'Bloody hell!' she looked up at the sky realizing she once again overslept.
Looking around she saw a bunch of birds singing happily and while normally
it should make for a moment of quiet serenity or jovial feelings right now
it grated on her nerves worse than nails on a chalkboard. Slowly her
vision came into focus and she became aware that she had landed in the
middle of a large clearing surrounded by dark, forbidding trees and
directly on top of something . . . rather moist. "Ewwwww geeze!" She
scrambled up from where she sat gazing distastefully at the ground "I just
know he'll give me hell for this . . ." Still mumbling to herself she
fell into her rumpled leggings and tunic rushing to the other side of the
clearing where her companions were now almost finished packing.
Nurdagnur looked up just in time to watch her fall flat on her face. "Veduriel, what in middle earth have you fallen over . . . we're in a field!" Veduriel glared up from him from her place on the ground, "Don't you ever keep that pristine mouth of yours shut?" He walked over and extended his hand, blatantly ignoring it she picked herself up off the ground and met his amused eyes with her obstinate ones.
Another elf called out with a hint of fatigue in his voice from his companions constant antics, "if my lords and ladies are ready, we shall be reaching the palace today!" For his trouble the elf got two glares from halfway across the field and he shook his head continuing to pack.
"Let us go then my Lady Veduriel," he offered his arm with only a slight snigger. She took it in almost a bruising grip, "of course my lord," matching his teasing smile inch for inch. Within a few more minutes both were mounted on horseback and not talking to each other, much to the amusement of the rest of their party. The others received glares from either or both of the elves if they cracked a joke at their expense. One of the humans that accompinied the group broke the silence that they had been riding in for the past several hours after Veduriel ran into a branch as she rode resulting in her horse neighing in displeasure. "I thought elves were supposed to be graceful . . ." he whispered to his friend who laughed in response. Several elves gave displeased looks to the humans but Veduriel wheeled her horse around, face flushed with anger. "Perhaps Eshawn not everyone is exactly how you envision them. I always thought humans to be agreeable, willing to learn, and polite . . . you have since proven me wrong!" She wheeled her horse around again far too sharply for her mount's taste. He bolted. The last anyone saw was Veduriel reaching over and clutching her horse's mane as he bolted down the trail. Nurdagnur rolled his eyes and called the group into a gallop after her.
Legolas's ears perked and he turned his head to catch the sound again. He definitely heard a galloping horse and from the treetops all around he heard the wren's call. A friend galloping past with the enemies in pursuit he recalled from centuries of training. Quickly he scaled the nearest tree with natural agility and speed he emerged on a branch an arrow resting on his bow before he even finished the climb. She was already in view galloping towards the palace with more speed and less care than he had ever seen. Closing in fast on her a party on horseback trying desperately to catch up; he watched, helpless until she came within range of his bow. The party pulled up close to her one reached towards the galloping horse and reined it in so suddenly that the female was pitched over the front of the horse. Legolas jumped from his tree to another and another quickly trying to reach the girl and party before any evil could befall her. He spared a glance to the side to find Lossen on the next tree over doing the same as were several others. He dropped down from the nearest tree and ran through some foliage his bow ready. He trained it on the elf figure that now knelt over her as his companions aimed at the others where they sat on horseback. "Leave her be." He cut sharply his voice steady, deep, and threatening. The figure rose and turned to face Legolas looking surprisingly at ease. He backed up and leaned against a nearby tree, "gladly your highness, this she-elf is bound to get me killed one of these days and I'll be glad to have her no longer be my responsibility!" He laughed looking down at where the she-elf was picking herself up rather shakily. "Oh quit complaining!" She threw a handy patch of dirt at the elf as she made her way to her knees and then rather unsteadily her feet.
The Mirkwood elves looked to each other lowering their bows uneasily. All of a sudden Lossen questioned the she-elf where she held onto a tree, "Are you the lady Veduriel?" She silently nodded. Lossen's eyes went to where an amused elf smirked at the girl, "and you are the lord Nurdagnur?" He nodded and Lossen laughed so hard the birds took flight. He turned to Legolas, "these are the emissaries . . . the lady," he nodded to where an elf now supported her, "has been known to startle all sorts of animals and befall many mishaps so lord Nurdagnur was given the responsibility to look after her welfare on this journey." After a few seconds of contemplative silence the entire meadow erupted in laughter and it was a merry band that greeted the travelers. Legolas went and bowed his head to the lady who unsteadily bobbed in a curtsey, "my lady Veduriel." "Please highness, call me Rael . . . I never liked my name much . . ." Legolas smiled, "it is a true pleasure to meet you Rael," she smiled back.
Nurdagnur looked up just in time to watch her fall flat on her face. "Veduriel, what in middle earth have you fallen over . . . we're in a field!" Veduriel glared up from him from her place on the ground, "Don't you ever keep that pristine mouth of yours shut?" He walked over and extended his hand, blatantly ignoring it she picked herself up off the ground and met his amused eyes with her obstinate ones.
Another elf called out with a hint of fatigue in his voice from his companions constant antics, "if my lords and ladies are ready, we shall be reaching the palace today!" For his trouble the elf got two glares from halfway across the field and he shook his head continuing to pack.
"Let us go then my Lady Veduriel," he offered his arm with only a slight snigger. She took it in almost a bruising grip, "of course my lord," matching his teasing smile inch for inch. Within a few more minutes both were mounted on horseback and not talking to each other, much to the amusement of the rest of their party. The others received glares from either or both of the elves if they cracked a joke at their expense. One of the humans that accompinied the group broke the silence that they had been riding in for the past several hours after Veduriel ran into a branch as she rode resulting in her horse neighing in displeasure. "I thought elves were supposed to be graceful . . ." he whispered to his friend who laughed in response. Several elves gave displeased looks to the humans but Veduriel wheeled her horse around, face flushed with anger. "Perhaps Eshawn not everyone is exactly how you envision them. I always thought humans to be agreeable, willing to learn, and polite . . . you have since proven me wrong!" She wheeled her horse around again far too sharply for her mount's taste. He bolted. The last anyone saw was Veduriel reaching over and clutching her horse's mane as he bolted down the trail. Nurdagnur rolled his eyes and called the group into a gallop after her.
Legolas's ears perked and he turned his head to catch the sound again. He definitely heard a galloping horse and from the treetops all around he heard the wren's call. A friend galloping past with the enemies in pursuit he recalled from centuries of training. Quickly he scaled the nearest tree with natural agility and speed he emerged on a branch an arrow resting on his bow before he even finished the climb. She was already in view galloping towards the palace with more speed and less care than he had ever seen. Closing in fast on her a party on horseback trying desperately to catch up; he watched, helpless until she came within range of his bow. The party pulled up close to her one reached towards the galloping horse and reined it in so suddenly that the female was pitched over the front of the horse. Legolas jumped from his tree to another and another quickly trying to reach the girl and party before any evil could befall her. He spared a glance to the side to find Lossen on the next tree over doing the same as were several others. He dropped down from the nearest tree and ran through some foliage his bow ready. He trained it on the elf figure that now knelt over her as his companions aimed at the others where they sat on horseback. "Leave her be." He cut sharply his voice steady, deep, and threatening. The figure rose and turned to face Legolas looking surprisingly at ease. He backed up and leaned against a nearby tree, "gladly your highness, this she-elf is bound to get me killed one of these days and I'll be glad to have her no longer be my responsibility!" He laughed looking down at where the she-elf was picking herself up rather shakily. "Oh quit complaining!" She threw a handy patch of dirt at the elf as she made her way to her knees and then rather unsteadily her feet.
The Mirkwood elves looked to each other lowering their bows uneasily. All of a sudden Lossen questioned the she-elf where she held onto a tree, "Are you the lady Veduriel?" She silently nodded. Lossen's eyes went to where an amused elf smirked at the girl, "and you are the lord Nurdagnur?" He nodded and Lossen laughed so hard the birds took flight. He turned to Legolas, "these are the emissaries . . . the lady," he nodded to where an elf now supported her, "has been known to startle all sorts of animals and befall many mishaps so lord Nurdagnur was given the responsibility to look after her welfare on this journey." After a few seconds of contemplative silence the entire meadow erupted in laughter and it was a merry band that greeted the travelers. Legolas went and bowed his head to the lady who unsteadily bobbed in a curtsey, "my lady Veduriel." "Please highness, call me Rael . . . I never liked my name much . . ." Legolas smiled, "it is a true pleasure to meet you Rael," she smiled back.