Chapter 5: An Unplanned Meeting and a Weird Dream
The stables were the last place that Tamuril wanted to be, but nonetheless it was where she found herself. So many days she had spent here, but now she felt she should leave. But where would she go? She felt different than she had felt this morning. She didn't know why. Maybe it was something that she ate. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn't eaten! Whatever it was, it made her feel completely and utterly alone. Wait, she was alone. "What am I going to do?" she asked herself.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Miranu enter the stables. A sharp whistle brought her back to attention. "Illuvitar, you scared me!"
He gave her a concerned look. "Why do you seek solitude when you used to so easily look to crowds for comfort?" he asked.
Why did she seek solitude? "I know not. I fear that the world is changing all around me and yet I still remain the same. Everyone has deserted me. No one cares anymore."
He looked at her with a shocked look on his face. "That is not true. I care about you. My father clearly does also. Darsali has had a thing for you for quite a while now, and your friends are here for you. Don't you see? The people love you, Tamuril. Neither war, nor tragedy could make them to not love you. We do it because we were born to. You are basically our queen now, though you are not bound to my father. But maybe someday..." he trailed off.
She was confused for a moment. Then suddenly, her eyes widened with realization. "You evil elf!" she said mockingly, "how dare you think such things? About your own father even! I would never lay with him."
He smiled wickedly, "That's not what I got a preview of last night..." he said softly.
She heard him, "Mind you it was only a dance. Nothing more. And to think of such things would bring shame to me, to your father and to Mirkwood. We, unlike humans, do not marry relations in the family. It is unheard of!" She exploded.
He snickered and finally began to openly laugh at her, "What is so funny?" she asked halfway knowing the answer already.
"You...you just...well...you are one of a kind, you are something else. You are so different from all of the other elf maidens, I daresay. You intrigue me greatly...For a half-breed." he said softly.
She groaned this time and said, "I will be at the Yaraera tavern if you need me for any reason, which I hope you do not. I will be there until 7:30, and then I shall wander for a while. I shall have to find something to occupy myself. I know not when I shall return. I plan to be back within the next three days. Farewell..."
And with that, she mounted Morgwen and road out of the stable at full speed. Never looking back.
When she reached the main path out to the Pine Barrens of western Mirkwood, she dismounted and fed her horse a piece of lembas bread, "It isn't much, Loyal one, but it will have to suffice for the journey on to the tavern."
She patted her on the nose and remounted swiftly. "I'm sorry, girl, but we have to keep moving," she said as she urged her on.
It wasn't but a ten-minute ride until they reached the tavern. Tamuril dismounted and led Morgwen over to an area to tie her up. As she did this, she spotted Darsali. She watched him from afar. The shine in his bright, blue eyes, and the gloss of his silky and straight, dirty-blonde hair took her aback. She watched as he led his horse Windsor to a stake to tie him up. He was smooth and graceful in his step. She watched as he entered the tavern and the door swung shut behind him. She briskly, but unnoticeably followed him. After all, this is where she was going...
As she entered the tavern, the strong smell of many different alcohols assaulted her senses. She immediately walked over to the bar and saw a familiar face. "So, what's the special today?" she asked the bartender as he was digging in a cabinet.
He jumped at the reorganization of her voice and hit his head on the counter on his way up. He rubbed his head slightly and whipped around. "Well, I'll be! I haven't seen the likes of you in these parts since the Battle of Dol Guldor, Tamuril 'The Fierce'."
She reached across the bar and gave him a quick hug. "So, how is my favorite ex-father Damrod doing?"
Damrod was her ex-father-in-law from a previous marriage. They still had a very close relationship despite the untimely splitting of the two families.
She looked him in the eye. He knew what she wanted to say. "You want to know how Damrod fairs?"
She nodded. "He has been on mind as of late."
He cocked an eyebrow and said, "He does okay. He is a bit thinner than I'd like, but he is surviving. He doesn't come around much. I can tell he still hurts."
She nodded and said softly, "As do I."
He gave her a knowing look and said, "You know I will always be here, if you need anything. I always believed you, even though my own flesh and blood wouldn't. Even if you have another elf with you my place will be open to you."
He handed her a glass of the strongest rum in the tavern. She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Damrod. Fair winds to you."
He laughed and said, " May your ways be green and golden. Farewell."
"Farewell." she replied and walked over to where Darsali was sitting with a cup of wine in his hand.
"What, you don't drink the good stuff here Dari?"
He looked up sharply and was surprised to see Tamuril standing before him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, "a tavern is no place for a woman. You could be jumped."
She laughed and said, "Believe me, I can hold my own. Don't you worry about me so much. I'll be fine."
He nodded and smiled. Then, as if he had just thought of a master plan, He grabbed her arm and said, "I am going to the Sleepy Willow Barren's to do some hunting. I will camp at the Glade of Enfrodel. Would you like to join me? We might be able to catch up a little. Besides, I need to let loose a little," he said while pushing her off of the table, knocking her onto her already sore butt.
"Oh, you are going to so pay for that," she said as she rubbed her back side and stood up.
He giggled wickedly and said, "Not if you don't catch me first."
He downed the rest of his wine and raced out the door to his horse. She was dumbfounded. She shrugged, downed the rest of her beverage and ran out the door. She pounced and flipped three times, landing easily onto Morgwen's back. She could see Darsali disappearing into the distance and she called out, "Noro lim. Noro lim!"
As if to respond, Morgwen picked up speed and soon enough Tamuril was even with Darsali. He slowed down just enough to turn a sharp corner and head into the Sleepy Willow Barrens.
She raced quickly after him. She caught up with him again and grabbed the tail of his horse, causing it to buck and throw him off. Darsali landed hard on his back with a sickening thud. He groaned as he caught his breath again, "Good job," he said, "Not bad, for a half-breed."
She hopped off of Morgwen and kneed him in the shoulder lightly. He giggled and pushed her off. She pushed him again, this time loosing her footing as they both went rolling down a steep incline. The scenery passed by so quickly that Tamuril didn't know which way was up and down. Eventually they came to an abrupt halt as Darsali slammed into a puddle of mud. Tamuril stopped two feet short of the puddle, got up and laughed. "What have we here?" she asked. "A crown prince caught a little off guard?"
He laughed as she offered him her hand to get out. He tried to pull her in but found that she was too strong. She smirked at him. He got out and took off again. This time she ran after him at full speed. She caught up with him easily. She saw a glint of sunlight off of water and ran, leapt, plowed into Darsali, pushing him and her into the icy cold water of the Sleepy Willow Creek.
They both surfaced and laughed heartily. She helped him get the mud off his tunic and remove it. When they got back to the horses, they set up a makeshift camp. Pitched a tent, built a fire, and tied up the horses. Tamuril removed her jerkin, under tunic and boots and leggings. She sat by the fire in her shift and dried herself off with a blanket. Darsali had stripped to his under leggings.
They warmed and dried by the fire and conversed of times of old. Eventually, the night grew silent. The sun had set and the birds had ceased in their calls. Darsali yawned and settled into the tent for the night. Tamuril stayed at the fire for the long hours of the night. She was unable to call sleep. Her mind was far too busy....
()()()()()()()()()()()()
The following morning the sun hung high in the cloudless sky. Tamuril blinked her eyes clear of the Elven sleep that she had just awoken from. She had fallen asleep sitting on the log next to the fire that past night. She turned over her shoulder and noticed that Darsali was still asleep. She stood slowly and walked toward the horses.
Why am I here? She asked herself silently. Why do I always have to come along? She chided herself. She grabbed the brush for Morgwen and began to brush her. It wasn't ten minutes until a voice shook her from her thoughts, "Good morning."
She was pulled from her reverie by Darsali's greeting. "Fine, thank you."
He sat on the log next to the fire and pulled out his frying pan. He dug around in his saddlebag and found a knife. Then, he disappeared into the woods for a moment, returning with a good-sized chunk of venison. "How much would you like?" He asked.
She shook her head. "You're not hungry?! He questioned, incredibly surprised.
She nodded. "Why not?" he asked. "Why do you not eat? You haven't eaten in two days. Tell me why. I want to know."
She shrugged, "I'm not sure. I just haven't had an appetite lately. Besides, what concern is it of yours?" she snapped.
"I'm sorry." she said, "I know not why I said that. I did not mean for it to come out like that."
He nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "All is forgiven," he answered.
She smiled and asked, "Why are you being so nice to me?"
He laughed and answered, "Because, dear Tam Tam, you were my best friend at one time. I am trying to strengthen that bond. I would hate to see such potential go to waste."
She wondered what he meant by that. Then she shook her head chiding herself, mentally, again. Why do I always think on romantic terms? Am I that dense? Am I so brain-warped that I cannot tell that he isn't attracted to me? I know he likes me platonically. Nothing more.
"What's wrong?" asked Darsali noticing her change in behavior. She didn't answer, but simply put the brush up and sat opposite him next to the fire. She pulled her knees to her chest and laid her head on her knees. He stood, not caring what it looked like, and walked over to her. He instantly recognized the trembling of her body. He quickly sat next to her and pulled her into his arms. "What bothers you so? You do not cry, but I can tell something is wrong. What is it? You can trust me."
She wanted to recoil so badly. Illuvitar! She didn't want to trust him. But she did. There was no apparent reason. She just did. She needed no more time. She just naturally trusted him. That was why she was letting him hold her now. She just naturally trusted him. It confused her, this feeling. It wasn't love, but it wasn't like. She couldn't categorize it. It just was.
He was taken aback when she pulled closer to him. Never had he expected her to do this. He thought that it was too soon for her to trust him. He shrugged it off and spoke, "What is really wrong?"
She was silent for a moment, "There is no one left for me. All the people that cared about me, besides Legolas and Miranu have left me. And I never had a warning. They just left." she said solemnly.
He pulled her tighter. "Who do you wish would come back most of all?"
She paused. Then she said, without another thought or doubt, "You."
He snapped his head toward her. "What do you mean?"
She shook her head and said, "I lost you once, I don't want to do it again."
He smiled at her and tried to grasp the concept. She wants me here. That surprises me greatly. At the party it seemed like all she wanted to do was get away from me. What has changed about me since then? Maybe I should try something new.
Tamuril couldn't believe what she had just said. I am so stupid. I shouldn't have said that. Now he thinks that I am a complete girl. Way to go Tami, you royally screwed up once again. Before she could think of anything else, she felt Darsali's lips on hers. It was a feather-soft touch, almost like it wasn't there. When he pulled away she was stunned. All of a sudden, a seizing pain shot through her body. She lost consciousness.
()()()()()()()()()()()()
She awoke slowly. The forest spun in circles around her. She massaged her temples, hoping that the pain would end. What had happened? She tried to sit, eliciting a moan. All of a sudden she felt arms steady her and lay her back down. What the-
"Do not move. You are injured. Lie still," he said, concern in his voice.
The last thing that she remembered was falling asleep by the fire. "What happened?" she forced out with effort.
Her throat was dry and scratchy. She was thirsty. "Water…" she said.
He ran and fetched the water gourd. He held it to her lips and she sipped lightly. "What happened?" she asked more urgently this time. "Be silent, do not waste your energy," he said.
"You fell from your horse. Or should I say, she threw you. Something spooked her. We were leaving for the palace. Our trip is delayed as you see. But I don't mind. We were leaving sooner than I thought we should anyway. I think that we should rest another night."
Tamuril shook her head and said urgently. "No, we have to leave tonight! Just trust me, we do," she said.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I just have a feeling that we need to be out of these woods by nightfall. Just my intuition, which is usually right," she added.
He shrugged, but nodded "Okay. I will ready the horses."
She began to try to sort things out. Okay, that was very, very strange. I just had the weirdest dream I think I have ever had: Me, kissing Darsali, by the fire, this morning, sunrise? Oh Illuvitar! I think I must be losing my mind, or what little brain cells I had l to begin with. Oh well. All that matters is that he doesn't find out. That's easy, I just won't tell him. Oh, but he will find out sooner or later. I could never keep a secret from Darsali. He was just too smart. He always knew one way or another. Oh, why does he have to be so smart? Illuvitar has a weird sense of humor. Oh well, I will figure this all out somehow. But why did I have that dream? Surely it must mean something.
"Tami, are you okay? You seem to be rather quiet. Is something the matter?" Darsali asked as he walked over with the horses in tow.
She smiled at him and said, "Yes, Darsali, there is something the matter. But right now, it is a matter of which I cannot ki- I mean, speak. Maybe after we grew a little closer I could tell you, but until we are at the ki-, I mean, steady stage, I shall not speak of it. Until I know that you can ki-, I mean, trust me and will not tell, I cannot speak of it."
He seemed to accept the matter, but questioned inquisitively, "What did you almost keep saying there for a minute?"
The color drained from her face. "Why do you ask?"
He smiled and answered, "Just curious."
She sighed, "I suppose you already know?"
He smiled mischievously, "You talk in your sleep..."
She threw her hands up in mock defeat. "Oh fine! Must I explain it all to you?"
He grinned, "Pretty much."
She shook her head. "Well, I had a very strange dream during my comatose sleep. It was almost reality, or so it felt. Well... it... well... it was... about you..."
He cocked an eyebrow up and inquired, "What about me exactly?"
"You know exactly what about!" she said.
He gave her a yeah-I-know-all-about-it look. She sighed again and continued, "Well... it was last night, and....we.... well...you went to sleep in the tent... I stayed by the fire and must have fallen asleep there sometime in the night. The next morning I awoke to find the sun had not yet risen. You were still asleep so I got my brush and began to brush Morgwen. You startled me. You got your knife and went to cut a hunk of venison off the kill from the night before. You began to cook it and asked if I wanted any and I said I didn't. You wouldn't let me not eat. I snapped at you, and then apologized. Then I started to tremble. You sat next to me and pulled me close to you-"
"Like this?" he asked as he sat next to her on the blanket, he had placed her on that night, and pulled her close to him. She nodded as she became choked up.
"Then.... you... umm... you asked me ... what …was umm... bothering me...and that ... umm...that...I could...trust you..."
He pulled her closer and said, "You can."
She began to become short of breath. "Then, well... you...umm.... you..."
He interrupted her, "Kissed you?"
She was speechless. How did he know? What had she said? Then, suddenly...
"Like this?" he asked as he placed his lips gently on hers, pressing softly.
She took a sharp intake of breath. What the heck?! She remembered it so well. Feather-soft, almost like it wasn't there... But it was different now. He made it different. He pulled back a little. Enough to slide his tongue out to gently caress her bottom lip, teasing it to open. She surrendered, opening the seal to let him pass through. His tongue felt like soft velvet as it explored her mouth and fought with her own. This time it was different. She didn't feel a sharp pain tear its way through her body, stealing her consciousness. She felt nothing but the softness, warmness, and pureness of Darsali. As the kiss broke and they were both left speechless, all she could do was think.
She knew that Darsali had not yet been taken. He held the stance of an elf that was pure. She knew that he was waiting for the right woman to give up that purity. He was waiting for an undoubted love. One that she had not waited long enough for. She thought that she had felt it. But it was a fluke. A lie. A scandal.
The gifts that she had lost in return for one that she was not ready for; one that she lost soon after it anyway. She had once possessed a great strength in battle that no one had known she possessed. She had also possessed the ability to show her emotions freely and have complete control over them. She had lost those gifts when she had given herself to the wrong elf. In return, she got a gift that she was not ready for and could not keep. She had been given another life. It was completely unexpected and she thought that he would be happy. She had gotten the wrong idea.
She would soon have to tell Darsali though. She just had a feeling that something bigger than this kiss was coming soon. She didn't know what, but she knew that it was going to be huge....
()()()()()()()()()()()()
The trees passed by very slowly. It seemed like the horses weren't even moving at times. Tamuril had not forgotten the kiss that had taken place earlier. She found herself wishing that for some reason it had not happened. She did not want it to have happened. She by no means ready for love again. She did not need it and did not want it. She felt as though something was making her do it though. Then she remembered her mother's words to her that parting day.
"Make your decisions wisely from now on. Do not let yourself be led astray."
Well, she'd royally screwed up that request up! She had not been thinking wisely. In fact, she had not been thinking at all! Just living in the moment, which was what Gandalf had always told her to try not to do too much, especially if it didn't do anything for you. That didn't do anything for her. I didn't even feel right.
"What troubles you Tammy?" Darsali asked as he reined his horse up beside her.
She glared at him, "We shouldn't have done that."
He cocked an eyebrow and said, "Well, we can't exactly go back now, can we?"
She sighed. He did have a point. They couldn't go back and change what had occurred. But she could make sure it didn't happen again. "Why do you recoil as if I am a snake and I will bite you if you get too close?"
She glanced over at him through the sides of her chocolate eyes. "I am not ready for this. It hasn't been enough time."
She clapped her hand over her mouth as she realized what she had just said. He frowned. "What is this of which you speak? Has someone hurt you in the past? What happened?"
She didn't want to tell him. But he deserved to know. He had done nothing wrong, but give into hormones a little.
"I didn't want to have to tell you this…but…years ago, after you had left for Rivendell, I fell in love. Or so I thought I did. In actuality, it was all a lie. His name was Damrod II. We met at the tavern about 2000 years ago. We became very close friends and soon we were engaged. The wedding was one of the largest ones in Mirkwood. After we were married, we moved to Laketown. Soon, I became pregnant. I told him hoping that he would be overjoyed. When I told him, he thought that I had cheated on him and it wasn't his child, claiming that we had not had relations recently enough for this to occur. He threw me out onto the street with nothing more than my things and Morgwen. I think that he was just scared of the responsibility of children. I came back home. Soon after, I went to fight in the Battle of Dol Guldor. I was stabbed by a Morgul blade and lost the child. I also have not the ability to have children either. I hope that one day, my gifts will return to me, but it doesn't appear to be any time soon."
He was speechless. He had never known any of these things. She had hoped that by telling him this, he would back off. It did the opposite. He wanted to do anything to make her happy again. He had decided this was the elf that he wanted to be with. He wanted to lose himself to her. It had to be right. They had connected from the start. Why wouldn't it work?
Little did he know that in actuality it really wouldn't work. But would he find that out the hard way? All that she wanted was for him to disappear. Gandalf used to say that if two people took on a relationship when they had been friends but hadn't seen each other in a very long time that it wasn't very wise. She wouldn't make the same mistake she had made last time. Things would be different. She wouldn't get involved.
He reached for her arm. She jerked away. He was confused. "I just don't want to be touched right now," she said forcing a smile onto her face.
She slowly and unnoticeably pulled Morgwen away from Windsor, Darsali's horse. She didn't need to be close to him right now. It irked her for some odd reason.
Suddenly, Morgwen came to a halt. She tried to get her to trot again, but Morgwen would not move. "What is it, loyal one?" she whispered into her ear.
She slowly dismounted, pulling her bow and an arrow out of their resting place. She notched it quickly and walked out a little ways. She turned in circles around herself. Darsali was all mimicking her actions in the opposite direction. She looked from left to right, darting her eyes every which way.
What is this some kind of a joke? She thought to herself. She whipped around at the sound of shuffling behind her. When she turned around, Darsali was gone. She was confused and worried at the same time. She frowned deeply and tried to make everything logical in her mind. What is going on here? Where did Darsali go? What made Morgwen stop dead in her tracks?
She heard a quick shuffle behind her and quickly turned to see that there were footprints in the dirt. They led to the south. She wondered who in their right mind would go south?
Well, this is just great. Perfect, just splendid! Where the hell did everyone go? Great. Now I am on a wild goose chase at the same time as I am trying to figure out the origin of my horse's spook. This is always fun.
She walked a few paces and grabbed Morgwen's reigns. She led her to a small glade for a rest. "Shhhhhh… It's okay girl. It's all going to be okay."
She patted her neck. Suddenly, someone jumped out of the bushes landing on the ground hard. Morgwen reared and tried to run, but Tamuril held her tightly. The creature rolled onto it's back to expose itself as a human. Tamuril cocked and eyebrow. What was a human doing out in the middle of Mirkwood? She wondered where it was from.
"Lle quena i'lambe tel' Edalie?" she asked quickly.
The stranger just stared at her and blinked. She sighed. "I take that as a no."
The stranger stood and drew his hunting knife. She snickered and said. "You do know that I have four times the weapons that you have on me at the moment, and that I am the head of the border guard for Mirkwood. So I suggest you drop your weapon."
His face went pale as he let the silver knife hit the grass. His attire was royal and fine, though it was stained and torn in places. His pants were of fine cotton and his shirt of soft looking linen. He wore the seal of Gondor: The White Tree.
"What brings you here to Mirkwood?" she asks.
He nods his head in a small bow. "I bring a message for the king. Though I seem to have lost my way in this forest. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of the castle?"
She laughed, "You are lucky that I found you before the spiders did."
She pointed to the west. "It's that way."
He thanked her and ran off in the direction that she had pointed. She shook her head. She wondered where Darsali had gone off. She looked at the ground and noticed that the messenger had left his knife. She picked it up and stuck it in her saddlebag. It had orc blood on it. She assumed that he must have been a bounty hunter of some kind. She turned and mounted Morgwen. She kicked lightly and took off at a slow trot, looking for Darsali.
She turned a sharp corner and came face to face with the impossible. Morgwen reared, but Tamuril calmed her. She whispered an Elvish spell to her horse. Without warning Morgwen took off at a lightning fast speed. The spell gave silence to all vibrations made by Morgwen as she ran.
Tamuril had full control of Morgwen. She turned to see a Wraith a half league behind her. She turned sharply and said, "Noro lim! Noro lim, Morgwen, Noro lim!!!"
She gasped for air as the wind slapped her now fallen hair into her face, butt she dare not let go. If she did at this point she would be swept away with the wind.
She called out, "Darsali!" as she urged Morgwen on for dear life.
She turned around in time to see the Wraith disappear from her sight. But it didn't slow her down one bit. She pushed Morgwen harder. "Come on girl... Not that much further."
She pushed her to keep going. Morgwen was showing great resilience to fatigue. But Tamuril could see that she would begin to tire soon. Morgwen turned the corner and took in the sight of the palace a little under a league from her. She pushed Morgwen even harder. "Noro lim!" she yelled. The palace was mere meters away now. She looked to her left and right. On both sides, was a Wraith. They were nowhere near her, but they were there. She saw the gate slightly open. It wasn't wide enough. Morgwen could break through easily, but Tamuril would be killed in the process.
She had a plan. She urged Morgwen to her fullest speed. "Noro lim!" she cried out as she let go of the reigns and turned herself on the horse's back to face the way she had come.
She leaned over and built up momentum. She turned just in time to see Morgwen pick up speed a mere ten feet from the wall. Tamuril pushed herself into the air with all of her might. She made three complete back flips straight up into the air and on the fourth she soared over the wall. She did a somersault twist to land on her feet. She saw the approaching Ring wraiths headed straight for the city. She grabbed the sides of the gate and slammed them shut. She hit the lever that barred and sealed it. She staggered backward as the lead wraith rammed into the wall. It screamed and retreated with its companion. She breathed heavily as she tried to catch her breath. She leaned on her right elbow over a stake in the ground. She rested her head on her arm and let the sweat drip off of her burning face. She cared not that she looked and felt a mess. She straightened herself and shook her shoulders. The entire city had heard the screams of the Wraith and had awoken in the night. Some ran outside to observe the spectacle. She heard someone scream, "Go summon the King!"
She staggered as she ran towards the palace. She was short of breath and dizzy. She made it to the doors and threw them open to the inside. The lanterns were now lit. Tamuril ran toward the Legolas' bedchamber. She was running so hard that she ran right into him. "Goodness Tamuril, you should really sl-"he cut off when he saw the condition that she was in.
She was breathing hard, her face was red and sweat was running from it like a river. Her tunic was torn at the shoulder and a thorn it appeared had scratched her forehead. Her hair was in complete disarray. She staggered toward him and fell into his strong arms.
"What has happened, Tamuril, what is it?" he asked with worry in his voice. She took a ragged breathe and whispered, " Wraith... in the forest.... chased me.... I ran.... pushed Morgwen... as far as... she could go... I almost...hit the ...fence, but I...jumped, and..... flipped, and....made it over... They...are still.... out there... So is Darsali!!! And there.... was a messenger! He...wore the clothes...of a Gondorian... He was on his way...when they attacked!"
"Shhhhh.... it's okay. But how did a Wraith end up in Mirkwood? I wonder.... How long did they follow you?"
She caught her breath and said, "About 3 leagues. I noticed that Morgwen was a bit spooked at about 5 leagues. I didn't see them for 2 though."
"I wonder if it is true…" he said gravely.
"But Darsali is still out there! And what are you talking about? What is true?"
He sighed and said, "I am the King of Mirkwood and was part of the Fellowship of the Ring that set out to destroy the One Ring. They are after ME for revenge. Darsali is the lord of Rivendell. They are after him for what he is about to become. And you are the daughter of Gondor, Rivendell, Mirkwood, and Lorien... It is predicted that they are to be after you most. For what you may become."
"And what is that? What do you mean I am the daughter of all those places?" she asked curiously.
She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer. "If you are the Half-Elven maiden from the prophecies, then you shall wield the Ring of Admonition and be it's guardian. Through you, it will wield a power so great that even the dark lord himself would have fallen to his knees."
At this comment, she gulped, and pulled her tunic sleeve out of her brown wrist-cuff and over her right hand too hide the ring. He would find out, she knew. But until then, she was going to keep it a secret…until he needed to know....