Alright, chapter two! Note in advance-it only gets stranger from here. Hopefully, it's a good strange...and rest assured, eventually this bizarre tale will reach more familiar grounds, and romance will replace the sort of expository/suspense of these early chapters.

Enjoy!

The travelers were to be lodged in the empty house a tree over from the chief's, and Blaine led them swiftly over the leveled branch that bridged the two. When she reached the door, however, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Aragorn had placed a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"My lord?" Blaine intoned, turning to face them.

"You do not have to do this," Aragorn said somberly.

"Aye, lass," Gimli seconded. "Tracking down the orcs is far too dangerous a task to undertake lightly—and on our behalf!" Blaine shook her head with an appreciative smile.

"You don't understand," she muttered. "I cannot disobey the chief."

"But even a King cannot command his subjects so absolutely!" Gimli protested. Blaine opened her mouth to respond, but the elf, whose gaze had been trained all too sharply on her over the duration of the walk, beat her to it.

"But you aren't a subject." It wasn't spoken as a question. Blaine shook her head. She would have left it at that, but Aragorn was staring her down so fiercely that she sighed, opened their door and followed them in.

"Listen, and listen well, for this information is known to few," she began seriously. "The chief owns me. I am, for lack of a better word, a possession he would rather give away. Unfortunately, I am too useful to dispose of." For a moment, the room was silent, and Blaine could have laughed at the looks of disgust on Gimli and Aragorn's faces. Legolas, of course, was still apparently trying to see straight through her with his elven eyes.

"How could such a thing have happened?" Gimli breathed at last. "Slavery was banned from these lands eons ago!" Blaine shrugged.

"I was a gift from my father many centuries ago," she said by way of explanation. "And have since passed from chief to chief with each new generation—a coming of age gift, if you will. I am bound to the line for an eternity…unless…" she trailed off. Blaine's heart was pounding; this was the closest she had ever come to revealing her situation, and now that she had begun, it was harder than she could have imagined to stop the flow of information.

"Unless?" Aragorn pressed. Blaine had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from continuing.

"The sun is near to setting," she said by way of ending the conversation. "I must go now, or I will not make it back before morning." With that, she bowed and exited the room, only to collapse back against the door outside, breathing heavily.

"What a thing to witness!" she heard Gimli's voice from within.

"And there's clearly more to it," the elf's voice was hard with suspicion.

"To be passed down for centuries…she has the lifeline of an elf! Legolas—"

"She's not an elf, Gimli," Legolas cut him off peevishly. "I would have sensed it. But she isn't human, either…"

"And what did the soothsayer keep calling her? Leath anam?" Blaine's face flushed to hear Aragorn repeat her scorned nickname, and she pushed off the door. She had heard enough, and it was high time she made her departure. In the red-orange glow of sunset, Blaire climbed to the lookout tower—a small, spike of a branch protruding above the tree line, with platforms both below and above the canopy. She climbed deftly until she broke through the leaves into the open sky.

"Liam!" she called cheerfully to the guard on duty. A tanned face framed by scruffy copper hair peaked over the platform edge and lit with a smile. Blaine returned it easily—Liam was her best and only friend in the village. The boy had dared to speak to her years ago, when he was just a child, and Blaine had taken to him almost immediately.

"Hey, hawklet!" he said, using his old nickname for her. "Aren't you supposed to be on patrol?" Blaine shrugged, took a seat beside him on the platform.

"I've been given a priority assignment."

"So you're using my station as a launch pad, again," Liam frowned at her. Blaine laughed and shrugged, though the words caused her heart to jump with worry. Not a month ago, Liam had convinced her to try to escape from the platform, and they had been lucky not to get caught. "So what is it this time? Did he tell you to circle the world or something?" Liam didn't bother to disguise his contempt for Blaine's treatment. He had always resented the chief on Blaine's behalf, and up above the canopy, he felt he could be as blunt as he wanted.

"Not yet," Blaine chuckled before growing serious. "He told me to track down a group of Orcs for some travelers he's taken a liking to." Liam instantly whipped around to face her, alarmed.

"But Blaine, if you're seen…it's like a suicide mission!"

"Chief's prerogative," Blaine shrugged wryly. A silence passed between them before Liam reached over and grasped her hand.

"Blaine, you have to get out of here."

"What, and leave you behind, leaf breath? Don't be silly, Liam." Blaine tried to joke, though her heart was pounding at the memory of their last attempt. Unfortunately, Liam's face was utterly serious.

"You and I both know I'm not what's keeping you here." He paused before the light of an idea shone in his eyes. Blaine braced herself. "Ask these travelers!"

"Liam," Blaine groaned. She'd expected this. "Let's not do this again—didn't you learn anything from last time?"

"But with people from the outside everything changes! If they make a claim, the chief is bound to-"

"Liam!" Blaine snapped. The youth sat back, disappointed. Blaine pushed herself to her feet, suddenly very guilty for snapping. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Just don't get my hopes up, okay?" she met Liam's gaze a moment before smiling and ruffling his hair. "Alright—I'm off. I'll be back around dawn." Liam didn't bother questioning her surety; no matter her distance or obstacle, Blaine had always seemed to time herself perfectly.

Within moments Blaine shifted and took off. She didn't have to glance behind her to know that Liam had sprung to his feet.

"I'll get you out of here, Blaine!" he shouted sincerely. Blaine rolled her hawk eyes and continued flying. The idealism of youth…

ڿ

Half the night had passed since Blaine had taken off, and Liam had waited anxiously for her return until his shift was relieved.

"Watch for the hawk," he told his replacement, in the surly tone he had perfected when speaking of Blaine. He hated the act…but it was expected of him. Anyway, Blaine would never speak to him again if she thought he was getting himself into trouble...she was already furious about their recent escape attempt. Liam smiled at the memory. He'd convinced her to try shifting into her demi form—a human girl with wings, feathers and far more power than her other forms—and simply fly away. It had been a good plan, but ended in disaster. Having barely managed to grow her wings, they gave out on her mid-take off, and Blaine had all but fallen straight through the soothsayer's roof. At the last minute she'd spun off into the forest, but she hadn't spoken to Liam for three days. When she did, she forced him to promise not to bring up her escape again.

Liam sighed—she should have known he would never keep such a promise. He understood that she was worried for him; if Breag discovered his friendship with the hawk, she would declare him corrupted, and he would face exile—even execution. All the more reason to do this while she's away, he thought with a sharp, determined inhale. He started toward the lodging reserved for visitors…when they got them. If anyone could save Blaine, it had to be these travelers she spoke of.

Liam had long forgotten when his fascination with the hawk had transcended into something more. One day he simply noticed a constant desire to run his hands through her midnight hair, feel the feathers at her nape and trace the silken lines of her face. Above all, he wanted to see the glow of her smile and hear the music of her laugh. And it pained him to see her broken by the chief and his witch, as deeply as any flesh wound. Liam had told himself years ago that he would do whatever it took to free her from that bondage.

He rapped on the traveler's door with a self-amused, hopeless smile. I've fallen harder than is probably good for me, he thought. I just hope I love her enough to lose her…

A tall man with dark hair and the grizzled beginnings of a beard came to the door. Liam smiled up at him, for the man stood half a head taller than him, and offered a little half bow.

"Might I come in?" he asked politely. The man returned his smile, stepped to the side and held the door.

"By all means." Liam nodded his thanks and stepped into the warmly lit room. Inside he found a dwarf sitting at the table, all burly muscle and wild, red beard, while an elf leaned elegantly against the far window. Liam had never seen an elf before, and suddenly he understood why his elders had long called him elf-like, for he shared their light, lithe build. Though of course, he had seen no other with hair quite like this one's flowing, moonlight tresses.

"I hope I'm not intruding," Liam began apologetically as the man circled around to face him. "I come on behalf of Blaine—the girl who brought you here." He watched recognition dawn on the traveler's faces. "I'm Liam, son of Lief."

"Aragorn, son of Arathorn," the man replied with a nod. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and the elf, Legolas." Liam nodded to each of them in turn, suddenly nervous in the face of these warriors (for any fool could see they were not mere travelers.) "Now, what of this girl, Blaine?"

"I'm not sure how much you know of Blaine's situation," Liam began carefully, "but Blaine is not a free member of this village."

"We know, lad," Gimli nodded somberly. "The lass told us herself." Liam smiled shakily.

"That makes this easier, then. Blaine herself would never ask this of you, so I implore you on her behalf: you must take her away from here!" Liam had not intended for his request to come tumbling out in quite that manner, and once it had he found himself in an utter panic. Oh, to have phrased it with more tact! But it was too late, and all the poor boy could do was watch the mingled surprise, confusion and hesitation on the companions' faces as he waited for an answer.

"Forgive us, but we don't even understand what that would entail," Aragorn said at last. "Blaine told us very little—simply that she is bound to the chief's line. We know nothing of the reasons or practice."

"Oh…" Liam breathed. He thought his heart was going to explode he was so nervous. "Then, um…do you mind if I sit down?" he gestured to the table. He feared that if he remained standing, his trembling knees would give out. Gimli smiled in answer, and pushed a chair toward him, into which Liam sank gratefully.

"So, why don't you start at the beginning?" Liam was caught off guard by Legolas' sudden question. He caught himself scrutinizing the elf, who'd remained silent until his strangely eager question.

"Well, I suppose by now you've heard how the chief and his soothsayer address Blaine," Liam began simply. Aragorn nodded.

"Leath anam…what does that mean?"

"It's a crude term, from the ancient language of the tree people. It translates to half soul—an insulting word for a skin walker." Liam explained bitterly before jumping at a sharp inhale behind him. He turned to see the elf sitting rigidly, face a mask of elation and fury.

"I knew it…" he muttered and abruptly stood to stride over to Aragorn. Liam could not discern the angry words Legolas whispered to his human companion, but Aragorn's resulting frown gave Liam an idea.

"I am going to listen to this young man's request," Aragorn told Legolas calmly. The elf took a step back, stiffly nodded his head before turning on his heel and leaving the room. The door slammed behind him, and Liam found himself staring at it with wide eyes. "Liam, please continue," Aragorn intoned wearily. Liam nodded.

"As I was saying, Blaine is a skin walker—a hawk. Black as midnight…" Liam smiled to himself. "We don't remember exactly where she came from—it's been too many generations—but the chief claims she is the last, given to the tree people by her own father centuries ago. The legend is, he was a skin walker himself, and gave Blaine away because her mother was a human woman."

"I've heard that skin walkers used to populate the Grey wood," Gimli murmured thoughtfully, turned to Aragorn. "When the early settlers of Doriath came, there was much interbreeding. Apparently, none of the hybrid children survived." Gimli looked to Liam with dawning understanding, and Liam shrugged.

"Blaine's father must have thought she was going to die, so he brought her to the tree people. Back then, our soothsayers were legendary, even crossing into wizardry at times! So he struck a deal with the soothsayer Firinne. She would save Blaine's life, but the cost was steep. For the magic to stick, Blaine would be bound to a human life—the chief's."

"Was one lifetime not enough?" Aragorn interrupted, alluding to Blaine's continuing predicament. Liam's face darkened, and he shook his head.

"That's not it. Firinne was clever—she was later called Cleassin the Black, a mage known for deception. She tricked Blaine's father, and bound her to the chief's bloodline, so that even once the magic had been ingrained into Blaine, she could not escape the tree people."

"A skin walker is a valuable asset," Aragorn mumbled to himself. Liam nodded.

"And the tree people are very superstitious—they think Blaine is some kind of demonic presence, hense her nickname, and that her capture will bring good fortunte."

"No doubt the superstition was fed to the by your soothsayers. I have heard of Cleassin the Black, though the tales were neither clear nor pleasant. This sounds like one of her dealings." Aragorn affirmed.

"The current chief's soothsayer, Breag, is her descendant. She's the key to Blaine's imprisonment." Liam said, finally having circled around to his true purpose. Anxiously he glanced to the window, noticing the first glimmers of gray light the sky. Blaine would return soon…

"So then, laddie," Gimli leaned forward across the table. "What is it you'd like us to do for young Blaine?" Liam swallowed. He looked into the earnest faces of Aragorn and Gimli, and suddenly dreaded asking them to risk so much. But he hardened his resolve. For Blaine.

"First know that I would not ask this of you if there were any other way," he prefaced, then launched into his plan.

Hope it was decent, and you're starting to understand some of Blaine's predicament. I made a lot of decisions sort of late in the story, and tried to go back and put everything in the right order, but if something's confusing let me know!

Till next time,

Downs.