Prologue
In the Nosdorin, a underground kingdom inhabited by dark elves, a Elf Captain named Neniel had lived there most of her life. She worked as Captain of the Dark Elf King's guard, and she remained a loyal subject to her king. Until one day, when a army of orcs raided the kingdom, destroying everything in the path, including Neniel's parents, and her king. Neniel single handedly killed every orc that killed her family and people. After that, Neniel set out on her own, as her only option now was traveling.
One day, she took up a boat, and sailed overseas. She ended up arriving in Middle Earth, and in Lothlorien where several elves had found her sleeping on the beach. "We should take her to see the White Lady! Maybe she'll know who this woman is!" said the first elf. The elves carried her to the elven kingdom. Two hours later, Neniel had woken up, finding herself in a large bed chamber, with white walls, and green tapestry. "Where am I?" asked Neniel.
"Welcome to Lothlorien, Neniel, daughter of Orus!" said a kind, deep female voice through her thoughts.
Neniel looked up, and she could see a tall female elf, with long blonde hair and blue eyes smiling at her. Neniel assumed this woman is queen, because of her clothing. "How do you know who I am?" Neniel asked. "I know many things, Neniel. You have been sent here to Middle Earth for a reason." said the Elf Queen. "Middle Earth? Is that where I'm at now? I never heard of it. My home got destroyed by orcs, which is why I set out on my own!" said Neniel.
"I know, young elleth." said the Elf Queen. "What is your name?" asked Neniel. "My name is Lady Galadriel, Queen of Lothlorien. It seems to amaze me you are unlike other elves, Neniel." said the Elf Queen. "I'm a dark elf, I live underground." said Neniel. Galadriel frowned. You cannot stay here, its your dark blood that will conflict with ours, Galadriel spoke to Neniel through her thoughts. "What am I going to do then?" asked Neniel. She didn't understand why Galadriel had said that. She had done no wrong.
"I have a friend that may help you. You will be traveling with him. His name is Gandalf the Grey. He's a wizard." said Galadriel. "Where does he live? Maybe I can find him!" said Neniel. Galadriel had given her the instructions of the wizard's whereabouts. "Thank you for your hospitality, my lady." said Neniel, with a bow.
And Galadriel sent for her guards to escort Neniel to the outskirts of Lothlorien. And from there, Neniel set out on her own again, on her mission to find this 'Gandalf the Grey'. After several days of traveling, and many camp stops, she stopped in a small village of the race of men, and she stayed the night at an Inn. After getting her room booked and settled in, she went down in the common room of the Inn.
She sat alone at a table taking a sip of her wine. She ignored the drunken men that had stared and whistled at her. She pulled her white hair up in a pony tail, as a bar maid served her meal. Bastards, they stare at me like I'm so kind of meat at a meat market! Pigs! Neniel thought as she kept her left hand on her sword, while she ate. She told herself, no one is going to mess with her that night. Suddenly, a tall man with light brown hair and a goatee. The man's name is Edwin.
"What is a pretty elf doing in a place like this?" purred the man, looking down at her, with a grin, displaying a missing tooth. "Go away. I don't wish for any company." growled Neniel. "That is no way to treat someone whom is being kind to you. How about if I buy you a drink, and then we'll fool around later, hey?" said the man. "Listen to me, fool! I said I wish for no company! Now beat it, or I will take my steel to your throat!" shouted Neniel, her eyes glaring at the man.
"Yer want to be that way, huh?! Lets have some fun now!" barked the man, as he grabbed Neniel, pinning her to wall. Before Neniel took her leg and about to knee the man in the groin, a deep voice called out to the man. "ENOUGH! Leave her be!" demanded the voice. The man turned, and Neniel looked up. She could see a man dressed in grey robes, a tall wide brimmed hat, and carrying a staff. She assumed it was the man the Elf Queen had told her about, the wizard, Gandalf the Grey.
The man quickly bolted away, and the wizard approached her. "That man didn't hurt you did he?" asked the wizard. "Thankfully no. You must be Gandalf the Grey?" said Neniel. The wizard nodded. "Yes, how do you know who I am?" asked Gandalf. "Lady Galadriel sent me to find you. My name is Neniel, daughter of Orus of the kingdom of Nosdorin. My home gotten destroyed by orcs, forcing me to leave home, and I ended up here, as I sailed by boat." explained Neniel.
"Neniel! I haven't seen you in years!" exclaimed Gandalf, as he finally remembered who the dark elf is. "You already know me?" asked Neniel, looking at the wizard with a confused look. "Yes. But the last time I seen you when you were only a child. I was sent to Nosdorin on a mission to speak with your father about an apprentice." began Gandalf.
"Apprentice?" said Neniel. "I wanted to choose you to become my apprentice, Neniel, but your father refused to allow that at the time, because you were only a child." said Gandalf. "Hey! You were the one with the fireworks weren't you? You put on that beautiful fireworks display at one of the feasts! I remember now! I wanted to become like you!" exclaimed Neniel, as memories of her childhood came back.
Gandalf smiled, as he felt delighted of the dark elf remembering that. But the smile quickly turned into a sad and worried smile. "About the orc raids of your home, Neniel. Who lead these orc raids?" asked Gandalf. "Why?" asked Neniel. "Neniel, there is something I have to tell you. I have known already of your arrival to Middle Earth, long before you showed up." said Gandalf. "What do you mean?!" snapped Neniel, sharply. "What I mean is, that you are being hunted by dark forces. And there is one, whom is searching for you, to become his bride." said Gandalf.
"Who?" asked Neniel.
"Azog."
Neniel's eyes widened in horror at the mention of the orcs name. It was an orc whom clouded her nightmares since a very young age.
Flashback..
"Father, I'm going for a walk!" called out the young pale haired, elf maiden, as she threw on her cloak. "Don't go too far! Lor only knows what kind of creatures are lurking out there! You return before sundown!" said a dark haired elf, Orus. "Yes father!" said Neniel, as she sprinted out of her cave door. Leaving her kingdom, exciting the large underground caves, she found herself out in the open wild, something she had longed to see.
She loved her home, but being cooped up underground, had driven her crazy. She closed her eyes and sighed, delighted to feel the open air. Neniel decided to go on her first hunting trip, to bring home food for her family. Two hours later, as she continued to walk, she could hear movement in the trees. Neniel quickly spun around. "Who's there?!" demanded the young dark elf. But there is no reply. "Get her!" demanded a dark voice behind her. Neniel quickly turned, and three orcs jumped out at her. "This one is mine." snarled the large pale orc leader, as he grabbed Neniel, while the other two orcs confiscated her weapons.
Neniel screamed, and suddenly the last thing she remember, is she could feel pain throbbing in head, and everything went black. When she woke up, she found herself naked, and tied to a stone slab inside a small cave. "I have found my future bride. What do you think I should do to her, boys?" said Azog. "Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" Neniel screamed. "Nobody is going to save you, woman! They are at home, twenty miles from here. And there is no escaping us!" snarled Azog.
Suddenly, with a free leg, she kicked Azog in the groin, and closing her eyes, she remembered her powers as a dark elf that she could summon the undead to help her. Suddenly, three or four skeletons rose from the cave floor, attacking the orcs, but they couldn't get to Azog. One of the skeletons untied Neniel from her binds as she attacked Azog again, knocking him to the ground, as she bolted out of the small cave.
End of flash back.
"Neniel? Are you alright?" asked Gandalf, as he noticed Neniel not speaking. Neniel broke from her thoughts, as she looked up at Gandalf. "Oh, I'm fine. Gandalf, what would you say if I want to become your apprentice?" said Neniel. Gandalf smiled. "I'd say, I'm more than happy to accept your offer, my lady!" said Gandalf. Neniel laughed.
"Come and join me for a drink!" said Neniel. Gandalf nodded as he joined her at the table where she is sitting.
Four years later..
Bree.
The Grey Wizard had several reasons of paying a visit to the small village. For one, he is searching for Thorin Oakenshield, and the other is his friend and apprentice Neniel, the dark elf whom arrived in Middle Earth four years back. As for Neniel, she had decided to take residence in Bree, as Gandalf suggested her to do. Gandalf shortly arrived an at Inn, called the Prancing Pony. The wizard entered the Inn, as the Inn's keeper, Barliman Butterbur, greeted him. "Gandalf! What brings you all this way to Bree?" chirped the man.
"I'm seeking for a friend. Her name is Neniel." said Gandalf. "Oh, you mean the odd she elf? She's here! She's working for me as a bar tender. Let me go and get her. I didn't know you and Neniel are well acquainted!" said Barliman, and he quickly walked away. Shortly, the Inn Keeper returned followed by the white haired elf. Neniel smiled as she ran to the wizard and hugged him. "Long time no see, old friend." said Neniel, grinning.
"How is your life here going so far?" asked Gandalf. "Pretty good, I suppose, if you call tending bar a good line of work, and having to tolerate a bunch of drunken men, hobbits and few dwarves here and there." Neniel replied. "Neniel, I have a favor to ask you. But I will speak more of this to you later. In the meantime, you get back to work. I have some business to attend to here." said Gandalf. "Business? With whom?" asked Neniel.
"You will find out in due time, Neniel." said Gandalf. Why does he always end up speaking in riddles? Neniel thought to herself, as she went back to work serving food and drink to the patrons of the Inn. That same night as she worked, she noticed Gandalf sitting at table with a dark haired figure whom she found extremely handsome. When she took a closer look at the figure, she realized this figure was a dwarf. She could tell instantly he had royal blood in him, because of the way he dressed. For some reason, she felt intrigued by this dwarf, and curious on whom this dwarf is.
Stop distracting yourself over some dwarf, besides he's a dwarf, dwarves are rude and crude and obnoxious! Neniel thought to herself as she turned back to her work.
Later, when Gandalf's meeting ended, he went to find Neniel. Luckily, Neniel had just ended her shift. "Neniel, may I wish to speak to you? Lets go to your room, so we can speak in private." said Gandalf. Neniel nodded, as she led Gandalf to her room, and they entered. Gandalf sat by the fireplace and lit up his pipe. "What is it you wish to discuss, my friend?" asked Neniel. "I'm arranging a quest with thirteen dwarves and a hobbit to reclaim their kingdom of Erebor. My favor is for you to join them on this journey. You will be a great asset to them, since you have extraordinary healing skills." said Gandalf.
"Wait a minute! Let me get this straight.. You want me to join these dwarves to reclaim their home? Gandalf, I'm not sure about this. They wouldn't like it, in fact. Dwarves have a strong distrust in elves, you know that as well as I do." said Neniel. "But you are no wood elf, Neniel. You are a dark elf, which are nearly non existent here in Middle Earth. These dwarves have never met or even heard of dark elves." said Gandalf. "It doesn't matter, Gandalf." said Neniel. "Please Neniel. Reconsider your decision." said Gandalf.
"Alright. I will go. What do you want me to do?" asked Neniel. "I like for you to depart tomorrow morning, and meet me in the Shire. You will find a green door with a mark on it." said Gandalf.