Chapter XIX

2nd Urui 3002 T.A

Eliel had prepared herself for death as she heard the pounding of feet reaching the top of the slope she had just fallen down, tears of pain were falling down her face as she stood up and prepared another arrow to be fired. She looked out of the corner in her eye as she was aiming at the top of the hill and saw her dark mare on the ground with two orchish arrows in leg and abdomen.

"Daeroch" She struggled to run over towards the horse forgetting about the danger and hearing his soft whinnies. He was not going to survive this and Eliel thought she should die with the horse that she loved as it was her fault she was dying. The sound of footsteps had disappeared and she looked up to see silver haired elves standing above her, they did not say one word to her and only one kept his weapon aimed at her.

"Please help me." Eliel cried, "Those orcs attacked my group I need help please"

Two elves came down towards her and spoke in Elvish to each other. "Your horse will not survive. We must put it out of its misery." Eliel knew it had to happen and nodded. She rested her forehead against Daeroch's and spoke to him to calm him down. "Shhh Dae. It is going to be over now. I am so sorry." Eliel continued to stroke his nose but had to look away as she could not watch the life fall from his large brown eyes. She heard the whispers of the elves then she felt no breaths come from his nose, she got up and grabbed her bag and made sure the stone and the rest of her belongings did not get thrown as well.

Eliel had her belongings and secured her knapsack on her back despite the bruising she would have, she doubted that the tea would help her heal this much. She looked at the Elves and noticed that they had an old man in their company, he stood out as he was not as youthful as the elves and was dressed in grey and appointed hat which contrasted the Elvish white.

The two elves that had put Daeroch down helped her climb up the hill and got back on their horses as the old man dismounted his. "Well, it seems this is my stop. Thank you for the escort but I will make the journey to Rivendell alone and send word when I have arrived." He bowed to the elves and they returned the gestured and headed back towards the forest.

Eliel had stood and watch the interaction between them and saw six dead orcs not far away from where they were. The old man had approached Eliel and she smelt the distinct smell of smoke from the pipe he was smoking. "Well are you alright young one?" he spoke studying

"I will be, just a little sore from that fall." She declared watching the old man puff away on his clay pipe. "Nothing broken?"

Eliel checked herself over by pressing on her ribs and stretching out her arms and shoulders. Nothing was broken but that did not mean she was not sore.

"Nothing from what I can tell."

"Where are you headed?"

Eliel was cautious about this man but must be of great importance if Lorien elves are escorting him. "Dale" she replied watching the man walk away.

"Hm Dale you say. For the celebration of victory no doubt?" Eliel nodded "Where are my manners, my name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey" he turned applying for her to follow him.

Eliel had heard the name before in rare stories of old about wizards and the beginning of the first age. "My name is Eliel"

"Daughter of Star" Gandalf spoke, "Elvish yet you are no elf." He studied her again and recognized the dark features of the girl who he had never seen before. "Unless you are half breed?" Eliel could not tell if the wizard was talking to her or speaking his thoughts "Who was your father?"

"That I do not know, I have been told to look into the records at Dale to see any information about him" Eliel was skeptical but felt as if she needed to tell the truth to him.

"Why would you not know your father?" Gandalf was in a deep thought, this girl had looked a lot like the young dwarf prince that he had travelled with many years ago.

"I was taken away from my mother and my father had died during the Battle of the Lonely Mountain." Gandalf realized this must not be any relation towards Kili but kept the thought in the back of his head. "Now Eliel, after what you have just experienced and you are travelling to Dale would you mind my company? I am headed towards Rivendell you see before the Celebration."

Eliel had thought about it and agreed, she could not go on by herself anymore and she needed the company more than ever. And plus she was skeptical of this man, he knew more than what he was leading to believe and Eliel wanted to know what. Eliel had wondered how far her previous group gotten, it was dark now and she they would not have stopped for the night just to be safe. "That will be fine by me." Gandalf smiled and they started their 3 week journey towards the road that led both to Rivendell in the west and Mirkwood to the east.