Yay! I've been reviewed.
Pernauriel: Thank you for your comments. Yes, I'm going to continue.
~
Of course, there were orcs near Mirkwood as well. The remaining elves of the eastern realm had battled their way clear to a road to the west. Their numbers had dwindled. Now they were nearly in sight of their goal, and once again they were running from the enemy.
Aeariel shouted orders from horseback, and tirelessly fired arrows at the pursuing orcs. It seemed that screams and the smell of blood were all around her.
She was thrown backward as something struck her right shoulder. The princess barely kept her seat upon the horse, and turned amazed eyes to see the arrow protruding. Cries went up around her from her guard. Aeariel turned her horse, and urged her mount to all speed. If she could only reach Mirkwood, they would have reinforcements.
But they were closer to help than the princess assumed. In an unusual move the orcs stopped and retreated away from the increasingly shadowed forest. On the right side of the road Aeariel saw a flash of pale hair, and a drawn bow.
Aeariel slowed her horse in relief. The elves of Mirkwood were here.
~
"King Thranduil," an elven maid said softly.
The lord of Mirkwood looked up from the volume he had been reading at the interruption.
"Your highness, there are strange elves arriving in the courtyard," the maid continued.
The King rose from his chair and followed her out to the courtyard. There he found five riders on horses that had clearly been ridden hard. Four were elves, and one was a mortal man. The foremost rider dismounted painfully, and stepped forward.
"I seek the King of Mirkwood," the rider said, pulling back the hood of her cloak.
Thranduil's surprise was hidden beneath a neutral mask. The rider was a maid, and fairly young as elves determined age. She had obviously been wounded. Blood was dripping from her hand, and she could barely remain upright.
"I am Thranduil," the King responded. "How may I aid you?"
A small smile crossed Aeariel's face, but it appeared more of a grimace.
"I am Aeariel, princess of the Eastern Realm. I ask for sanctuary for my people."
Thranduil turned to an elf standing just to his left.
"Bring healers at once."
~
Dengar stepped outside, and breathed deeply of the night air. He looked about at the trees that were so unlike those from the forest of his home. Everything here was different than the Eastern Realm. The elves of Mirkwood looked upon him strangely, and he found himself uncomfortable.
The sound of laughter came from inside the hall behind him. A feast was being held to celebrate Princess Aeariel's recovery. There had been a brief span of time when it was thought that the princess would die from her injury. Dengar had tried to see her during the four days she lay abed, but his requests were denied. As captain of the guard, Dengar thought, he should have been admitted to her chamber.
Now that she was healed, Dengar had tried approaching her in the feast hall. The scene replayed in his mind as he stood on the balcony. He had crossed to the princess where she stood surrounded by her personal guards, and many elves from Mirkwood. She was smiling brightly at something a male elf had whispered into her ear.
Dengar shook his head in annoyance, and turned away from the view of the forest. He had tried to question the princess about what they were going to do next. Were they going to return to the Eastern realm with reinforcements from the Mirkwood elves? Were they going to move on from Mirkwood and rebuild? Her happy smile had gone away, and her eyes had darkened as she looked at him. She had refused to discuss it, and told him she would be meeting with Thranduil the next day. With that, she had dismissed him and returned to her empty chatter.
The mortal man exhaled a frustrated breath, and walked towards the room where he would try and get some sleep. He must be patient. Tomorrow, he would know what the future held.
~
Of course, there were orcs near Mirkwood as well. The remaining elves of the eastern realm had battled their way clear to a road to the west. Their numbers had dwindled. Now they were nearly in sight of their goal, and once again they were running from the enemy.
Aeariel shouted orders from horseback, and tirelessly fired arrows at the pursuing orcs. It seemed that screams and the smell of blood were all around her.
She was thrown backward as something struck her right shoulder. The princess barely kept her seat upon the horse, and turned amazed eyes to see the arrow protruding. Cries went up around her from her guard. Aeariel turned her horse, and urged her mount to all speed. If she could only reach Mirkwood, they would have reinforcements.
But they were closer to help than the princess assumed. In an unusual move the orcs stopped and retreated away from the increasingly shadowed forest. On the right side of the road Aeariel saw a flash of pale hair, and a drawn bow.
Aeariel slowed her horse in relief. The elves of Mirkwood were here.
~
"King Thranduil," an elven maid said softly.
The lord of Mirkwood looked up from the volume he had been reading at the interruption.
"Your highness, there are strange elves arriving in the courtyard," the maid continued.
The King rose from his chair and followed her out to the courtyard. There he found five riders on horses that had clearly been ridden hard. Four were elves, and one was a mortal man. The foremost rider dismounted painfully, and stepped forward.
"I seek the King of Mirkwood," the rider said, pulling back the hood of her cloak.
Thranduil's surprise was hidden beneath a neutral mask. The rider was a maid, and fairly young as elves determined age. She had obviously been wounded. Blood was dripping from her hand, and she could barely remain upright.
"I am Thranduil," the King responded. "How may I aid you?"
A small smile crossed Aeariel's face, but it appeared more of a grimace.
"I am Aeariel, princess of the Eastern Realm. I ask for sanctuary for my people."
Thranduil turned to an elf standing just to his left.
"Bring healers at once."
~
Dengar stepped outside, and breathed deeply of the night air. He looked about at the trees that were so unlike those from the forest of his home. Everything here was different than the Eastern Realm. The elves of Mirkwood looked upon him strangely, and he found himself uncomfortable.
The sound of laughter came from inside the hall behind him. A feast was being held to celebrate Princess Aeariel's recovery. There had been a brief span of time when it was thought that the princess would die from her injury. Dengar had tried to see her during the four days she lay abed, but his requests were denied. As captain of the guard, Dengar thought, he should have been admitted to her chamber.
Now that she was healed, Dengar had tried approaching her in the feast hall. The scene replayed in his mind as he stood on the balcony. He had crossed to the princess where she stood surrounded by her personal guards, and many elves from Mirkwood. She was smiling brightly at something a male elf had whispered into her ear.
Dengar shook his head in annoyance, and turned away from the view of the forest. He had tried to question the princess about what they were going to do next. Were they going to return to the Eastern realm with reinforcements from the Mirkwood elves? Were they going to move on from Mirkwood and rebuild? Her happy smile had gone away, and her eyes had darkened as she looked at him. She had refused to discuss it, and told him she would be meeting with Thranduil the next day. With that, she had dismissed him and returned to her empty chatter.
The mortal man exhaled a frustrated breath, and walked towards the room where he would try and get some sleep. He must be patient. Tomorrow, he would know what the future held.