I hit the mossy ground hard. I looked around. I didn't have any idea as to where I was. Then I heard the sound of something flying through the air, then several thuds. I stood up, and braced myself against a tree. I was dizzy. Another cutting through the air, and a loud thunk next to my to my head. I looked next to me, and a large vicious looking arrow stuck out of the tree. I jumped back away from it.
"Get down!" I heard someone shout. I didn't wait for further instructions, and dove to the forest floor. I waited on the ground. Several screams, and unearthly grunting of pain filled the air for several minutes, then all was deadly quiet. I couldn't even hear an airplane.
Just when I was about to get up, a firm hand grabbed my shoulder. I screamed.
"Shush, it's alright! You are safe now, calm yourself," He said. I turned around. The first thing I noticed about my greeter, was that he had pointy ears. The second, was the bright blue eyes.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" He asked, offering me a hand up. I gladly accepted his help. He was surprisingly strong.
"My name is Drimeth Jared, and I have no idea where here is," I said.
"You are in Mirkwood! The woodland realm," He said smiling.
"Then I know exactly where here is, but why? No idea."
I was in Mirkwood!
"I am Legolas Green-leaf, son of King Thranduil, Lord of Mirkwood," He said bowing courteously.
"I'm honored!" I said smiling.
"Come… it is not safe here. We must return to my fathers home," He said. Then I noticed his clothes. Ranger clothes, fit for an Elvish Prince on the battlefield. Then I looked at my clothes. Baggy blue jeans, and a big gray sweatshirt. Out of place couldn't even describe my embarrassment. I could feel my ears turning red. I began to follow Legolas. My feet were surprisingly light on the mossy ground, even in my bulky tennis shoes.
When we reached our destination, I was surprisingly not out of breath, and I hadn't broken a sweat.
"These maidens will tend to you and get you in proper garb. I will meet you in my Fathers court when you are ready," He said smiling. I returned his smile, and followed them. I looked at myself in the long mirror. I had never seen myself so made up. My hair was pulled back in a sensible way, elegant, and out of the way of my face, but still hanging down to my wait in the back. They had also helped me get into feminine ranger apparel, equipped with some defense weapons that I had no idea how to use.
"Come Milady, he is waiting for you," One of them said. I smiled and was about to turn away from the mirror, when I noticed. My ears were pointy! My fingers flew to the tips, just to make sure I wasn't being fooled.
"Pointed…" I whispered disbelievingly.
"Milady?"
"Nothing… will you show me the way?" I asked.
"I appreciate you coming here, but I must express to you now, that you cannot overstay your welcome. Mirkwood is less than friendly territory now. Fell beasts lurk, and Orcs are at every turn. The evil in this land is gaining," Thranduil said to me when I bowed and was acknowledged.
"Thank you for letting me stay as long as you have," I said.
"Is there any place we can help you on your way to?" He asked.
"I can't think of anywhere. I'm not familiar with this territory or the times," I said. I must have sounded really stupid.
"Well, you may stay until you have found a destination," He said. I smiled.
"Thank you Milord." I didn't stick around. I had a feeling my welcome would be out in a matter of days, and in that time I needed to find out how to use those weapons they had given me.
Picking up the twin knives and learning them was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I went around my room taking out invisible obstacles. Elves were training right near my window, so I watched their fluid movements and then copied them. It was easy to decipher which was defensive, and which was offensive.
Actually putting this to use would be a lot harder, I knew that much. But I had the theory of it.
What I wasn't going to be able to practice in my room, was that bow. I had studied it, and had drawn it back to see if I could do it. That wasn't the issue. I had never fired a bow in my life.
I decided I would go out at night and try my luck with the bow. They had left me plenty of arrows to go around for a while. I would be careful to avoid any animals.
The only thing I was afraid of, was what Thranduil had said. Orcs in Mirkwood? I knew exactly what era I was in. This was just about the time when Frodo was on his way to Rivendell with Aragorn, Merry, Pippin, and Sam. He could possibly already be stabbed by the Morgal blade, and maybe Glorfindel was already on his way to save him.
It wasn't going to be easy knowing these things.
I slipped on my cloak and slipped out into the cold night. The thick dense forest cover made it difficult for me to see the stars, but they were extremely alien to me when I could see them. It was surprisingly easy for me to move over the uneven terrain.
I found a small clearing, and was about to knock my arrow, and pick a target, when I heard wings. Large wings. I dove behind a tree. I looked into the clearing I had found, and saw an enormous hideous creature. It had a small head, about the width of its neck, and large bat-like wings.
A fell beast.
This was what I was afraid of. Something I couldn't handle. He was sniffing the air. He shrieked loudly, and I knew he could smell me. Especially since he was walking towards me.
I didn't know how to aim the dumb bow, and I was just going to be in big trouble if I missed my mark. I pulled my bowstring back and waited. He would open his mouth when he shrieked again. A small target, but I had to make it.
He shrieked. I released. He shook the ground with his thrashing. I knocked another arrow just in case, but I must have hit my target the first time, because he suddenly when rigid, and fell with an almighty crash to the ground.
Then I heard clapping. I looked across the clearing. Legolas stood there smiling.
"You are fortunate I was here. If you had missed, he would have killed you."
"Then how am I fortunate master elf? That you would know the cause of my death when you buried me?"
"No. I would have killed it before he could reach you," He said. He was wearing a light blue undercoat, and a small circlet for his crown.
"What brings you out of your home so late Elf?" I asked, retrieving my arrow from my target.
"I saw you leave, and I saw you with your weapons. You shoot remarkably well. Who taught you?"
For being such a quiet person in the books, I was slightly surprised he was being so talkative.
"No one. I've never shot before," I said. Legolas looked amused.
"No one? Then let me instruct you to properly fire your bow," He said walking around the best towards me. "Knock your arrow," He said. I followed his instructions. "Anchor." I did as I was told. I put my hand to my mouth as I drew back the string. "Find your target."
"What is my target?"
"The apple," He said pointing. It was a small red apple a the top of one of the trees.
"Aim."
"How?"
"Exactly how you aimed when you shot down the fell beast," He said. I aimed. I wasn't exactly sure of myself but I had to try.
"Release."
I let the string go. It flew to the apple and struck it right through the center.
"You're a natural," He said impressed. "But what of the knives?"
"I've practiced a little…"
"Let me see."
"How do you mean?"
He pulled out my twin knives and handed them to me, he then took his own off his back.
"I will teach you to properly use these weapons. I fear the time is nearing when battles approach," He said. I could tell these things were weighting heavily on his mind, and there was nothing I could do to allay his fears.
"Then teach. I will learn."
It wasn't long till we were fighting without pause for instructions. All I wanted was to beat him. Just because of the way he smiled when he was able to put a knife to my throat, or the small of my back, saying he had beaten me. But his fighting was so perfect; every stroke was flawless. I knew he would never falter giving me room for victory.
"You fight well. Most take years to learn."
I blushed. "Thank you."
"But you are still flawed. Only real combat will help you learn more."
"What of the broad sword? Are there other weapons I should learn?"
"To what purpose and end? You have learned the twin knives and the bow. You will need nothing else to let you survive in combat," Legolas said, raising a single eyebrow.
"But it's the concept of knowing, when I do not have these weapons at hand," I said. He looked amused again.
"Not tonight. We will rest for the night, and practice again in the morning. Come, Orcs are already beginning to know our presence. We have made much noise," He said, putting his arm around my shoulders. He started to lead me back, without another word. I smiled, and allowed him to do so, almost falling asleep.
