Disclaimer: I will never own LotR, fyi…
A/N: Okay, ppl…this is the weekend! The WEEKEND! Hurraaaah! I FINALLY have time to write! This is my new story, entitled, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Story of a Girl'. I realized that a lot of you will not like this story because there's no Gollum and no hobbits and ya know what? I accept that. I'm not Tolkien! I can't please everybody! Sigh…I AM a Tolkien-wanna-be tho….. lol.
Chapter One: Glimpses of the Past
Autumn awoke suddenly to a haunting darkness in her small room. The scream that had awoken her still lingered in the air. With a dreading curiosity, she slipped quietly out of her crude bed and walked softly, cautiously to the splintery door which encaged her. She stepped out of the room into more darkness. As her eyes adjusted to the cruel darkness, they raked every inch of her family's cabin…something gleamed from the light of a tiny ray of moonlight.
She drew closer to it, fear growing inside her with every step that she took. 'Please…no…' she breathed. A cold breeze blew through the glassless windows.
Her eyes became fully adjusted…a puddle of blood sat on the floor, seeping into the wood of the cabin floor. Next to the puddle was an even more gruesome sight: a body…with a knife thrust into the heart…with slashes and bruises…blood still creeping from it. As the moon peeked out from behind the dark clouds, a lone ray illuminated the face of the body.
It was her mother.
Just then, a dark shadow appeared on the wall. Autumn spun around, her eyes wild with fear. A man entered slowly, a knife held threateningly by his side. 'You!' Autumn spat. 'You killed her!'
The man backhanded her across her pale face. 'Watch yer mouth,' her father snarled, his voice slurred from drunkenness.
The backhand he had given caused him to lose his balance. He stumbled on the uneven floor and fell towards his daughter, the knife sticking straight out…positioned to kill.
Autumn screamed.
Autumn screamed.
She bolted straight up in her bed, her heart pounding. That dream again…that nightmare…that reoccurring horror. She tried to calm herself and regulate her breathing. Every night, she relived her macabre past. It was always the same…. She clutched at her stomach…at the scar that had never faded…that never would.
After finally managing to convince herself that her past was over, she slid out of bed and walked to her dresser, where she picked out a dress to wear that day.
Autumn was a beautiful elf, her curly hair long and golden, tumbling gracefully over her shoulders and down to her waist. She was of medium height and very slender. Her once deathly pale skin was now lightly tanned, and was accented by her pouty, light crimson lips. Her intelligent hazel-blue eyes were framed by long, thick, light brown eyelashes. She was young for an elf, only one hundred and twenty years old.
Autumn stood by her vanity mirror, dress in a velvety emerald gown and sighed as she picked up a brush and began to run it through her hair. Tomorrow a council was being held in Rivendell to decide what to do with the One Ring…. Autumn bit her lip as she remembered the day it entered her life…
'Daddy!' a little girl of three years cried. 'Da water's towld!' Autumn stomped her little feet and hugged herself for warmth. It was a mid-July weekend and her family was picnicking along the Anduin River. The sky was blessedly clear and the air was pleasantly hot. Autumn's mother sat on a blanket on the shore of the river in the shade while her husband played with their daughter in the water.
Autumn's father, Enialis, grinned. 'It's alright, darling,' he assured her. 'It will get warmer. Come on.' He beckoned her to come closer with a wave of his hand.
'Darling, it may be too cold for her!' Miriel called anxiously.
Enialis looked up at his beautiful wife and grinned. 'Don't worry, Miri,' he called back. 'She will be fine.'
Miriel bit her lip, but nodded. She trusted her husband with her own life. He would never do anything that was not in the best interest of their child.
Autumn hesitatingly stepped further into the river. She set her foot down on a mossy rock, and with a yelp, she slipped and went under.
Miriel screamed, but her husband reached quickly into the water and pulled his daughter out. Far from crying, the little girl was giggling uncontrollably. 'Dat wuth fun!' she told her father.
Enialis smiled in relief and set her down. As he did this, something glistened beneath the surface of the water, catching his eye. He reached down into the three feet of pure water and picked up the shining object. The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt a strange, powerful sensation within him. It was as if the power to control the world had just entered him. His fingers uncurled to reveal a simple golden ring.
Autumn gasped. 'Oooooh!' she exclaimed. 'Pitty!'
His daughter's voice brought him back to reality. He started and his fingers automatically closed around the ring.
Autumn immediately began to whine. 'I wannit, Daddy!' she whimpered. She stretched her arms up to his hand, trying to get the 'pitty' object.
Enialis gently pushed her arms down and slipped the ring into his pocket. 'Not now, darling,' he told her softly. 'You wouldn't want it to get dropped in the water and lost, would you?'
Autumn stuck out her lower lip. 'No…' she said reluctantly.
'Then you may look at it when we get home, alright, darling?'
Autumn cheered up and nodded. 'Awight!'
Enialis smiled and took his daughter's hand and led her out of the water to the blanket where Miriel sat. Autumn ran to her mother with her arms outstretched. Enialis stopped her just before she dripped water all over her mother. He wrapped a large blanket around her and then set her in Miriel's lap. Autumn giggled as her mother wrapped her arms around her and kissed her daughter gently on the forehead. Her mother stroked her wet hair, running her fingers through it to untangle it. Autumn's eyes fluttered shut, persuaded by the gentle caressing of her mothers hands. Very soon she fell asleep, but not before she saw her father fingering something in his pocket…
Autumn's parents had been two beautiful people. Her mother Miriel was an elf; she was tall and thin, with curly, long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her father, Enialis, however, was a mortal. He had a sort of ruggedness about him, with his shoulder length brown hair and steely grey eyes. He, too, was tall and thin, and very muscular.
Autumn sighed. It had all been so beautiful…
Nothing changed about Enialis for about four years. Then, one day…
Autumn shrieked with glee as she splashed into the water. It was noon-time, a week after her seventh birthday. She was in the woods with her group of best friends by the large pond and they were swinging from a weeping willow branch into the water. As Autumn climbed out, dripping wet and giggling, her best friend Airethôn looked worriedly at her. 'Autumn,' she said slowly, 'it's getting dark out. I think it's going to storm.'
Autumn looked up at the sky through the tree branches and nodded. 'You're right,' she said. 'Let's go.'
'Namarië!' Autumn and Airethôn called to their friends.
'Namarië,' they called back, waving.
As Autumn and Airethôn began their journey home, the forest drew darker and the air grew moist. Suddenly, lighting flashed; thunder crashed; the clouds burst open and let loose torrential rains. The girls began to run until they reached Airethôn's home. Autumn hugged her good-bye and continued on to her own home. As she ran, mud splashed up and splattered on her pure white dress, soiling it beyond restoration. When she finally reached her family's cabin, she yanked open the front door and yelled, 'Mother!'
'I'm in the kitchen, darling!' Miriel called back.
Autumn ran to the kitchen. Miriel was standing at the large woodstove, cooking dinner. 'Mother, my dress…' Autumn cried. 'It's ruined!' She shivered from the cold and began to cry. 'And I'm wet and cold and dirty!'
Miriel gasped. 'Oh, darling!' she exclaimed. 'What happened? You're soaked!'
Autumn bit her lip to stop herself from crying. 'I was out with my friends and Airethôn and it started to storm and I ran home and my dress got dirty and I'm cooooold!' she whined, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.
'Shhh…' Miriel cooed to her young daughter, and took her hand. 'Let's get you into something dry, alright?' She wiped away tears from her daughter's cheek with her thumb.
Autumn sniffled, and nodded. She followed her mother into her own room and waited while Miriel got out a dry dress. Autumn's room was not very big, but it was of moderate size. In the far corner, an oak bed was covered by a light green coverlet and matching fluffy green pillows. An oak dresser rested along the wall, complete with a vanity mirror. In the corner opposite the bed, a small oak desk and chair sat, where Autumn did her studies. All around the border of the room, Enialis had strung long strings of ivy leaves. 'Mama, I'm sorry,' Autumn said softly as her mother pulled out a dress and turned to Autumn.
Miriel looked mildly shocked. 'Why are you sorry?'
'I ruined my dress…' Autumn said, a few more tears escaping her eyes.
'Oh, darling, don't be sorry,' Miriel said. 'It wasn't your fault.' She kissed Autumn's forehead and helped her change into a dry, light blue dress. Once again wiping away her daughter's tears, Miriel took a brush and began to brush out Autumn's dripping hair. She took a towel from inside the dresser and squeezed the ends of Autumn's hair with it to soak up the excess water. 'There,' Miriel said. 'You're all better now.' She grinned.
Autumn returned a weak smile. Her mother stood up and took her hand. 'Let's get some dinner, shall we?'
At this, Autumn grinned. 'Alright,' she said happily.
Miriel laughed.
Autumn followed her mother into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She leaned forward, resting one elbow on the table, and her chin in her hand. 'Mama, what are you making?'
'Potato soup.'
'Really!'
'Mmmm-hmmm.'
'Yay!' Autumn exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. Potato soup was her favorite. 'When are they gonna be doooone?'
Miriel tucked a wisp of her hair behind her ear. 'In about twenty minutes,' she answered.
Autumn giggled excitedly. They couldn't get potatoes very often because they lived in an isolated area and had to ride ten miles into town and buy them from one of the farmers. The potatoes were also very expensive, and Autumn's family could rarely afford them. But when they could, it was a treat.
The Vetilwen family was generally classified as 'poor'. They spent all they could on necessities, and the small portion left over went towards their daughter.
One would expect that because of Miriel's rather noble ancestry, they would be very rich. But Miriel's parents had disowned her because of her decision to marry an inferior—a poor mortal. All the family's riches had gone to her sister, who also resented Miriel for her choice, and had made no effort to keep in touch with her or help her out financially in any way.
Despite this, however, they were getting along fairly well by themselves, with only occasional fights over their budget. But the fights always ended with a gentle kiss and an 'I'm sorry' from both of them.
While Autumn was humming happily and drumming her fingers on the table, the door swung open. Both she and her mother started, but then relaxed when they saw it was just Enialis.
'Welcome home, darling,' Miriel said tentatively; Enialis did look rather frightening soaked with water and mud, his hair darkened by the rain and plastered to his face.
Enialis grunted in response. 'Is dinner ready?' he asked.
Miriel looked slightly shocked by his lack of affection. 'Y-yes,' she said gently. 'In about fifteen minutes…'
'Hi, Daddy,' Autumn said. She, too, was a bit surprised.
Enialis grunted again. Without another sound, he disappeared into his bedroom, apparently to change. About five minutes, later, they heard a shuffling, and then an outraged cry. 'Miriel!' he yelled.
Miriel frowned. 'Yes?' she responded.
'Come in here!'
'Darling, I can't leave the stove…'
'Come in here, I said!'
Miriel sighed. 'Autumn, darling, would you watch this for me?' she asked. 'Just make sure it doesn't burn.'
Autumn nodded, and dragged a chair over to the stove, climbed up on it, and stared dutifully at the stove.
Miriel took off her apron and tied it around her daughter's neck.
'Miriel, NOW!'
'I'm coming!' she called, then grumbled a bit under her breath. She disappeared into the back room.
Though watching the stove, Autumn listened carefully to the conversation.
'What is this?'
'Oh,' Miriel said, 'Autumn got caught in the storm.'
'Do you know how much this cost?'
'I know…It's alright, I can wash it…'
'You bloody well can't. It's ruined! Autumn, get in here!'
'Darling, she's watching the stove.'
'Get out there and watch it yourself. Send her in.'
Miriel came striding out of the bedroom. She looked distressed and a little upset. 'Darling, your father wants you,' she told Autumn, who hopped off the stool and hurried to her father.
He had changed, but his mood and expression hadn't. He was wearing a frown and holding up the soiled dress. 'What happened?' he demanded.
'I—I was out at the pond with my friends and it started to storm. I ran home and it got dirty…' Autumn explained.
'So you were wearing a white—and very expensive—dress to go swimming, is that it? And then you ran in the mud?'
Autumn bit her lip and nodded. 'I'm sorry, I wasn't think—' Her apology was cut of by a sharp slap. She gave a muffled cry, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She heard her mother gasp sharply from the kitchen.
'YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE THIS WAS! YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE WORN IT OUT TO PLAY IN THE FIRST PLACE!' Enialis shouted, slapping her again.
'I-I'm s-s-sorry!' Autumn wailed, now crying freely.
'Get out in the kitchen and help your mother!'
Autumn sniffled and turned to leave.
'Hey!' her father shouted, grabbing her chin, turning her face to him, and slapping her again. 'You will say 'yes, Father' or 'yes, sir'!'
'Yes, sir,' Autumn whispered. She was scared—more scared than she'd ever been in her life.
'Now get!'
'Yes, sir,' Autumn said again, and ran to her mother, crying.
Enialis game crashing out of the room. 'When is that dinner going to be done?'
'A-a few minutes,' Miriel answered shakily, rubbing her daughter's back with one hand, and stirring the soup with the other.
'What are you making?'
'Potato soup.'
Enialis swore violently. Both Miriel and Autumn winced at the sound. 'How many times do I have to tell you, Miriel, that you are not to buy potatoes!' He threw his hands up in rage. 'We've been over this a thousand times! We can't afford it!' He yanked open a cupboard and drew out a mug. He walked over to a keg in the corner and filled it up with a foaming fluid. He drained it in one swig, then filled it again.
'What I don't think we'll be able to afford is all your beer,' Miriel shot back coldly, letting Autumn step back up on the chair.
Enialis threw down his mug, striding over to his wife. He backhanded her across her beautiful face, leaving a thin scratch. Miriel choked out a cry, and Autumn sobbed. She had been standing on the chair, stirring the soup. 'NEVER SPEAK THAT WAY TO ME AGAIN!' he screamed, striking her again.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were supposed to kiss. They were supposed to say 'I'm sorry'. This wasn't right. Enialis had never struck his wife before.
Autumn flinched horribly, upsetting the large pot. It spilled its boiling contents on her. She screamed, but received no sympathy.
Enialis swore again. 'You stupid girl!' he shouted. 'All that money on potatoes and you waste it!' He slapped her repeatedly…
Autumn bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her hands erupted with pain. She hadn't realized it, but she had been clenching her fists extremely tightly for the past five minutes; there were deep fingernail imprints. Don't think about it, she told herself severely. You can't change what happened.
She sighed, and brushed away a tear from her eye. She studied herself in the mirror. The golden ring that hung around her slender neck seemed to glare at her maliciously.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. 'Come in!' Autumn called, checking in the mirror to make sure there were no tears on her cheeks.
A young girl no older than seventeen entered. She was tall, thin, and very pretty. She had brown hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a simple white gown. 'M'lady, they are ready to leave,' the girl said, bowing her head respectfully.
'Thank you, Sisel,' Autumn said softly to her handmaiden.
Sisel bowed again and left the room.
Autumn took the rest of her dresses out of her dresser, folded them, and placed them in a leather bag. She also packed her brush, and the other couple things she had in her dresser, including a silver bracelet with the words, 'Im bell' etched onto the back, in the common tongue meaning 'I am strong'. Her mother had given it to her when she was very little. And her mother had given it to her when she was young—before she married Enialis. The bracelet was one of the only things that had helped Autumn through her life—the maelstrom of Hell.
Autumn looked one last time around the room with distaste. She felt no connection to it; it had never really been hers. She hadn't felt she had a home since she was seven—a long time ago. No, that's not true, Autumn thought. You had a real home—with him. It wasn't always that way. It was different…then.
With one last sigh, Autumn left the room, closing the door behind her. It was as if she was being released from prison after ten years. She walked along the pathway, looking around at the tall trees and dark, mournful buildings. 'M'lady?' a male voice said from behind her.
Autumn started, then turned. 'Haled,' she smiled, recognizing her childhood friend. He had long, light brown hair and kind brown eyes. He was standing next to his horse, Úachas, a male chestnut.
'We should leave now,' Haled said, with a worried glance at the sky. 'It's nearly mid-day. If we want to get there before dark, we should have left an hour ago.'
'You're right,' Autumn said, 'I'm sorry.'
'No harm,' Haled said gently, taking Autumn's burden and throwing it around his horse's neck. 'Aned is waiting with your horse,' he informed her, taking the reins and leading Autumn over to the man called Aned—another childhood friend.
Autumn smiled when she reached her horse. 'Suilannad, Toss (Greetings, Maple),' she whispered, stroking her nose gently. She mounted gracefully.
'Ready?' she asked her companions.
They nodded.
Autumn gently nudged Maple to go, and they set off for Rivendell, an Elvish village about 15 miles away. As the June air whipped past her face, Autumn felt a sense of release, as she always did when she went riding. It was like another world; no thoughts, no worries, no problems…just the wind.
They rode far into the night, arriving in Rivendell at nearly midnight. They were met by a horse-master, who led their horses to the stable to be cared for, and a humble-looking elf who led them to their sleeping quarters. Autumn swung her bag over her shoulder and followed the elf. 'Excuse me,' she said tentatively. 'I was supposed to inform Lord Elrond when I arrived.'
The elf turned to her and smiled kindly. 'You may inform him tomorrow,' he said politely. 'For now, you need your rest.'
He turned around again, and continued walking.
Autumn busied herself with becoming aware of her new surroundings. Magnificent, open buildings were settled comfortably in the deep valley; waterfalls were plentiful and glorious. The flowers were in full bloom, like the deciduous trees. It was amazingly unlike the ghost-town she had left; she'd lived there so long, it was almost as if she'd forgotten anything else existed.
At last, they came to what was apparently their sleeping quarters. 'The lady's room is the farthest on the left,' he said, pointing down a long hall. 'And your rooms are the farthest on the right.'
'Thank you,' Haled said.
The elf nodded, then departed.
'Come,' Haled said to Autumn and Aned. They walked silently down the hall, and went into their respective rooms.
Autumn's room (as far as she could tell in the dark) was very large. There was a canopy bed, a vanity mirror, a dresser, a desk, and a bedside table. Flowing white silk embroidered with tiny green ivy leaves hung gracefully on the canopy and was spread over the mattress. There was a long string of ivy bordering the room, draping over the vanity, and winding around the bed-posts.
Autumn set her bag down next to the dresser and began to unpack. She put everything away except for a long white nightgown, which she promptly changed into. She brushed out her hair, then climbed into the soft, warm bed.
Praying not to be haunted by another nightmare, she let sleep overtake her. Her eyelashes fluttered shut, and she entered a deep, dreamless sleep.
Well, there you have the first chapter. Sorry if there are mistakes…it's 1:00 a.m….yeah, and I studied all day. Five more exams to go! Well, three, technically….Language of Music really doesn't have an exam, just a performance, and we don't have a gym exam, so s'all good. Lol. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to write the next installment over Christmas break!
Merry Christmas!
LilyClairePotter
p.s. the horse's name, Úachas, means 'without fear' in Elvish. Also, Sisel means 'sweet' in Yiddish.