Characters in Chapter-
(As for the pronunciations I'm not sure, but that's how I imagine they're pronounced)
King Elessar Estel (Aragorn)
Queen Arwen Undomiel
Prince Eldarion(El-dar-ion
Princess Seremela(Sere-me-la
Princess Arien(Ar-E-N
Royal Guards
Maeglin(May-glin)
Saira(Sae-rah)
Enelya(N-ae-lee-ah)
Nessa(Ne-essa
Orel(Or-eel)
Me: Hey people, I have returned from the horrors of Writer's Block. receives blank look I took everything down and I'm starting again.
Dragon Thing: Basically she's trying to de-Mary Sue all her stories.
Me: This is Drake, my muse; the only thing left of my earlier writing career.
Drake: I am the Amazingly Powerful Dragon Muse, I am not a thing!
Me: Whatever. stage whisper He's slightly delusional.
Drake: Dirty look I heard that, Lady ShadowDemoness413.
Me: I'm I supposed to care, Drake? Now, as is your job, read the disclaimer.
Drake: Yeah, yeah, yeah... Lady ShadowDemoness413 holds claim over everything you read. She also says that J.R.R. Tolkien stole her idea-
Me: throws soda bottle at his head You fool! That is not what I wrote you stupid dragon! Not to mention I am not old enough to know the genius J.R.R. Tolkien, nor do I claim to own anything that he has ever invented. Try again, correctly this time!
Drake: pouts Yes Lady... The Lady ShadowDemoness413 does not claim to own the story line or characters of Lord of the Rings. She does own a copy of the series, all three movies, and a Legolas poster.
Me: Much better.
Drake: Thank you.
Me: But don't think you're off the hook about that little prank.
Drake: Crap. Me: Another note, I haven't read the books in awhile, so I'm not sure of all the facts concerning Minas Tirith; I'm pretty much combining my imagination, the movie, and what I remember from the books. Oh yeah, and seeing how this takes place about eighteen years after the end of ROTK let's just agree that a lot has changed, OK? OK. I hope you enjoy the story.
Chapter One
"They think they're so much better than us." She sneered. "If they didn't have their people they would be nothing."
Her friend Nessa rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Saira; it's a well known fact that King Elessar loves his people."
"Yes, but Queen Arwen holds his heart. She is half-elf, how could she care about the people of Gondor when she has lived all her life with the elves? I tell you, she will poison the King's mind until he cares for us even less." Saira said, leaning against the chimney.
"You are such a paranoid pessimist, Saira!" Enelya said, rolling her eyes. The leader of Saira's guard, she lounged in the soft thatching of the roof.
"For once Enelya is right." Maeglin, one of Saira's best, and one of her bodyguards. Enelya glared at Maeglin, they were always at each other's throats; however there was a bid on how long it would take for them to get married. Saira rolled her eyes as her other friends Orel and Uruviel nodded; she then turned back to watch the proceedings.
King Elessar and Queen Arwen lead the procession, followed by their children. Princess Seremela rode sidesaddle behind her mother's horse, and Prince Eldarion rode behind his father. They were surrounded on both sides and behind by the royal guard. The prince was scanning the crowd and area with a soldier's caution, and as Saira and her bodyguards stood to leave, he caught sight of them and watched until they disappeared in the crowd.
"Father, may I have a word with you please?" Eldarion requested as he stood in the doorway of the King's chambers.
"Of course Elda, you know you are always welcome here." Elessar said, sitting on his bed playing with his youngest daughter, Princess Arien. Eldarion gave his father a look of long suffering at mention of his old nickname.
"Father, today while we were out in the city I saw a group of girls." At Elessar's blank look he elaborated. "One of them looked almost identical to the description of the female thieving band's leader." The King looked up at him in surprise.
"Are you sure? We heard that she was killed in an accident while off hunting two years ago." The king stood up from where he had been seated on the bed and began pacing.
"I am certain it was her, father; I recognized her." Eldarion insisted. Arien began to fuss and her father picked her up and continued pacing.
"I must inform the city guard of this." Elessar said. The king thrust the young princess into her brother's arms and walked away. Eldarion shook his head and began walking back and forth in attempt to sooth his shrieking sister.
"Eldarion?" A sweet voice asked. Queen Arwen walked into the room.
"Mother!" Eldarion exclaimed; he looked down at his noisy sibling, and back up at Arwen with a look of complete panic on his face. The queen laughed before taking her daughter from Eldarion; immediately Arien calmed down at a few soothing words from Arwen and fell asleep. The queen smiled at the look of relief on her son's face, and placed Arien on the bed before going to embrace Eldarion.
"I love you, my son." Arwen said, she pulled back and kissed his cheek; Eldarion smiled at her fondly.
"And I you, Mother."
"Now go and play, I'm sure you have better things to do than sit around in this stuffy old room with an old woman and a baby." Eldarion shook his head, a protest forming on his lips. "I am an old woman, compared to everyone here in this city; by several thousand years. You know this; now go play and have fun with your friends." Eldarion nodded and bent slightly to kiss his mother's cheek before turning to leave. Once out of the room he ran for the closest door and headed for the stables; a ride out on the surrounding area would do him good.
It was nearly dark and Saira was still steaming about the royal family long after they'd finished roaming the city and causing trouble.
v
"Oh calm down Saira." Nessa said as the group headed for the local tavern. "It'll be fine." Saira rolled her eyes.
"I'm sure it will." She was quiet for a long while and didn't speak again until they reached the tavern door. It read in fresh, black and red paint 'The Scarlet Dragon' and in the half dark the dragon wrapped around the edge of the sign looked particularly sinister.
"What was the total catch today, has it been reported to you yet?" Saira asked Uruviel as they entered the tavern; the girl nodded.
"Yes, our total pull today was about four hundred gold coins, sixty-eight silver, and 92 copper bits." Saira nodded in satisfaction; that was a good sum, not their best, but nothing bad either.
"Unfortunately a rumor has spread that you are not dead as the former rumor said. You will have to exercise extreme caution now that the city guard is on the lookout." Orel said. Saira growled quietly before turning to look at her companions.
"Who started this rumor? Was it one of ours?" She asked as they made their way to the cellar.
"No, I overheard a guard complaining that every time Prince Eldarion sees something they get extra duty." Saira jumped slightly in surprise at the news as she led her group down the stairs and into the cellar. She went to the secret entrance of the hidden doorway and pushed the catch to open it.
"He saw us this afternoon?" She asked Maeglin.
"He must have." He responded. "There is no other explanation." Saira nodded and sighed.
"I suppose I will have to wear a disguise when I go out into the market now." Maeglin nodded the affirmative.
"Yes, it will be much safer for you, and make my job much easier." Her bodyguard replied.
Nessa, Orel, and Uruviel looked at her suspiciously at her easy acceptance. They all agreed that she was up to something; something foolish no doubt, knowing her they would have to follow their fearless leader to keep her from getting arrested.
Just then there was a muffled curse as something crashed above them on the stairs. They turned and ran back up the stairs in hopes of catching the spy, but when they got to the top all they found were footprints that disappeared once they got to the top of the stairs that led into the tavern. They all cursed angrily, for all they knew, a paid spy could be leading soldiers into the very stronghold.
Saira turned abruptly and went back to the hidden door; she followed the steps within until she got to her underground city. "Everyone is to meet me in ten minutes for an emergency meeting in the dining hall. Spread the word." The people fanned out to share the news as Saira prepared herself for being the 'bearer of bad news'.
There it is folks,
I hope you enjoyed that first chapter. The second will come soon, most likely by Saturday if not sooner crosses fingers. Next chapter you find out just who Saira is, who was spying, and what said person is going to do.
Preview:
"Hold it right there!" The masked figure said in a disguised voice as he came up behind Prince Eldarion; he suddenly wrapped an arm around the prince's shoulders and held a long dagger to the young man's throat. "Everyone back away now or your precious prince won't live to rule the city!"
Now be ever so nice and review so I know ppl are reading it!
Ja ne!