The trip so far had proved uneventful for the company, they had met
no orcs, and Legolas was beginning to relax about his earlier feelings.
They pitched camp in a clearing area with the dark, tall, dense trees
surrounding them, providing a semi-shield from the forest animals. Even
with the trees, they still needed a fire to keep the animals away-and for
light and warmth!
Aragorn sat, gazing at the fire. He noticed it was dying out and they had no more wood. He caught the eye of the youthful prince of Mirkwood. Aragorn grumbled. He knew it was his turn to collect more firewood, but he was so comfortable sitting there by the warm fire. He saw the mirth in the prince's eyes: he knew what he was thinking. With a sigh, Aragorn got up; stretched, and left, muttering about how unfair it was that elves were able to decipher emotion so easily and about Legolas being a spoiled prince and wouldn't get the wood for a friend.
Legolas gave a laugh when his acute elvish hearing picked up what Aragorn had said, which only caused the human more frustration. Gandalf raised his eyes from the fire to look at Legolas, stopping in mid-puff of his pipe. He continued to hold his gaze until Gimli interrupted them with a loud snore, causing Legolas to burst out laughing again. Gandalf tried to keep a straight face, but he could barely contain his chuckle at his young companions.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aragorn stooped down, gathering more firewood, grumbling about not getting a chance to relax. He was unaware that someone was watching him. His human ears didn't pick up the sound of an arrow being notched on a bow, or the string being pulled taut, aiming for the oblivious human.
But unknown to the human or the archer, someone else was watching the edan. Elven ears caught the sound of the arrow being notched, and saw the intended target: the human's heart.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aragon bent down to scoop up more firewood from the leaf-strewn forest floor. He felt a great weight ram into him, knocking the breath out of him and sending him careening to the ground. He was about to give a yell, when a hand covered his mouth, and a voice hushed him. But Aragorn didn't need to be quieted: for he picked up the twang of a bow, and the undeniable sound of an arrow hitting a tree. His gray eyes widened when he found where the arrow hit, he gulped. Where the arrow was now plunged deep into the oak bark, was the exact place he had been standing.
"Hurry, we must go to your camp." The stranger whispered urgently. Aragorn, feeling the hand slip away from his face, numbly nodded.
He stumbled on his way back to the camp; he couldn't believe someone had shot at him! His mind was filled with questions. Were they getting too close to something? Did Saruman send a minion after him? Had someone discovered his true identity?
"Step lively and keep moving!" this stranger kept goading him, occasionally peering over behind them.
After what seemed like a century, they burst through the clearing where the others were. Legolas jumped at their sudden arrival, followed by Gandalf. The stranger pulled the cloak tighter around her face. She turned to Gandalf.
"Wizard, cast a protective circle around this campsite" Gandalf was taken aback at this request-no-command. He arched an eyebrow at her, but she didn't see. She had turned her back to him as she searched the forest with her eyes.
"Who are you? And how did you know I was a wizard?"
The stranger whirled around to face Gandalf, the cloak unwrapping and re-winding back around her body at her sharp and elaborate turn. "We do not have time for questions! Do the protection circle!"
Legolas's bow being pulled taut registered in the stranger's mind, as he aimed it with distrust at her. Gandalf looked straight to where the stranger's face would be.
"If I did that, then I will loose my powers for a while from the amount of energy and magic it needed. I would be completely useless against whatever you want me to draw a circle to keep out. I'd be so weak, I'd have no strength to fight and will probably be as good as dead if we are ever attacked." At this Legolas pulled the bow tighter, and perfected his aim.
"We'll be dead by morn if you don't do anything!" the stranger all but shouted. Silence ensued this outburst.
Gandalf paused at this, his brows furrowed; he leaned against his staff deep in thought, while Legolas remained by his side, still pointing the bow at the figure. Everything was tense. So tense, it was almost suffocating. Gandalf raised his eyes and met those of Aragon's. Still speechless at being shot at, all Aragorn could do was nod. He looked at Legolas, letting him know with his eyes that he didn't need his bow out. Legolas's crystal blue eyes flashed to the stranger, then back at Aragorn. Reluctantly, he lowered his bow. But, as Aragorn noted, he still had an arrow notched and ready if needed. Aragorn smiled to himself, that elf could be so stubborn!
A light bursted out of the crystal on Gandalf's staff, forcing Aragorn to shield his eyes from the blinding white light. When it relented, a scream of anger and frustration pierced the dark, causing Gimli to spring up, asking what was going on.
When the scream had finally died away into the night, the others turned their attention back to the stranger, Gandalf heavily leaning on Legolas as he helped him to sit on a log.
Aragorn was the first to speak. "Who are you?" whoever it was, he felt as if he had known them before, and it was puzzling him because he couldn't put his finger on who it was.
Slowly, the stranger drew back her hood. Brown hair tumbled out from the hood, falling down to her shoulders in ragged tangles, but revealing her pointed ears. Her skin was tanned from the years of spending time out in the sun, her outfit muddied and resembling that of a ranger. Her gray eyes seemed to reflect the color of the moon high in the sky on a windy night.
Aragorn felt his breath catch in his throat. "Lan?"
She turned and faced him. "Hello Aragorn, it's been a while.".
~*~*~
AN- Sorry for the long note last time, and the short chapter. Hence, I'm posting this one the next day.
REPLIES:
TeacherTam: you are my first reviewer for the story!!! Kudos for you!! Thank you for your concern about my friend. She is more emotionally shaken then physically hurt. Some people were talking today how she may never be the same again or it would take along time for her to return to normal. You can tell she doesn't want to talk about it.
Ruby the Troll: ok, I wanted constructive criticism, and I got it. Thanks. I would like to apologize for the long author's note-again. I was still really upset, and I had that on my mind all day and all day today. I guess I needed to talk about it. I'm sorry there wasn't much in the first chapter. I wanted it to be a prolog thing, and I would post this the next day or in a few days. I'll try and make some other chapters longer, but this is my 2nd fic, and the first one was only one chapter. Ok. I will try not to rush. I'm going to read everything I've written twice before posting it. I thank you for your advice on writing fics and I'm sure it will be very helpful. Again I apologize for the AN. I was really upset. So, I will shut up now (which is very hard), finish this and re-check this chapter again.
Gozilla: sure! Here's another chapter! Hope this was soon enough!!
Ancalimawen: thanks. I hope they catch him too. Here is the update.
Thank you to all my reviewers. I'll post as soon as I can next time.
Lulu belle
Aragorn sat, gazing at the fire. He noticed it was dying out and they had no more wood. He caught the eye of the youthful prince of Mirkwood. Aragorn grumbled. He knew it was his turn to collect more firewood, but he was so comfortable sitting there by the warm fire. He saw the mirth in the prince's eyes: he knew what he was thinking. With a sigh, Aragorn got up; stretched, and left, muttering about how unfair it was that elves were able to decipher emotion so easily and about Legolas being a spoiled prince and wouldn't get the wood for a friend.
Legolas gave a laugh when his acute elvish hearing picked up what Aragorn had said, which only caused the human more frustration. Gandalf raised his eyes from the fire to look at Legolas, stopping in mid-puff of his pipe. He continued to hold his gaze until Gimli interrupted them with a loud snore, causing Legolas to burst out laughing again. Gandalf tried to keep a straight face, but he could barely contain his chuckle at his young companions.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aragorn stooped down, gathering more firewood, grumbling about not getting a chance to relax. He was unaware that someone was watching him. His human ears didn't pick up the sound of an arrow being notched on a bow, or the string being pulled taut, aiming for the oblivious human.
But unknown to the human or the archer, someone else was watching the edan. Elven ears caught the sound of the arrow being notched, and saw the intended target: the human's heart.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aragon bent down to scoop up more firewood from the leaf-strewn forest floor. He felt a great weight ram into him, knocking the breath out of him and sending him careening to the ground. He was about to give a yell, when a hand covered his mouth, and a voice hushed him. But Aragorn didn't need to be quieted: for he picked up the twang of a bow, and the undeniable sound of an arrow hitting a tree. His gray eyes widened when he found where the arrow hit, he gulped. Where the arrow was now plunged deep into the oak bark, was the exact place he had been standing.
"Hurry, we must go to your camp." The stranger whispered urgently. Aragorn, feeling the hand slip away from his face, numbly nodded.
He stumbled on his way back to the camp; he couldn't believe someone had shot at him! His mind was filled with questions. Were they getting too close to something? Did Saruman send a minion after him? Had someone discovered his true identity?
"Step lively and keep moving!" this stranger kept goading him, occasionally peering over behind them.
After what seemed like a century, they burst through the clearing where the others were. Legolas jumped at their sudden arrival, followed by Gandalf. The stranger pulled the cloak tighter around her face. She turned to Gandalf.
"Wizard, cast a protective circle around this campsite" Gandalf was taken aback at this request-no-command. He arched an eyebrow at her, but she didn't see. She had turned her back to him as she searched the forest with her eyes.
"Who are you? And how did you know I was a wizard?"
The stranger whirled around to face Gandalf, the cloak unwrapping and re-winding back around her body at her sharp and elaborate turn. "We do not have time for questions! Do the protection circle!"
Legolas's bow being pulled taut registered in the stranger's mind, as he aimed it with distrust at her. Gandalf looked straight to where the stranger's face would be.
"If I did that, then I will loose my powers for a while from the amount of energy and magic it needed. I would be completely useless against whatever you want me to draw a circle to keep out. I'd be so weak, I'd have no strength to fight and will probably be as good as dead if we are ever attacked." At this Legolas pulled the bow tighter, and perfected his aim.
"We'll be dead by morn if you don't do anything!" the stranger all but shouted. Silence ensued this outburst.
Gandalf paused at this, his brows furrowed; he leaned against his staff deep in thought, while Legolas remained by his side, still pointing the bow at the figure. Everything was tense. So tense, it was almost suffocating. Gandalf raised his eyes and met those of Aragon's. Still speechless at being shot at, all Aragorn could do was nod. He looked at Legolas, letting him know with his eyes that he didn't need his bow out. Legolas's crystal blue eyes flashed to the stranger, then back at Aragorn. Reluctantly, he lowered his bow. But, as Aragorn noted, he still had an arrow notched and ready if needed. Aragorn smiled to himself, that elf could be so stubborn!
A light bursted out of the crystal on Gandalf's staff, forcing Aragorn to shield his eyes from the blinding white light. When it relented, a scream of anger and frustration pierced the dark, causing Gimli to spring up, asking what was going on.
When the scream had finally died away into the night, the others turned their attention back to the stranger, Gandalf heavily leaning on Legolas as he helped him to sit on a log.
Aragorn was the first to speak. "Who are you?" whoever it was, he felt as if he had known them before, and it was puzzling him because he couldn't put his finger on who it was.
Slowly, the stranger drew back her hood. Brown hair tumbled out from the hood, falling down to her shoulders in ragged tangles, but revealing her pointed ears. Her skin was tanned from the years of spending time out in the sun, her outfit muddied and resembling that of a ranger. Her gray eyes seemed to reflect the color of the moon high in the sky on a windy night.
Aragorn felt his breath catch in his throat. "Lan?"
She turned and faced him. "Hello Aragorn, it's been a while.".
~*~*~
AN- Sorry for the long note last time, and the short chapter. Hence, I'm posting this one the next day.
REPLIES:
TeacherTam: you are my first reviewer for the story!!! Kudos for you!! Thank you for your concern about my friend. She is more emotionally shaken then physically hurt. Some people were talking today how she may never be the same again or it would take along time for her to return to normal. You can tell she doesn't want to talk about it.
Ruby the Troll: ok, I wanted constructive criticism, and I got it. Thanks. I would like to apologize for the long author's note-again. I was still really upset, and I had that on my mind all day and all day today. I guess I needed to talk about it. I'm sorry there wasn't much in the first chapter. I wanted it to be a prolog thing, and I would post this the next day or in a few days. I'll try and make some other chapters longer, but this is my 2nd fic, and the first one was only one chapter. Ok. I will try not to rush. I'm going to read everything I've written twice before posting it. I thank you for your advice on writing fics and I'm sure it will be very helpful. Again I apologize for the AN. I was really upset. So, I will shut up now (which is very hard), finish this and re-check this chapter again.
Gozilla: sure! Here's another chapter! Hope this was soon enough!!
Ancalimawen: thanks. I hope they catch him too. Here is the update.
Thank you to all my reviewers. I'll post as soon as I can next time.
Lulu belle