Fall winds were starting to blow across the realm of Imladris and neighboring lands. The summer green had yet to show more than a slight sign of fading. The scent of late summer flowers lingered in the feint breeze. The sky was clear, the ground dry, and the air pleasant. The weather was perfect for riding. Nature called to its children to come and enjoy the themselves before fall came and ushered winter in.
Adding to the appeal of the weather, Orcs had been scarce of late. The guards of Imladris saw no reason to stop or accompany those who wished to venture out for a leisure ride. The Elves of Imladris knew not to venture too far from the borders unprepared. The guards trusted in the intelligence of their neighbors and friends.
Two young sisters of the realm took the splendid opportunity to ride beyond the borders, get away from the Last Homely House for a short time. They rarely left the borders, though they both graced the wilds within frequently. One honing her skills, the other getting away from everyone else.
The older sister rode easily along on her golden coated stallion. She listened to the breeze and nature all around them, her blood in time with the land like many Elves. Her fine, thick dark brown hair hung loose down her back, passed her waist, save for braids at her temples, which ran back to a small bun on the back of her skull. Her eyes, green as the summer grasses, watched the sky.
Her sister rode at her side. She was not as attentive to the call of nature, or ignored it if she was. She was more interesting in planning her next prank or hiding from those she felt did not accept her. Her hair was much shorter than her sisters, falling just below her shoulder blades when loose. She wore the top layer braided, the bottom loose. Uniquely, her hair was red, like their mother's had been. She was much more like their mother, who had been of the race of Men. She was short, by Elvish standards, a good half foot shorter than her sister. She was also curvy, much more so than slender, delicate Elf-maids. Her brown eyes were full of life as they rode along. Her red locks tossing lightly in the breeze while her sisters did not seem to move.
The younger sister looks to her sibling with a grin. "You know, father says it's time for you to settle down." Her sister was far from interested in settling down. She found the on going debate between her father and sister amusing. As long as his mind was set on Esterasúle, the longer he left her alone.
"So he keeps saying. I have yet to find anyone to settle with. Everyone is so... dull. It is the same old thing all the time with all of them." Granted, she was pretty routine herself, but she wanted someone that was not set to the standards of what life should be.
"I don't know. You seem pretty dull at times yourself."
Esterasúle gave her sister a look. Mirima was a prankster. She enjoyed conspiring with Elrond's twins on every occasion she could. "Just because I do not play all the time, does not mean I'm dull."
"I do not play all the time!" Mirima put her nose in the air, inching her horse ahead of her sister's.
"If you say so. I am surprised Imladris still stands with you and the twins running around."
"Lord Elrond built it well." She grinned again, inching her horse farther ahead of her sister's.
"Yes, he did. Of course, you are also lucky Sarafea didn't burn you alive when she caught you putting itching salts in her cloak last week."
"She's not that bad." Mirima shrugged. "I hear Erestor's worse."
"If you had gone to more of your studies as a child, you would have met him." Her displeasure of the fact Mirima had skipped out on her lessons was very clear.
"What can I learn in a stuffy old building that I can't out in nature?" She hated being stuck inside unable to go out when she wanted.
"I will give you that," Esterasúle agreed. She enjoyed being outside. She saw no reason lessons could not be taught outside when the weather agreed, but she also so the need for elflings to attend their lessons. "The day Lord Erestor gets his hands on you for a prank is the day you will be sorry, Sister."
"Then I'll just have to make sure he doesn't catch me when I help the twins this afternoon." Her grin nearly split her face.
"Dare I ask what it is you plan? No, never mind." She holds up a hand to ward off any answer. "I have no knowledge of it. I want no part."
"You can be cowardly sometimes."
"I am no coward," she bit back tersely. She would not allow her sister to call her one, either. I just do not wish to worry about your fate." She urged her horse ahead of her sister's, testing a theory.
Mirima noticed her sister's move and picked up her pace slightly, again moving ahead. "Don't worry so much. I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."
"Yes, I know." She was finished with the conversation of her sister's ability to get in and out of trouble. "It is getting cold early this year." She could feel the fall air and it was already laced with a bit of winter wind. Fall was going to be short.
"We still have plenty of summer left," Mirima argued. She inched her horse farther ahead of her sister's yet again. Esterasúle noted this but said nothing of it.
"Summer has passed. Look at the trees. Their green fades." The green looked as vibrant as ever to most, but she could see the very feint traces of the fading into fall. She was in tune to nature around her.
Mirima rolled her eyes. "You worry too much about such things. Worry about tomorrow tomorrow."
"Tomorrow will have a tomorrow, if all is well, so I shall." She looked ahead, eyes on the woods and mountains all around them.
"That is not what I meant and you know it." She again urged her horse farther ahead. "Stop worrying about winter that comes and summer that is here."
"I tell you summer is over." She eyed her sister. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?" She asked innocently. "And summer is not over until the last leaf falls." She was adamant that summer was not ending.
"The last leaf fall just before the beginning of winter. Do you have no fall? And what is you trying to stay a piece ahead of me."
"Well, winter does not begin with the first leaf fading, and I have no idea what you are talking about," she answered, being obstinate.
She sighed deeply. "Very well," Esterasúle said calmly before kicking her horse into a run, leaning close to its body. Mirima laughed and took off after her.
The sisters raced for quite a distance, not paying attention to how far they were going. Esterasúle was determined to stay ahead of her sister. However, when she felt the atmosphere grow cold and thick, she pulled her horse to a stop. Something did not feel right. She looked to the sky where clouds covered the sun. "Rima..." She looked to her sister. They had not planned to go so far and were unarmed, a fact Esterasúle cursed.
Mirima slowed her mount as well, feeling the change in atmosphere. "We should turn back." Her horse, like her sister's, pranced unhappily.
"Go!" Esterasúle called to her sister, spurring her own horse toward home. The horse reared up as Orc came out from all around them. They were surrounded. She cursed her stupidity for having come so far and being unarmed.
Mirima looked to her sister. "Now what?" She could not help but be frightened. Her sister felt the same.
"We try to break through." She patted her horse's neck before charging at some of the Orcs. She downed a couple but could not break through. She looked around frantically for an escape.
Mirima tried as well, making it through. However, she turned when she noticed her sister was not beside her. She charged back toward the Orcs. "No! Go! I'll be behind you!" Her sister cried to her. If she could not get free, she at least wanted her sister to get away.
"Not leaving you." Mirima kicked at the Orc that grabbed her leg. She was not leaving her sister behind.
"You must," she got out before an arrow knocked her from her horse. She struggled to stand, her legs failing her. She felt her blood run cold as she saw the Uruk-hai walk from the woods, sword drawn. He was heading straight for her. She made a pained face as he grabbed the back of her neck and lifted her up. "Run, Mirima!"
"Alone and unarmed... I thought Elves were smarter than that." The Uruk said coldly to Esterasúle before looking to the Orcs. "Grab her as well." He motioned toward Mirima with his free hand.
"No!" Esterasúle kicked at him, fighting to free herself and protect her sister. Mirima, seeing her sister shot, turned her horse as though to escape but instead charged forward once more. She had to reach her sister. The Uruk held Esterasúle with an evil grin. "You must run! You cannot save me!" She pleaded with her sister before going limp in her captor's grasp, not fighting any longer.
"NO!" Mirima screamed, trying harder to reach her sister. She failed to notice the arrow speeding toward her until it landed in her chest, beside her heart. She fell off her horse like a sack of grain, completely limp.
"No!" Esterasúle reached out though she could not get away. She again fell limp not giving her captor the benefit of hearing her sob, but her heart was in shards.
"I said to bring her along, not kill her." The Uruk was irate. "I want the Orc that shot that arrow, now." The Orcs looked at one another, starting to fight over who had done it. Their words turned into brawling, none going to take the blame. "Silence!" They all froze but continued to eye one another. "Which one was it?" They all stepped back from one, who had actually not fired the shot but was the most disliked. He quickly marched over and struck him down.
The entire time he did not let loose his grip on Esterasúle's neck. She had closed her eyes, waiting for her fate. The Uruk surveyed the two bodies. "Leave them to rot. Get back to camp." They all quickly made for camp, not wanting to be the next to die.
He followed them after tying her hands and legs, tossing her over his shoulder. She cringed as her side hits his shoulder. Her blood soaked into her clothes, running onto his armor and skin. However, she makes no sound, praying that Mandos took her sister quick, with no pain.
Soon, they were back to the Orc camp, where he not so gently threw her to the ground. She laid there, not fighting but not making things easy either. A scream escaped her lips as he quickly reached down and ripped the arrow from her body. He then put herbs on her wound, binding it.
The Orc watching wondered why he did not just kill her, why he had wanted them both alive. What was he going to do with her? She, too, was shocked. Her eyes confused as she looked at him. Thoughts of what he may intend that needed her healthy ran through her head.
He grunted down at her then looked at the Orcs. "She is not to be touched. The master has ordered. Anyone who sees fit to disobey that order, will feed his comrades." The Orcs shuffled a bit farther away. None of them were ready to fight him over it, yet. He picked Esterasúle up by the neck once more and took her to his tent. He dropped her inside, upset that he had to protect her until he could get her back to his master for experimentation.
She did not fight, laying on the floor where she landed and making no sound or movement.