Chapter One: The Host
(Disclaimer: Everything the great Author Tolkien created, I do not intend to steal, it is not my goal in life and therefore I do not take credit for his great characters… So anything from Lord of the Rings… Hobbit, Silmarillion, and the other various masterpieces of Tolkien, I don't own.)
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The din of the fight led him closer, he heard metal on metal as he walked steadily closer and drew an arrow to his bow. The darkness was overwhelming and he wondered how anyone could carry on a swordfight on such dark a night, or morn, it had been long since he could recall the hours of the day in this dark place. He peered around a tree, the sword clashing now very close, and saw a to his surprise a glow coming off both a man and an elven lady, wielding swords. But at some oddity he saw a smile upon both faces. He lowered his bow and walked into the clearing, but as soon as he stepped into the glow the two fighters stopped mid move, the glow disappeared, and all went dark. He was once again lost in Mirkwood.
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The wind whispered, through the plains as stood in the warm sun, a lady of the wood. She was clad in the garb of her people, the elves, and her jet black hair was blown gently by the wind. She stood near her horse whose silvery white coat and mane shimmered in the sun. He pawed at the earth with his hoof and she turned looking him in the eye. She stroked his neck, then grabbed part of his mane to mount her horse bareback. The stallion neighed happily as he threw his head and eased into a light trot. She gave a smirk and gently touched his sides with her feet. The horse gave a small jump into the air and sped into a canter, slowly mastering a gallop. The horse, Bergil, raced through the plains heading toward a distant forest some three leagues off.
A sudden change in the weather resulted in a dark clouded sky and hollow thuds of Bergil's hooves on the plain. The elven lady, Wendelin, slowed Bergil to a stop and he reared as she looked up towards the sky. The clouds blew away in almost an instant and the sky turned red right before her eyes. A red sky meant evil to her, she turned her horse and peered out into the distance, and with her keen elf eyes saw a great host of Mordor orcs, and goblin men. Her eyes narrowed, as she watched the host draw nearer, though they were some thirteen leagues away. Bergil tossed his head and reared again, and she turned him back to the forest, taking off at a canter.
"Noro lim Bergil." Wendelin said nonchalantly, and at these words Bergil mastered a gallop with ease. She looked back up at the sky, which looked close to raining fire then steadied her gaze upon the forest ahead of her that grew ever closer. She had the foreboding sense that the elves would have to go to war. As she reached the edge of the wood, she stopped abruptly making Bergil rear once more as the black haired, blue eyed, elven prince Legolas stepped out into sight.
"Legolas!" She said with an edge of panic in her voice.
"Yes I know the host, it's drawing nearer. I heard that you had gone out earlier, I came to see that you were safe once I heard the ranger's reports."
"Well thank you for your concern, but I am fine, we have to tell your father."
"I doubt they would be coming for Mirkwood," he said without worry.
"Your doubts may deceive you, they come with fire."
"As I can see," he said staring out into the distance. He whistled back to the wood and seven more elven men stepped out of the forest. A blonde elf strode up to the side of Legolas looked up at the sky worried.
"Legolas, the sky is on fire, and the host is coming as Narthaniel said, we must warn your father." he said.
"I am aware of that Calimmacil, but the host moves slowly, they will not be here ere morn." Legolas replied still staring into the distance.
"Come we must go back at all possible speed, darkness is falling. Do you have horses?" Wendelin asked.
"I'm surprised you have to ask, you know we wouldn't have gotten here that quickly without them," said a fair brown haired elf that had come out just a few seconds before she had asked.
"Well let's be off then, we cannot linger." She said looking over her shoulder her eyes falling upon the host. She urged Bergil on into the woods as the rest of the company disappeared in the darkness to mount their horses.
The trees looked as if they would snatch you if you came too close; a dark, evil feeling that blew all the happiness out of one's heart. All except those who were evil and the elves who dwelled within, were taken aghast by these visual wonders. Wendelin reunited with the company inside the woods who had mounted and eased their horses into a trot. She let her eyes adjust, then without further ado, dug her heals into Bergil who sped into a gallop, she heard the company behind her doing the same, a half an hour or so later they came to the forest river, slowing their horses, they dismounted and walked their horses across. Calimmacil came up to her side and spoke to her.
"Wendelin, where were you last night? We were worried." he said, she had been friends with this group of elves for hundreds of years, and they never became sick of each others company.
"I was out, Calimmacil, you know better than to worry about me, I'm as tough as any male." She said with a smirk on her face.
"Yes, that is what worries me." He laughed. Legolas then came up between them both, leading his horse through the two. Then making his way for the double doors that led inside the hills that underneath lay the elven dwelling of the elves of Mirkwood. Two guards at either door, at the sight of the company opened the doors, as five elves came from inside to take the horses to the stables. Wendelin patted Bergil on the neck then walked on with the other elves (Legolas, Calimmacil, Narthaniel, Ichbodea, Hathwenithil, Palurien, Luvier, Samirien, and Damien) of the company.
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10/10/03
Thank you to Dark Angle of the Night and Shan for their reviews.
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All reviews are indeed fully appreciated, as well as constructive criticism
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