-Seeking Hope-
19-12-04

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: As much as I want to I don't own any LOTR characters, places, monsters or anything else created by Tolkien, but I do own the characters and places, which I have invented or will invent or introduce. If you wish to use any of my characters or places, email me first.

Read the first chapter for additional notes and other information.

Estel woke suddenly, not even realising he'd fallen asleep. The fire still burned brightly, a little smaller then before, but that's not what made him look up. An eerie and sad song drifted through the trees like a slight breeze, very quiet, but it was still there.

Tarveth didn't know he'd woken as she leaned against a tree singing under her breath. Estel didn't recognise the language, but it sounded like a cross between common tongue and elvish, both beautiful and plain.

"What is it about?" Estel asked after a few minutes of listening. "The song you sing."

Tarveth looked at him before turning back and staring at the sky. After a few moments she quietly whispered, "Home." She sighed. "It's been many years since I've been back, and yet I don't really miss it."

"How can't you miss your home?" Estel said, shocked. Even when running away, he'd missed Rivendell, although he didn't realise it at the time. "I mean, it's your home!"

Tarveth just continued to gaze at the stars while saying, "It's too perfect in Rhun. No crime, no entertainment, everyone treating you like royalty, not the life I enjoy, not the life I want."

"Why would they treat you like royalty, and why wouldn't you like it?" Estel asked, not really understanding why you wouldn't want to be the centre of attention.

Tarveth just answered simply, "Because the King of Rhun treats me like his niece. He made a promise to my parents to take me in, and no offence to him or anything, sitting down all day listening to politicians ramble on for hours on end isn't my cup of tea."

"If it's anything like Glorfindel's history lessons, then I understand." Estel joked. Glorfindel could tell a story two ways: the first made you feel like you were there, the second made you fall asleep. In his lessons, the elf always chose the second, and in doing so turned the most exciting tales into sleep material.

Tarveth managed a small smile before continuing to stare at the stars. "Go to sleep Estel, you need to be rested if we are going to reach Rivendell tomorrow." She told him, her eyes never straying from the sky.

Estel grumbled under his breath but did as she said. Laying down, Estel continued to stare at the elf for a while, but she sensed his gaze and shot him a warning look, making the young human quickly close his eyes and sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Go back to hell servants of Sauron!" Was the first thing Estel heard upon waking. He tried to rise but his leg protested, so all he could do was watch the battle before him. Tarveth was in combat with six hideous creatures. Deformed and misshapen, their skin was black and their eyes putrid yellow, gleaming with hatred and evil. Estel knew what these foul beasts were: orcs. Many times had his brothers come back from hunting trips injured from battles with orcs.

Tar danced across the battlefield, blocking blow after blow. Already a dozen orcs lay at her feet, and with a thrust of her blade another joined them. Tarveth herself looked calm, almost relaxed. Being an elf she nimbly ducked, dodged and leapt out of the way of blows, her sword slithering like a snake through the orcs blocks, finding the thing's throat or chest. She never tired, and had over 3,000 years of training behind her. Looking to the horizon Estel saw the sun had yet to rise, but a faint glow indicated it was not far off.

Tar suddenly became aware that he was awake and yelled "Drega na I gelaidh Estel. Alag si!" (-Flee to the trees Estel. Quickly now!-) Estel didn't need to be told twice. His leg felt like it was on fire when he put weight on it, but he ignored the pain and slowly pulled himself onto a low branch.

Resting for a moment, he watched Tar block an orc's forward thrust then proceeded to gracefully to a turning sweep, decapitating the monster. Two of the remaining creatures ran at her, but she blocked their blows effortlessly before slicing a deep gash in one's thigh. The orc fell to the ground with a howl of pain, and Tar finished it with a quick jab to the chest.

The three remaining orcs stood side-by-side near his tree, waiting for Tar to make the first move. Tarveth just stood opposite them, sword loosely by her side, waiting for them to rush forward. They stood like this for a minute or more before Estel realized what she was doing. Behind the orcs the sun was beginning to creep over the horizon. In a few minutes the rays would reach the clearing, weakening the orcs.

Gazing around the camp, Estel's eyes locked on a forth orc behind Tar's back and hidden from her view by a thick oak. In it's hands he held a crossbow, and was fixing the bolt into place. He realized the orcs too had a plan; keep the elf distracted while the archer prepares to fire. "Tarveth. Watch your back!" Estel yelled, attracting not only Tar's attention but also that of the three orcs.

While they stood there stunned Tar seized the opportunity and jumped forward, slashing as she went. One orc fell dead. Estel panicked as he saw the orc archer had fixed the bolt in place and was taking aim. Looking at Tar, she still didn't know, having taking his warning as a way of distracting the orcs.

Estel began to slide down the tree as Tar slew yet another orc. His feet touched the ground as two other things happened. The first was Tarveth striking out and ending the life of the last orc attacking her. The second was the archer fired. "TAR!" Estel screamed, his voice filled with fear and dread.

He saved Tar's life. Turning, the arrow intended for her heart sunk deep into her left shoulder instead, making the fair being cry out. The force of the blow made her drop her sword and fall to one knee. The orc archer snarled in disappointment while reloading the crossbow. All his thoughts were fixed on killing the elf, forgetting about the boy.

The archer walked over to the elf until he stood in front of her, their eyes locked. Tar was breathing deeply and her right hand pressed against the wound, stopping some of the blood. The archer lifted his crossbow till it was level with her throat. "Any last words elf?"

The orc said the last word as if it was poison. Estel by now had drawn his dagger and silently crawled behind the orc. Seeing one up close was bad enough, but the smell coming off the thing was making him gag.

The orc heard him and swung out, knocking his dagger from his hand and stunning the human, knocking him to the hard ground. Placing one foot on the boy's chest, he turned back to the elf and this time raised the bolt to her head. "Well, got an answer elf?"

Tarveth just narrowed her eyes and clenched her teeth. The look she was giving the orc was so piecing he wouldn't be surprised if she could see the thing's soul, if it had one.

Estel squirmed beneath the monster's foot, but the orc simply shifted so his foot was pressing down upon his neck, making it hard to breath. He struggled even more, but it simply applied more pressure, cutting off his airway.

Tar saw this and decided to act now. "Yes." She said, smiling. "I'll bet that you'll be dead before that arrow hits that tree." She gestured over her shoulder to the tall tree behind her. Estel though she'd gone mad.

"You're on, and you lose." Said the orc, finger finding the trigger and pulling back. Just then the sun finally decided to show itself, blinding the orc, but not before the creature had pulled the crossbow's trigger.

I didn't intend for it to end here but I was forced to. A cliffhanger ending to make you all review, especially the people who reviewed the first few chapter, like 'grumpy' WildBlackWolf and BabeyRachey as well as the other.

HarryEstel: Can't tell you who Tar really is, yet that is. Yea, us less musical people don't know one end of a flute from the other, yet alone all the musical terms. Glad to hear the concert went well, most of my friends are involved in music, lucky people. They got to skip heaps of classes during the last few weeks of school for practice for the end of year mass, which went for three hours and was totally boring. I don't have to tell you to review, do I?

JEWR: Your review is almost as long as this chapter. Now that I've read that, I'm definitely going to change some things about her. Going through those 8 points, here's how she stacks up:
1) She is beautiful, but doesn't like to wear pretty clothes so she doesn't look it. Doesn't have unusual hair or eye colour either.
2) She's not half something, but she is from Rhun, and I haven't said weather her family is alive or dead.
3) Name doesn't mean anything in elvish, and it's not beautiful either.
4) Love, hell no! Tar will not fall in love unless you and all my reviewers gang up on me and force me to. But I didn't say I wouldn't use it for other characters. 5) Yes, she's a skilled warrior, but I'm adding flaws to her character in the next story to make her more human. Can't talk to trees like Legolas, but can tame birds but that's because of practice, not special powers or anything.
6) She looses and breaks too many swords and bows to become attached to just one, and doesn't wear jewellery or rings.
7) Not really rescue in this story, but look out for one in my next one, which I'll be writing as you read this.
8) Doesn't really have a sharp tongue rather a very large range of insults in many different tongues. Tarveth is smart, but not a know it all like her friend Da-(slaps hand over mouth) never mind, next story information. Gets along with almost everyone, even dwarves, which is a little weird. Prefers to get in and out as quickly as possible so doesn't really like to spend time on riddles or puzzles unless it's necessary.
Better stop there or I'll give too much away. If I've left anything out tell me, please. Oh, and if you have any question I'll be glad to answer them, just as long as they don't give away too much info about the story.

NOTE: I just found out that I've been spelling a word wrong throughout my entire story so far. I've been writing 'weather' when it should have been 'whether.' (Hits head a few times to make myself remember.) God I'm stupid sometimes.

Responses are getting lower, so review will you people? Hopefully the full story will be up before Christmas, but if it's not you'll have to wait till new years cause were going up to a shack by a beach (it's summer in Aussie remember) and it doesn't have a TV, let alone a computer. Yea, I think I'll do that, and leave you all guessing what happens in the end cause I'm so kind.