Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places and/or titles related to Professor J. R. R. Tolkien. Though Serminol, Lirnowen and other unrecognizable characters, along with the plot are completely based on stories sprung form my imagination. Do not sue me o_O. Enjoy.
Summary: Who shot the arrow, just missing Lirnowen in these dreary woods? Will Lirnowen wake up a now dormiment, dark soul, residing in these woods?
Chapter Two - What Does Thou Want In Thy Forest?
When Lirnowen came too, her surroundings were all too familiar. She was still lying under the tree she had been knocked out by.
"Damn my clumsiness," she said aloud as she began to stand up.
Brushing off her long skirt and ridding her hair of leaves, she looked around to see if who ever had shot that arrow was still around. Speaking to herself once more, "Well obviously not or I would have been dead by now. Who knows how long I have been knocked out?"
"Too long," a voice said from her left.
She froze; her eyes frantically searching the wood around her. Coming to her senses ran. She had not gotten far when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and her eyes caught a silvery flash. That silvery flash was a blade, which was now at her neck. She started to scream but the captor's hand clamped down firmly on her mouth. Her eyes darted around as she tried to kick herself free.
"I wouldn't move if I were you or thy blade shall pierce your flesh."
It was a man, obviously. His grip was too strong and the voice was low and husky as he breathed harsh words into her ear. Lirnowen then remembered a defensive tactic her father had shown her if she was ever in such a position. 'Blast my forgetfulness,' she thought as she opened her mouth to bite the man's hand, while moving her foot up behind her to swiftly kick him in the groin. The blade scratched her neck but she moved away just in time to get away from its deadly cut. She whirled around to come face to face with nothing. The man had run off. "Serves you right!" she yelled into the forest. Lirnowen started to run again, not knowing if the man would come back. 'What if he brings others? What if he belongs to an opposing human tribe that has already settled here?' she thought. What if they had found her kin?
She ran with haste through the forest for forty minutes, yet it was no use. She was going in circles. Out of breath, dehydrated and hunger stricken, she sat on a large boulder. "How am I to find my way back to camp?" She felt the urge to cry, but didn't. She still had a bit of pride held within her and she wasn't going to waste it. She was determined to find her way back. So she started to wander through the forest again. Every so often she would hear a twig snap and the leaves around her rustle. She would then pick up the pace, and begin to run once more.
An hour later, and all the running and searching only led her to a small glade. If she hadn't been so aggravated and paranoid she would have sat upon the grassy floor, and drank in the beauty of the glade. A small stream trickled down ancient rocks. Small yellow and blue flowers adorned the roots of the trees. There was a moss-covered cave at the far end. Her mind became flooded with thoughts of a possible bear living in that cave. "I can't stay her long, for the creature that lives in that cave will most likely return." But after sitting for awhile, munching ever so slowly on blue berries she found on a bush on the outskirts of the glade, her curiosity got the best of her. Her eyes were focused on the cave. Something in the back of her mind drew her there. Called out to her. She built up her courage to walk over to the black opening.
"What will it hurt if I just take a peek?" she said as she entered the pitch-black cave. Only getting a few steps, and tripping over rocks, she made her way back. It was too dark and she had no source of light. Just as she was about to turn around a glow came from deep in side the cave. She stopped dead in her tracks. Was that humming she heard? Stubbornness took hold and so did her imagination. Lirnowen again ventured into the cave.
Going deeper, the light grew stronger. There were markings on the walls. It seemed to be old writings in a different language. She stopped when her memory caught up with her. 'I've seen this script before,' she thought, gingerly touching the wall. The crackling of fire could be heard and now the humming was turning into a solemn song. The beauty of the voice singing the song, put Lirnowen into a trance. It was an old song, a very old song that Lirnowen had read in a book once. In one of those "fairy tale" books. The voice drew her in, warming her soul while giving her the feeling of sadness. She felt a lonely tear trickle down her cheek and she touched her face in amazement. 'Why am I crying?' but she knew the answer. She finally came to the opening to where the voice and crackling fire were coming from. There at the edge of the wall sat a vision.
A young man, with hair Lirnowen could only describe as strands of silver. Yet his hair was tousled. It looked as if it had been just taken out of braids. He wore a torn dark brown tunic and torn forest green breeches. He was staring deeply into the fire, as if entranced. His mouth was slowly voicing the tune that filled the cave with a depressing mood. At the other end of the cave, sat a newly cleaned dear carcass and the skin hung against the wall. It was as if he just stopped cooking to stare into flames. Lirnowen let out a breath of air, kept in since she first laid eyes on him. Obviously the fellow had very keen hearing, because he jumped up, grabbing a near by long knife and moving closer to the darkened opening where she sat. "Who is there?" his tone was menacing as he moved closer to her hiding spot. "Show yourself!" His voice frightened her and she lost her balance and came rolling to his feet.
He roughly grabbed her by her shoulders and stood her on her feet. He pressed the blade to her neck, reminding her of earlier that day. Her eyes drifted down to realize it was the same blade as the man who had assaulted her. He was the man. "It was you who attacked me earlier today wasn't it?" Her voice was filled with anger and fear. "So it is the trespasser again," he pressed the blade deeper against her neck, making another cut. She sucked in a breath of air and stepped back, moving her hand up to her neck.
"You cut me!... AGAIN!"
She looked up at him, about to dart out of the cave. Maybe she could make it to the glade and get away from this man. Yet he was intriguing to her and her feet did not obey her mind. "You cut yourself the first time. You moved when I told you not to. And what does that matter? I should kill you and rid myself of the annoyance that has entered my wood." 'Why is his tongue so harsh?' she thought. In some ways she did feel bad for "trespassing" in his territory, yet she once again she spoke before thinking. "Why is everyone so territorial these days? It couldn't have always been like this? And I didn't mean to come here. I went for a walk, away from my family's camp. We are looking for new settlements out west. I became lost. I mean you no harm, honestly. Please do not kill me good sir." Her voice was very sincere to his ears, but he had lost all of his caring feelings long ago. He pointed the blade menacingly at her, "Leave! Now! NEVER set foot in this forest again!" Lirnowen knew better, so she ran with all her might out of the cave. She left the glade and turned back to make sure the man wasn't following her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was still caught in a dilemma. How was she to find her way back? She started her endless walk again to find her way out. As she walked her mind wandered back to that frightening man.
'He wasn't THAT frightening.' she thought, 'he was rather handsome...and sad....and his clothes were old. His hair was beautiful...and his face. He had wonderfully pointed ears.' Wait. Pointed ears? Her eyes widened with shock. Her mind raced with knowledge of the old races of Middle-Earth. It landed on the one race, which most mystified her. The elves. 'He had all the characteristics!' she thought once more. She couldn't just go back to camp and leave a legend out there. She had no choice but to run back to that cave. What would she do when she reached the entrance? She had no clue.
-------------------------
Remember to please review! Whether positive or negative, all comments are appreciated!
Summary: Who shot the arrow, just missing Lirnowen in these dreary woods? Will Lirnowen wake up a now dormiment, dark soul, residing in these woods?
Chapter Two - What Does Thou Want In Thy Forest?
When Lirnowen came too, her surroundings were all too familiar. She was still lying under the tree she had been knocked out by.
"Damn my clumsiness," she said aloud as she began to stand up.
Brushing off her long skirt and ridding her hair of leaves, she looked around to see if who ever had shot that arrow was still around. Speaking to herself once more, "Well obviously not or I would have been dead by now. Who knows how long I have been knocked out?"
"Too long," a voice said from her left.
She froze; her eyes frantically searching the wood around her. Coming to her senses ran. She had not gotten far when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and her eyes caught a silvery flash. That silvery flash was a blade, which was now at her neck. She started to scream but the captor's hand clamped down firmly on her mouth. Her eyes darted around as she tried to kick herself free.
"I wouldn't move if I were you or thy blade shall pierce your flesh."
It was a man, obviously. His grip was too strong and the voice was low and husky as he breathed harsh words into her ear. Lirnowen then remembered a defensive tactic her father had shown her if she was ever in such a position. 'Blast my forgetfulness,' she thought as she opened her mouth to bite the man's hand, while moving her foot up behind her to swiftly kick him in the groin. The blade scratched her neck but she moved away just in time to get away from its deadly cut. She whirled around to come face to face with nothing. The man had run off. "Serves you right!" she yelled into the forest. Lirnowen started to run again, not knowing if the man would come back. 'What if he brings others? What if he belongs to an opposing human tribe that has already settled here?' she thought. What if they had found her kin?
She ran with haste through the forest for forty minutes, yet it was no use. She was going in circles. Out of breath, dehydrated and hunger stricken, she sat on a large boulder. "How am I to find my way back to camp?" She felt the urge to cry, but didn't. She still had a bit of pride held within her and she wasn't going to waste it. She was determined to find her way back. So she started to wander through the forest again. Every so often she would hear a twig snap and the leaves around her rustle. She would then pick up the pace, and begin to run once more.
An hour later, and all the running and searching only led her to a small glade. If she hadn't been so aggravated and paranoid she would have sat upon the grassy floor, and drank in the beauty of the glade. A small stream trickled down ancient rocks. Small yellow and blue flowers adorned the roots of the trees. There was a moss-covered cave at the far end. Her mind became flooded with thoughts of a possible bear living in that cave. "I can't stay her long, for the creature that lives in that cave will most likely return." But after sitting for awhile, munching ever so slowly on blue berries she found on a bush on the outskirts of the glade, her curiosity got the best of her. Her eyes were focused on the cave. Something in the back of her mind drew her there. Called out to her. She built up her courage to walk over to the black opening.
"What will it hurt if I just take a peek?" she said as she entered the pitch-black cave. Only getting a few steps, and tripping over rocks, she made her way back. It was too dark and she had no source of light. Just as she was about to turn around a glow came from deep in side the cave. She stopped dead in her tracks. Was that humming she heard? Stubbornness took hold and so did her imagination. Lirnowen again ventured into the cave.
Going deeper, the light grew stronger. There were markings on the walls. It seemed to be old writings in a different language. She stopped when her memory caught up with her. 'I've seen this script before,' she thought, gingerly touching the wall. The crackling of fire could be heard and now the humming was turning into a solemn song. The beauty of the voice singing the song, put Lirnowen into a trance. It was an old song, a very old song that Lirnowen had read in a book once. In one of those "fairy tale" books. The voice drew her in, warming her soul while giving her the feeling of sadness. She felt a lonely tear trickle down her cheek and she touched her face in amazement. 'Why am I crying?' but she knew the answer. She finally came to the opening to where the voice and crackling fire were coming from. There at the edge of the wall sat a vision.
A young man, with hair Lirnowen could only describe as strands of silver. Yet his hair was tousled. It looked as if it had been just taken out of braids. He wore a torn dark brown tunic and torn forest green breeches. He was staring deeply into the fire, as if entranced. His mouth was slowly voicing the tune that filled the cave with a depressing mood. At the other end of the cave, sat a newly cleaned dear carcass and the skin hung against the wall. It was as if he just stopped cooking to stare into flames. Lirnowen let out a breath of air, kept in since she first laid eyes on him. Obviously the fellow had very keen hearing, because he jumped up, grabbing a near by long knife and moving closer to the darkened opening where she sat. "Who is there?" his tone was menacing as he moved closer to her hiding spot. "Show yourself!" His voice frightened her and she lost her balance and came rolling to his feet.
He roughly grabbed her by her shoulders and stood her on her feet. He pressed the blade to her neck, reminding her of earlier that day. Her eyes drifted down to realize it was the same blade as the man who had assaulted her. He was the man. "It was you who attacked me earlier today wasn't it?" Her voice was filled with anger and fear. "So it is the trespasser again," he pressed the blade deeper against her neck, making another cut. She sucked in a breath of air and stepped back, moving her hand up to her neck.
"You cut me!... AGAIN!"
She looked up at him, about to dart out of the cave. Maybe she could make it to the glade and get away from this man. Yet he was intriguing to her and her feet did not obey her mind. "You cut yourself the first time. You moved when I told you not to. And what does that matter? I should kill you and rid myself of the annoyance that has entered my wood." 'Why is his tongue so harsh?' she thought. In some ways she did feel bad for "trespassing" in his territory, yet she once again she spoke before thinking. "Why is everyone so territorial these days? It couldn't have always been like this? And I didn't mean to come here. I went for a walk, away from my family's camp. We are looking for new settlements out west. I became lost. I mean you no harm, honestly. Please do not kill me good sir." Her voice was very sincere to his ears, but he had lost all of his caring feelings long ago. He pointed the blade menacingly at her, "Leave! Now! NEVER set foot in this forest again!" Lirnowen knew better, so she ran with all her might out of the cave. She left the glade and turned back to make sure the man wasn't following her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was still caught in a dilemma. How was she to find her way back? She started her endless walk again to find her way out. As she walked her mind wandered back to that frightening man.
'He wasn't THAT frightening.' she thought, 'he was rather handsome...and sad....and his clothes were old. His hair was beautiful...and his face. He had wonderfully pointed ears.' Wait. Pointed ears? Her eyes widened with shock. Her mind raced with knowledge of the old races of Middle-Earth. It landed on the one race, which most mystified her. The elves. 'He had all the characteristics!' she thought once more. She couldn't just go back to camp and leave a legend out there. She had no choice but to run back to that cave. What would she do when she reached the entrance? She had no clue.
-------------------------
Remember to please review! Whether positive or negative, all comments are appreciated!