood below.

A commanding voice broke through the layers of pain Danali was currently in.

"Stop this foolishness at once and be still."

Danali opened her eyes tentatively and met the no-nonsense gaze of the Marchwarden, his face hovering over hers, his hands still firmly pressing hers into the floor. Orophin was still perched on her stomach, his concerned eyes watching her intently as his brother spoke a little gentler to her.

"If I release you, will you sit up and listen to me, and then do as I ask?"

Danali felt her wounded pride throb and bleed. Her voice was desperate, tinged with bitterness.

"I don't want to go to your pathetic city, and I am not under your command anyway."

Haldir's eyes burned into her. He cocked an eyebrow and pulled her arms up straighter, causing her to wince. His smoothly dark voice remained soft and calm.

"Have it your way then. We shall do this the hard way. Now, let it be known that while you are on my flet with my Guard, you are under my command. You will do as I say, and you will not debate it. You are going to Caras Galadhon, and you are not going to leave. I trust that you understand all I have said, because should you go against it for any reason, I will treat you as the prisoner you are, and I will have you bound and gagged. Any questions?"

Danali rolled her head side to side, afraid that if she spoke, she would burst into tears and humiliate herself further. Haldir swiftly rose, along with Orophin, and heaved the girl to her feet, his hands still gripping her wrists painfully. When she stood, she caught Rumil staring at her, trying unsuccessfully to disguise his amusement at such a headstrong girl. She glared at him as venomously as she could , then gave it up and hung her head, a hopeless sigh escaping her lungs. Had she escaped the hell that was her past only to be ensnared in a worse future?

Haldir released her arms and stood back. Danali refused to meet his searching gaze, her hair masking her face, her hands folded in front of her. Hot tears dripped onto the floor of the flet and splashed into circles and dots that soaked into the wood. Haldir moved around the girl and knelt before her. He rested one hand on his knee, the other reached out to take hers, the strong, callused hand contrasting with the small, soft one. Danali's voice was shaky and quiet, but her words were forceful.

"Why did you not kill me when you had the chance?"

No anger was left, only a pleading tone, a reflection of her much- abused spirit, an echo of the depression that was never far away. Haldir sighed and beckoned her eyes to meet his. As he looked into her face, he was taken aback by how much older she appeared than she actually was. Dark rings underscored her eyelids, her cheeks were drawn and pale, her eyes had seen more than they ever should. He suddenly understood the reasons for her behavior as he looked at her and saw a fellow warrior, a kindred spirit, a being who would rather die than be stripped of her liberty. He spoke gently to her, almost whispering.

"I thought you had understood that you would not be harmed in any manner, lady. I am going to protect you. That is all I plan to do. Nothing more."

He brought his other hand up to clasp the girl's.

"You are safe here."





As she readied for the journey to the Elven stronghold, Danali found a small pendant lying on her blanket, obviously left by Haldir as a token of peace. She picked up the silver piece and observed it closely. It was a bird in flight, a majestic singer to the stars. Danali felt a bittersweet sensation course through her memory and tighten her soul as she recognized the creature swinging from the delicate shining chain.

It was a raven.

The expression on her face was indecipherable for a few fleeting moments, then she resolutely fastened the gift around her neck and pressed it to her heart before gathering her things for departure.



Note: Yes, I know the Elves don't like ravens, or "crebain" (they are spies for the dark powers in LOTR), but I thought it would complement Danali's conflicting emotions and darker layers nicely.