Yeah, yeah, I know, it's been how many weeks? *Shrugs* I'm a student.
Sorry. Also, a huge writer's block fell from the sky and crushed my hand.
It hurt. A lot. Anyway, I'm going out on a limb with this chapter. Just
keep in mind that even Tolkien wrote about Elves who were not exactly
angelic.
Disclaimer: Danali is mine, my own, my precious. Unfortunately, the Elves aren't, which is sad because I'm addicted to them. Ahem.
Oh, and I don't care what Peter Jackson says, Haldir Lives!!!! Go TTT!!!!
Crimson and Snow
When Danali awoke next, the late morning sun was flowing into her eyes and around the room in straight rods of gold through a small round window in the wall. She settled back to sleep again before the actual time of day registered in her half-awake brain, causing her to bolt upright in her bed. She listened intently for other signs of life in the treehouse, straining her ears to hear even the light footfall of an Elf, but ended up hearing nothing. She shrugged and slipped from between the blankets to kneel on the smooth floor, shaking her head to clear the dreams from her mind. She glimpsed a splash of color at the foot of the bed, and crawled over to inspect the garment. A sneer involuntarily turned her lips as she saw it was a dress. A beautiful, flowing robe that shimmered, but a dress nonetheless. Danali despised dresses almost as much as she despised the brainless maidens who wore them while dancing through the meadows and giggling moronically. She felt a stab of disappointment that neither of the brothers had thought she would actually prefer something more..practical.
She sighed and pushed herself over to where her pack was resting. After a few moments of frantic digging, she pulled out a crumpled yet clean tunic and leggings, both of pure black and midnight blue, and smiled crookedly. This was an outfit for night missions, but it would have to do.
She dressed and padded around the partition to the main room, but there was still no one to be found. Puzzled, Danali made her way over to a silver basin filled with water and splashed the clear liquid on her face, relishing it's brisk thinness, and dried her face with her sleeve. The tiny kitchen had been casually cleaned, showing signs of a modest breakfast taken earlier. She stood and looked around the rest of the dwelling, noting with a tiny bit of amusement that the entire dwelling was obviously inhabited by three bachelors who weren't often there to begin with. The faint music of songbirds filtered into the house and floated gracefully through the air.
She found a loaf of bread lying on the counter and tore off a piece, then proceeded out the door to be greeted by the awesome spectacle of Caras Galadhon by day. Danali stood rooted to the spot for several minutes as she took in the hundreds of tree-dwellings arranged evenly in the towering trees, as well as the fluid stairways that twisted and wound around the great mallyrn, and seemed to go everywhere. A soft light penetrated through the dense canopy, giving the Elven realm an ethereal yet peaceful glow. She inhaled deeply and started down the staircase to the forest floor far below, trying not to glance over the edge of the steps, instead drinking in the beauty of the woodland kingdom.
Danali reached the foot of the stairs and glanced around warily at the citizens strolling peacefully among the leaves, their many voices light and mellifluous in the morning atmosphere. Feeling adventurous, she set out to see the sights she had missed the night before, and was having a grand time of it when the fact that she was thoroughly lost sent a sinking sensation coursing through her stomach and throat, and she realized as well that she had gone farther from the gates than she intended. She turned on her heel and flew off at a fairly quick clip back the way she came, but Danali was unused to dense forest, and did not contemplate that Elves could step out suddenly from behind the trees until she had smacked into one, a tall, willowy lady who gasped as the girl, desperate for balance, grasped a glittering jewel from around her throat as she fell backwards. She struggled to her feet and helped the Elven woman to her feet, apologizing profusely, unaware that she had absentmindedly slipped the necklace into her belt. She was confused when the lady held out her hand and began demanding the jewelry back, and started to back away, angering the group of Elves further.
Danali stood in shock for several agonizing moments until one of the male Elves the woman had been with stepped forward threateningly, a torrent of angry Elvish coursing from his mouth toward her, as another reached for her. Terrified out of her mind, Danali spun around and sprinted away, not bothering to wait and discover what the disgruntled Elf was intending to do to her. Her keen ears picked up footfalls behind her, and she quickened her pace, blindly dodging trees and bushes, not caring where her panicked feet were leading her any longer.
She darted behind a thick tree and tripped on a huge, sinuous root, thrusting her hands forward and twisting around. She gasped as a beautiful silver pendant inlaid with crystal stars tumbled out into the leaves, it's brilliance seeming to mock her. A sinking fire coursed through her stomach as she swept up the necklace and fingered it, realization dawning on her. She could still hear the Elf in pursuit, and decided to run to him and give back the jewel, but she had lost all sense of direction and was imagining what frightening punishments were inflicted on thieves in Lorien. Her feet instead ran the opposite direction.
She burst out into a clearing of sorts, and stumbled head-on into Rumil's arms, gasping. The startled Elf reeled back, but managed to keep Danali's hands firmly locked in his, his face and eyes full of question and concern as she struggled to break away, casting frightened glances over her shoulder and talking unintelligibly in a high-pitched voice while holding out a pendant on a chain. Rumil and Orophin looked quickly at each other and set the water buckets they had been carrying on the ground. Rumil knew only snatches of Common Speech, but he could make out something about accidents and a necklace. He shook her roughly several times as Orophin quickly grabbed the pendant from her hand and examined it. Danali finally calmed down enough to speak in Elvish, but was interrupted by a low groan from Orophin. Rumil's head whipped around. Orophin was staring at the chain.
"Is this what I think it is?"
Rumil held his brother's eyes for a pause, then slowly settled an exasperated gaze on Danali, his hard eyes commanding her to talk. She began haltingly to explain the confusion, but didn't get far before the angry Elf stormed into the clearing and saw a startled Orophin holding the necklace.
Danali whimpered and darted behind Rumil as the Elf advanced ominously on Orophin, who spread his hands in a gesture of peace and began speaking in a soothing voice. The two held a tense discourse for a brief eternity, then the Elf snatched the pendant from Orophin's hands and began pointing at Danali and talking of little thieves who should be punished, and what was a mortal girl doing in the wood unwatched anyway? Orophin continued to apologize calmly, but to no avail. Rumil turned and gathered the wide-eyed Danali to his side protectively as the discussion heated up, then started as the enraged Elf suddenly shoved Orophin to the side and reached for Danali, muttering something about punishing her himself if these common archers would not. He moved with blurring speed to grab the girl's shoulder.
Rumil was faster. His arms shot out and shoved the other away as he stepped to shield Danali with his body. She stumbled back and fell, her hands crushing the frail leaves, her racing heart leaping into her throat as the voices grew into shouts. She remembered later feeling the purple spark rise in her mind, remembered the metallic taste on the back of her tongue, the taste of rage, the dreaded sensation of hate that swelled uncontrollably through her being, as well as the instinctive loyalty that bloomed fiercely through her mind and heart.
All she could vaguely see through the red mist as she leaped to the Elf attacking Rumil was Orophin desperately trying to hold the two off each other, his normally beautiful voice strained and rough as he prevented one from tackling the other. She grabbed the strange Elf's right arm and wrenched it away from Rumil in a single, swift motion. The Elf cried out and lashed around with his free arm, which Danali easily ducked and pinned to the one she already held. She was met with a fierce kick to the stomach, and a bolt of pain shot through her and stole her breath. Instinctively, she twisted the Elf's arm the rest of the way around, snapping it in two places before flopping to the ground as a wave of colored sparks swirled behind her eyes and a thin rivulet of crimson streamed from her mouth.
'What have I done?' she thought, as strong Elven arms slid under her and lifted her from the ground into unconsciousness.
Disclaimer: Danali is mine, my own, my precious. Unfortunately, the Elves aren't, which is sad because I'm addicted to them. Ahem.
Oh, and I don't care what Peter Jackson says, Haldir Lives!!!! Go TTT!!!!
Crimson and Snow
When Danali awoke next, the late morning sun was flowing into her eyes and around the room in straight rods of gold through a small round window in the wall. She settled back to sleep again before the actual time of day registered in her half-awake brain, causing her to bolt upright in her bed. She listened intently for other signs of life in the treehouse, straining her ears to hear even the light footfall of an Elf, but ended up hearing nothing. She shrugged and slipped from between the blankets to kneel on the smooth floor, shaking her head to clear the dreams from her mind. She glimpsed a splash of color at the foot of the bed, and crawled over to inspect the garment. A sneer involuntarily turned her lips as she saw it was a dress. A beautiful, flowing robe that shimmered, but a dress nonetheless. Danali despised dresses almost as much as she despised the brainless maidens who wore them while dancing through the meadows and giggling moronically. She felt a stab of disappointment that neither of the brothers had thought she would actually prefer something more..practical.
She sighed and pushed herself over to where her pack was resting. After a few moments of frantic digging, she pulled out a crumpled yet clean tunic and leggings, both of pure black and midnight blue, and smiled crookedly. This was an outfit for night missions, but it would have to do.
She dressed and padded around the partition to the main room, but there was still no one to be found. Puzzled, Danali made her way over to a silver basin filled with water and splashed the clear liquid on her face, relishing it's brisk thinness, and dried her face with her sleeve. The tiny kitchen had been casually cleaned, showing signs of a modest breakfast taken earlier. She stood and looked around the rest of the dwelling, noting with a tiny bit of amusement that the entire dwelling was obviously inhabited by three bachelors who weren't often there to begin with. The faint music of songbirds filtered into the house and floated gracefully through the air.
She found a loaf of bread lying on the counter and tore off a piece, then proceeded out the door to be greeted by the awesome spectacle of Caras Galadhon by day. Danali stood rooted to the spot for several minutes as she took in the hundreds of tree-dwellings arranged evenly in the towering trees, as well as the fluid stairways that twisted and wound around the great mallyrn, and seemed to go everywhere. A soft light penetrated through the dense canopy, giving the Elven realm an ethereal yet peaceful glow. She inhaled deeply and started down the staircase to the forest floor far below, trying not to glance over the edge of the steps, instead drinking in the beauty of the woodland kingdom.
Danali reached the foot of the stairs and glanced around warily at the citizens strolling peacefully among the leaves, their many voices light and mellifluous in the morning atmosphere. Feeling adventurous, she set out to see the sights she had missed the night before, and was having a grand time of it when the fact that she was thoroughly lost sent a sinking sensation coursing through her stomach and throat, and she realized as well that she had gone farther from the gates than she intended. She turned on her heel and flew off at a fairly quick clip back the way she came, but Danali was unused to dense forest, and did not contemplate that Elves could step out suddenly from behind the trees until she had smacked into one, a tall, willowy lady who gasped as the girl, desperate for balance, grasped a glittering jewel from around her throat as she fell backwards. She struggled to her feet and helped the Elven woman to her feet, apologizing profusely, unaware that she had absentmindedly slipped the necklace into her belt. She was confused when the lady held out her hand and began demanding the jewelry back, and started to back away, angering the group of Elves further.
Danali stood in shock for several agonizing moments until one of the male Elves the woman had been with stepped forward threateningly, a torrent of angry Elvish coursing from his mouth toward her, as another reached for her. Terrified out of her mind, Danali spun around and sprinted away, not bothering to wait and discover what the disgruntled Elf was intending to do to her. Her keen ears picked up footfalls behind her, and she quickened her pace, blindly dodging trees and bushes, not caring where her panicked feet were leading her any longer.
She darted behind a thick tree and tripped on a huge, sinuous root, thrusting her hands forward and twisting around. She gasped as a beautiful silver pendant inlaid with crystal stars tumbled out into the leaves, it's brilliance seeming to mock her. A sinking fire coursed through her stomach as she swept up the necklace and fingered it, realization dawning on her. She could still hear the Elf in pursuit, and decided to run to him and give back the jewel, but she had lost all sense of direction and was imagining what frightening punishments were inflicted on thieves in Lorien. Her feet instead ran the opposite direction.
She burst out into a clearing of sorts, and stumbled head-on into Rumil's arms, gasping. The startled Elf reeled back, but managed to keep Danali's hands firmly locked in his, his face and eyes full of question and concern as she struggled to break away, casting frightened glances over her shoulder and talking unintelligibly in a high-pitched voice while holding out a pendant on a chain. Rumil and Orophin looked quickly at each other and set the water buckets they had been carrying on the ground. Rumil knew only snatches of Common Speech, but he could make out something about accidents and a necklace. He shook her roughly several times as Orophin quickly grabbed the pendant from her hand and examined it. Danali finally calmed down enough to speak in Elvish, but was interrupted by a low groan from Orophin. Rumil's head whipped around. Orophin was staring at the chain.
"Is this what I think it is?"
Rumil held his brother's eyes for a pause, then slowly settled an exasperated gaze on Danali, his hard eyes commanding her to talk. She began haltingly to explain the confusion, but didn't get far before the angry Elf stormed into the clearing and saw a startled Orophin holding the necklace.
Danali whimpered and darted behind Rumil as the Elf advanced ominously on Orophin, who spread his hands in a gesture of peace and began speaking in a soothing voice. The two held a tense discourse for a brief eternity, then the Elf snatched the pendant from Orophin's hands and began pointing at Danali and talking of little thieves who should be punished, and what was a mortal girl doing in the wood unwatched anyway? Orophin continued to apologize calmly, but to no avail. Rumil turned and gathered the wide-eyed Danali to his side protectively as the discussion heated up, then started as the enraged Elf suddenly shoved Orophin to the side and reached for Danali, muttering something about punishing her himself if these common archers would not. He moved with blurring speed to grab the girl's shoulder.
Rumil was faster. His arms shot out and shoved the other away as he stepped to shield Danali with his body. She stumbled back and fell, her hands crushing the frail leaves, her racing heart leaping into her throat as the voices grew into shouts. She remembered later feeling the purple spark rise in her mind, remembered the metallic taste on the back of her tongue, the taste of rage, the dreaded sensation of hate that swelled uncontrollably through her being, as well as the instinctive loyalty that bloomed fiercely through her mind and heart.
All she could vaguely see through the red mist as she leaped to the Elf attacking Rumil was Orophin desperately trying to hold the two off each other, his normally beautiful voice strained and rough as he prevented one from tackling the other. She grabbed the strange Elf's right arm and wrenched it away from Rumil in a single, swift motion. The Elf cried out and lashed around with his free arm, which Danali easily ducked and pinned to the one she already held. She was met with a fierce kick to the stomach, and a bolt of pain shot through her and stole her breath. Instinctively, she twisted the Elf's arm the rest of the way around, snapping it in two places before flopping to the ground as a wave of colored sparks swirled behind her eyes and a thin rivulet of crimson streamed from her mouth.
'What have I done?' she thought, as strong Elven arms slid under her and lifted her from the ground into unconsciousness.
