Seeing-spots: The only flames I have gotten have been "this is mary sue"… "you suck as a writer".. they have since been deleted. I don't think people who leave that kind of feedback are worth getting worked up over. I enjoy your reviews and questions cause I figure that some others have the same questions and I like to keep things straight and comprehensible. Savvy? EG
Lady of Light: blushes profusely Glad ya liked the descriptions. I had a hard time writing them due to swooning myself. EG Hope you like this one, though it is rather short. :D
Zammy: Due to 5 reviews in two days, I have decided to update sooner. Enjoy!
Naomie: If ye ask, ye shall receive! hears cheers for elves and joins in This is just a little 'filler' of a chapter to build up the tension. Hope you like it, and I will see if I can get the next chapter ready by Friday. :D
Just Me: blushes until she resembles a very ripe tomato Geeze… I have the nicest, kindest, sweetest readers. Glad ya enjoyed the story of the swords. I wanted them to be special and it took me about a month to find a story that seemed to 'fit in' to what I wanted to convey. Hope you have a great and safe holiday!
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Chapter Fifteen: Confrontations
Amarah awoke sometime in the night, her sleepy gaze focusing on her surroundings. Calorad slept beside her, huddled in a fetal position. Her gaze turned to the other side of the Elven-built structure and noted the bodies lying across the floor, all on their backs, hands clasped over their chests, and a single sentry standing at the edge of the enclosed encampment. The rain outside had lessened to a gentle patter.
Amarah rose, propping herself on her elbows to get a better view of who slept nearest to her. She started when she recognized Haldir's face. Panic welled up from her chest and into her throat. Not from the Elf's proximity, but from the look on his face and lack of movement. His eyes were OPEN!
"Haldir!" Amarah shouted, lunging forward and grabbing the March Warden by his shoulders and roughly shaking him. "Haldir?"
Instantly, Haldir was awake, his mind easily shaking off the effects of Elven dreams. He bolted upright, his hand automatically reaching for his sword, which was lying by his side, and withdrawing the blade in an instant.
The sudden alertness of the elf caused Amarah to scream in shock and gasp at him, her emerald eyes wild and wide.
The commotion woke everyone up, the Elves immediately leapt to the defensive and Calorad sleepily lumbering around in the semi-darkness, mumbling and assortment of obscenities and curses.
In a second, Haldir had scanned the surrounding area and detected no threat. His gaze fell on Amarah, who was still staring open-mouthed frozen in apparent fear.
"Amarah! What is wrong?" Haldir snapped, his voice was mixed with irritation and trepidation.
"Your eyes," Amarah gasped in a faint voice. "Your eyes were open! I thought you were dead."
Haldir called for everyone to relax as he explained to Amarah, "Elves sleep with their eyes open. There is no need for alarm."
Calorad yawned through his best effort at disguising his exhaustion. His hair was tousled all over the place. His eyes were still dreary and unfocused. He drowsily smacked his lips and yawned again before returning to his fetal position and mumbling something about loud noises and severe harm coming to the one that made them.
The other Elves relaxed and laid back down too, their hands folding neatly across their chests and eyes becoming half lidded as they drifted into Elven sleep.
Amarah took a few seconds to digest the information, and then snarled at Haldir, "Why did you not tell me that before? I had to wake to the strangest sight I have ever witnessed."
"I though you already knew," Haldir said with a cool tone, re-sheathing his weapon and laying down. "And if you want to talk about strange, how can one sleep with their eyes closed? That is most unnerving."
"It is not strange," Amarah huffed; trying to keep her voice hushed as to not wake the others. "It is perfectly natural. Do not go addressing matters of such unimportance and call them strange. What is normal for one, may not be so for others."
Haldir smirked and clasped his hands over his chest and grinned, "My point exactly."
Amarah caught the mockery in his tone as her mind registered what had just transpired. Her chest swelled up indignantly, her jaw set with a firm clench, grinding her teeth as fury filled her.
"How dare…" her voice trailed off at noticing the March Warden's glassy eyes and realized he fell back asleep and avoided her tirade. Swearing silently to herself, Amarah laid down, her fury still swirling deep in her. Her eyes remained transfixed on Haldir's sleeping form close by as her mind raced with rebukes, punishments, and revenge. Her dreams were later filled with retaliation to the arrogant elf.
Dawn broke gray and drear. The sky resembled cast steel, dull and lifeless, though all threat of rain had vanished from it. The heavens had wept in the night, their tears now spent and glistening on the earth below.
Amarah awoke to find the Elves already breaking camp, the horses packed and saddled. She rose from her bedroll and looked over to find Calorad sprawled out on the ground, his mouth open wide in snores and spittle of drool rested at the corner of his mouth.
"Calorad! Wake up!"
Calorad let out a grunting snort and rose sleepily up, rubbing his face with the back of his hand in a childish manner and running his fingers through his sandy locks.
"We just went to bed," he groaned.
Amarah was already on her feet rolling up her sleeping mat. She scoffed at him before finishing and taking the roll over to her horse that was already saddled.
Calorad rose and haphazardly folded up his own mat, carelessly flinging it onto his horse. The horse snorted in displeasure and nipped at his knees.
Haldir chuckled at the horse and its rider, both looking extremely foul at their early rise and longing for more sleep. He turned and found himself face to face with Amarah, who had her face drawn up in anger. He smiled pleasantly, which seemed to cost him a great amount of effort.
"Amarah, how fare you this morning?"
"Do not think you can charm me into forgetting about last night!" Amarah snapped.
"My Lady, no charm is intended," Haldir said dryly as he passed the human woman and began to tighten the tethers around Rúmil's horse. "How do your wounds fare?"
Amarah had forgotten about the bandaged digits and pulled the wrapping away from her fingers. To her great surprise, she found the wounds healed completely, only a small red line marked where the cuts had split her skin.
Haldir merely stood by the horse, his face set in a smirk as he watched the woman examine her once injured hand.
Amarah opened her mouth to speak, but Orophin and Láiraen joined Haldir and spoke quietly in Elvish. Haldir answered them in a few quick words and the two departed without even a glance to the human. Haldir sensed Amarah still behind him and he called over his shoulder, "We leave soon. You should eat. There is still much area to cover."
"We are heading back, yes?" Amarah asked apprehensively.
"Nay," Haldir said with a final adjustment to the straps and patted the horse with affection before moving to the next. "We will continue on our path."
"What path?" Amarah exclaimed. "We have seen no sign of your kin this way, yet you continue to go in this direction."
"I believe it to be the right path," Haldir said calmly, forgetting his previous attentions and focusing on the enraged woman.
"Like you were so certain with the others?" Amarah smirked when she noticed Haldir's mouth twitch and his lips press firmly together. She knew she truck a cord. "Do you plan on us wandering endlessly because you do not know what you are doing?"
Before Amarah could gloat over her choice of words, Haldir had stepped in front of her, his face mere inches from hers. Though he didn't have much of a height advantage, he seemingly towered high above the woman, his shoulders squared and broad, his penetrating blue eyes flashing dangerously, his jaw set and the pincer-like grip he held on her wrists told her his graciousness and temper were worn thin and he was NOT one to rally against.
"Listen to me very carefully," Haldir drawled, his grip tightened and he jerked Amarah forward to remind her who was the dominate one when she made to scoff and move away. "My people are indebted to you for the help you have shown, but, know this; no more will I tolerate your attitude nor your words."
"You do not…" Amarah started but Haldir quickly jolted her silent and pierced her with his severe stare.
"If you speak another word, I will personally tie you here and return when we are successful in finding my kin. Too long have we toiled and you have proven must unhelpful. We will tarry no longer," Haldir said in a growl, "Do you understand my meaning?"
Amarah felt her heart drop in her stomach. Never had anyone, save her father, talked to her in such a manner. She swallowed a lump in her throat and answered in a weak voice, "I am sorry, and I understand."
Haldir released his grip and took a step back, "Very well. Now eat before we set out again."
Amarah made to leave but hesitated, "I fear this way Haldir. It does not feel right."
Haldir was startled by the proclamation but didn't show it, "If you wish to return home, then do so. But we are neither turning back nor being led astray again."
Amarah looked affronted but her voice was meek, "I wish to remain with the company, but I must tell you, we do not know this land well. My father warned us of this place and told us there is great evil. We have never ventured far in fear. Father's land ends soon and we do not know what lies beyond his borders."
Haldir nodded just as Calorad approached, holding some dried meat and a piece of lembas, "Amarah, you should try this together! It is great!" Calorad beamed, handing her the food.
Amarah accepted it graciously and ate as she went to prepare her own mount for their departure. Haldir felt his heart rate return to normal and went to find Rúmil.
The group was on its way, Haldir the only one not on his horse, which was nudging against Rúmil's with great affection, swishing its tail languidly. Haldir remained ahead of the group, his keen Elven eyes picking out the faint trail of blood left at increasing steady intervals.
Midday was fast approaching, the sky blazing with the afternoon sun, though it offered very little heat. A strong, bone-chilling wind slipped gently over the countryside, stirring the trees and groaning through their leafy boughs in a haunting song.
Rúmil called a brief and hushed halt to the others as he noticed Haldir's change in demeanor. A few silent seconds later, Haldir returned to the main group, his footfalls unheard on the forest floor. His bright blue eyes were alight with satisfaction.
"I believe we have found the true path of our kin and their captives," Haldir said in Elvish, then repeated it in Common to the humans.
"You found their trail then?" Amarah asked hesitantly, trying to hide her excitement and anxieties.
Haldir nodded affirmative, "You two will remain here. We will follow the trail and return when we find our brethren."
"What if the ones that kidnapped your kind find us?" Amarah asked with fear lacing her voice. "Can we not ride together until we encounter them?"
Haldir opened his mouth to protest but Calorad added, "We will do what ever you ask without argument, but we do not wish to separate from you."
Amarah made a derisive noise at the suggestion of not arguing but, nonetheless, shook her head in agreement, "Please, Haldir. I do not feel safe alone."
Calorad glanced to Amarah, his face indignant.
With reluctance Haldir conceded and barked orders to the others who all nodded, pulling their bows off their backs and an arrow from their quivers and notching them on the taunt strains, holding them across their lap in readiness of a battle engagement. Golden heads turned and tilted, listening to the sounds of the forest, their senses alert for any possible enemy hiding within the shadows.
Haldir returned to Common to speak to Calorad and Amarah, "You will ride near the rear, in front of Láiraen. I will be in the lead as scout. If we encounter any trouble, you two are to find shelter until one of us finds you. Do you understand?"
Calorad and Amarah agreed and fell into a soft gait. Haldir took the lead, followed closely behind by Rúmil and Orophin, then Múrendil. Láiraen quietly took up the rear, his eyes sweeping the woodlands, his ears detecting every little sigh of the wind and rustle of leaves. His head rotated every direction, sometimes seemingly twisting all the way around, like an owl. His gaze swept through the dimness, piercing through where sunlight failed to fall, nothing escaping his scrutiny.
The path was wide, well traveled, even to the inexperienced eyes of the two humans as the Elves cantered their horses, weapons poised for an unseen attack. The horses seemed to realize the need for stealth, for even Amarah's steed altered his stride to a barely heard clop of his hooves.
"We are far from your father's land," Calorad whispered.
Amarah nodded, her eyes darting from side to side, her ears attuned for the slightest sound. Uneasiness settled in her stomach as they rode until just after midday.
The lack of obstacles and lookouts were starting to send Haldir on edge. If the path was really well traveled as it appeared, then shouldn't they have encountered a lookout or a traveler of a nomadic band? Feeling his attention heighten to almost painful levels, Haldir easily overheard Calorad's words and felt a tingling awareness snake its way throughout his body.
The air seemed to have stilled, becoming stagnant and suffocating. The wind refused to pick up, the trees refused to sway or twitter a leaf. The forest on either side was quiet as a burial yard. Even the sun in the sky offered no respite. Its rays usually warm and cheery were oddly chilling and piercing, casting cold radiance upon the frozen world.
Haldir stopped his horse at the sound he had been dreading.
Voices of Men. From the sounds of them, many men.
He quietly led his horse back to the others and reported to them what he had heard. The Elves swung down off their hoses effortlessly, their weapons poised, their minds already switched into battle mode.
"Take the horses," Haldir ordered, gathering the reigns and handing them over
to Amarah and Calorad.
"Hide in the trees. We will find you when it is safe. Do not follow."
"Be safe," Amarah said, lightly brushing Haldir's hand with her own as she accepted the reigns.
Haldir smiled reassuringly before turning back to the others and withdrawing his bow and an arrow.
The elves disappeared into the forest, their weapons at the ready, their presence undetectable as they positioned themselves, using the voices as the center and taking up flanking positions. Quick as squirrels, Múrendil and Láiraen disappeared up a tree, their feet swift and silent as they darted between branches and boughs, causing the leaves to flutter slightly with their passing breeze.
Calorad ushered Amarah on as they led the horses in the wood to find suitable hiding places. Amarah's thoughts lingered on Haldir, her mind clouded and distorted as Calorad babbled about finding the perfect hiding place. Suddenly, she wished she had helped them gather more branches for their arrows, fearing that they will run out, and will be easily overcome by the horde of men.
A strong taste of bitter bile rose up in her throat, thinking what could possibly happen to the noble elf, and to his loyal companions.