Disclaimer: I don't own anybody in this story except for Adariel and minor character associated with her, i.e. Maids and other people like that……..

Echoes of the Narbeleth

Spirit Star

Chapter 2: In which she follows her heart

By dawn she was gone. After the decision of her heart, Adariel would could not look back.

She un-plaited her silky hair that danced for a minute in the light and took off the Oak leaf signifying that she belonged to Lakewood. Instead, she hung it around her neck. Ripping off her gown, she wore a tight long sleeved silver undershirt over her mail with long neck that bound to her throat, donned a short sleeved coarse dress that flopped loosely over her thighs and slipped on course brown pants.

Dear Father

I am to be gone by the dawn. I know not if I shall see you again, but know this: Where I have gone, none may follow me. I have let my heart lead me away from Lakewood. Do not grieve for me Father, because I know that I feel that I shall see you before you leave for Valinor. Do not search for me because you will not find me, nor do I want to be found.

-Adariel

She scribbled it hastily and left it on her bed where it was sure to be found. She found a pack near one of the sentry quarters. Hastily she put in a change of clothes (same outfit), some parchment, quills and ink, some food from the kitchens and spare twine to bind her hair with.

Packed and ready, she let her hair flow down her back until it reached the her elbow where she bound it and plaited it from there on down. Her long fringe shone in the moonlight like silver such was the lightness of her hair. It was a curse to be beautiful sometimes. She had already washed off the bark powder that the Elven Maidens used as face-paint. Her face was unmasked, untouched but as beautiful as ever, giving off a pure glow. She could not disguise herself easily.

Grabbing her bow and a quiver of arrows, she slung the pack around one shoulder and the quiver and bow over another. Creeping past the guards, she headed for the horse fields. She chose Starliss, the fastest mare that Lakewood had, and maybe one of the fastest in Middle Earth, such was her breeding. Her father had said that she was a gift from distant Lothlorien, although Starliss did not sound like an Elvish name.

Starliss rolled her eyes and stamped her feet. Her mistress clambered on bareback and held the reins. Her pack securely tied to Starliss's back and her quiver at the ready, Adariel galloped through the stable doors with her hood up so non may recognize her and only undid it when Lakewood was already many miles beyond seeing distance.

She rode on until she reached a quiet place to rest, and by then it was already morning. Although it worried her how her father would react to her note (he was quite unpredictable, but also very wise so she hoped he hadn't a) guessed where she was or b)panicked). Where was she anyway?

She was by a small flowing river that bordered a small field. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was lost. She had never been out of Lakewood before, and never out alone. Enjoying the sunlight, she could not admit that she still had a mission to carry out. Starliss pawed the ground uncertainly.

"Eeeennnbrrr…nnneeeiiighghhh brrrr," she said rather crossly.

"I know we are lost," snapped Adariel rather like her old self. The mare shied back. Adariel sighed and neighed her apology.

She lay her head on the roots of a sapling. Here by the river, many saplings grew. She could not ask them for directions for they would barely know their surroundings themselves. Rather like children, saplings were ignorant until there were at least 50 depending on their breed.

Of all trees, Rowans and Willows were the most intelligent and mysterious while Pines were more resourceful and willing to help. Right now, she needed a pine tree or at least a rowan.

"We shall ride on until we find a helpful creature" she said to her mare, but then immediately took it back when she saw that Starliss was much offended by it. "Of course YOU are an intelligent creature, but you are as lost as I am,"

And so the journeyed until they came upon a small patch of pine wood. Placing her hand on each, she made her way to the oldest one. "Ssssseeeeeth seoffffffthe thhhhhhessssss" she said to it.

"Ssssseeeeeth seoffffffthe thhhhhhessssss" it replied, eager to help.

"Reeeeeeaaaa sssssswwweerrrd deeeeesssshhhhhhaaart" Adariel said, "Deddddllleessssss sssssaraaasssshha sssseeeeiiil"

The tree let out a sort of laugh. It then explained in tree words that she was well out of Lakewood territory and Rivendell was two night's journey North of where they was standing.

"Ssssssseeeethhhh idddddiiiii Legolas dddddeeeeedddduuueee?"

The tree replied that the Fellowship were heading to Mordor, but it knew of no more than that. When Adariel explained that she did not know where Mordor was, the tree laughed again.

"Seeeeeessseethhhhh lllllleeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttttteeeellll…………llllookkkkkkkgggg ssssseeeeettteee ddddddeeellsssshha" That is a good thing little one, but Mordor is in the direction that the Orcs are coming from.

Starliss pawed the ground impatiently, tossing her head. Adariel thanked the tree to which it eagerly replied. Jumping onto Starliss, she called upon a passing bird to point north for her and rode off that way. Past brambles and thorn bushes she went, with Starliss screaming in their wake, past rivers and meadows of flowers. The forest roads of which she saw so many of flew past her as she headed North to Riverdale.

Food was plentiful as she filled her pack whenever she stopped.

Her journey brought her to the valley where Riverdale was situated, but she hesitated. She had never been out of Lakewood before, and she knew that it was quite improper to be traveling without companion and in rough clothing. Maybe it was best to stop only when she reached what she was looking for.

So it came that she did not stop in Riverdale. Further North she went, until one night as she was walking along the forest path, she was stopped by the screaming of trees.

"Adariel!" they called to her, "Evil comes this way!"

Hastily, she hopped off Starliss and they ran deep into the forest off the pathway. The thundering of hooves shook her and the unnatural screaming of stallions spooked Starliss. Nine dark riders with black horses galloped down the road. She knew them to be Ringwraths after the ring.

Her heart rejoiced at the direction they were going but her joy was short lived as she recalled one of the trees had said that the horses were destroyed by the river near Rivendell. How was it they were riding again? Aghast, she knew that the Fellowship was in danger.

"I must follow," she said to herself, and Starliss, always for the challenge, rose up to the occasion. Onward they rode, passing the Ringwraiths using the pathways that the trees and birds told her of. Nearer to the Fellowship she drew, hooves thundering, heart pounding.

The nearer she drew to her target, the more she learnt from the trees. They told her of the doings of the Fellowship, and as she drew closer to Mordor, the goings on from there. She learnt that failing to pass the icy mountains, the Fellowship had chosen to go through Moria, the dwarf dwelling. With each minute she grew wiser in the ways of the world, and soon she was able to determine were Moria was for herself.

The trees and wildlife gave her constant warnings of where the Ringwraiths and Orcs were, and so Adariel headed to Moria, hooves pounding. Nearer and nearer she drew to hit, heart pounding, hooves thundering along the road as it got rockier and rockier to the dwarf caves. Like most Elves, Adariel hated the darkness of the caves, but although she had been taught to hate dwarves, she could not bring herself to do it.

She smiled secretively to herself as she thought of the saying "Beware the Adariel of Lakewood. Beware the Maiden of Lakewood. She whose heart is frozen shall have yours taken too" How ironic that the fabled Maiden of Lakewood could not even bring her 'cold' heart to hate dwarves! Her smile dropped a little as she realized that she would always be thought of as the cold maiden from Lakewood.

Many moons passed before she could finally feel the ground even as it drew near the gates of Moria. Trees cautioned her of the creature in the lake near the gates. In her spare time, Adariel practiced hiding, shadowing, slinking, following and observing without being observed herself. She felt no threat of the Ringwraiths now because she knew that they were not heading this way. Why, not even the trees could figure out.

She reached Moria first, before the Fellowship. Sleeping on a rocky ledge overlooking it, she would wait for them there until they came. Then she would tail them into Moria. One night, when she was out gathering food, she found the trees screaming at her once again to get off the road.

Alas, it was too late. A small band of Orcs stumbled upon Adariel. Ten Orcs, obviously having strayed from the main group came face to face with her. With practiced fingers, Adariel immediately shot five arrows with one shot and as the five arrows separated from each other and out of her fingers, each shot one Orc. The others, not recovering from the shock (they were rather dim creatures), could not react fast enough. Five more arrows came at them, until only one was left. Unsheathing it's ax, the one Orc charged at Adariel, who dropped her bow and immediately drew her sword. Dancing nimbly in front of it, she jumped from each blow until she found an opening and struck.

The Orc could not react fast enough, and Adariel kicked it. As it fell, it's ax slipped from its hand and landed blade first on the side of her foot, skinning it. She cried out in pain, and stared in disbelief as blood poured from the gash. Too pained was she to notice that she had made her first kills.

Unable to walk, she tried to call out to Starliss. But the mare did not hear her. Her voice was lost in the wind. But as the wind swirled in the trees, and the grass that grew near her heard of her pleas, a single herb plant shed a leaf in the wind, and it blew via the wind to cover Adariel's wound.

At last she could sleep in peace.

End of Chapter 2

Reviews please! NO FLAMES but constructive criticism is very welcome! -Spirit Star

Onwards! Onwards!