Chapter One

Florenna looked at the little pot in her hand with dismay. The colour was unmistakeably green. Sinking to the floor, she set it down next to her, and covered her face with her hands.

She would have to tell Fioran. It would be wrong to tell anyone else first, but then her mother would know Ð she always knew, it was her gift Ð what if she knew already? She could hide it for a while, but then it would show, everyone would be able to see her shame.

She had suspected for weeks that she might be with child, but this confirmed it. She knew how to test for it; it was in the family's herbal, along with recipes and cures, as well as folklore that had been passed down through the many generations of her family that had lived in Elandell. But her suspicions didn't dampen the shock. She was seventeen, and didn't want a child. But to kill it never crossed her mind; all life is sacred to the elves. No, she would cope, even though the prospect of an elfling clutching at her skirts terrified her.

Running her hands through her long, jet black hair, she blinked back tears and stood up, her purple robes falling to the floor. Florenna was best known for her flute-playing; she was the best anyone had ever heard. But she was noticed mostly by her taste for brightly-coloured robes; often more than one colour and always striking. She threw away the pot with the telling green liquid and went to find Fioran.

"But how did this happen? I thought we were careful. I can't believe it! What are you going to do about it?

Florenna stood wringing her hands helplessly, watching her lover pace the room in front of her. Fioran was angry, and desperate. He refused to look at her. She thought he would be supportive, but instead he seemed not to care. Her brilliant green eyes followed him, but he never lifted his to meet hers. The spark that had once flowed between them had died; Fioran had withdrawn from her. She felt the tears begin to form and shook her head angrily; she would not show him she was weak.

"I must keep it.

Fioran stopped pacing and looked at her in shock. Quickly he dropped his eyes again. "What?

"You asked me what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep it Ð what other choice do I have?

Fioran spluttered, unable to reply; he too knew she couldn't get rid of the baby, before or after it was born. He turned his back to her, and mumbled something Florenna couldn't hear.

"What did you say?" Florenna stepped forward haltingly, straining to hear what her lover said. Fioran cleared his throat and tried again, louder this time.

"It isn't mine.

Florenna cried out, and stumbling, fled from the room. Fioran didn't turn but he heard her go. Silently he stood, shoulders bowed, as a single tear dropped to splinter on the wooden floor. With his simple words, he had sealed Florenna's fate.

Florenna lay on her bed, crying uncontrollably. Being pregnant was a nightmare, but now it had just got worse. She hadn't expected Fioran to be pleased, but she had thought he'd at least support her. The child was his, after all. But he had denied all associations with it, and so she was bound by Elandell's law. She turned to the wall and shook with fear. She was seventeen. But she felt much older. Amid her whirling thoughts and pain, she heard the curtain in her doorway swish as it was moved aside. It was her mother. Her mother, who already knew her daughter's predicament, even though Florenna had told her nothing. Lora had the gift of knowing when women were pregnant, usually before they knew themselves. She had known about her daughter for weeks, but had waited for Florenna to find out for herself.

"My flower, stop crying. I'll help you through it. It isn't the end of the world, you know." Oh but it is, thought Florenna, it is. She turned a tear-streaked face to look at her mother. Lora was large for an elf-lady; tall and broad across the shoulders, but she still had delicate features and could move with grace. She also possessed a no-nonsense personality. Lora swallowed the fear she felt for her daughter and gathered Florenna into an enveloping hug. As she felt her sobs subside, Lora relaxed and released her. Florenna dropped her head, her dark hair falling to hide her face, hiding the mouth that repeated Fioran's fateful words.

"He doesn't want it.

Amazingly, Lora missed Florenna's meaning; it never crossed her mind.

"Well of course he doesn't, my flower, I'm sure you don't either, but you are going to have a child and so you both have to accept it. You'll get used to it before long, and when it's born you will both love it. It's natural." Florenna raised her head and watched her mother speak, all the time shaking her head slowly.

"No, mother, that isn't what I meant. He told meÉit wasn't his. He rejects itÉour child.

Lora's mouth gaped open. Tears sprang to her eyes and hurriedly she brushed them away. She shook her head frantically, trying to make her daughter take back what she'd said. She gathered Florenna up again, holding her tight, swearing never to let her go. They'd have to take her first she said, before she'd let them take her daughter.

Elandell's law stated clearly that if an unwed girl fell pregnant, unless the father was willing to marry her and accept the child, she faced death.

Florenna could not hide her secret forever. She would die because of her lover's rejection.

Hey guys thanks to everyone who reviewedÉ.yeah me & misto go way back we help each other out with stuff we're writing all the time. No, I don't think there'll be any lotr characters in this one, mainly because I'd feel I'd have too many preconceptions about the characters, so they'd be hard to write about. Hats off to misto who seems to be able to overcome that with such amazing resultsÉeven if they are a bit morbid sometimes! But please keep reading cos I really have a good feeling about this oneÉ.