The cloak of night hung over the Eastern Empire. Lihua attached the last of the things she had packed up for the journey to the back of her horse's saddle, which included clothes and lembas bread. She had to travel light if she wanted to get away before her father noticed and sent out riders to retrieve her. Her horse, Naher, was a rare black stallion whom had almost got put down by the General of the Imperial army due to the fact it had a lame foot. Lihua did not allow the beautiful beast to have such a fate and gave the creature a chance. Naher healed and is over 20 years old. A grand, old stallion who still has youthful fire burning within him.
Once Lihua pulled her cloak over her raven head, she pulled on the reins of Naher, leading him out of the stables. She could not just ride off now, for the guards would be sure to hear the heavy hooves of the horse. Lihua kept Naher close to the walls and checked every corner for guards. She continued to do this, taking her time, not wanting to ruin her only opportunity to finally leave the Eastern Lands. Her whispers came out very quietly and gently towards her midnight creature. "Almost there Naher... stay close to me. You too Lee"
The Princess, her stallion and Lee were now out of the guarded area around the temple. The trio now entered the dark streets of the village where the silvan elves were, taking rest within their own small temples. She kept her head down, being masked by her dull hood so no elf could recognise and report her. She merely looked like a wanderer of the night. They were now at the open archway where freedom lied beyond. She stopped, looking up at the stone wall to see that there was a guard looking out on watch. "Lee" He knew what to do. He climbed the stairs up to the top rapidly and once he got up there, he jumped onto the head of the guard, causing him to suddenly fall over the edge of the stone wall. The Princess winced her eyes a little, almost feeling the thud in which the guard had made onto the ground. She walked past the unconscious elf guard with Naher and Lee who had jumped onto the back of Naher. She quietly spoke to the body, whilst smiling nervously in an apologetic manner. "Amin hiraetha. Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle" ("I'm sorry. May the wind fill your sails") With that, Lihua climbed onto her stallion and made haste into the night before her missing appearance was announced back at the temple.
Morning came, having chased the cloak of night away. The great black stallion was drinking from the clear river where silver pebbles laid beneath the water. Lee, the capuchin monkey was climbing the nearby trees for berries and the Eastern she-elf washed herself by splashing the water she had cupped in her hands onto her face. She sighed in content feeling the coolness of it covering her face, it being fresh like the wind roaming through her pitch-black hair. She stood back up and slid her hand over the warm neck of her stallion. The sun shone down onto his coat, making it gloss and glimmer with Arabic glory. That's when the sound of hooves suddenly hit her elvish ears in alarm. 'Could it be ring wraiths?' She did not wish to stay to find out however. She called for Lee and jumped back into Naher's saddle. "Auta Naher!" ("Go Naher!") With strength flooding down into the stallion's hind legs, he bolted forth and left the riverbank behind with a trail of dust, causing Lihua's hood to leave her head and free her black hair.
Four horses galloped across the grounds, a distance away from the she-elf. Elves were mounted upon the four horses. One of those elves, was a high-elf of Mirkwood; Legolas, Prince of the Woodland Realm. Behind him were his Mirkwood kin who decided to aid him in attending the Council of Elrond. The elven Prince turned his head to see, up ahead of him, a black stallion with an elven rider. With his silky blue eyes, he noticed it was in fact a she-elf from the Eastern lands. He could even see her unique facial features which marked out she was a foreigner among these very lands, leading to Rivendell.
Legolas found himself smiling cunningly in seeing an Eastern beauty. "Ride ahead, I shall not be too long" His three followers obeyed him and continued riding up ahead whilst Legolas took a sharp turn to the right, taking the short way around to meet the she-elf.
Lihua squeezed the sides of her horse, requesting for him to go faster through the woodland they were currently in. He did so, however it was a bad choice on behalf of the Princess because suddenly, a white horse up ahead decided to cut right across her horse's path, making Naher stop and rear the Princess off. Lihua landed on her backside, the dank and dirty ground cushioning her fall somewhat. She frowned, fury now flowing through her elvish veins. The she-elf heard a fair chuckle from a couple of metres away. The white horse came into sight and she saw the rider responsible. He spoke with his flawless smile gleaming upon her. "Amin hiraetha. I had no choice but to do that in order to meet you properly" ("I'm sorry. I had no choice but to do that in order to meet you properly") He held out his hand to her, offering to help her up. However, despite the Prince's charm, Lihua did not fall for it. She slapped his hand away and glared at him.
"Pe-channas! Tanya awra!" ("Idiot! That hurt!") She got off from the ground, brushing the dirt from herself whilst she mumbled to herself not caring if he heard or not. "Dolle naa lost" ("Your head is empty") Legolas would usually feel insulted by such a comment, but he continued to smile for he knew he deserved it. He already knew she was different to other she-elves he had known.
"Allow me to make it up to you"
Lihua turned her head, the light frown remaining on her face as she looked into Legolas's oceanic eyes. "How?"
"By introducing myself to you"
"Boe?" ("Is it necessary?")
He looked down, laughing very quietly and softly. He lifted his gaze back up to the Eastern she-elf once she mounted her stallion again. "But of course" He made his horse go forth to the black stallion with a couple of steps and then he spoke, bowing his head once to her. "My name is Legolas Greenleaf. I am an elven Prince."
Lihua smiled, rolling her eyes as she looked away; refusing to accept his charm. "Lle naa ernil e' nausalle" ("You are Prince in your imagination")
"But I speak the truth" This caught Lihua's attention, making her smile leave her lips and turn her head back to Legolas. In the short space of four seconds, Lihua's black eyes changed colour under the light, transferring to a deep navy colour as she focused upon the Prince's features. Beautiful long white hair, pale skin fairer than an infant's and eyes like none in which she's ever seen before. He truly appeared to be a Prince.
"I am the Prince of Mirkwood, son of King Thranduil. I tell you no lie, fair maiden"
With desperation to look away from his eyes, she swallowed her saliva and spoke firmly to him. "I am no maiden."
He edged closer to her, his horse now next to hers. His smile being more handsome than ever now. "Then what are you?"
"That, I shall not reveal to you"
"Then please give me your name"
She hesitated before giving away that personal information. She wondered if she should give it to him or not, but then again, she did not fancy being called a "maiden".
"Lihua. My name is Lihua Zhang"
The Prince's eyes lit up, realising her status which made his choice of words easier for him. He chose to enlighten her with his royal ways. "Ah, so you are more than just a maiden. A Princess of the Elvish Empire" He bowed his head to her once more, putting his hand over his chest and gestured it to her. "Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn" ("A star shines on the hour of our meeting") Lihua did not feel flattered at all by him personally but she did feel honoured by the fact a Mirkwood elf had acknowledged her. Being the stubborn she-elf she was, she merely turned her head away from him, making a sound as she did. His elf eyes never left her. He wished to gaze upon her Eastern beauty more, having never seen anything like her before. Lihua felt his eyes on her and she turned her head, frowning at him and concealed her pink cheeks behind her white complexion.
"Lle tela?" ("Are you finished?")
He was brought out from his thoughts but he replied to her smoothly with his husky yet fair voice. "I never will be with you, Princess, that I can assure you" Lihua went pink in the face from annoyance mixed in with embarrassment. She barked at him.
"Mani naa lle umien?" ("What did you say?")
Legolas turned away, the last thing the Princess saw being his coy smile as if he was being playful. He made his horse canter on away from her. She called out to him. "Manke naa lle autien?" ("Where are you going?")
"Rivendell. Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva,nîn Aranel" ("Rivendell. Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet, my Princess") He soon galloped away into the horizon before Lihua could think of anything wise to reply back to him. She growled and yelled as loud as she could.
"Pe-channas!" ("Idiot!") The pinkness soon left her face as she breathed slowly, calming herself down. Naher shook his head, snorting and Lee jumped down from a tree, coming out of hiding. He landed on the rear of Naher, shoving some berries into his mouth. "Come on Naher, Lee... let's go" With a couple of kicks at the stallion's sides, off he went again at his grand gallop towards Rivendell.