Disclaimer: I don't think the characters are mine. But if someone tells me otherwise, I am willing to believe ;)
Rating: PG-13
Warning: As I said, this story is slightly AU. You have been warned.
Author's Note: I love, worship and adore reviews. ;) A huge Thank you to all who review my stories!
By Kasmi Kassim
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Into the Light
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Chapter 3: Daybreak
When Arathorn returned with wild berries the next dawn, Gilraen was curled into a tight ball upon the forest floor. Alarmed, he hurried to her side and fell to his knees. "Gilraen," he called, worriedly placing his hand on her shoulder.
She looked up slowly. Frightened eyes met his.
"It hurts." Her breathing was ragged, shallow; her eyes were glazed with tears. She clenched her teeth, and dug her nails into her knees. "Not so soon, not so soon. Just another day. Wait another day." She moaned painfully, begging her unborn child, clawing her knees. Arathorn quickly grabbed her wrist to measure her pulse.
"How long?" he demanded.
"Not very long," panted his wife. "But I – oh Arathorn, make it stop!" her nails dug into his palm, and she shut her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she tensed; then she relaxed slightly, letting out the breath she had been holding in. She quickly reached up to wipe her wet eyes.
"Let us go," she whispered, struggling to her feet.
Arathorn quickly pulled her up, and draped his cloak about her shoulders. Together they walked out of the forest, heading westward toward the retreating darkness.
The progress was slow. Gilraen rested often; rather, her legs gave way to pain, and she crouched and moaned, dragging her husband down with her. When Arathorn hauled her up to her feet, their steps were forced, urgent. Arathorn's senses were alert as he constantly looked around, searching and listening for possible danger. They had to cross the open plains under broad daylight.
Gilraen clung onto him as they walked. She was panting heavily, brows creased and face sheathed in perspiration. Finally, she crouched onto the ground, this time slamming her fist into her mouth. Ragged screams seeped from between raw fingers. Her body gave way, and soon she was rolling on her back, writhing in pain. Arathorn fell to his knees, calling her, holding her, but she was oblivious to his presence. She continued to scream into her hand, tears brimming her eyes. Arathorn swallowed hard, choking back a sob. He could not watch his wife go through this in this wilderness. He looked around frantically. And then, he froze.
Standing not far before them was a dark mob, black against the rosy tinge of dawn.
Arathorn's heart sank with leaden weight. The hunters. They were watching. Waiting.
He slowly reached for his sword. Time crashed into his ears as hooves broke out into a gallop, pounding into the ground like a roar of thunder. His blade shone forth. His lips moved. Frozen time shattered against his teeth.
"Run!"
Suddenly jerked to her feet, Gilraen stumbled forward, and glanced back at her husband. He stood with his sword drawn, his back turned to her. A tall dark shadow against the brightening eastern sky, he stood alone before the riders, feet steady as he calmly held up his sword. He did not charge. He stood still, waiting. Waiting for them to come. Waiting for her to escape.
She screamed.
The hooves beat against her ears. Black cloaks swirled around them, and Gilraen was running, running away from her husband as he held them at bay. Running from the coming of the day, from the coming of the rays which would surely bring blinding, painful light. Chasing the darkness as it slipped away, running after the fading night, her heart was sheathed in bright, terrible fire.
An unconscious sob was seeping from her raw throat as she ran, the wind burning into her tears.
"Arathorn!" The call ripped across the pale sky. Her steps faltered. Hooves beat after her.
"Don't look back!" The shout was ragged. "Run! Save our child!"
She placed her hand on her belly. She could not die. Even death was not allowed to the cursed family. She choked back another strangled sob as she continued to run, awkward and panting. Then her breath hitched.
The pain. It was returning.
With a scream, she fell.
A dark shadow fell upon her, and she shut her eyes. The grass was cool against her face.
Warm blood splattered against her skin. A strange calm rang in her ears. A gurgled scream surrounded her body.
The pain in her womb was subsiding.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. The black hunters were spread about, each swinging his sword madly. And around their chaotic configuration stormed a white whirlwind, madly dancing around them, through them, and leaving deadly arrows to mark its course. Black cloaks continued to swirl around her, falling against the green grass. And the white whirlwind zoomed toward her direction. She scrambled away.
A flash of green danced across her sightline, and she held her breath as the world spun around her. Her body was hoisted up by a strong arm, and she found herself seated atop a galloping white horse. The lean arm continued to hold her securely, gentle fingers lacing the underside of her swollen belly. She held her breath.
"Hold the reins," said a quite voice, urgent upon her ears. Frozen with fear, she grabbed the reins that slid into her hands. The hand around her waist suddenly disappeared, and she felt a slight brush against her back as the body behind her turned.
Blood-curdling screams sliced the morning sky.
The horse began running westward, as hoof beats pounded after them in hot pursuit. When she dared a backward glance, Gilraen could make out blurred forms of black figures running after them, crashing onto the ground one by one. Each of them dropping before her eyes, at the single stroke of an arrow. Shattering into the blinding rays of the coming sun.
She strained her neck to look further back. They were getting further away. They were leaving him.
"Arathorn," she breathed. "Arathorn!" The voice rose, quivering, before it fell away into a thousand pieces.
Slender hands returned to hold her securely. Gilraen suddenly cried out, her body burning with pain.
"Arathorn!" The cry echoed across the brightening sky.
A warm breath enveloped her neck comfortingly. A whisper drifted into the wind.
"Noro lim."
As the horse sped westward toward the dotted houses, the pounding hooves chased by the coming day, the woman's screams resounded in the moist sky, pale against the streak of gold.
The sun was rising.
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To Be Continued
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Deana: Here ya go! I hope you liked it! ;)
Mornflower: Nah, I think your guess on the identity of the elf, whatever it may be, is probably right. I didn't make it too hard to figure out. ;) I am glad you liked the last chapter! I do have the whole story written out, though I am still pulling out my hair on tweaking details. I will try hard to update soon! Thank you for the review!
Unsung Heroine: Oh dear, what a flattering compliment. Though I don't know what it is about my writing that makes you feel that way, I am flattered nonetheless. Thank you for telling me so!
Anastasia Who: Thank you! I am glad you are liking this. Hehehe.
Coolio02: Your guess is sharp, my friend. And I am giddy to hear that you were thinking about me! ::hugs:: Thank you!
Brazgirl: Glad to hear that there is someone out there that agrees with me! I wish elves were real too, by the way. Wouldn't it be glorious to have a Legolas or a Thranduil among us? Or the twins, or Glorfindel? Sigh. What an enrapturing world that would be. But no, since we don't have any elves around us, we shall have to settle for elves in fanfics...;) Anyway, thank you for the review!
Jedi Cosmos: Ooh, really? I'm excited to hear that! You see I don't really know what the feel of the fic is, since I am the one writing it...;) Thank you!
Beling: Oh my dear, you are such a sweet manipulative reader. ;) This story is a tiny glimpse, a small fade-in-and-out episode told in no more than five short chapters! And now your sweet words are trying to get me to expand and add to that...no fair! ;) But as for Elrond, I may have more inspirations later on involving him and Estel. Who knows. Right now I am quite content to finish this story and return to my elves...but if I do get more inspirations regarding our human characters, I will let you know! Thank you for the lovely review! ;)
Templa Otmena: Oh, you really do spoil me to no end... ::blush:: I am very happy to hear that my ignorance in canon has its advantages. I agree that such ignorance can give an author much more originality, because she can just go wild with things...;) And your attention to the literary devices always blows me away! Thank you for always being such a generous and insightful reader and reviewer!
ThePastIsPrologue: Started college now? Ooh, that is one tough job in itself! Anyway, I am with you on the back-story thing. So interesting, isn't it? ;) I'm glad my character's line had an impression on you. I hope this chapter was to your liking!
Rede: You really want me to tell you? No, I think I'll just let you guess. ;) Can you guess now?
elvingirl3737: I'm glad you liked my elf! And thank you for telling me how my action sequences are. It's always so helpful to get feedback about how my writing looks to others' eyes!