MIRKWOOD RPG

[Gilthalion]

Legolas Greenleaf dropped lightly to the forest floor behind the Men from the East. He had been watching them with his keen elvish eyes almost from the time they entered Greenwood the Great, defiling its pristine paths with their iron shod feet. The handsome wood elf did not look it, but he was more than four thousand years old, and still did not call the forest Mirkwood at first thought. But here was a token of why none called it Greenwood any longer and his heart burned within him to see them.

What were they doing here, and why did they dare to enter the Woodland Realm, where Thranduil, his father, was king? They were not hunting, for they heedlessly tramped along toward the mountains at the heart of the forest without a thought of how their noise broke the peace of the woods. They seemed to be soldiers, so perhaps they were under orders. The tall elf was determined to find out. He motioned for hidden eyes to the right and to the left of the eastern soldiers.

Less than a minute later the sound of a grey owl came to his ears. The soldiers paid no heed, for how could they know that there were no grey owls in this region of Mirkwood, and that they would not make a noise during the day in any event? But Legolas was waiting to hear just such a bird. He stood to his full height and cried out for the soldiers to halt.

They turned quickly about in surprise and anger to see a prince of the Woodland Realm standing alone on the path behind them. His long golden hair fell behind his broad shoulders and his dark eyes looked upon the eastern troops with a cool regard. In his fine hands was a bow crafted by Silvan artisans and an arrow was nocked to its string of elven hair.

"You trespass in Thranduil's realm," said Legolas. "You will be taken to him for judgement. If you resist you will be slain. If you are innocent, then you will be freed on the borders of this realm, with the sentence of death should you return. Drop your weapons and you may live."

A big hairy man with a great scar across his face looked upon the lone elf and mocked him with his vulgar laughter. The big man drew a knife from his belt as swift as a stricking snake and hurled it straight at Legolas. The wood elf shot it from the air with his first arrow and his second one struck the man through his throat, choking off his rude mocking laugh.

This enraged the dozen men who followed him, and they cried aloud in their barbarous tongue, raising their shields and rushing the elf who slew their leader. Not even Legolas Greenleaf could have withstood them alone. But he was not alone. Greenclad elves stepped forth with drawn bows and in such numbers that the men were dismayed and realized that there would be no escape. More than half of them decided to charge Legolas anyway, hoping desperately to slay him or push past him and return the way they came. All nine of them were slain before their third step, their bodies pierced with many arrows.

The rest dropped their weapons and were bound with tight ropes. Legolas commanded that they be blindfolded and taken to Thranduil for questioning. He called for volunteers...

[Rinurion]

Lowering his bow, Rinurion walked slowly out to the prone ruffians. Looking them up and down, he saw that they were in poor condition, and had an evil glint in their eyes. Turning to Legolas, he said:
'These are scum, my leige. They do not deserve to live. But i see your point. We must question them. They may be part of some bigger action against our realm, or one of our trading partners. We must find out who sent them.'
A smile touched the face of the elven prince.
'I take it by this, Rinurion, that you are volenteering to take these prisoners back to my father.'
'Indeed I am, my leige'
The elven prince turned, surveying the faces of the elves behind him.
'The question is, who will go with him?'

[Ahanarion]

A tall elf stepped forward and said "I will my leige" Legolas then said"Ai, your help in escorting them to the king would be welcome Lhunaglar." One of the men then spit at Legolas and said "Jus' wait till the boss 'eres wind..." before he could finish ten bows were pointed at his head he then shrank back in fear. Lhunaglar said "If any of you scum should try to escape you will be filled with more arrows than you can count."

One of them muttered somthing in a strange and harsh tongue but stop when Lhunaglar's bow was pointed at him.The elves then started the prisoners marching...

[ March 09, 2002: Message edited by: Ahanarion ]

[Leighlei]

The large deer stood there, not ten feet away. Taking aim with her spear, Sauche, a rogue elf of the woodlands, was ready to hurl her weapon into the stag's body. The stag continued to graze, unaware of the huntress, alone as the moon in the sky since the orcs killed her parents. It knew not of her presence in the preserve. Nor did anyone else or she would have surely been thrown into jail. Not that she cared. She served her own purposes and not the king's, and would rather die than live a boring life planned by anyone but herself.

"That's right, I hope you enjoy your last meal as much as I'll enjoy my next," she thought.

She smirked and stepped foreward. Silently creeping towards the animal. Her hair, tied back in a ponytail that mingled with braids interlaced with feathers and leather straps, caught the sun in a subtle but beautiful way.

"HEY YOU! OVER THERE!" a voice cried. The stag looked up, startled, and bounded away. Sauche sighed and glanced around. Who had made that noise? A guard most likely. She rose and readied herself to run. She searched silently with her eyes. Where were those guards, were they even shouting at her? She sank back into the grass and prepared to creep away without being caught now that her prey had fled.

Too late.

A strong arm grabbed her from behind.

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Ahanarion]

"Take them away, and take care that they do not see the way," said Legolas. Then he and the other elves were gone.

Lhunaglar tightly blindfolded the prisoners eyes and Rinurion decided that they needed to be hooded as well. The elves would make certain that the secret caverns of the Woodland Realm remained secret.

Half of the way on the march to Thranduil's stronghold. Lhunaglar heard or thought he heard some one shouting in the king's preserve but he could not be sure.

They continued on their way and in due time came to the bridge that led across a swiftly rushing stream to the gates of Thranduil's caverns. They found the gates closed against them. A sentry had been apprised of their approach and greeted them.

The words of opening for that day were spoken and the great gates opened before them. No sooner than they were through, the gates slammed shut behind them, causing the prisoners to jump.

The sentry said, "I will inform the king of your arrival. The Jailer will see to these."

Lhunaglar, Rinurion, and several other elves took the prisoners down to a dark cell and cast them roughly to the floor of the chamber. Their bonds were cut, and their hoods and blindfolds removed. They were closed up within, given water and bread, and left together in the darkness.

Lhunaglar was ordered to remain on guard in the hall. He did not have to be told to remain out of sight and to be silent. If the prisoners talked, then the sharp-eared wood elf would hear...

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel was walking in the woods, letting her mind wander over many things, as was her custom, when she heard unfamiliar noises in the woods. So often did she wander in the Greenwood, that she knew every sound and smell. She was certain that the harsh sounds that now came to her ears were foreign, and she sprang silently toward them. Parting some branches with her hands, she saw a group of strange, vulgar men trespassing in Thranduil’s realm. Angered, she was about to step out of the foliage and confront the men alone when she saw Legolas Greenleaf drop from a tree right in front of the band of men. She smiled as she watched him reprimand the trespassers and make them all prisoners of Thranduil. She watched as Rinurion volunteered to take the prisoners to the King. She was not surprised. Rinurion was always eager to please the Prince, and she could not blame him.

She remained hidden until the prisoners had been taken away, and all the elves had vanished, save Legolas. Then she stepped out from behind a tree. Legolas turned his fair head towards her and smiled.“Tinuiel Mithrilas, I am hardly surprised,” he said. “Ever the silent and watchful, you are.”

“Yes, my lord,” replied Tinuiel. I shouldn’t be talking to him, she thought, but he is one of the few who do not act as if I am some strange outsider. “Who were those men?” she said aloud.

“As of yet, I do not know,” he replied. “But they are trespassers, nonetheless, and my Father will see to their punishment. “Come, Tinuiel, let us go to the Hall. We shall discover more of interest there.”

Tinuiel nodded and followed Legolas through the trees towards the hall. She inwardly thanked him for sparing her the task of challenging those strange men alone and for showing her kindness. As they walked under the trees in the dying light, Tinuiel's thought drifted back the the days when all of Middle-earth called the wood Greenwood, and thought it fair. Now, as here eyes wandered among the trees, she saw many trees that were fell looking and dark, leering at her in the growing darkness. "Ai, Greenwood," she sighed, and forced her thoughts to happier times.

[ March 14, 2002: Message edited by: LúthienTinúviel ]

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf was drinking from a brook when he heard a noise. Rûdhchamion listened intently, he knew it was coming several yards behind the group of trees from where he was. Keeping low, he grabbed his bow beside him and silently headed for a nearby brushwood.

His curiosity arouse, he adjusted his bow behind him and headed precautiously towards the large tree. Looking up, he spotted a branch that he decided would fit his purpose. Being use to living in high talans among trees, he was quite agile (yet silent) jumping up and positioning himself where he could stay hidden among the leaves and intertwining branches.

He saw a band of elves and several men. The men were dressed in the same manner as those he was pursuing, in hope that it would lead him to an orc encampment. He had lost their trail two days back when he was forced to conceal himself from another group of elves. He had wanted to reveal himself, yet he’d had several dealings with his race that were not so friendly to strangers, though he was of their kind. Thus, he had hesitated.

The tall, fair elf that was speaking seemed to be the leader. He then noticed another hidden figure in the shadows of the trees. When the elves left with the men, taking them prisoner, he waited still. The leader addressed the hidden figure.

A female elf came out. She seemed hesitant. But Legolas spoke kindly to her.

He stayed hidden in the tree, pondering. He looked around, feeling both at home yet out of place. Greenwood the Great, it was aptly named. Yet he could feel the change.

Thranduil. He had heard his father and uncles speak that name before. And other names, too, he recalled. But he had never planned on travelling this way until the raid on his people. His mother had spoken of the west and the sea. But the sea's beckoning was now distant compared to the revenge he felt that burnt in his heart.

[ March 17, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Gilthalion]

Sauche jabbed the large elf sharply with her elbow and might have made a run for it, had not another elf swiftly appeared before her as she turned.

She blew a pinch of dust from her palm into Sauche's face....


....wicked knives curved like the Moon.... Mother! ....Father! ....NOT AGAIN!! NOOOOOO!


The wild elven girl woke from disturbing half-remembered dreams to find herself in near darkness. A torch burned steadily in the narrow hall outside her stone cell.

As her elven sight adjusted to the dimness, she saw that her cell was clean and sparsely furnished. Clean water, bread, cheese, and grapes were on a table. She saw that the cheese had already been cut. Clearly, she was not to be trusted with a knife.

She sighed. Sauche was of a mind to refuse to eat their food, but the bread was still warm and it smelled delicious. If she ate it, then they would bring more. She smiled at the thought, for that might be her opportunity to escape.

~~~


Lhunaglar was weary of waiting. The men talked, but so far had only complained of their idiot commander, complained about each other's smell (the elf was inclined to strongly agree with all of the terrible things they said about each other), and gotten into a fight when their meal was brought to them.

He heard the wild girl awaken and stir in her cell. Lhunaglar smiled to himself, for of course her raids on Thranduil's preserves were known. It was a shame about her life, but she seemed to prefer living in the wild. Unfortunately, to her, that included the King's Preserve. Thranduil had set aside the place long ago and had forbidden all hunting, trapping, and harvesting within its bounds.

"I would that there be a place in Greenwood that remains untouched," he had said. "Let a guard be set so that no creature that goes about with two legs disturbs this place. Trespassers will be imprisoned until it is my pleasure that they be released." Thranduil had said these words long ago, but no elf of the Woodland Realm had forgotten them, as they remembered all of the laws of the realm.

But this girl was different. Ignorance of the law was no excuse, but surely she knew that the place was guarded and she was not welcome to hunt there? The king would rule justly, Lhungalar was sure.

The men were talking again, speaking the Common Tongue with their peculiar accent. The folk of Dorwinion spoke oddly enough, but these men spoke still more strangely. Now that they had finished fighting and eating (better than they had in sometime, the elf reckoned) their conversation became less guarded.

"I tell 'ee, they's something in the Forest Mountains that the top boys wants. But the Lieutenant was too stupid to get us there!"

"Ar. Yer right about that. I says we should've just kept to a straight line and followed the rise of the land."

"But noooo! The Lootentant sees the nice path and decides to save his precious feet a few steps. Well he won't be steppin' with them no more!"

At this, the three men laughed without the slightest compassion for their erstwhile hated leader. Perhaps it made their own dubious fate easier to bear, for they, at least, were not dead, like their Lieutenant.

But here, finally, was news. While the trusty elf did not know what was in the mountains that men from the East would be seeking, Thranduil surely did....

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion stirred from the top of the tree where he was hiding. Clothed in brown and green leather, he easily blended in his surroundings. Only another skilled in the woodland ways and searching for him could have detected the movement. His keen grey eyes surveyed the grounds below.

It had been several hours since Legolas and the female elf, Tinuiel, left. He fingered his hunting knife at his side, caressing the bloodstone on its hilt. Raná the Wanderer (as the moon was called in the elven tongue) was overhead, and he decided to wait until dawn until he would continue his “hunt” for his favorite prey, orcs and their allies.

The sound of a grey owl’s call came from a few distance away. Grey owl? That must be the elves’ signal, there were no grey owls in this parts. Thranduil’s people were being extra vigilant, even at night a patrol was constantly alert. He wondered at that.

Deep in thought, he had now only noticed the change in hue, from black to purple, of the horizon. Reaching for his hip bag, he took a few berries and nuts he had gathered along the way and began his morning meal. An inquisitive squirrel peeped at him from a nearby branch. He sent out a tendril of thoughts and it came near him. He offered it some nuts from his hand. Sniffing at it, the squirrel scampered to his arm and onto his outstretched hand, quickly nibbling the free meal.

He smiled a rare smile.

After the meal, Rûdhchamion decided to investigate the area where the men were captured by Legolas and the elves. Perhaps from there he would know what direction would be best taken.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya ran her finger down the edge of the newly sharpened arrowhead. It's cool steel side suddenly slipped and dug deep into her finger. Anarya squealed and threw the arrow down, cursing her stupidity, and sucking madly at her bleeding fore finger.

"There, now you've gone and made an idiot of yourself again, Anarya," She thought angrily.

The bitter salt of her blood stung her tongue harshly, but she could not help but smile at her work. The arrow was one of many that were known for their even sharpness and deadly accuracy, and only she knew how to make them. She had learned the technique from her grandfather who was a master craftsman of arrows until he lost the sight in both of his eyes when he had been hit by a falling branch from the old dead oak that had stood in front of their shop. She picked the arrow up off of the floor and put it with its twelve brothers, ready to be given the son of King Thranduil, Legolas, whose vassal was picking them up that afternoon.

Elves walked by, pushing three bound and blindfolded men before them, on the way to the gates of the cavern. Looking upon them jarred her from her thoughts. Not many came through the main gates at that time of the day. Curiosity biting at her mind, she wiped her hands of the blood upon her leggings and ran outside of her shop, looking down the road to see who was coming.

Anarya guessed they were men of the East for she had never seen one before, much less been out of Mirkwood for her young age had prohibited her from much travel. She saw in the head the elf known as Rinurion, leading the crowd. Now, her interest peeked, She walked up to the elf as he led the reluctant mortals.

He smiled dutifully as she approached, for he did not know her.
"Who are they?" She asked looking at the men as they past.
"I know not, but soon we shall find out. They were found trespassing upon our lands."
As habit, Anarya glanced back at his quiver. Inside she saw the traditional red-feathered ends of her arrows. She smiled.
"I see my arrows have become more popular," She said with a grin.
Rinurion looked puzzled for a second, "You are the maker of the red feathers?" He asked.
Anarya shrugged modestly and looked at the ground.
"I thought you were the apprentice to the arrow maker. You looked too young to be a master," He said not meaning to be rude, but it still sounded that way.
Anarya looked up with a burning glare, "Really, well tell the prince that his arrows are ready. Whenever he wishes, he may come and fetch them," She said coolly, "If you will excuse me, I must get back to my shop."
And with that she left the host and walked back to the shop. She was certainly sick of being judged because of her age, yet still she felt a curiosity toward the men and wished to know more~

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Fair Amaryllis]

She wouldn't normally have been seen walking around the prisoners' cells, but yet, there she was. Her black and, in this dim light unnoticeable, purple hair fell softly to her ankles. She was as silent as a butterfly flitting around in the king's preserve. Not even her earthy green dress made noise as she treaded down the corridor, occasionally glancing at the inhabitants.
It almost seemed as if something was pulling her toward the cell just ahead. When she reached the cell door, she stooped and turned to see who dwelt inside, and found herself looking at a young girl.

[Thalionyulma]

He had been following the flow of the stream for several days now, staying alert for any elves patrolling the woods. The dark elf's investigation of the area where the men were captured by Legolas and the elves gave him no clue from where they had come from.

Rûdhchamion's only compensation were a few arrows that were left behind. He sat under a large tree and taking the arrows with the red feathers out, started inspecting them. He was very impressed by the craftsmanship. Thranduil’s smiths were greatly gifted, he thought. His own arrowheads were made of stone meticulously shaped to his satisfaction, nothing compared to these. He would be on the lookout for more of these.

It was almost dark and he would need a place for shelter. He could continue his journey, even through darkness, but the forest had creatures that did not like elvenkind. He had encountered a large spider once, the size of a horse – luckily it was alone. There was also the wolves that had suddenly appeared from the dark mist of night. It was therefore a habit of his to take lodgings up treetops during the night.

A sudden noise made him grab his bow beside him and turn towards the direction from whence it came.

[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya felt stuffy and hot in her workshop. The usual generally mild afternoon, had turned hot, and the sun seemed set on making the air stifling with its hazy vapor. Irritating warmth seemed to radiate from every direction in her shop, and the burning oven did not help. Taking off her apron and discarding it by the front door, she sped off for the cooler glades that existed about the eaves of Mirkwood.

Being just about two hundred and fifty years old, she could not remember what the forest used to be like, when it was called Greenwood. Her Grandfather had told her many tales of it, but it never seemed real to her. The dark foreboding places of the forest seemed almost as natural to her as the light ones, green with ivy and spring leaves.

As she walked, the suffocating heat seemed to lift from her person and now she welcomed a warm swift breeze that rustled through the trees and brushed her honey colored hair from her face, yet something seemed odd. There was something irregular in the wood, an intruder. She passed it off as unsettled remnants of the men of the east from earlier that week, but it did not feel like a mortal trespasser, it was too soft and subtle.

She then heard the light sound of a stick breaking under step and stopped. She looked about frantically for shelter and found it in the branches of an old birch. Quickly ascending the tree and climbing into a neighboring one, she found the intruder she had been sensing. A dark elf sat under a tree, only a few feet away from the one she stood perched in, inspecting the end of an arrow. He was not of Mirkwood, she was sure of that. She leaned closer over the edge of the branch. In his hands he held a red-feathered arrow, one of her red feather arrows! Surprise leapt up from her stomach and she accidentally lost her balance. She felt herself fall, suspended in air, then to the ground. As she landed, her head hit a large protruding root from the ground causing blackness to flood into her eyesight, and she was out~

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen was sitting on the ground, halfleaning on it, and looking at some beautiful flowers that grew next to her. Her eyes was open, but she was dreaming away in her mind. Suddenly, she realised that someone was saying her name. She quickly got up and turned around, just to see her best friend. She sighed lightly and raised an eyebrown, just about to ask what it was all about, when Elenwen interupted her.

"Gaya, you better come quick! The kitchen master is soon going to find out that you have been dreaming away time again. You don't want to get into problems again, do you?"

Gayahithwen shaked her head, smiled a little and grabbed her friends hand.

"Let's get back before he finds out then, shall we?"

They ran off, towards the kitchen regions. Nobody had apperantly realised that they had been gone, so they just continiued with their work right away. The kitchen master turned around to see Gayahithwen, and calmy told her to go with some food to the prisoners. She grabed some plates and rushed away, giving Elenwen a glare for not telling her about what had happened. Rushing away in the corridor together with some other kitchen maiden, she was thinking about what could have happened, and why there was some prisoners. Crimes was not that common in Mirkwood, after all.

[Ahanarion]

Lhunaglar had heard one of the men speak of the mountains and that what they wanted was there. In a few more hours the the prisoners were to be tried. His thought wandered to his father. He thought of all of his fathers sayings then his thought turned to darker things to his fathers death but he shook that thought from his mind. He heard a knock on the door. Keeping to the shadows he went to the door and got out.

"Hello" said the elf. There were two others with him. "We are to report to the great hall with the prisoners."

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Ahanarion ]

[ March 25, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Gilthalion]

The elves brought the men, bound once again, into the Great Hall where Thranduil sat upon his throne, writing upon parchments on an ornate tray that lay across his lap. This was taken away by an elf lass as the elves approached the throne. The king of the woodland realm looked hard at the men and they quailed before his gaze.

Thranduil was taller than most of the elves of his realm, taller certainly than the Eastern men that stood bound before him. He wore rustic clothes like the other wood elves, but was crowned with a circlet of green leaves upon his brow. On any other occassion, his royal countenance might have been merry, but not so today.

He bent his gaze upon the prisoners as if by sheer force of will he could read the thoughts of the Easterners. When he finally spoke, they felt as if their very lives depended upon truthful and complete answers to his questions.

"You know how you were captured," Thranduil said. "And we know that you were making for the forest mountains. It may go well with you if you tell me why. Otherwise, you will surely die, for trespass is forbidden in my realm. What did you seek in the mountains?"

The men looked at one another, as if they would speak, but feared the other two. Finally, the largest of the Easterners said, "Like as not you'll put us to death all the same. So why should we talk?"

"It is not our way to torture our prisoners," answered Thranduil. "But it is within my power to release you, either to death, or to return from whence you came. If you guess that I am not inclined to let you live, then you guess rightly. You violated the borders of our realm on a military mission. Do you owe so much to your lieutenant, or to who ever sent you, that it is worth your lives? You may think on that in your cells. Take them away to separate cells so that they may think alone and each for himself on the value of his life!"

Lhunaglar smiled as he delivered his prisoner to a new cell, just as the other two were taken to two other cells. He could tell that the weaker two would break soon, away from the larger man. The elf smiled because it meant he was free from guard duty and his time was his own for a while. After locking the man in a darksome cell, the wood elf paused, seeing that girl with the long dark hair, almost the purple of distant mountains, was near the cell of the wild elf captured in the king's preserve.

"What is she doing here?" he thought. Lhunaglar was about to ask her just that when a clatter of dishes down the corridor announced that it was time for the prisoners to be fed.

"You'd think the prison had become the Great Hall," he muttered to himself. The pretty elf with the long hair looked up at that moment with a start, for she did not realize she was being observed.

[Fair Amaryllis]

She looked at the guard with her peircing purple eyes (that nearly matched the purple of her hair). His grey-blue hair reminded her of a memory she had from a long time ago.

She had been playing in the preserve and chasing a butterfly when she had stumbled in her youthful clumsiness. She had gotten her then completely black hair (the purple is a sign of age) tangled in a bush. Then, a boy with grey-blue hair had kindly helped her. He untangled her hair and soothed her "ouchie" and then carried her swiftly back to the palace.

She had always held that memory. It was the first time someone had actually noticed her other than her parents. But then she grew older and her hair started growing purple streaks. She started getting noticed more and eventually she was named the prettiest elf of non-royalty. It was odd that she had never seen that man again.

She wondered even now why the memory emerged at this moment. Could this be the man who had helped her so long ago when she was merely a child?

Why did she feel a strange need to touch his hair to see if it was as soft as it looked? Why did she want to flee to be alone in her quarters? Why was he looking at her with that smile in his eyes? What was this sudden pressure in her chest?

All these new emotions were running through her at once. In her mind was a fierce battle between politeness or the desire to run and spare the humiliation of stumbling over her own words and making a complete fool out of herself. Even now he must surely be wondering why she had been staring at him in silence for what seemed like ages. She finally drew in a breath and said slowly and carefully

"I'm terribly sorry, It's just that you startled me and I was momentarily stunned." She smiled and tried to make light of it.

"It is not every day that a young maiden, especially one so pretty as you, is seen wandering around in the prison. Be careful there, she's a wild one in that cell."

Amaryllis looked at the girl behind the door. She looked no more feirce than a piece of field grass swaying in the wind. Fighting with the breeze to stay upright.

"She is but a child in looks. How is it that she is as wild as you say?"

[ March 26, 2002: Message edited by: Fair Amaryllis ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was quite surprised when he saw the figure fall from the nearby tree.
Glancing around sensed there were no other nearby, he quickly knelt beside the form. It was a young elven girl!

He brushed her soft honey colored hair away from her face. She was still breathing. He paused, then gently lifted her head and examined her.

There were no broken bones, as far as he could tell. There was some bleeding where she had hit her head when she fell, but not too serious. She was going to have a good size lump though.

He raised a brow and sighed. He couldn't just leave her - no telling when a patrol would pass by. There was another chance that some other creature would find her first.

He carried the unconcious figure to where he had been resting awhile before. From the light pack he carried with his quiver, he took out his cloak and tore a portion using his knife. From his herb pouch, he produced a poultice, and wetting it slightly with water from his water bag, he tended to her injury.

She reminded him of Pennnauriel, his twin. Though he was dark haired, she was of fair color. Memories then came unbidden...

The small band of elves were resting from the hunt. His father presenting the stag's antlers to his grandfather, his mother and sister looking on. Pennnauriel was about to whisper something to Liliath, their mother when chaos broke out suddenly. Fighting broke out, poison darts filling the air, his father cut down while trying to save his mother. Sword in hand, hacking at the orcs and men, he tried to reach his parents. His sister being hit by a dart meant for him. He had held her in his arms as the light faded from her eyes...

He shook himself from the memories. His body had gone tense. He forced himself to relax.

The girl began to stir, and soon opened her eyes slowly. A bit disoriented at first, she finally seemed to get her focus and stared at him.

"Wh-who are you?" she asked hoarsely.

He looked at her. "I am Rûdhchamion." He offered her the water bag.

She looked at him with a guarded look in her eyes. "You are not from Mirkwood."

[ March 27, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[ March 27, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Thenamir]

Micanar was about to crack indeed. This was going according to plan.

Acting was Micanar's forté, one of many skills he plied with ease in his "business" of mercenary spy/soldier. An early-discovered gift for observation and mimicry taught him well. Subtle eye movements, unconscious changes in posture, almost-unnoticeable changes in expression, barely audible voice inflections that betrayed fear, doubt, confidence (and overconfidence), deception, and a hundred other emotions. Emotions which, if convincingly portrayed, could spell the difference between success and failure in being someone he was not.

Combined with a talent for using common and mostly harmless items as weapons, and a nimble mental flexibility, he excelled in his malfeasance beyond the scope of common thugs, orcs, and criminals. And he rented that excellence to the highest bidder, no questions asked.

Deceiving Thranduil had been a real coup, although Micanar himself almost cracked under his steel-grey gaze. He had succeeded, just barely, in convincing the elf king that he was a common hired thug, a mere pawn in bigger plans. Even the men with him thought him slow, weak, and whining. That was as it should be. He knew the old saying well, "if you want something done right, do it yourself." Or at least supervise it closely.

Micanar knew that the only way to get to Thranduil, into his realm, and thru his magic gates, and past his guards, was to be invited in. Tramping through the elf king's realm with this troupe of grumbling noisemakers gained him just the invitation he needed.

He also figured that the other men were tough enough to hold out for awhile, to obey the "boss's orders," the instructions given by the big gruff man he had hired to gruff-swagger instructions to Micanar's men. He did a good job too. Too bad he had to be killed before they left. (Leaving witnesses lying around was not good for "business.")

After a suitable interlude it was time for him to be the first one to "crack," and be ushered back into Thranduil's commanding presence. There, his acting skills would be put to the ultimate test. For which his true employer had promised a suitable reward.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya floated behind her closed eyelids in an unconscious sea of gray, rippling with shades of white and black that would burst at times. She then felt herself being lifted up and carried. For a moment she thought she had died and was being brought up to the halls of Mandos, but then she felt the cool drip of water upon her forehead. The left side of her face seemed to burn with spelt blood.

She awoke at the water's touch and forced her eyelids open. The vivid forest light stung her eyes ferociously, but she managed to keep them open. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a dark figure leaning next to her in the light. Finally, the colors of Mirkwood attuned to her eyes and she could see clearly. She could see now the face of an elf, the same elf she had seen inspecting her arrows. She knew it was he because he did not have the usual fair hair of the Mirkwood elves. His hair was raven black with streaks of navy blue that went down to his shoulders and his eyes were the color of rain clouds, ready to burst. They seemed to hold the pain, and sorrow of a thousand years.

"Who are you?" She asked warily. Her voice sounded unfamiliar to her.

"I am Rûdhchamion," He said.

Anarya was not quite sure what to make of the stranger. She remembered the Men of the east from earlier that week. Maybe he was one of them,

"You are not from Mirkwood," She said looking at him suspiciously.

The elf that called himself Rûdhchamion chortled a laugh, "Your very apprehensive for one so young," He replied. She now realized that he was holding a flask of water in his hands.

Anarya took it thankfully and drank deeply for she found herself very thirsty.

"Rûdhchamion." She said looking at the elf with peaked curiosity, "I have never heard of anyone near the wood named that,"

He shrugged and stood holding his torn cloak and a knife in his hands.

"That is because I am not from Mirkwood." He answered putting them away in a pack that lay near the trunk of a tree.

Anarya struggled to sit up. He head spun as she tried to stand. She suddenly lost her balance and fell back down to the soil.

"You should really sit for a while," Rûdhchamion said sitting by her, "You had quite a nasty fall,"

"I guessed that," She said blandly, rubbing her throbbing head, "What are you doing in Mirkwood anyway?"

"I'm just passing through-"

"You mean trespassing through," She interrupted, "Do you know what happens to trespassers in Mirkwood? We recently had some men from the east come through and they are soon to be executed from what I hear, what do you think of that?"

"I think nothing of it," He answered standing again. He said that he didn't but Anarya could not help, but feel that he did think quite much of it.

"What is your name?" He asked looking up at a chipmunk that sat chattering at them from a
branch high above.

"Anarya," She replied feeling of the tightly bound bandage. Her wound had stopped bleeding. She then remembered her arrows that he held in his possession, "How did you come by my arrows?" She asked.

"Your arrows?" He said looking down at her.

"Yes, the red feathered ones. How did you get them? I have not sold them to anyone out of Mirkwood."

"You made them?"

Anarya shrugged a yes.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"244 years old, but I'm almost 245," She said looking up. Rûdhchamion's grinned slightly. She knew a comment of her age would come soon so she quickly added before anything else was said,"How old are you?"

"Around 2,500 years,"

Anarya felt her cheeks grow red with embarrassment for being so young. 2,500 years. Would she ever be able to reach that age? She already counted every day of each year, waiting for it to be over and she to be another year older. She so wanted to grow up…

[LúthienTinúviel]

When Tinuiel and Legolas had reached the Hall, they had parted. Legolas went to speak with his father about the trespassers, while Tinuiel wandered over to a window in the Hall. She knew that the prisoners would be brought before Thranduil, and she wanted to watch the interrogation. Studying people was a hobby of hers. She was so used to sitting alone and outside the action, that her skills of perception were sharpened to a point as sharp as the arrows of the young elf maid, Anarya. As she waited, she gazed out of the window at dusk falling over Mirkwood. Mirkwood, she thought. I remember when you were fair and bright. Great Green Wood you were called, and all marvelled at your beauty. What ill fate had fallen upon you. First Sauron's malice festers and casts darkness upon you, and now strange men tramp though you with no care for your leaves or boughs or streams. Tinuiel sighed and sunk into a reverie.

She was started from her dream by the voice of the guard announcing the prisoners. She watched as the foreigners lined up one by one before the throne of the King. Tinuiel moved to the other side of the room so she could see their faces more clearly. She gazed at them intently as they were questioned, each briefly one by one. One in particular caught her attention: a man called Micanar. He seemed different to her somehow. Not physically, but his demeanor was just perceptably different. It was his eyes. She thought she saw a gleam of confidence and pride, which didn't fit at all with the man's outward demeanor. She stared at him hard as her passed her on his way back to the dungeon. Their eyes met for a split second, and in that second Tinuiel realized that the man was laughing at her, at Thranduil, at them all.

After the prisoners left, Tinuiel rushed over to Legolas. He was standing beside his father, but he moved away to talk to her.

"What is it, Tinuiel?" he asked. "You look worried."

"It's that man, Micanar," said Tinuiel. "Warn Thranduil about him. There is something not right with him. He is not telling us the truth."

"My father is a wise king, Tinuiel. He can judge for himself."

Tinuiel lowered her gaze. "You--you're right. Your pardon, Prince." Tinuiel bowed and hurried from the chamber, inwardly cursing herself for being so forward with the Prince. Legolas stared after her, and shook his head. He liked Tinuiel, but sometimes she behaved so strangely.

[ March 28, 2002: Message edited by: LúthienTinúviel ]

[Rinurion]

Rinurion sat under a great mallorn tree, a rare sight in these parts. He was taking a break from the prisoner's trial, and was pondering on what had passed in the last few days, and what was yet to come.
I can feel that we will soon be departing Thranduil's halls he thought silently as the wind whistled around him. I can feel the excitement of the journey in my bones, but my head is filled with forboding. But I have dwelt too long in security. I thrive on crisis. This is what I live for, I cannot turn down this opportunity.
His mind made up, he picked himself up and turned around, only to find the elven girl he had seen earlier strolling past. She shot him a venomous look and and hastily made her way away from the mallorn, but was caught by Rinurion.
"Look, I am sorry for what I said earlier. I did not mean it as an offensive statement, but I should have thought before I spoke. I should not have judged you because of your age, especially due to the your excellent arrows. As I remember, you wanted to know somthing of the prisoners?"

[Ahanarion]

Looking at the elf Lhunaglar replied "Although a child in looks she seems a wanderer at heart. We have been after her for years. She hunts in the King Thranduil's preserve." The elf replied "How do you know so much of her?" Lhunaglar said "I am one thousand years the princes senior. I can see many things in peoples hearts....

[Elenya]

Elenya moved silently among the trees. She had seen men enter here, but there had been no sign of them since she came into the forest. "Greenwood the Great", she thought. " I have heard only of what you were." A rustle came from the trees. She drew her sword, placed it on her lap, and pulled Ore to a halt. "It must have been merely a bird", she told herself. Ever since the band of elves she had been traveling with were lost to orcs in the mountains, she was constantly on her guard. The men she had seen looked brutal, and there were too many for her to defend herself. She patted her hip, and let out a sigh of relief. The weight of the parchment was reassuring. She just needed to make it to Thranduil without being caught, but that could make itself out to be a difficult task. There were all sorts of merciless creatures in the woods, and Elenya didn't want to cross paths with any of them. She closed her eyes against her will. Sleep deprived for days, she couldn't risk falling asleep. Another rustle. She opened her eyes to the sound of a voice.
"What's this? The king should like to see you. Trespassing in Mirkwood, for this you shall die!"
Elenya bolted around, sword raised. The voice belonged to an elf, one of the king's guards. Suddenly, as he saw the small circlet of silver on her arm, he dropped his bow.
"I beg your pardon, my lady. I did not realize that you were of good standing. May I ask your business here?"
Elenya hesitated to answer.
"I am Elenya of Rivendell. I was sent here with an urgent message for King Thranduil."
"I see." the elf said. He seemed suspicious. "May I escort you to the Great Hall?"
"It would be appreciated. Do you know of the men who entered here two nights past?" she questioned the elf.
"Yes," he replied. "They were captured by Prince Legolas, and taken before Thranduil."
A heaviness was lifted off Elenya's chest.
The Woodland Realm slowly came into view. She waited for her audience with Thranduil, and his reaction to the hidden message she carried.

[Fair Amaryllis]

"I know little more than that she is in this cell, in front of my eyes."

She continued to stare at him in that "I know I've seen you somewhere before" look.

She finally said to him: "You seen so familiar. I am nearly sure I've seen you somewhere else, though I cannot remember exactly where."

"Perhaps you have seen my in the halls? The palace is not quite so big that you don't see someone more than twice"

"No, I believe there was more than just a glance in a hallway. Yet, I could be mistaken." She sighed and decided that maybe this wasnt that man from her memory. For some reason she felt disappointed that he wasn't. She tried to shrug it off but it remained. So she ignored it.

She was trying to find something to say to keep him there long enough to have a decent conversation, which she rarely had anymore with anyone besides her best friend. She felt she could tell him anything. Even about that time.... She almost began to tell him but she stopped just in time. She could only think to say "Would you tell me about the girl?"

[ March 29, 2002: Message edited by: Fair Amaryllis ]

[Leighlei]

The girl glared at them, being watched like a caged animal. She dare not do anything about it to show she was hostile, though she wished she had her spear so she could drive it through their foreheads. She bit her lip and closed her scarred eye in a wink, revealing the scar so precisely sliced through her brow and cheek. Then she pulled the leather strap from her hair and let it fall loose as she turned away.
"Let me go." She said softly.

[cheeto]

"I wonder when Anarya's coming back?"thought Novannon,not only did she still have to clean up the shop and do all of her work,but ever since she left,her and Anarya's father had been watching the shop.
They were almost out of arrows to sell,and Novannon had been hearing severel rumors of men being marched through Mirkwood,and something about a "wild child"
Days went by,and still no sighns of Anarya...

[Anarya SilverBranch]

(in reply to Rinurion)

Anarya's glare softened upon the young elven soldier. She had to admit, she was curious about the men. She shrugged in defeat and looked at Rinurion.
"Alright then, what is this news of the trespassers?" She asked

[Thenamir]

"Mercy!" cried Micanar from the cell, with just the right inflections of fear and trepidation. "Have mercy on me! I never wanted to join this search! It was forced on me! Spare me and I will tell you everything!"

The jailer sent a messenger to king Thranduil, and summoned two more elf guards to escort the prisoner before unlocking the door. Micanar played his part well, pleading with them not to hurt him, and groveling like a beaten cur. His wrists and ankles were chained, and he was made to shuffle into the presence of the king.

Thranduil's expression softened a bit when the repentant Micanar reentered his throne room. To all appearances he was the perfect picture of a dupe fearing for his life, kneeling with head bowed, hardly daring to raise his eyes to the powerful elf king before him.

"Micanar, you will be free to leave my kingdom, so long as you never return, if you will answer my questions completely and truthfully," Thranduil said. Micanar raised his head in a posture of relief and thankfulness, leeting his eye with a steady gaze. "I will do as you command, O king. What would you ask of me?" Micanar said with complete composure, his earlier unsteadiness gone. He could not wait to answer the king's questions...

[Leighlei]

The woman outside her cell studied her for a moment. "What is your name?"
"It's none of your business what my name is!" The prisoner yelled, whirling and baring her teeth. "I stand here caged before your very eyes and yet you ask another about me. Next time, oh fair elf maiden, ask the condemned for their story and not those who condemned them!" She growled, grabbing the bars of her cell, then she smiled partway, thinking suddenly of something worth changing the subject for; Her judgement. "I suppose I shall meet the father of that lovely Legolas Greenleaf? He is so beautiful..." She smiled as she turned away from the bars. "He was too busy with himself, I suppose, to even care when my parents were killed." She was silent then, nothing more came from her.

[cheeto]

Novannon packed a few things and started searching the roads,she hardly traveled far very often,and preferred not to.
"There's a map of the roads on the far end of Gre-Mirkwood"Anarya's father had told her while she was packing,"she walks all the way there sometimes,don't know exactly where,just know there's gossip about her going far"
He gave her a large rolled page and told her to be off.
Stopping,she unrolled the map.
"Ascanedlor,finest arrows in Mirkwood,this way? I forgot to post these around! where have I got to now?"
Turning back,she traced her steps,then came to severel turns.
"I don't remember this being here"she thought,"and I will not be here when it's dark"

[LúthienTinúviel]

After Tinuiel had fled Legolas and the hall, she wandered outside beneath the trees, thinking of that strange man. Ai! she thought. What can I do? She walked in thought for a while longer, trying to decide what to do. She knew that she couldn't confront Thranduil, and she didn't have the courage to talk to Legolas, so instead she decided to go to the dungeons to find the man.

She made her way to the dungeons, and stopped to ask the guard about the man.

"Where is the prisoner Micanar?" she asked.

"He is being questioned by Thranduil."

Tinuiel thanked the guard and rushed out of the dungeons and up many flights of steps and through many corridors until she came to a little door that opened on the edge of the Great Hall. She peered around the doorframe. Thranduil was questioning the prisoner.

"Micanar, you will be free to leave my kingdom, so long as you never return, if you will answer my questions completely and truthfully," Thranduil said.

The foreign man cringed before Thranduil's throne. "I will do as you command, O king. What would you ask of me?"

Tinuiel shuddered. She started forward to say something, but caught herself. Patience, Tinuiel, she said to herself. Wait it out. See what he has to say first. So Tinuiel settled herself as best she could in her hiding position and listened to Thranduil's questioning of Micanar.

[Elenya]

"I'm sorry, miss, but the king is busy with an audience. I don't know when he will be finished."

After hearing this news from the guard at the Great Hall, Elenya decided to take a look around, and headed into to the prison to see if the men from the east were there.
They were, and as she walked around and looked into their cells, the men leered at her, and reached out towards her. In one of the cells, she noticed a young girl with vivid purple hair. She looked aggressive and distant. Elenya kept walking, intrigued by the girl, and stepped outside.

Elenya headed towards the arrow-makers, to stock up. As she got closer, she realized that the arrows had red feathers; identical to the ones that some of the guards carried. She stepped in, and was greeted by an elf-maiden.

“I am captivated by your arrows, miss. They look to be such fine quality.”.

“Why, thank you, but I have to admit, these arrows are not my handiwork. Young Anarya Silverbranch is whom you should give praise to. I am Novannon, and I am keeping shop until she returns. She has been gone quite some time now.”, replied the elf.

“I believe that I’ll take 60 of your arrows, and then I’ll be off”. Elenya purchased the arrows, and left.

Outside, Elenya decided to check on the message. She patted her hip to feel for the parchment. She felt nothing. A guard approached her and told her that Thranduil was ready to see her.

“What will I do?”, her mind raced. “Elrond sent me with this, and he didn’t even tell me what the contents were! I’m about to face the king with nothing! It was incredibly secret, and now it could be in the hands of some criminal!”

The guards opened the doors, and ushered her in.

“What am I going to say?!”

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf did not know what to make of this young elfling. She would still be considered a child by the standards of their race. In her eyes reflected an intelligence that was not to be underestimated. But she would still need years of experience for wisdom only time can give.

Rûdhchamion was amused as he detected the color rising in her cheeks. She was a sensitive one then, when it came to her youth. So much like Pennnauriel when they had still been this young elf’s age.

With a crooked grin he said, ” My apologies, please do not take offense. It is very rare that I would look upon such fine craftmanship such as these” he gestured to the arrows. “I had thought them crafted by Thranduil’s master smiths, who must have honed their skills through ages past. One could even say that they might rival those made in Lórinand. You honour your sire and mentor by such talent for one so young.”

He glanced around and quickly sent a thought of inquiry to the chipmunk. There were no other elves nor men nearby was its reply…. Not yet, that is.

Rûdhchamion began to gather his things, placing the arrows in his quiver. He had best leave young Anarya and move on. Though he would have taken great pleasure in watching the execution of the men. Pity he would be unable to get any information from them. Double more the pity, he thought, that he could not kill them with his own hands.

He turned to the girl as he adjusted his pack and quiver. “Seeing that you no longer need tending to, young Anarya, I must be on my way. I am certain that a patrol will be coming by, should you need an escort back to your home.”

He felt a sudden urgency to quickly move on. With his bow in one hand, he turned to leave.

Then he stopped. A thought entered his mind suddenly and with his back still turned to her, he asked almost in a whisper “Do you know who they are – these men from the east? Did you see what they looked like?”

He turned to face her slowly. She was watching him silently, an intent look on her face. It was risky, and she may not agree - but there was no other way. He had to find out if these men were somehow connected to the raid on his people.

"I would ask a favor of you... one that I would not ask if not for the urgency of my needs."

Anarya became wary," And what would those needs be? To spy upon King Thranduil's realm and - "

"I am no spy", he said with a hint of irritation. "I wish to know if the men who were captured may lead me to those I seek."

She looked him in the eye,"Who then would you be seeking?"

His answer was in a voice as cold as ice.

"Those that murdered my family."

[ April 02, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

The elf girl found herself growing restless, she ran to the bars and once again tried to yank them loose, but her strength was nothing to them. She let out a small moan of hopelessness, wanderers cannot stand four walls for long, and then sank to the floor, her golden hair hanging in her face as she began to howl like some animal...a wolf, perhaps. A nearby guard covered his ears, the sound made him want to cry, and yet his head felt ready to split open. She continued to wail, in desperate need of outside air, to run, to see the sun, to be free...

[Mayla Took]

"How long until we reach the halfway marker to Dale Pearl?" asked a small Hobbit while dropping a pile of twigs by a fire.
"We already have, Mayla." replied another Hobbit who was slightly taller then the first "We should reach Dale by sundown tomorrow."
"Really? That is extraordinary!” remarked Mayla while stooping to sit next to a large Dwarf. “Yes it is,” replied Pearl
“Your Dwarf friend, Grundin, surly got us to this point at record time which....” “Humghph” interrupted the Dwarf lounging beside Mayla. His sharp gray eyes seemed to penetrate the fire as he spoke “Well don’t go giving me all the credit! We have the strong backs of the ponies and those three lugs.” Grundin gestured to three sleeping Dwarves who were snoring loudly.
The Hobbits chuckled as they watched the three Dwarves sleep.
"Nevertheless...." said Mayla while turning back to Grundin "I would have never been able to make this trip without you! I am very glad that Bilbo insisted that you travel with me before...." She stopped their half wondering.
"Yes, yes. I know what you were going to say." Said Pearl
"You were going to say 'before he disappeared'."
Mayla smiled "Yes, you are right, that was what I would have said. It's just that I can't help but wonder about him."
"Well," replied Grundin as he gazed into the dark velvet sky that seemed to be dancing with stars. "You will have to stop wondering about it tonight! We have along day ahead of us and I can't have tired, distracted Hobbits on the journey." Grundin secured his cloak around his shoulders and leaned on the log behind him.
Mayla and Pearl did the same with their green cloaks. Pearl chucked once more while turning to Mayla. “Grundin is right, we should get as much sleep as possible.” Mayla agreed and the two Hobbits said their good-nights to Grundin while attempting to make themselves as comfortable as possible on the cool floor of the wood. After a few moments, the only sound in the wood was the heavy snoring of the three sleeping Dwarves.

[ May 05, 2002: Message edited by: Mayla Took ]

[Thenamir]

The King let the silence hang long in the Great Hall as he peered into Micanar's eyes to see how the man reacted when nervous. Micanar expected it, and feigned the general nervousness that an otherwise cooperative and mildly guilty person might have in the face of such an intimidating presence.

King Thranduil leaned forward in his throne/chair. "Who sent you here?" he asked slowly, almost as if to hypnotize the man before him. Micanar replied, "A tall man from Laketown...that's where we are all from, your highness...said he had come into possession of the location of an item of great importance, which he would not tell us about...he had this leering grin that made me think he'd killed someone for it...and he wanted to hire us to go seek it out...and return with it if possible...he did not tell us your kingdom was here..." Thranduil listened attentively, Micanar fidgeted convincingly.

"How did you expect to find this place?"

"We were given general directions and a map, your highness... someplace near the base of the mountains on the west of Mirkwood. I have a copy I made, but the original is on one of the men who...was killed in the woods by your soldiers..." At this one of the elves standing near handed Thranduil a small box which Micanar recognized as the very box he'd hoped they would find. He hadn't reckoned on the man being dead, but those were the fortunes of war and all that...

Micanar handed one of the guards his copy, hidden in between two layers of his tunic, to give to the king. Thranduil studied both the original and the copy carefully. "And you were going to *this* place?" Thranduil pointed to a mark on the original map. Micanar nodded. "And what is this place marked on your map, but not on the original?"

Micanar acted hesitant, which brought a scowl to the king's face. He then blurted out, "the 'Boss' wanted me to make a detour, to try get the men to return by that mark if I could...he said it would be worth my while, that there would be gold...I'm sorry, your highness" Micanar appeared to be breaking down, trembling, all in a cold sweat. Thranduil's scowl gave way to mild concern. He motioned for a seat to be brought for Micanar, who gratefully accepted, wiping his forehead with his sleeve...

[ April 01, 2002: Message edited by: Thenamir ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya sat shocked for a second. She felt a deep sympathy towards the stranger for it seemed now that he was more alone than what she had first thought. Her own mother had died a few months after the death of her grandmother. Her mother had wasted away for five months till she became no more but a shadow of her former self, a ghost drifting about the halls of their home till she died. Anarya had been just 100 or so at the time but she still remembered it vividly. But to have one's whole family die? She thought it over carefully, she did know a way to find out.

"Can I trust you?" She asked, "For I might know a way...

[Rinurion]

(ooc: in reply to anaryas post way way back.. sorry havent been paying attention. i think ull have to spend some time putting the rpg in order, gil.)
Rinurion sighed. "There is little to tell now, the facts are few and far between. We caught them while on a patrol with the prince, as you probably know. When Legolas went out to talk to them, they did not see their peril, and attacked. They were swiftly dealt with, and would have all died if not for the prince's order. He was right to spare them, they are more than they seem. There is somthing big going on here, somthing they are just a miniscule part of. I can feel it, but cannot see it or place it. I am hovering around, expecting to get the orders to march out any moment. I just wish i knew what was happening."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

(In reply to Rinurion)
"I believe we all wish that sir elf," Anarya said looking out over the sun tipped trees of Mirkwood, "I really believe we all wish that."
She looked at the elf. She had to admit, he did look a bit confused with his current situation.
"What is your name?" She asked before she could stop herself, "I am Anarya,"

[ April 02, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion stared at the young elven girl. How could he tell her of the dangers that followed these men? Such men had betrayed his people, only a handful of elves had survived that raid. His mother’s kin had sheltered two men they had thought just weary travelers – it turned out they were scouts for the enemy.

His grey eyes were like stormclouds in turmoil as memories threatened to enter his mind. Not until he avenged his family’s death would he allow himself to mourn. He had left the surviving group and began his hunt after two days after their deaths.

“Trust? That is for you to judge, young Anarya, if trustworthy I may be,” he said. “But it is my hope that my deeds, be enough for now, worthy of your trust.”

[Gilthalion]

Thranduil frowned at the map. The geography was correct, but the lettering uncouth and antiquated. Someone had copied the maps from an ancient original. None of his people would have made such a thing available to men such as Micanar.

The wiley fellow stood before the elven king, his confidence beginning to fade as he realized that Thranduil was learning things from the maps that Micanar himself could not have guessed at.

For Thranduil shrewdly guessed that the source of the maps was no friend of the elves of Mirkwood, and perhaps was allied with an enemy that was old indeed. Finally, he looked at the man and said, "You were on a fool's errand, for you will find no gold in those mountains. Only sleep and death. But I do not believe you."

Now the regal wood elf stood to his full height and bent his gaze upon the prisoner. Micanar knew that he had lost his composure, and in the sudden silence could hear the beating of his heart. He felt trickles of sweat falling from his face and he felt as if he might lose control of his bowels. It seemed to him that the elves might do anything to him and he became most wretched and frightened at the thought.

"Tell me," said Thranduil, and Micanar felt sure that he would, "what you really sought in this place, who you sought it for, and where you expected to take it. Do not lie, for I will know it! Now speak!"

The cavern seemed to whirl around him and the torches flickered ominously about the craven conman. This was not how he had pictured the questioning at all!

He moistened his mouth and prepared to tell the woodland king all the little he knew...

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya sat thinking upon his reply for a few moments. One would not lie about the murder of one's parents, perhaps she could trust him, after all, if he really was like one of those men he probably would have killed her.
She looked up at him with her green eyes. His eyes were honest.

"Very well then Rûdhchamion, Follow me if you wish to find out more of these strangers."

And with that she stood and ran out toward the city. She looked behind to see if he followed...

[Mayla Took]

The next morning the ground was cool and damp with dew where the Hobbit and Dwarves set camp. The sky was gray and the air smelled like a deep forest before rain. Amid all of the peace of the morning Mayla woke early breathing heavily with cold droplets of sweat running down her forehead and the side of her round cheeks. Her sky blue eyes shone with tears and anxiety. She had experienced another night of horrifying memories of her Mother. She fingered the golden locket that hung around her neck and opened it. Inside were pictures of her Mother and Father. She wiped her forehead with the blue cloth of her sleeve, then closed the locket. It had been years since she had been haunted by the memories, but the dreams seemed to become for frequent over the past weeks. Mayla resolved that the dreams were simply caused by her traveling as far as she was away from her Grandfather, but something deep inside her knew that it was something else. Something else was happening, something of great importance, but what that something was, she did not know.
When she had recovered and collected herself Mayla noticed that Diol, one of the Dwarves she was traveling with, and Pearl were awake also and unloading food for breakfast off of one of the ponies. Diol was a sturdy brown/red haired Dwarf with green eyes and significantly less hair than the other accompanying Dwarves.
“G’morning Dion.” Said Mayla while rolling her thin bedding into a compact ball
“Humph” replied Dion with a frown “Every mornin’ is a good mornin’ for you Hobbits. Yur’ too light-hearted for your own good….can’t you see it looks like rain?” Dion gestured one of his large hands at the sky which was gray and threatening.
Mayla followed his gesture and gazed into the swirling clouds above which seemed to engulf her. “Well,” she said “It looks as if we will be picking up camp earlier than usual if we want to get to Dale before the rain.”
Dion frowned deeper and continued unpacking the food. “Humph” said Dion again “I wouldn’t set my heart on reaching Dale before the rain. But the rain isn’t the only reason we should leave soon.”
Mayla gave Diol a puzzled look “What do you mean?” she said while watching Diol kick the other three Dwarves wake.
“Elves.” Said Diol in a tone that was filled with aggravation “Elves are said to be seen around these here parts. If we are lucky they will have the sense (if Elves have sense) to stay away from us!”
Mayla sighed and shook her head unnoticeably. She was convinced that she would never understand the conflict between the Elves and the Dwarves.
“I would at least enjoy seeing an Elf, even if I did not talk to one.” Mayla said with a tone of hopefulness
“Elves are rarely seen without being heard also!” Dion grumbled in reply.
After the company had finished a short breakfast they packed the ponies and left immediately for Dale.

[ May 05, 2002: Message edited by: Mayla Took ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was slightly suprised at her reaction, he was not all too sure that she would have trusted him so quickly. He followed her, matching her pace quite easily. Though sensing no malice on her part, he was somehow wary and kept alert for any surprises.

They had been keeping a steady pace when she signaled him to stop. They concealed themselves near a cluster of trees near the elven path. They sat down to rest a moment.

Anarya’s brows furrowed slighty as she was thinking, staring towards the city. She would not be able to bring him to the prisoners at once. She would need help to do that. Perhaps they could go to the shop first, but how would she explain to Norvannon and her Father?

He was watching her intently, trying to guess her thoughts and plans. He knew entering the city would be risky.

Her eyes widened when she recognized a figure coming into view, though still a bit distant from where they were. He followed her gaze. It was a female elf, older than Anarya.

They both tensed when they saw a small group of elves, come out from the other side of the path. His hand gripped his bow tightly.

“Wait,” she whispered sharply, motioning for him to keep calm.

[ April 05, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

In her cell the girl had ceased to moan, and lay on the floor in a tired heap. She refused to sleep, they could do anything to her here, and she wanted to be ready for them...

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya heard the steady step of Rudhchamion treading behind her as they ran. She began to think over her plan. Anyone with half a brain would think twice before letting a lone elf maid and a dark stranger in to see the prisoners. She would need help.

Anarya stopped at a mesh of interweaving trees, just before the main path, that would serve as hiding place for them to rest in. As she stopped she heard light footsteps in the distance. She peered down the path to see a fimiliar figure walking toward their hiding place.

She could sense Rudhchamion stiffen and grip his bow tighter.

"Wait," She said in a voice just above a whisper, than stepped out into the open.

"Novannon! Thank Elbereth you would be walking through the woods at this moment!" She called in greeting...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel let out a sigh when she heard Thranduil tear down Micanar. "Thank Elbereth," she said in a low voice, but it was not low enough. A guard standing not far away, but with his back to her, heard Tinuiel's words.

"Hey! You there. This is a private questioning. Get out of here!"

Tinuiel bit back a sharp reply and left her listening post. She started to make her way toward her rooms, but she needed to think, and the stone walls of the corridors seemed to bear down on her. She turned right and made her way through a maze of corridors to the outside. She breathed deeply. The smell of Green Wood always helped to clear her mind. She set off on her usual walk, though it was marked by no path. Tinuiel did not need paths to tell her where she was in the great forest. She walked beneath the trees for a long while, thinking over the events that seemed to her to be more grave than any yet let on. She was deep in the woods when the gentle woodland noise was interrupted harshly. Tinuiel froze in her tracks and listened. She could hear a voice in the woods. She crept closer to the sound and peered through the leaves of a great tree. In a little glade she spied an elf. He was sitting with his back to her, muttering under his breath. Tinuiel tried to make out what he was saying, but she heard naught but babble. She thought she picked out the words, "Never!... I won't tell you...Please don't hurt them..." But she couldn't be sure. No matter, she thought. Trespassers are trespassers. With that she sprang out from behind the trees, an arrow already notched to the string. She fast and silently did she move that the elf did not even hear her until she spoke--her arrow only inches from the back of his head. "Stand up, slowly," she commanded. The elf stiffened, but obeyed. "Now turn around." The elf did so, and as he did, Tinuiel gasped. The elf's face was haggard, and full of pain. So great was the anguish on his face that she almost lowered her bow, but pity did not triumph. "Declare yourself," she said. "Who are you and what business do you have in Thranduil's realm?"

[cheeto]

"Anarya"! Novannon replied,the two elven maidens ran to greet each other,then in a loud whisper she said"everyone has been worried sick about you!you never tell anyone where your going,and the talk I've heard the last few days trying to find you has said you should not be out-"she stopped suddenly and listened,then turned around,keen eyes quickly finding uneven shadows
"do you see him?"she asked,
"he is a friend"Anarya said
Rudhchamion stepped out
"I guess he must be"Novannon teased,"he can't hide from me,he couldn't hide from anyone"

[ April 06, 2002: Message edited by: cheeto ]

[Thalionyulma]

He relaxed a bit when Anarya came out to greet the other female elf. Hearing her comment, Rûdhchamion was a bit bemused. He was not trying to hide at the moment, nor was he hunting – was she expecting him to creep about?

He was still a bit nervous about being seen, so he stayed near the shade of trees. This was after all Thranduil’s realm, and the young elf maiden was right, strangers were not welcome. In better times perhaps, he would have no doubt been welcomed in Eryn Galen, as Greenwood the Great was called among his people.

He brushed his dark hair back, away from his face. He suddenly sensed the presence of other, or others, coming towards them (he was unsure if it was a group). He tried to control his uneasiness.

He glanced at the two young elf-maidens...

[Nice-Smeagol]

"I am am Mornovarion, and I come seeking sanctuary" answered the elf, "I thought that the elves of the Greenwood had more manners towards strangers".
He spoke as if with great effort and Tinuiel could tell that he was lying. He didn't seem to be a natural liar and it was easy enough to see that he wasn't telling the truth.
Suddenly, she felt a slight, sharp pressure on her stomach and looked down to see a knife with it's point just penetrating her cloak. Mornovarion stared at her with deep blue eyes. As he spoke again, Tinuiel noticed that he spoke with new confidence, free from having to lie.
"If you loose your arrow I shall stab you ere I fall, so we shall both die. Now, take me to the halls of King Thranduil, or I shall be forced to kill you..."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya looked back to where Rudhchamion was hiding. Why wasn't he coming out of hiding?

"It's alright!" She called to him but then she stopped.

Someone was approaching. Someone who was not supposed to be there. She now understood why he wouldn't come out. She quickly turned to Novannon.

"Quick!" She whispered hoarsely, "Hide!"

The two elf maids ducked into a grove of bushes...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel's eyes hardened. She spoke through clenched teeth. "I would not be the one to speak of manners, stranger. And if you truly believe that I am daunted by your knife point, then I pity you, for you are more foolish than you appear. I would sooner shoot you and die myself than bring you before King Thraduil unbound and carrying a weapon." Tinuiel's face was hard as stone and her eyes burned like two bright stars amidst the night of her hair. "Put down your knife, and you will live to kneel before the throne of the King of the Green Wood. If not, then you shall receive judgement from my bow. So choose, and choose wisely. And keep this in mind: My arrow is crafted by Anarya, finest crafter of arrows in all of Middle-earth. We shall see which weapon hits home first. The choice is yours, but choose swiftly, or I shall choose for you."

[cheeto]

feet walked by the bushes,stepping inches in front of the two maids faces,they were very careful walking by,even the leaves they brushed barely bent,and the boots they wore had something soft tied to the soles,though they could hear soft crunching everywhere,the crunching sounded like a small army spread out,another pair of feet inched close behind them,then inched past,the rustling was fading when Novannon whispered"I believe those were mortals I've heard rumors about"
"I believe so too,but why so many in Mirkwood?"Anarya replied

[Thenamir]

Micanar tried quickly to sort out the acted fear from the real fear he felt deep inside himself. The great elf king had shaken him, but he fought to compose the "real" Micanar and feign fear, and even indignance. It was several moment before he could trust himself to speak. When he did, he decided the promised rewards were so great that he would try one last time, to fall back to the backup story.

"M-m-my L-Lord," he stammered, the nevousness in his voice now very real, " see now that none can deceive you. I am a servant in the house of the Queen of Dorwinion. So famous and lush are the plants of your realm, O king, she desired me and my companions, rough as they are, to recover some of the foliage of Greenwood the Great for planting and decorating in her palaces and courtyards. She would consider it a great boon, my lord, if you would grant us safe passage to the place marked on the map, where she expects there could be found a particular..."

Micanar trailed off. The eyes of the king, the eyes...they pierced deep into Micanar, until continuing became a weariness, even a pain to his mind. Not only that, but with his well-honed skill in reading people, he could see that Thranduil was not only not buying the story, but a rising anger was filling even this noramlly even-tempered elf. Only the rank and dignity of his position kept that anger in check.

Micanar began again, in a hushed tone of defeat and deference. "My lord king, you are right. I fear my master indeed, but he is far away, and you are here. I will tell you what I know, but I beg your mercy, and your protection from him, if there is any protection to be had."

Thanduil relaxed slightly. "Tell us what you know, faithfully, and we will consider your case."

Micanar sighed deeply. Now that he was free of his oath, his heart seemed to be lighter, as though a burden was lifted from him. "My lord king, the man who hired me to cross your kingdom said that there was a stream whose enchanted waters can cause the most wary to sleep deeply and long at its touch. My master promised much gold if I could obtain a barrel of this water, and return with it to...Dol Guldur, on the southren borders of Greenwood. I have betrayed your kindom, lord. I rest on your wisdom in judgement, and your mercy..."

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion had silently sprang up a tree like a silent feline after a prey as soon as he felt the presence too near for comfort. He paused and looked towards where Anarya and her friend were hiding. Several dark figures walked by. He tried “reading” them for some information on their identity. It proved futile; their minds were dark and alien. Strange, he thought, even mortals would have given him some vague idea of who, or what, they were.

He stayed as still as a stone upon his perch as another figure passed by. Whoever it was wore a dark cloak with a hood that hid its identity. The figure intrigued him. Its presence felt... unlike anything he’d ever encountered. Somewhat familiar, yet strange, twisted –

That’s when he saw another figure come from the opposite side from where they were. The figure was hidden from view where the two young elf maidens were hid, beyond another thrushwood. It was one he had seen several days before. He remembered it was the female elf, Tinuiel that Legolas had spoken to. She was in deep thought and was walking towards where the hooded figure had gone.

He silently crept down and quickly went to where Anarya and Novannon were.

“Who were they?” Novannon asked, “could they perhaps be with the men Prince Legolas had apprehended?”

“These seem quite different from any mortals I have met. Yet-“ Rûdhchamion trailed off, his gazed towards where the last figure had gone.

“How could they have slipped through our patrols?” Anarya wondered, quite troubled.

Rûdhchamion strode to where the last figure had gone. The two looked at each other then followed the dark elf.

He motioned for them to keep silent as they neared their goal. They remained hidden. Anarya heard her name mentioned and recognized the female elf. They were startled with the hooded figure’s appearance.

[Nice-Smeagol]

The elf's face became haggard again,
"Do not hurt me, for I was daunted by your bow and I would dearly like to meet this Anyara of whom you speak with such high-regard"
He knelt down to put his knife on the ground, stood up on again and stood expectantly waiting for Tinuiel to tell him what to do.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

When she saw his face, Anarya could not help but feel a deep sympathy for the stranger.

The stranger was a male elf with a sad drawn face, weathered with many wrinkles that had come from frowning.

Though the sound of her name being uttered from the stranger's lips made her stomach jump and skin crawl. What did the stranger know of her, an elf maid of no consequence.

She looked over at Rudhachamion for any clue to why they stated her name, but the dark elf looked deep in thought.

"Why-" Anarya began to ask Novannon before she could stop herself, but just as that one word escaped from her lips, the elf known as Tinuiel and the stranger turned to the three shadowed figures in the hidden eaves of the trees...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Inwardly, Tinuiel sighed with relief as the elf put down his blade, but her stony appearance betrayed nothing. "You have chosen wisely," she said, and saying that she bade him stand. Just as the elf stood, Tinuiel heard a noise behind her. She whirled around, but as she did, she made sure to turn the prisoner as well. She stood facing Anarya and Novannon and a dark elf she did not know. The point of her arrow was in the stanger's back. "Mae govannen, Anarya, Novannon. We meet in strange times. I have caught another tresspasser in these woods. It seems that Thranduil's lands are beset from many directions, but we have yet to see if this elf means harm. I think perhaps more harm was done to him than he means toward anyone. But," she turned her voice on the strange elf, "you have threatened me, and I am of Thranduil's realm. That was ill done. You would have had more chance of mercy had you not done that thing. But mercy you still may find, if you are honest and humble." She turned again to the three elves before her. "Anarya, who is this elf with you? I have not seen him before."

[Thalionyulma]

There was a sudden noise beyond from the trees to their left. They all tensed. Mornovarion looked around wildly.

Suddenly, large bat-like creatures, the size of hounds, came swooping towards them. Tinuiel aimed at one creature, re-notching another arrow even as the first hit its target. Novannon, too had her bow on the ready as Rûdhchamion had released his first arrow, piercing another creature’s neck.

Anarya kept low with her own blade out and ready. With elven speed she barely avoided one creature, as it dived towards her. She was able to throw her knife, wounding it. Novannon finished the creature off with an arrow through its back. Anarya quickly retrieved her blade, getting ready for another attack.

Mornovarion was trying to ward off two other bat-like creatures with his own knife. One was able to scratch him across the face, forcing the elf off balance. As Rûdhchamion was about to give aid, but as he took aim, he too was assailed by another monstrous bat which bit him on the shoulder. He was able to take hold of the bat and pull it off. As the thing fell, an arrow from Novannon made sure it would never fly again.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion saw in the confusion, a chance to escape. But, as he was about to run off into the forest, Tinuiel saw him and spotted one of the bat creatures hovering above his head. As she loosed her arrow, the creature swooped and one of it's huge teeth penetrated Mornovarion's shoulder. The creature fell as the arrow smacked into its chest. Mornovarion clutched his shoulder, as he fell and many of the bats flew down to feast on his still corpse.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya saw the bats come down upon the elf stranger as he fell. She ran to where the creatures crowded over his huddled body and viciously slashed at them with her knife.
All who were not wounded terribly came to help her.

Finnaly the creatures were all killed or had run away, leaving the stranger's limp body.
Novannon dropped to her kness and put her head to the stranger's bleeding chest.

"He stills breathes and he has a faint heartbeat," She announced sitting up, her cheek stained red with blood, "But we need to get him help."

Novannon picked up the strangers feet while Tinuiel carried his head. Anarya tried to make herslef usefull by holding the elf's middle up to keep him elevated, but he was too heavy for her.

Looking back at Rudhchamion, she saw that he had somehow gotten himself wounded and was trying to nurse his bleeding shoulder.

"Are you all right?" She asked coming up to him. She felt the cool slide of blood slip down the left side of her face that had abtained a small scratch, "It seems that you look worse off now than what how I was a few hours ago."

[Leighlei]

The elf-girl sat upon her bed, looking at her hands. She stood and went over to the bars, wrapping those same hands around them and gazing out. Her breathing was labored, it was almost as if she was dying. She felt as though her sould had left her body and that her heart would stop beating any minute. She had given up and let a tear slip down her face, then wiped it away before anyone could see.

She needed the freedom, it was her mother and her father, she needed the open and air, it was her comfort. She remembered only little of her real parents, stains of blood on the floor, the gnarled face of an orc, the foul breath, the twisted bodies, the one hand, nails beautiful, laying idle, fingers slightly curved, wreathed in blood. In her dreams she longed to touch the soft skin of that hand, but never could, the face of that horrible monster loomed close to her then-small body, curled into a corner. Although it had not seen her with those empty and hideous eyes, in her soul it was almost as if it's filth had encased her and held her still. And she saw, in her father's still hand, a short spear, beautiful, laying also idle. It must have slipped from his grasp when he fell...the dying fall. The creature turned, satisfied, and was almost gone when she darted out of the shadow, unnoticed, silent, and her little hands took up the weapon, not touching the dead flesh of that shadow-parent, and she scurried, little feet over the floor, silent like a mouse, and thrust the blade foreward. That horrible creature let out a cry that rang throughout her dreams in echo, the thing turned, face twisted, and she was unafraid. With the crude daggar in it's claw it slashed at her face and blood swelled around her eye, it had not cut the eye itself, but above and below, and she had to close it, because the blood dripping in stung. She wailed, and it mixed with the dying cry of that deformed and wrteched creature as it fell to the floor. Then, in the reverberating silence, she pulled the spear from it. Without looking back at the parents that, in her memory, slipped into oblivion and became only the figment of memory and nothing more, left that place.

And that was all she could remember, because it only came to her in nightmares.

[ April 20, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

As Tinuiel's last arrow found it's mark in the last of the dreadful creatures, she rushed to the fallen Mornovarion's side. Lifting his head, she helped Novannon to carry him a little ways into the woods. "I need some athelas," she muttered as she bent over Mornovarion's body.

"Here," said Anarya, handing some to Tinuiel. "I always carry some--just in case."

"Thank you," Tinuiel said as she took the plant and began to chew it. She stuffed the hastily prepared plant into his wounds. "We must get him back to Thranduil's hall. Prisoner or no, he needs our healing."

Anarya, Novannon and Rûdhchamion nodded. "Who will help me carry him?" asked Tinuiel.

[Fair Amaryllis]

Back in the palace....

Amaryllis had been down to contemplate the so-called "wild" elf girl several times. She had never seen the guard again, though.

She knew many people in the kingdom and had even met the king himself when he had named her the prettiest elf of non royalty in the kingdom. He seemed very caring yet stern. Very much like her father was. She didn't really see her parents that often even if they did live as close as down the next street over.

She had recently had the urge to pull out her walking staff and "go exploring" in the woods as she used to tell her mother she was doing. When she had found her staff (It was in the closet among her many things she rarely used but couldn't stand to get rid of)it seemed to have a certain musty smell about it.

"Ah, I suppose I will have to get it cleaned up and polished before I can use it," she sighed because she really hated to have to put off her walk in the woods.

Meanwhile, her thoughts strayed to her acquaintance Anarya. She ahd not seen her in several days. Amaryllis wondered where she could be. Oh well, if she went off on her own somewhee, maybe she needed to be alone to think for a while in peace and get her mind off all those strange people and creatures lurking around lately.

Little did Amaryllis know, Anarya was very far away from being alone and her mind was certainly no off the subject of the people and creatures.

Amaryllis put on her light cape to shield her eyes from the sun that almost always was bright enough to make her squint. Seeing as she didn't want to develop wrinkles anytime soon, she figured she could do without squinting and wear a hood or something that covered her face. She picked up her staff and set out for the wood workshop.

After she had dropped off her staff at the workshop, she headed to the clothier's. Perhaps she would just look to see if there was something that her mother might like since her birthday was coming up soon.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion looked silently at Tinuiel, than at the still body of the elf. He knew not what, but something within him bade him to aid these elves he knew nothing of. He fixed his bow over his shoulder and went over to where the elf lay. He hesitated a moment, then lifted up the fallen elf as one would a sleeping child. There was only a slight discomfort on his shoulder where he had been bitten, the bleeding had already begun to stop. “That I can do easily, Lady, if you would lead the way”, he than added with dry humor, ”Though, I hope the way is not too far off”.

He looked at Anarya and with a lopsided smile said, “I will mend faster, than he. And I feel better than I look.”

He then turned to Tinuiel who was staring at him thoughtfully. He met her gaze, unwavering.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

"We must make haste," Novannon said breaking the silence.

The company warily edged their way through the darkening forest, brimming with undisclosed shadows. The path at that part of the wood was rougher than any other in Mirkwood.

Anarya took up the tail of the group, her elven dagger brandished, right behind Novannon who fingered her bow nervously. In front of her, Ruchachamion carried the elf stranger and Tinuiel walked at the head, an arrow drawn across her bow.

"It is not far," announced Tinuiel.

Anarya now reconized the secion of the wood they now walked in.Though night had creeped up upon them and the stars now glittered silver gray against the black sky, the shapes of the trees looked fimiliar.

Finally they came to the gates of the city of Thranduil. Their dark forms rose up before the group.

"Open in the name of Elbereth Gilthoniel and the King Thranduil! We are friend to thee!"
Called Anarya, when she finally got up the courage in front of the large gates to annouce the group's presence.

There was some stirring at the top of the gates than slowly the immense giant doors opened, merry firelight spilling out over the group and the ground about them.

"Enter Friend!" Called a voice from the top of the gate...

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel halted just inside the gates. She turned to the others. "Anarya, Novannon, take Mornovarion to the healers. He cannot face Thranduil in his condition, but," here she placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "please make sure he is brought before the King. And," she added, "see to it that he is not harmed in any way, if you can. He is a tresspasser, but I sense a great pain in him. Do not tell anyone that he drew a weapon against me." The two elf maidens began to protest, but Tinuiel held up a hand. "It is death to draw a weapon against any of Thranduil's realm. I do not wish for this elf's death. Let Thranduil decide in his wisdom what to do with him." Anarya and Novannon smiled at Tinuiel. Tinuiel motioned to Rûdhchamion to hand Mornovarion over to the guards who were now approaching. Anarya laid a hand on Tinuiel's shoulder, "We will do what you ask," she said. "And we will return soon." Tinuiel smiled softly as she watched the elves dissappear around the corner. "You are both wise and kind, Lady." It was Rûdhchamion who had spoken. Tinuiel turned around and for a second time their eyes met. Neither wavered. "We shall see," Tinuiel said at length. But now I wish to know more of you. Let us speak outside. It will not be well if any of my people see you too clearly here. It is obvious you are not one of us, but neither do I think you threatening. Step outside with me and tell me your business in the Green Wood, dark elf."

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was silent as he followed her. He was unsure to what this all would lead to. It had been quite awhile since he had been among the elvenkind, though he was a kin. His own people were wanderers, often called “dark elves”, for they shunned any form of community that dwelt within walls. The two elves stopped near a fallen tree near a group of bushes, still within sight of the gates. He absently began to rub his shoulder where he had been bitten. He gazed at the stars in the dark sky. A slight breeze rustled the leaves softly above them.

“I am called Rûdhchamion.” He began in a clear soft voice, ” and you I know, even before young Anarya greeted you, Tinuiel. I was there when the one called Legolas captured a group of men. You were there too, hidden in the shadows of the trees.”

Tinuiel listened silently, closely watching him. She sensed no deception in his words. “What is your interest with the captives?”

He paused and turned to face her. Could he afford to trust her, he wondered. She could have had him easily apprehended by the guards.

“I was tracking them in hope that they would lead me to the ones whom I seek.” He sighed, suddenly feeling the weariness within him. “I have already told Anarya, now I feel I should tell you as well, though I know not what the consequence of this may be. But I beseech that you would weigh my tale, and seek the truth in my words before you decide whether I be foe or friend.
I seek the ones who slaughtered my people, those that murdered my kin. It has been many summers since I began my hunt, and many foul orcs and their allies have paid with their blood. Still, the ones I seek were not among them. These men are not responsible first hand, but they are possibly allies to those who are.”

He sat on the trunk of the fallen tree and looked around. Taking in with his keen elvish sight the scene before him. “This is the first time I have wandered deep into Eryn Galen,” he used the old elvish name of Greenwood the Great. “My people have lived wandering along the Vale of Anduin, sometimes passing near Loeg Ningloron, the Gladden Fields.”

He looked at Tinuiel and fell silent.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya and Novannon followed the guard through the streets. Anarya could see the elf stranger's limp form in the guard's arms. She felt a deep curiosity toward the stranger ever since she had heard him utter her name. What Tinuiel had said about the stranger only heightened her interest. What would a stranger such as this have against an elf of Mirkwood?

Finally they came to the House of Healing at the edge of a long street. An elf with silver hair answered the door. His eyes went directly to the elf in the guard's arms.

"Oh my, come in come in," He said opening the door wider.

The guard walked in first and set the body of the stranger upon the nearest bed, than made a quick exit.

"What happened to him?" The healer asked, kneeling beside the bed.

"He was attacked in the forest by some foul creature," Answered Novannon.

The healer looked critically at the stranger, "He looks like none I've seen before in Mirkwood," He said looking at the two elf girls.

Anarya and Novannon said nothing. The healer shrugged and looked at the stranger's shoulder carefully, than at the rest of the wounds.

"I believe he shall pull through. I've seen worse. I think I have a special poultice that shall do just the thing for him." Announced the healer going off.

Anarya let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll go find Tinuiel and tell her of our guest's condition," Said Novannon to Anarya, low enough just so only she could hear.

"I'll stay here and help the healer," Answered Anarya to her friend, then Novannon was off.

Anarya walked up to the bed and looked at the stranger wondering what he had been through. To her surprise the elf began to stir, and slowly opened his eyes. They widened in realization of what had happened.

"What? Where am I and who are you?" The elf asked.

Anarya smiled softly, "You are in the House of Healing in the City of Thranduil. My name is Anarya,"

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel watched Rûdhchamion silently for a long while. He felt as if with her gaze, she was probing the deepest secrets of his soul, but he did not flinch. After a time Tinuiel sighed deeply and looked up into the boughs of the great trees above them, then she looked back into Rûdhchamion's face.

"You called me wise once. Let us hope I shall prove myself worthy of those words now." She took a deep breath. "I perceive no deceit on your tongue, yet you are indeed a tresspasser in this land, and for that you must appear before Thranduil." Tinuiel paused, half expecting the elf to protest, but he did not. He bent his head slightly in assent and waited. Tinuiel continued. "But--you helped me and my people in the forest. I shall lead you to Thranduil's thrown and speak on your behalf."

Rûdhchamion stared at Tinuiel. "You would do this thing for me?"

Tinuiel smiled sadly. "I do not lie, Rûdhchamion. And because you have trusted me with both your past and your present, I shall return that trust by telling you something of mine." Tinuiel clenched her fist and looked Rûdhchamion straight in the face. "A long time ago, a party of scouts went to investigate the new evil that was growing in the far corners of our fair wood. Only one returned. My mother." Tinuiel paused, took a deep breath and continued. "She was--changed. I could barely recognize her. The Necromancer had tortured her and then set her free to carry a message. We discovered that the rest of the party was dead. He commanded us to keep silent, or what happened to my mother would happen to us all." Tinuiel swallowed. "My mother died in my arms. The last words that came from her mouth were those of that monster." Tinuiel fell silent. Rûdhchamion expected to see tears in her eyes, but instead he saw a smoldering rage and behind that--a sorrow as deep as his own. He bowed his head.

"Thank you, Lady. You have indeed repaid my trust, and proven yourself wise yet again. Lead me before your King. I am ready."

Tinuiel nodded, and the both of them walked toward the palace and Thranduil.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion looked around him at the House of Healing
"I drew blade against your kindred, and still you cure me... why?" he asked Anyara You could have left me to die in the forest...." He looked down at his wounds, "Will I live?" he asked/

[Leighlei]

Sighing softly, the elf-girl perked her ears at the sounds of a new commotion... She had no window to look out of, but she had her hearing, new people were entering the city. After a while the sounds faded and she was left alone again. Torches burned outside of her loathsome cell, there was the sound of chatting guards. Going over to the bars she looked out at them.
"Hey! When am I going to receive judgement, you pig-faced lazy sacks of bones, eh? Hey!" She waved at them wildly, hoping for a fight. Maybe a small tussle was just what she needed to escape...

[ April 15, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

"Yes, you will live," Anarya said frowning, "And there is no use in asking questions to why we didn't leave you to die. The least you could do is say thank you.

Just then the Healer hustled up to the bed carrying a bowl full of warm water with a few rags in it.

"Oh," He said smiling, setting the bowl down on a bed side table, "So I see our patient has awoken, I shall go fetch the poultice for I wanted to administer it while you were awake. We couldn't have you throwing the thing off in your sleep," He ran off to a table at the end of the room that held what looked like herbs and spices for different medicines.

Anarya leaned forward, picking up the rag in the water and put it across the stranger's forehead that was red with dried blood.

"Now, I wish to know who's company I am in before another word is uttered," Anarya said sitting back in her chair...

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion followed Tinuiel as she entered the gates. He was a little surprised at Tinuiel’s decision in trusting him, he had always thought the elves of Thranduil’s realm were suspicious of outsiders. But he felt he must continue what had begun. He knew not what fate would deal him when he faced Thranduil.

King Thranduil’s reputation as a stern ruler was known among his people. That was why they avoided hunting deep inside the forest of Greenwood. It also made him anxious in meeting him face to face, though he knew not the reason.

He could feel the curious glance of the other elves as they made their way through. They passed several abodes before they neared the halls. Rûdhchamion felt out of place. He was never one at ease within the confines of walls. Tinuiel must have sensed his uneasiness and flashed him a reassuring look.


Rûdhchamion wondered where Anarya and Novannon were. He too, wondered about the elf, Mornovarion.

[Nice-Smeagol]

"I am Mornovarion, I came from a small village near the South of Mirkwood,"
He looked at Anarya closely as if to ascertain something.
"You seem trustworthy. What I am about to tell you must not be told to anyone else. I think I will feel better to get it off my chest. When I was young, my village was attacked by servants of the Enemy. Most of us were captured, as I was. I spent most f my life in the Black Tower they took me to. We were promised that if we did a fell deed for the Dark Lord, we would all be set free.
I was the first to crack. I was told that if I would kill King Thranduil, all my family would be set free. I tried to decline but I found that I couldn't. So I was set free with only a knife, now whenever I try to stop, I can't. I fear The Enemy has put some foul enchantment on me. That is why I am here."

[Leighlei]

The girl howled again, loudly enough to make their ears begin to feel as if they were bleeding, trying to rouse the guards. But they would have none of it. They went to her and jabbed her with their speaRs, uttering stern commands to quiet. She let out another perircing cry and grabbed one around the throat, locking her arm around it and pulling back into the bars, so the crook of her elbow held his neck in a tight vise. He grunted and the other called for help.
"You be quiet." She said, and shoved the guard she had trapped at him, sending both tumbling into the floor. Someone in the palace heard this, because she could hear approaching footfalls coming near. She snarled again, this time climbing up the bars and weaving her fingers through the spaces, yanking them with all her might. They still would not budge. Quickly gaining a sense of her freedom slipping from her grasp she leapt down to the floor and desperately tried to find a weapon, all she found was bread, she stood ready to hurl it though, as if it might hurt someone. Then there was a figure in front of her cell.
"What is going on here?!"

[ April 17, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya sat stunned, her mouth open in shock at what Mornovarion had just told her. Not knowing whether to slap the stranger, or comfort him for his sad and terrible past.

"Well, that is quite a story Mornovarion," Anarya said after a moment of collecting herself, "But why did you tell me all that? For all you know, I could be the biggest gossip this side of the Misty Mountains. Anyway, your free now, why do you need to kill the King for your freedom if you are already out of the Black Tower's reach?"

[Nice-Smeagol]

"Because, my family are still held prisoner in that evil place and short short of storming it's gates, this is the only I can think of to free them." Mornovarion answered. He shuddered as he remembered the foul tortures he had endured.

[Thalionyulma]

As Rûdhchamion and Tinuiel neared the halls of Thranduil, they heard a commotion. He then saw several elven guards run towards another hallway where the trouble was coming from. That’s when a howling such as one he’d never heard before reverberate through the halls.

Tinuiel stopped and looked towards where the disturbance was coming from. Rûdhchamion likewise halted, curiousity plainly etched on his face. He raised a brow questioningly at Tinuiel.

An elf was heading towards them.

[ April 18, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

"What are you doing?" The warden asked. Quickly, she grebbed his neck and yanked him foreward, then swiped his weapon from his hands. "I'm escaping." She told him, twisting his head until she heard a resounding crack and he sagged to the floor. She used the stolen weapon to pick the lock, but the elf girl wasn't free yet. She ran as soon as she was free down the nearest hall. She saw two newcomers and slowed, noticing their garb was different than that of the officials. She halted then, a few feet away, and studied the other two elves. She perked her ears and furrowed her brow. One smelled like tears. She raised an eyebrow and then more guards came rushing from the hall she had come from, and she turned to face them, bravely weilding the small spear she had. "Come and get me you foul and bad excuses for guards!" She shreiked.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya nodded at his reply, not knowing quite how to answer.

The Healer came back with the poultice and applied it to Mornovarion.

"There," He said smiling, "That ought to do it," He turned to Anarya wiping his hands on his aproun, "How do you know this elf?" He asked.

"He's, um, my third cousin's son," She said with a fake smile, as she thought up the lie quickly, "From southern Mirkwood."

The healer looked at her warily, "Yes, I see. Well, he ought to have some rest now,"

"Alright, I'l stay here," Anarya said with the same pasty grin.

The healer nodded and walked off.

Anarya turned back to the elf, "Now we'll figure out what to do after you rest for a while, now don't go talking in your sleep of such matters that you just informed me of,"

Mornovarion nodded and closed his eyes.

Anarya rubbed her forehead wearily. She was getting a headache very quickly. How ever were they going to get out of this one.
She wished Novannon was there so she wounldn't be the only one to carry this information...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel and Rûdhchamion halted and exchanged looks. The wild elf girl stopped and glared at them, but she was distracted by a force of guards that appeared behind her. She wheeled round, and, brandishing her spear, she screamed, "Come and get me you foul and bad excuses for guards!"

Tinuiel had only an instant to act. With lightning speed she drew her dagger, and less than a second later it was pressed against the escaped prisoner's throat. "I have no wish to harm you," Tinuiel whispered in the elf's ear. "But I cannot allow you to harm any of my kin. Drop your weapon, and I will see to it that you are treated with justice."

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion dreamed.
He dreamed of the foul tortures the orcs had put him under, he saw his family and friends strapped to nearby racks.He remembered about the figure that had entered the torture chamber. The orcs had stopped immedidietly and ran to cower and hide.The figure wore a long black cloak so that noone could see it's face. It had walked around the room studying everyone. Then it spoke in the Common Tongue, "If you wish to be relieved of your pain, speak up now. For I have a task for one of you."
Mornovarion had spoken first. He had been taken off the rack and brought into another room.He had been told if he would kill king Thranduil, he and his family would be granted their freedom. He had tried to say no, as he knew what the terrible consequences of the kings murder would be. Yet, he could not turn down the offer. The figure had laughed as if sensing his inner strugle. It was a cruel hissing sound as if someone had placed serpents in the thing's mouth. An orc had came in with a branding iron and had branded a sign on his arm.
The Eye.
He woke with a start to find he was not in the Dark Tower, but in the healers quarters. He felt his arm to feel if the mark of the branding was still there. It was. Then it hadn't been a dream, only a memory.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya watched Mornovarion twist and turn, wishing that there was something she could do to ease his dreams.

Suddenly Mornovarion sat up abruptly rubbing his arm, sweating and breathing hard like he had been awoken by an awful dream. Anarya went to his side,

"It's alright," She said softly, trying to make the elf lie back down before he hurt himself, "It's going to be fine, really it is,"

"No it isn't!" Mornovarion said harshly, catching Anarya off guard, "It never will be, I will always be haunted, never let go of these memories. Never."

Anarya felt a tear slide down her cheek in compassion for the elf.

"No, you can let go of those memories. They don't hold you, you hold them," She said looking into the elf's ice blue eyes...

[Leighlei]

The elf-girl smirked.
"Outwit me? Your kin are pigs!" She chuckled, she drove the blunt end of her spear back into her attacker's gut, surprising her, and then twisted, pinning her arm to her back. She moved her face near her neck, and smiled. "Justice does not exist here." She whispered into her flesh, then shoved her roughly away. She took a step back, catching wind of the male elf. She looked him over, a look of comprehension crossing her features, then, sensing a familiarity in him, whispered a plea. "Help me." She murmered. "Please." The guards were gathering around her, she glanced at The girl elf, then back at the male, and dropped her weapon, sensing a defeat. But she wouldn't let it end this way! Oh no, she was outsmarting these guards! She grabbed the male elf's arm and held tight, glaring. "Take me to justice then." She whispered to the elf-girl through clenched teeth. " NOW.... "

[ April 20, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel sighed. The wild girl only had one of her arms pinned, and she hadn't noticed Tinuiel's daggers. When the girl had grabbed Rûdhchamion, Tinuiel seized her chance. She drew her dagger, twisted back and brought the blunt end of the hilt down on the prisoner's head. The girl slumped over into Rûdhchamion's arms. The guards moved in, but Tinuiel held up a hand. "What has this girl done? She behaves as if she has been mistreated. We of the Green Wood do not mistreat our prisoners. Explain."

The guards eyed each other nervously, for Tinuiel was of noble blood and had the ear of the Prince. They whispered among themselves and then seemed to decide on the poor victim who would have to explain. They pushed forward a rather timid looking, young elf. He fumbled nervously with his spear. "I beg your pardon, Lady Tinuiel, but this girl was caught hunting in the forest. We..uh..had her brought to the prison..and..uh..she's been here ever since."

"Has she?" said Tinuiel. "I see. What is King Thranduil's judgment?"

The guard fidgeted even more nervously. "Well, we haven't exactly brought her before him yet."

"She had not been judged yet?" The guard quavered under Tinuiel's wrathful glare. "You know as well as I that it is law in this realm that prisoners be given swift judgment. We do not keep prisoners without reason. As you are all obviously unfit to take care of this girl, I will see to it myself."

The guards all exchanged looks. What the Lady was suggesting was not exactly allowed, but she looked so fearsome in her anger that none dared to rebuke her. The poor elf who'd been unwillingly elected spokesman nodded timidly. Then they all bowed to Tinuiel and left, muttering to each other.

Tinuiel sighed and turned to Rûdhchamion. "So, now I have two prisoners on my hands, and one with Anarya and the healers. What am I to do?" Rûdhchamion didn't answer. He laid the wild girl down on the ground and smoothed the hair from her face. "She'll wake up soon. You did not hurt her badly."

"That is well," said Tinuiel absentmindedly. She was thinking of the wild girl's eyes. They were fierce and almost animal like, but Tinuiel thought that she could see a glimmer of something beyond that fiercess, and it reminded her of her own eyes, and Rûdhchamion's, and Mornovarion's. The wild girl's eyes held the same kind of pain. The pain of one who has witnessed great evil done to loved ones, and lived to carry the guilt. Tinuiel sighed and repeated her question. "What am I to do? By law I have to bring you both before Thranduil immediately, but I fear that it will go ill with this girl, perhaps unfairly ill, if I do that now." She laughed bitterly. "So, where is my wisdom now? I fear it has abandoned me, or else is all used up." Just then, the girl stirred.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion had been taken by surprise by the elven girl. Both by her plea for help, and her fierceness. She had a mane of a hair that reminded him of wildfire, but it had been her eyes that had left him dumbstruck - one was green, the other gold. She also had a scar on the left side of her face that ran from her brows, down through the eye lid then cheeks below the eye.

He looked up at Tinuiel. "You will make the right decision, " he said reassuredly. "And if your ElvenKing is as wise as you say, then perhaps he will hear her tale before making judgement.
I sense that she too is of the wild, like myself. Those elven kins that have no lord, and would roam free under the sky. You sense too, Lady, that her rage is born from a deep grief and pain."

He looked down at the young elf girl. She was regaining consciousness.

[ April 21, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

Within a moment or two of the guard's leaving, the girl awoke. She looked up at the two elves and started. "Don't touch me!" She yelled, jumping ot her feet and backing away. They also rose. The girl glanced around nervously. "Aren't you taking me to the king?" She muttered. The girl-elf who had knocked her out smiled halfway and nodded. The wild girl nodded back grimly, keeping a wary eye on the man-elf. "I didn't do anything." She said after a moment. "I was repaying the favor of your false ruler, who allowed my parents to die. I did nothing." With that she rose to her full height and sighed. "I had grown tired of the small game that roamed the free land... I needed something bigger..." She cocked her head to one side. "Why didn't you pass judgement, madame? You could have killed me, as I am sure many a drunken soldier or a dimwitted idiotic warrior or theif that I have outsmarted yearns to. You could have ended my life...whilst I lay there..." She motioned to the floor. "And yet you did not."

[ April 24, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel smiled ruefully. "Yes, I could have ended your life, but I do not love bloodshed, and it is not the way of my people, even if your past has told you different." The wild girl glared at her.

"Why should I trust you?"

Tinuiel shrugged. "You do not have to, but you will fare better if you do." Tinuiel gestured to Rûdhchamion. "You can see he is like you and in my company, yet he has come to no harm." The wild girl remained silent. Tinuiel sighed. "It matters not. You will see the justice of Thranduil. I will take you both to him now." She signaled to Rûdhchamion to hold the wild girl and walk in front of her. As they neared the throne room Tinuiel threw her shoulders back, took a deep breath, and walked it.

Thrnaduil was seated on his throne, speaking with Legolas. When Tinuiel and the prisoners entered, both Thranduil and Legolas ceased their conversation and turned to look at the newcomers. Tinuiel led her captives before the throne. She signaled to them to kneel, which they did, thank Elbereth, and Tinuiel knelt also. "Hail Thranduil, Lord of Green Wood the Great. I have brought before you two prisoners."

Thranduil regarded the prisoners in silence. They remained kneeling under his gaze, but Tinuiel stood. "I"--she hesitated. "I ask that you look with special mercy on them."

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion held the young elven girl by the arm as they walked towards the Great Hall. She had glared at him as he obeyed Tinuiel's bidding, at the same time he felt her wariness towards him. He was curious with what she had said earlier. She had blamed the Elvenking for the death of her parents. How was this so, he wondered silently. He stole another glance at her.

As they entered the Thranduil’s Great Hall, Rûdhchamion took notice of his surroundings. He then noticed a tall male elf silently discerning them. The elf looked familiar. He had been in the company of the patrol that had captured the men days before.

Nearing the throne, he saw the Elvenking crowned with a circlet of green leaves upon his brow. Thranduil was seated, speaking to another elf whom Rûdhchamion remembered as Legolas, his son. He sensed Tiniuel’s apprehension as they neared the Elvenking. She then gestured for them to kneel before the throne. As he began to do so, he shot a look at the elven girl to follow suit. Much to his relief she did.

He sighed inwardly, willing himself to push aside the apprehension he felt. Whatever fate would deal him, he had decided he would face it. He quickly glanced at Legolas who was listening to Tiniuel speak. Then for the first time he meet Thranduil’s silent gaze.

[Leighlei]

The girl said nothing, feeling the King's gaze upon her, then she lifted her face. She was surprised to find the gaze of a tall golden haired elf upon her as well. He so resembled the king that he must have been his son.

She gave him a half smile, bringing one shoulder forward towards her cheek she posed in a quick flash of humor, then she looked at the king, half-snarling, she glanced back at the elf.

"You! Bow your head, and show the king his proper respect!" A guard shouted. She smirked and got to her feet.

"I show him the respect he deserves." She said, and then looked directly into his eyes. "NONE!" The chamber was silent. "O King, you sentence me when you should be the one punished!"

"Is she mad?" an elf cried.

"YOU are the one who allowed my parents to die! YOU are to blame!" she cried.

"You might watch your tongue," said the tall handsome elf. "You might seek the clemency of my father another way!"

"Your ...father?" She chuckled. "Should I kill him and show you how it feels?" She stood ready, expecting something to come from the blonde elf. "Just because you are lovely, gives you no right to turn away from pain!"

[ April 24, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Gilthalion]

Thranduil and Legolas had been discussing the man in the prison. Clearly, times were changing for the worse. The news from the south of Mirkwood could not be worse.

Father and son looked up as the elven prisoners were brought into the chamber. They were all surprised at the vicious outburst from the wild elven girl. Thranduil rose to speak.

"If your parents came to harm through my command, then you must refresh my memory, for I know not who they were. If they were wrongfully harmed by commission or ommission of my rule, and you have a rightful claim against me, fear not, I will hear it and make good as well as I may.

"You are brought here to hear my judgment, caught as you were trespassing and poaching on my preserve, a sanctuary for the wildlife of Greenwood for an age and more, set aside by my rightful order. But I would hear first of your complaint, lest I rule unwisely on your offense against my realm.

"So speak, Sauche, wild elf of the woods! Tell me what evil you think I have done you."

[ April 26, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya turned at the sound of the Healer's door opening. Novannon walked in, breathless.

"Where have you been? Did you find them?" Anarya asked her rising from the bedside of Mornovarion.

"No, but I did find out that they are before Thranduil right now," She said. Her eyes trailed over to Mornovarion on the bed, "Is he getting better?" She inquired.

Anarya looked back at the elf. He did look better from the elvish medicine. The placid color that had streaked his face had left and there was a bit of a pinkish tone in his cheeks now. Anarya looked back at her friend and nodded.

"Can he walk?"

"I believe so," Mornovarion answered for himself, rising from the bed onto the floor. He wobbled a bit as he stood, than straightened.

The healer walked up with a smile on his face, "You see? I knew that poultice would work wonders. Hes set to go," He said.

Anarya looked at her friend and knew what she was thinking. Maybe if they presented Mornovarion's problem before Thranduil, he might be able to help.

"Come along Mornovarion," Anarya said walking to the door, "We have an appointment with the king,"

Mornovarion walked slowly to the door, as if afraid he would break the very floor from under him. Novannon followed ready to catch the elf if he were to trip or collapse.

They reached the door in one piece and once they were outside in the cool late evening air, Mornovarion seemed to gain more strength.

Anarya and Mornovarion explained Mornovarion's problem the best they could. Novannon listened quietly as they walked briskly through the streets toward the palace. When they had finished, Novannon had smiled softly and shrugged not knowing exactly what to say but knowing that something must be done of their problem.

They reached the gates and got leave in, for the king was having a public audience, making it easy on them.

Anarya, Novannon, and Mornovarion entered the great room where King Thranduil sat before what looked like a young elf girl, about her age, prostrate upon the ground. His son Legolas stood close by his eyes on the figure before them. Anarya could see Rudchamion and Tinuiel near the crouched shape. Anarya shifted from foot to foot and listened to the king question the young elf girl.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion looked desperately at the king, then looked away and looked at the floor. He began muttering to himself. One voice was his but the other was a deep hissing one.
"But it will free our family" said the other.
"Yes, but these elves have been so kind to us" said Mornovarion.
"They are just trying to decieve us into not doing it"
"Yes, but I don't think I could do it"
"Just let me take control"
"But what wil happen?"
"I'll just have control of everything you'll do"
"Where will I be"
"You'll just watch"
"But..."
Suddenly, Mornovarion twisted but when he stood up again his eyes had a glint in them that noone had seen before.

[Leighlei]

Sauche shrugged. "Since you know my name, I suppose you know my story, for I have not uttered the name you have said to one of these guards." She smirked. "Though I will tell you anyway." She related to them her tale, about the orcs and about her parents. "If you had not neglected the factwe lifed on the outskirts of yor kingdom, if you had stationed guards, then I WOULD NOT BE HERE!" She finished, enfuriated, she glared at Legolas, then back at the king.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was shocked at the young elven girl’s words, and at the fury within her. Her words were coming out like a she-wolf’s growl. He stood up slowly and threw Tinuviel an alarmed look. Things would not bode well if the young elf girl, Sauche, could not control her emotions.

He looked around taking note of the furor she was causing. He glanced at Thranduil. The Elvenking’s face was without emotion, but his eyes were watching the girl keenly. Legolas’ emotions were clearly written on his face, though.

He saw the tall male elf look of outrage. His companions mirrored it on their faces as well. Rûdhchamion thought he caught a glimpse of Anarya as well.

He moved closer to Sauche and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. He felt her shaking from anger. She shrugged his hand off, irritated and threw him a venomous glare.

“Sauche,” he said softly, and could find no other words. He sympathized with her, but what could she possibly want to happen? Her execution would not bring her parents back. Her grief and rage was blinding her from thinking rationally.

He sighed and looked at the young elven girl. Pleading silently to keep calm before she got herself into more trouble.

[ April 26, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

She glanced at the elf who touched her, then the angry king and his enfuriated son. After a moment her rage faded, her need for her own justice dissolved into a resolution. "Highness." She said finally, swallowing. She took deep breaths and at last looked back to the King. "I want...to kill your son." She started foreward as if to attack him and in an anstant a thousand guards swarmed around them both. She laughed. "But I won't. My need for justice has nothing to do with causing others the pain I felt."

[Gilthalion]

"Your name is known to me, though I have seen you only once," said Thranduil to the wild girl. "Until this moment, none other in this realm knew you, I swear it. I know you for I see your parents in you, and they were as dear to me as my own family. Your mother told me your name ere she died, but we never found you. I begged them not to remove themselves from this place, but they would not listen."

Thranduil's brow creased and his eyes seemed to look through the walls of the cavern and through the centuries to the fateful day when the elf child had been orphaned.

"You do not remember the centuries that have passed. Yes! Centuries! Though you seem as one who has not yet come of age, you have lived a long life already. The years have been ripples merging together under the wicked enchantment that fell upon you. Little able have you been to remember the days since your accursed childhood, and have lived each day with little memory of the day before."

Sauche listened with eyes staring wider and wider. The words of the King came to her in waves, each one pushing back the chaos and rage of her thoughts until she clearly remembered what had gone before.

It seemed to the elves in the cavernous chamber that Sauche stood taller and that calm smoothed her countenance and that reason found lodging in her eye. Even so, she still looked at the woodland sovereign with a hard regard.

But the King had more to say.

"In those days, our numbers were fewer, and the Shadow was strong. Strong indeed before the great war long ago when marched Elves of the Noldor and the Men of Gondor against the Dark Lord. This realm became a fortress for our people and little more. We dared not extend our dwellings beyond the immediate reach of our soldiery. But you have much of your father in you and you are your mother's child to be sure. For they were ever the foremost among us in the care of this wood. Perhaps you do not know, you have wandered so long, but they chose to live in the very preserve where you were captured. When the orcs came, we could not reach them in time to save them, and you were gone. Your mother lived long enough to speak your name to me with her dying breath. I have ordered their lands a preserve against the use of the two legged from that day until this. We are now numerous enough to protect it, and so it was that you were apprehended."

The woodland king stood again to his feet, and his voice rang with the formal tones of judgment.

"Release her," he said, and she was set free and the elves stepped away from her, to give her space. Thranduil continued speaking.

"Sauche Woodsprite. I find you guilty of trespass in the Royal Preserve of Greenland the Great. However, by right of inheritance, in as much as it can be said that any truly own the land, the Royal Preserve is yours, the land of your father and your mother, kept in its natural order until you should return or be found. You are free to make a home there, if you will, to continue the work of your parents, guarding and tending that vale, taking from it what you need, and giving to it your love and your care. Whatever you require will be granted to you, if it is within my power. If you would take also from me my advice, then I will say that if you would not slide back into a wild enchantment, you will seek out the healer standing there behind you, and find more permanent ease for your troubled mind. You will ever be welcome here, as often as you will visit. My only command is this, that you will never harbor enemies of the Woodland Realm and that you will pledge to tell the guards at the borders of your valley if you learn of any threat.

"What say you, Sauche of the Guarded Vale?"

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya listened quietly to the judgement given to the one called Sauche, till she looked at Mornovarion. He was slumped on the floor, mumbling. His eyes roving the room like a mad dog's. There was something different about him.

"Mornovarion?" Anarya whispered, looking at him curiously.

Mornovarion looked up. His eyes held more than just sorrow now, no they held no sorrow. Only something deep, deep and evil as the dark of Mordor. The elf smiled, his smile sarcastic and wicked.

"Yes Anarya?" He asked in a voice that was not his.

Anarya stepped back. Something was wrong. Then she saw something that alarmed her greatly. From the folds of his dark blue cloak, the elf drew a knife, cruel and silver as the moon...

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf listened to Thranduil as he spoke. In the Elvenking's words he saw both wisdom and compassion. Perhaps what he had heard of this elf lord was true. His kin had woven songs of the Battle of the Last Alliance. In those tales Thranduil had been a young warrior by his father's side, Oropher, in the battle field. King Oropher had joined his forces with Amdir of Lorinand to aid the elvenlords from the west. It was told that Oropher had been slain and his son bravely led his people afterwards. Sadly, less than one third returned to Greenwood.

Rûdhchamion had been very young at that time, still considered a child by his kindred. But he scouted with Brilgonion, his father, for the elven armies. His father had brought him along to teach him and hone his skills. He had been kept away from the battlefields then.

Still, this knowledge did not completely put him at ease. After all what could a dark elf that had belonged to a nomadic group offer the elvenking? They had been considered outcasts after the battles were no more, because they had refused to be ruled by any king. And technically, he had trespassed into Thranduil's kingdom for no reason… except his own personal one.

He glanced at the elven girl, Sauche. He felt her shift uneasily. Tinuiel was also looking at the elven girl.

[ May 03, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Leighlei]

After a moment, Sauche lowered her head and took a step foreward.
"I misjudged you, King." She said in a voice unbroken. "And I give you now the respect you deserve, for you have proved to me that you do indeed deserve it." She paused. "And I accept your offer and...I pledge to you my allegiance." She strode foreward, much to everyones surprise, and, brushing roughly against Legolas stood before the king, and then embraced him. She kissed him on the forehead and then stepped back, her face still hard, although beneath it's somber expression one could see the workings of emotion. "...But first, I wish to do you a favor and repay you...if there is anything...you know where to find me." She backed away, then she bowed her head and knelt beside the others...not knowing quite what to do...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel smiled inwardly when Sauche was reconciled with Thranduil. Thank Elbereth, she thought. Then she squared her shoulder and touched Rûdhchamion on the shoulder. He looked up at her, and she gave him a reassuring nod. "My King," she began. "I have brought you another prisoner. His name is Rûdhchamion. Anarya found him in the forest."

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen stood in the kitchen and listened to the talk of the other servants. There were apperantly some prisoners in the throne room and king Thranduil was about to judge them. She looked around, to see if there was anything necessary to be done in the kitchen, but since she found nothing, she went over to the kitchen master.

"Shall I take some refreshments into the throne room? If the judgements will go on for long, they will be thirsty, that is for sure."

The kitchen master smiled at her and nodded. "Although you are a dreamer, Gayahithwen - and very much so, you seem to be at the right place at the right time sometimes. Go ahead, bring in some water, or other refreshment."

With a quick bow, Gayahithwen got some cans on a brick and headed away for the throne room. When she reached there she saw the two prisoners. One of them had apperantly been screaming just some moments ago, but the king calmed her down. Slowly, she approached the throne, but then stopped a little bit away from it. If the king or someone else wanted refreshments, they would show it.

[Gilthalion]

"What have I done?" thought Legolas, as Sauche rudely brushed past him. He smiled a little ruefully and his eye flashed across the audience in the chamber to see what the others thought of this strange elf-girl.

That was how he saw the blade of Mornovarion as it was drawn from his robes. His bow was not strung and there was little time to act, but the lithe wood elf spun about, snatching a spear from the surprised hand of a guard. As Legolas twisted sharply around, completing his spin, the spear seemed to be hurled from his hand with the speed of a striking snake.

Across the chamber it sped, striking the blade hard and full as Mornovarion held it aloft ere bringing it down in a treacherous and lethal arc. The dagger fell from his upraised hand and he cried aloud in startlement and sudden anger.

But with his other hand, before the blade had fallen far, he snatched it out of the air and then sped unerringly to the throne where Thranduil stood weaponless.

It was the Dark Elf who moved now to thwart the bewitched Mornovarion, and Rûdhchamion leapt like a panther, knocking the traitor down and grappling with him for the blade.

[Leighlei]

Sauche immediately was upon her feet. With steps like those of a bird she dashed towards the King as the two elves faught, glancing over her shoulder only once. She looked at Legolas.

"You...take your father. You are in danger." She grasped the prince's hand and yanked him, shoving him towards the nearest exit. She glanced around her again and then found herself borrowing the spear from the soldier opposite the one Legolas had taken his weapon from. She went after the king and his son, flanking them and walking backwards, making sure nobody else would tryt o herm the ruler. However, Legolas would not, for honor or whatever reason, flee. Nor would Thranduil, though the king did allow his guards to form in a phalanx around his throne. Legolas re-joined the wild elf girl.

"Dind't I tell you to go?" She hissed. "Would you die now, in a room of convicts and prisoners? Your father is safe, as you should be! Go and protect him, you fool!" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, he was half-smiling. It was as if he knew she did indeed, stand on the side of justice and was very pleased with himself because of it. She snarled, lowering herself into a battle-ready position, should the attacker escape the fray and lash out at her.

[ April 29, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya watched in horror as Mornovarion and Rudchamion fought, not knowing what to do. Their deadly brawl continued, as the elf who had been on trial tried to persuade Legolas to take Thranduil.

Her attention turned back to the fight between the dark elf and Mornovarion. She knew that something had come over Mornovarion. That was not him trying to attack the king, but another. She stifled a cry of relief and terror as Rudhchamion cast the knife from Mornovarion's hand onto the ground, and held his weapon to Mornovarin's throat. Anarya ran foward,

"Don't hurt him!" She cried, "Something is wrong with him! He wasn't going to do that,"

She ran to Rudhchamion and held his wrist that had the weapon in his hand. She looked down at Mornovarion and watched dumbfounded as the evil spell that had come over him left, leaving him confused and trembling on the floor with weariness.

"Please," She said looking up at Rudhchamion, "Don't hurt him, he didn't know what he was doing,"

The dark elf's face that had been like stone softened at her request...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel saw Legolas move out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see Mornovarion draw his blade. She was leaning on her bow, but with a flick of her wrist, it leaped into her hand. Then, just as Rûdhchamion flew by her, she drew an arrow from her quiver. Half a moment later her arrow was fit to the string and trained on Mornovarion. The problem was that Rûdhchamion and he were struggling so violently that Tinuiel could not get a clear mark on him. The point of her arrow was moving back and forth, trying to find a clear shot, when Sauche and Legolas came up behind her.

"I can't get a clear mark," she murmured to Legolas. The three looked on helpless as Rûdhchamion struggled with Mornovarion. The wild elf seemed to have gained a monstrous strength, almost as if he were a demon, for Rûdhchamion should have been more than strong enough to overpower him. Mornovarion was now on top of Rûdhchamion, trying to strangle him, but he was so intent upon throttling Rûdhchamion, that he did not notice that Rûdhchamion had reached for his knife. The hilt came up and smashed the side of Mornovarion's face. He was thrown to the side, and finally Tinuiel had her shot. "Halt," she cried, "or that move wil be your last." Mornovarion crounched, wild eyed, muttering to himself. Tinuiel saw now fully revealed the shadow of the pain she had seen when she met the elf in the woods. Despite the fact that he had almost killed her King, she pitied him. "Mornovarion," she said in a softer tone. "I trusted you in the forest. Is this how I am repaid?"

The wild light in the elf's eyes flickered for a moment, then died. It was as if one side of him had temporarily won over the other.

[Gilthalion]

Gayahithwen arrived at this time, and saw that things were not at all as they should be in the throne room of Thranduil. Guards stood with bristling spears about the King. A prisoner was held down to the floor by many elves. A strange elf, unknown to her, picked himself up off the floor, where he had obviously fought with the prisoner.

She paused only a moment, but seeing that matters seemed to be in hand, she continued on, with other elves of the kitchen behind her, and they quietly laid a table for the refreshment of the king's audience.

Gayahithwen waited by the table to serve whenever the king should conclude his judgments. Thranduil noticed her and smiled, for he was kindly appreciative of his subject's consideration.

But the king had other business at hand. Thranduil ordered his guards to return to their stations, and was not as kindly to them.

"What guards I have! I see that we have grown slack since the Necromancer was cast forth from Dol Goldur. Legolas! Before dawn, I will see the host of this Woodland Realm assembled. The day shall be spent in martial contest, so that we may see if all my kingdom has grown as slack as these in my hall.

"Now, as for this traitor, pick him up. All here have seen his intent. I would know more. And I will know more! You! What have you to say for yourself?"

The prisoner seemed spent and lifeless, as much from sudden physical weakness as from utter despair and self-loathing. He said nothing. Thranduil was not pleased.

"Have you nothing to say?" cried the king. "We will loosen your tongue soon enough. Take him away, for there is malice behind this that cannot be ignored. We will question him, and none too gently, for the safety of my people is at stake. And when we are done, justice will be served. Are there any here who would say why my hand should stay and his life be spared?"

The chamber grew silent and the prisoner stared in abject misery at the stone floor.

[Nice-Smeagol]

"I am sorry, I do not know what came over me. I believe that the Dark Lord has some power over me," Mornovarion looked up at Thranduil "The best course of action would be to kill me now, before He comes over me again. Please, I ask you just to kill me now as I am living in pain".

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion cast a glance at the elf he had just fought. He looked at Anarya questioningly. There was more to Mornovarion than meets the eye he thought, and by Anarya’s look she knew the cause of this event. The strange elf had fought with the strength of thrice of what Rûdhchamion had deemed he had. He replaced his hunting jeweled knife at his side.

“Beware of him then, he may be more than what he has told you,” he whispered grimly to Anarya. “ And watch yourself, your Elvenking may not take too kindly to any pleas in the light of what just occurred.”

He brushed himself off and returned before Thranduil. He stayed a few feet from Mornovarion, watching him closely. He noticed Sauche near the throne, holding a spear, looking warily at the elf who was now before the Elvenking. Legolas was also alert by his father's side. The elven prince looked at Rûdhchamion for a moment, then returned his gaze back to the strange elf.

Hearing Mornovarion’s reply to Thranduil, Rûdhchamion’s brow furrowed, one slightly raising.

Dark Lord?

Rûdchamion turned to look towards Tinuiel.

[Leighlei]

After a moment Sauche eased back and let her arm slacken, glancing back at the King she bowed her head slightly. She remained where she was. Then she looked at Legolas, who stood beside her and directly beside his father's throne. "You are a noble man." She said quietly. "Foolish. But noble." She smiled, keeping her eyes locked warily on the agressive prisoner, then she looked towards Legolas. "You will rule well someday."

"If that is my destiny," said Legolas. "But who can say? My father should be king for many an age to come, and my destiny may take me far from here." But his gaze was bent upon the dark elf who had risked his life to protect his father.

Sauche gazed then at the dark elf who had fought the attacker. Such strength and skill! And very handsome. She smiled gently at him, wondering what he could have done to deserve to be held in trial here.

[ May 01, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel returned Rûdhchamion's gaze. Her eyes seemed to say to him, "Ah, so much for my wisdom." She held his gaze for a moment, then looked away. She heard Mornovarion speak, but before Thranduil could reply. She knelt before his throne.

"My Lord and King, I must bear the responsibility for this elf's action." Thranduil frowned and Legolas looked at her incredulously.

"Tinuiel, you are not to blame," he started, but Tinuiel held up her hand and met his eyes. As he looked into her eyes, he saw deep into the anguish that she had always kept hidden beneath the her usual, thoughtful gaze. Tinuiel turned her eyes from Legolas to Thranduil. She met his eyes for a moment, then lowered her head. "My king. I found this stranger in the forest. He drew a weapon against me, and for that alone, even without his trespass, he is subject to severe punishment. But I chose to ignore the your laws. He was wounded. I sent him to the infirmary and not to the dungeon. I"--she faltered for a moment. "I--He has suffered greatly, Lord. He is not himself. I sought to make things right. Forgive my pride, my Lord. In my eagerness for mercy, I placed my wisdom above your own. I take full responsibilty." She hung her head, and for the first time since her mother had died in her arms, she wept openly.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya knelt beside Mornovarion after Tinuiel had burst into tears and set her hand on his shoulder.

"My Lord," She said addressing King Thranduil, "I can expalin Mornovarion's strange conduct. It seems that the elf has told me that he comes to us from the halls of the Dark Lord himself, the Great Eye, as he is known. Mornovarion and his family were taken captive from the edges of Mirkwood and have been tortured in the very depths of Barad-Dur itself. He was set free only because he agreed to do a deed. A terrible deed. To kill you, the task was upon him laid, and if he did it would free his family. He told me this while he was at the Healers, and he told me as well he wished not to do this thing. I believe that Mornovarion was bewitched for the moment back there, for for a moment he was not himself. So I beg of you, do not increase his pain that has already been more than one should bear."

All stood silent at the Elf's tale, and the miad's plea. Even Tinuiel's sobs were quieted, as Thranduil sat in thought...

[Gilthalion]

"Arise, subjects of the Woodland Realm," said Thranduil. "For I see that you now recognize the wisdom of our laws, and the consequences of breaking them. I have heard that some think that Justice should be blind, but were that so, then we could all simply live under the laws in blind obedience and ruthless judgment. Such is not our way. I have been acclaimed your king, so that Justice may be tempered with Mercy, and Punishment meted out according to the spirit, and not the mere letter of the law.

"So it is that Mercy restrains the hand of the law, and Justice is rendered not in blindness, but in Pity. Even so, there must be consequence to your actions, Tinuiel. You were right to take this prisoner first to the Healers, but he should have been searched and disarmed, and kept under guard, rather than brought here to this chamber, where he might carry out the very plot that you heard from his lips.

"Lax, I say! Lax and unready are we, though all but the youngest of us still remember the Necromancer of Dol Goldur. Now word comes that there is evil in Mirkwood again, and now comes into the heart of our realm mortal trespassers held in our dungeons and an elf under bewitchment of the torturers of the Barad Dur.

"How shall I rule in such times as these?" asked Thranduil, rhetorically. "Tinuiel, you will tend this prisoner until he is well, and you will report to Legolas what he has to say. As for your prisoner, I have means to make him say more than he otherwise might.

"Gayahithwen! Run to the stores and fetch for me the little black cask. Hurry!" ordered the king. The quiet elven maid did as she was bade. The entire time she was gone, Thranduil looked upon Mornovarion with something less than pity in his regard. The tortured elf could not return his gaze.

"The cask, my lord," said Gayahithwen. She had returned with surprising speed but was not at all winded.

"Give it to Tinuiel," said Thranduil. "In it are deep draughts from the headwaters of the black stream that runs through Mirkwood. Its waters were enchanted with sleep and forgetfulness long ago. You will take Mornovarion here and prepare for him a drink. As his wounds are healed, he will sleep. And he will talk. And he will forget his tortures and the power of their bewitchment will fall from him. Your sentence, Tinuiel, shall be to listen to his every dreaming word. Legolas will then tell me what you have learned, and if there be any importance in it."

Tinuiel bowed gracefully, relieved that her error had not been corrected more sternly. She gratefully took the small cask from Gayahithwen.

"Think you that you have received a light punishment, Tinuiel?" asked the king, grimly. "You may think otherwise, listening night after night to the nightmares of Mordor. How long you are so sentenced, I cannot say. And when they have run their course, you will be the one to tell Mornovarion what he has forgotten and what he has lost. Yet someone must do this, for the sake of our Woodland Realm. Let none here think you have been treated with especial mercy, for the dreams that Mornovarion will forget will yet be a shadow upon your mind until the darker Shadow that first cast them is no more. This is not a punishment I impose, but a doom that I forsee."

Then the beautiful elven maiden realized that her duty was more severe than she had realized.

"You, Mornovarion, I do not hold blameless," said Thranduil, turning his attention back to the prisoner. "All know that the evil we choose is not justified by any ends, however noble. You have chosen evil, though you seem broken by the torments of the Barad Dur. Would any in this hall have done better, in your stead? None can say, and may we none of us ever face such a test."

Anarya looked up hopefully, but the next words of the woodland king were hard but just.

"It is only your case that I must consider now, for none of these others have been tested and found wanting. It is you who lifted his hand against the peace of this realm, and you who must suffer its justice. When you are healed, you will not remember what has passed. However long your torment, however long your self-deception, whatever memories or lies your mind has held since you were captured, these will be washed from you by the black draft of the enchanted waters. But there will be a price. When you awaken, you will seem as a mortal man, aged and weakened, your life force faded and diminished. The first face you see, the first voice you hear, will be Tinuiel's. And with a clear mind you will learn how you have betrayed yourself to the Shadow, and became in thought, if not in deed, a slayer of your kindred and a traitor to the very village you would fain have saved.

"Your punishment," said Thranduil, "will be to live with the knowledge of what you became. Foresight is upon me this day, for I see that ere all is done, you can redeem your honor, though at a cost I will not name. May it be that grace will be given you to pass the test, if ever you are tested again. More than that I cannot say. Take him from my sight."

Two of the guards took the prisoner between them back to the abode of the healers and Tinuiel followed, her beauty already haunted by the darkness she would soon face. Now the king turned his attention to the Dark Elf who had fought with Mornovarion.

"And now I would hear from you," said Thranduil. "Another breaker of our laws, and yet one to whom I owe a debt. Perhaps there is little business here for me, for already I am inclined to pardon your offense. But I would learn who you are and why you are here, ere the formality of this proceding be concluded."

[Leighlei]

Sauche took a deep breath, trying to look as noble as possible. She felt so low compared to the royalty beside her, however, she wished to stay beside them, to portect them, should something else arise. She was grimly aware of the fact that The Mighty King was the only link she had left to her parents.

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf stood erect and met the Elvenking’s gaze. He pitied Tinuiel’s fate, he had not wholly agreed to Thranduil’s sentence, yet he saw the wisdom in it. He would have executed Mornovarion after extracting information from him, should he had been in the Elvenking’s place. But this was his realm, and his ways were far different from what Rûdhchamion was born to.

Rûdhchamion began his tale.

“I am called Rûdhchamion, O’ Elvenking. I was once among those who roamed the eaves of Eryn Galen near the Great River. We were not many in number and our needs were few, the land was bountiful. We hunted but a few game, taking care not to trespass Thy fair woods. Thus it was many seasons after the last great battle with the Enemy.”

He hesitated a moment then continued, the bitterness could be heard in his words.

“Alas, for now those beloved to me are no more. We had stayed last near sight of Leog Ningloron, called Gladden Fields, and it was there that all but a handful of my people survived the treachery of man.

My mother’s kin had pitied two weary travelers, or so they seemed at that time. While we were feasting that night, we were attacked by foul orcs and their allies. The two men were among those who killed my family. We fought as well as we could, but our weapons were no match of those made of iron. They made use of poison darts and arrows. We were over powered.”

The dark elf stopped and tried to relax. His fists were clenched in silent rage, his whole being had gone tensed as the memories of that day he had kept hidden burst forth. He lowered his gaze a moment and breathed deeply. When he meet Thranduil’s gaze, his eyes reflected his turmoil and rage.

“I had watched helpless as my father was cut down as he tried to aid my mother who had been hit by an arrow. I was able to escape death when my twin sister, Pennnauriel took the poison dart that had been aimed at me. As I held her … she... she died in my arms, the light in her eyes were no more. Pennauriel, my half, who was to wed soon Annunsèw, a young hunter… as I held her I had been hit then from behind and knew no more.

When I awoke, only a few remained. All left were carrying wounds unfelt, for our grief was deeper and greater. Our womenfolk and children were not spared. Their bodies were left strewn with arrows.

After taking care of our dead, I left the last remnant of my people. I swore I would hunt down the orc and their allies. I was tracking the men from the east when they were waylaid by your son’s patrol. I was hoping they would lead me to the orcs. For long have I searched for the ones responsible for the slaying of my kin. Those that I have slain did not have the mark as the ones who had slaughtered my family.”

The Elvenking stayed silent as Rûdhchamion ended his tale. His face was void of emotion, and the dark elf knew not his thoughts.

[ May 02, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya's heart went out to the dark elf as he stood, recounting his sad and tragic tale to the king. Why would someone want to inflict pain upon another? In her young mind, it seemed as stupid and was, for all beings, mortal or eternal are connected and mustn't hurt each other for if you lose one, you lose all balance. Anarya knew she would never understand the reasons behind murder.

Anarya shifted her weight from foot to foot waitng for Thranduil's judgement upon Rudhchamion...

[Gilthalion]

The elvenking looked long upon the Dark Elf, as if fathoming his purposes as much from his countenance as from his words. He finally spoke.

"From one kingdom to another, if they are not enemies and at war, there is a common understanding that the pursuit of murderers may stray across the boundaries of realms. Such pursuit is ventured at risk of misunderstanding and judgment and in hope of justice and aid.

"You may fairly make claim upon Elvenkind for such aid, if it is ours to give. But as all eyes have seen here today, these are perilous times. Already one elf has tried to take my life, at the behest of Mordor. Mortal men are sent from the East through my realm. A Dark Elf, long sundered from our kindred, appears with a tale of misery and moves as swiftly as my own son to protect me."

"Some would say it is too close to be coincidence," mused Legolas.

"And they would be right," replied Thranduil. "Clearly there is something at work here with purposes beyond our own. But I think that the Dark Lord has not arranged this, at least not all of it. I do not believe that Rûdhchamion placed himself in the way of the assassin as part of some subtle scheme of Sauron's. But I must be certain, for the sake of the Wooded Realm.

"Let the mortal prisoners be brought forth! Enter their cells with torches blazing," cried the king. "And let the torches in this chamber be doused, save these on the dais. Rûdhchamion, draw for me on a parchment, the mark you describe. Give me the scroll quickly, and stand behind the others, where you will not be seen."

Several guards hurried with sure speed to the prison cells and swiftly returned with the ragged men. Rûdhchamion drew the symbol he so vividly remembered, rolled the parchment, and placed it in the hands of the elvenking. If the Dark Elf noticed that the hands of Legolas were relaxed with the deceptive ease of a fighter ready to strike without warning, he said nothing.

Would I not be as vigilant myself? he thought. Rûdhchamion looked Legolas in the eye and the two elves felt that they understood one another well enough.

No sooner than Rûdhchamion had slipped behind some of the many elves in attendance, the mortal prisoners were brought into the darkened chamber. They could see only the elvenking and Legolas upon the dais on his right side, with Sauche standing upon his left, for she could not be persuaded to leave Thranduil's side.

The men blinked in the dark hall, seeing little, but feeling scores of eyes casting a stern and weighty regard upon them.

"I have had you brought here," said the king, "to render judgment. You are guilty of trespassing, with malicious intent, in the Woodland Realm. You are by your own admission, servants of a great wickedness that seeks power in Dol Goldur. Perhaps there is a way that you will not be put to the deaths you deserve by my decree."

The men were sweating, and the stink of their fear was foul in the elven chamber.

"One of you will be the first to tell me all that you know of a certain symbol," commanded the elvenking. "If I am satisfied that you are telling the truth, and that what you have said is useful, then I will allow the first one of you to speak to leave my gates a free man. The other two will surely die by my order."

Thranduil stood before the prisoners, who were now utterly terrified, and slowly unrolled the scroll, showing them the image drawn by Rûdhchamion.

Almost immediately, all three of the men began shouting their answers, but one of them leapt forward, casting himself groveling at the feet of the elvenking. Legolas had to prevent Sauche from spearing him, for she cared for these vile men not at all.

It was Micanar who was most zealous to betray his friends. The guards dragged the other two away to their, cursing and wailing, to await execution. Micanar was jerked roughly to his feet and inwardly smiled to himself. He would tell the foolish elvenking exactly what the figure meant, and then the proud word of Thranduil would be kept and he would freely return to his commanders.

"As you can plainly see," said Micanar, "more plainly with your elvish sight than myself, in this darkness, it is a military insignia, similar to the one I myself bear."

The man rolled up his sleeve, and there on his shoulder was the mark.

"All of the men of our company have taken this mark, as a badge of pride and solidarity," Micanar lied. "It is a mark earned by the bravest and the most resourceful of us, and I am proud to wear it. You will see it on the shoulders of those knaves you have taken away. I could only wish that all who wore it, honored it, but alas, you know how an army can be."

"Yes," said Thranduil. "I well know. Rûdhchamion, speak from where you stand and tell me if you have seen this man?"

"I have," said the Dark Elf, in a voice from the unlit chamber that made Micanar's blood run cold once again. "Near Leog Ningloron, where my sister breathed her last."

"Very well," Thranduil replied. "Micanar, you are free to leave my realm. There is the door."

The elvenking gestured and the great doors of the hall opened onto a bridge that crossed a high space. The sound of a rushing water could be heard. Micanar was nearly blinded by the light entering the chamber.

"Blindfold him and see that he is brought safely and swiftly to the nearest border of the realm," said Thranduil.

Micanar was lead blindly from the chamber and the great magic doors of the cavern fortress slammed shut behind the prisoner as the guards took him away.

Torches were relit, and Rûdhchamion stood before Thranduil and spoke bitterly.

"Is this the justice of the fabled Woodland Realm?" cried the Dark Elf. "Why do you give this wicked lying man your protection and his freedom?"

"I would know the true direction of Micanar's thoughts," said Thranduil calmly. "His feet will surely follow his heart. If he is only what he claims, then he will head East, to Dorwinion. And I will know that you can be trusted no more than he. If he heads South, or West, then he will be seeking our common enemy, where he expects to most quickly find them. Then the counsel of my heart will be shown true, and my faith in your words will not be vain.

But I do have faith that what you have said is true. And so I decree that you, Rûdhchamion, are free to leave. I charge you not to harm Micanar within my realm, for I will not have my word dishonored."

Thranduil gestured, and the doors opened again. Rûdhchamion looked closely at the elvenking, smiled grimly, bowed gravely, and then swiftly left the king's presence, following the path the blindfolded prisoner was being led.

Perhaps the elves of this kingdom are not as soft as we had believed, thought the Dark Elf, as he hurried into the wood.

And if he knew that he was himself swiftly followed by Legolas and Anarya, he did not care. For Rûdhchamion would keep his word, and Micanar would not die by his hand. Not yet.

No, Micanar's death would not be by Thranduil's order. The king's promise would be kept.

And not within the boundaries of the Woodland Realm would Micanar meet his doom, and not before his chosen path revealed the slayers of the Dark Elf's kin.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya followed closely behind Legolas, keeping to the shadows of the growing night. The moon shone, distant and cold in the black sky. She did not know where Legolas led her, as he sped closely upon the tail of Rudhchamion. She clutched her bow in her hand, but she did not know why, for there was no danger that she knew of that could be lurking among the trees. Maybe more evil and fell creatures, but after their run in with the giant bats the preivous afternoon they would not be out again for another few days. After a while of following, the prince stopped and Anarya held her breath, to await the reson for the halt...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel bowed to the King and turned to follow Mornovarion from the throne room. Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes bespoke of dreaded doom. She clutched the cask of sleep filled water to her breast and wished that she could drink from it and let her doom pass by. But as her fingers tightened around the cask, so too her will hardened to her fate. She knew well she deserved the doom that had befallen her, and she would follow it until it had run its course, despite what evil it may wreak on her.

They were almost to the infirmary. The guards led Mornovarion to a private room, so that his anguished cries would haunt none but Tinuiel. The guards crossed the threshhold with Mornovarion's frail body between them. Tinuiel paused before the doorway for a moment and cast a glance behind her shoulder. It seemed to her that the long years of her life stretched behind her gleaming faintly, but when she turned to look inside the room, she saw only darkness. So this is my doom, she thought. I must willingly walk from light into darkness, with no hope of ever passing through into light again. Tinuiel hesitated no longer. She drew a deep breath and passed into the dim room. The guards looked at her with fear, for Tinuiel's face was already haunted and grim. She beckoned them leave her, and they quickly and gratefully obeyed.

The click of the door as it shut left Tinuiel alone with Mornovarion. He stood facing her. "Lie down," she said softly.

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf moved like a shadow through the woods. He did not need to keep his prey in sight. Man had never been a problem to Rûdhchamion when tracking, the trail could be three days old and he would still know which direction his prey was going. Even if he crossed streams or rivers, the dark elf would find him. He had followed the elves as they released the prisoner. Then he had kept well out of sight among the trees and foliage, keeping on the man's trail.

The man stopped ahead, perhaps to rest. Rûdhchamion was alert for any unexpected suprises.

This particular man had his undivided attention. Rûdhchamion, smiled coldly. Pity he could not extract the information he wanted, the way he would have wanted. He would honor the elvenking’s words... for now. The man known as Micanar would live, that is, until he would no longer be needed. If he crossed Rûdhchamion’s path later, hopefully during a fight perhaps... the dark elf would claim he killed the man in self defense.

He had sensed Anarya and Thranduil’s son, Legolas, behind him. They kept their distance. It mattered not to him, but he hoped the young elf maiden would be kept out of harm’s way. He was curious though, why the elven prince would come himself. At least, he thought grimly, a new life had been offered to Sauche. The dark elf doubted if he would ever have the same opportunity. He had long ago accepted his fate. He had given his oath upon the graves of his kin, unto death would he hunt their killers.

He waited for Micanar’s next move. The dark elf stayed as still as stone. He blended among the trees and thrushwood of the forest.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion took the bottle that Tinuiel handed to him and sipped at it. Suddenly a feeling of immense tiredness took him and he fell into a deep sleep.
He opened his eyes, but he wasn't in a dark chamber but a village square, he recognised this place.
'Yes'Mornovarion thought 'This was the village where he had been brought up. What is to happen here'
In his dream he walked towards one of the houses, when there was a scream from behind him. He whirled around to see his father, an arrow through his stomach, stumble into the square and fall to the ground. More arrows fell from the sky as elves ran for cover or to get weaponary.
Orcs charged into the square and cut down everyone that stood in their way, Mornovarion felt rough hands grab him from behind and then everything went black.

[Rosa_Baggins]

Rosa Baggins walked though the trees that covered that land before her and as she swung her pack back on her back again she tripped and fell face first into a mud puddle.
"Stupid twigs....stupid mirkwood.....stupid mud!" She murmured under her green hood.
The hobbit pulled herself up from the mud and stood up again pulling her pack on and stumbleing forward though the muddy bank on a small stream.
All Rosa wanted to do now was to sleep in a real bed and eat real food and have it at the normal times she had it in The Shire but all she loved about the shire she left behind.
The smell of the wild fowers, hugh fields, the sound of Farmer Maggotts dogs chasing after her........ ok maybe not that but she missed the feel of excitment buzz though her as she ran though his fields with arms loaded with carrots and other veg that she happened to swipe.
The days where long and the nights where short she hardly got any rest of fear of the enemy being near and killing her while she slept.
"Why did i want to go on this stupid journey
anyway."
She paused and thought about it and sighed.
"Aye.This is a sad time."
she whispered at if anyone was listening only an elf could hear her whisper.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Legolas crouched low to the ground, hardly breathing. Anarya sat beside him, her fingers nervously drumming her bow. Maybe it was the presence of the mortal that made her giddy with adrenaline, she did not know.

Legolas stopped her drumming with the palm of his hand upon her fingers and put a finger to his mouth to silence her nervousness.

Anarya obeyed the prince and looked out at Rudhchamion's dark figure, black against the grey of the trees. And in the near distance, another form stuck out obviously among the branches. She had never been that close to a mortal before. Suddenly, the human figure stirred, Rudhchamion with it, and Legolas rose slowly from his knees. In the moonlight though, something caught her eye that made Anarya jump, in the trees above her, the elf watched in horror as a large creature descended. Out from its grotesque, eight long vicious legs trailed, its fangs gleamed in the cold starlight. A giant spider...

[Leighlei]

Sauche didn't quite know what to do with herself. She knew she would grow restless on that land...she needed other elves, she needed adventure.

She remembered that Thranduil had advised her to go to the healers and so she followed them as they left the chamber. They greeted her kindly, with soothing voices, and bade her rest upon a couch so that they could serve her.

Sauche was tense, and reluctant to release her spear.

My spear! she thought. I have earned it surely! She had not given it back to the guard, who did not press his claim when he saw that Thranduil would rather she kept it.

But gradually, as one of the maidens lightly sang, playing upon her strings with elven grace, Sauche relinquished her spear to another gentle maid. She who would have never let another take her weapon, gave it into gentler hands.

The smell of herbs drifted through the bright and airy room, and with it drifted Sauche's senses...

Sauche dreamt then in the rest of elves, dreaming while awake, and aware of of the past as if it were the present. She saw then clearly her father and her mother as they had been in the days before the darkness.

The wild elf wept and wept as if she would never stop, and let the gentle maids sing to her, and bathe her, and dress her and adorn her. When Sauche at last came back to herself, she felt cleansed and her mind felt clear. She looked upon her image in their mirror and saw that, save for the scars she bore, she was much like the other elven maidens.

No. Not quite the same, she thought. But not so different. For though I shall always love moments such as this, I must be part of what lies beyond.

She thanked the healers gladly, took her spear, and set out to find a bite to eat. She wondered where she might find the kitchens, and then remembered the girl who served refreshments in the great hall.

Along the way, Sauche saw some of the soldiers practicing with their spears. She heard one of them mention the excercises that Thranduil had orderd for the next day. It seemed that the king wanted his troops in crack condition for some reason.

Watching them, Sauche wondered if she was not better with the spear than most of the soldiers she saw at practice...

[ May 07, 2002: Message edited by: Gilthalion ]

[Gilthalion]

Rûdhchamion let fly his dagger and as swift as thought, Legolas took aim. Anarya drew more swiftly than thunder follows lightning, but she saw that her prince aimed not at the spider, as did she, but at the dark elf instead.

Anarya realized then that the blade was aimed straight at the head of the miserable mortal they followed. If Rûdhchamion killed Micanar before his path was known, then his words to Thranduil were false, and his life was forfeit.

But the eyes of Legolas were swift and he marked more than the path of the blade. At the lst possible instant, his aim changed and his arrow leapt with Anarya's and their shafts plunged into the hulking spider.

Both the spider and the man fell to the forest floor and were still as stones.

Rûdhchamion stood from his concealment, as did Legolas and Anarya.

"You have good eyes, son of Thranduil," said Rûdhchamion.

"You have good sense, Rûdhchamion," replied Legolas.

It was then that Anarya saw that the blade had struck the man hilt first, knocking him unconscious. She retrieved the blade. The dark elf and the elven prince dragged the spider away and Anarya covered their tracks. The man would awaken, knowing nothing, and wondering what had hit him.

And the three elves would together watch to see where Micanar went. And after that, Anarya knew that Legolas would not stay the hand of Rûdhchamion from vengeance upon the slayers of his kin.

[Leighlei]

She approached the guards cautiously, although she did have a tendancy to creep up on others and spook them nonetheless.
"Hello, men." She cooed. They started, turned. And then shrugged.
"Go back to the kitchen." One mumbled. Angered, Sauche narrowed her eyes and clucked at them with her tongue.
"It would do you wise to look twice, gentlemen." She simpered, and let fly her spear without the bat of an eye. It stuck fast in the wall beside the offenders head, and she gave them a small smile. "Talent comes in the oddest places." She retrevied her spear from two soldiers who had pryed it out of the wall, flabbergasted, and then wandered away.
'I wonder where the prince and that...dark elf...are?' She thought to herself. 'By the Gods, could this dress be any more uncomfortable?!'

[Nice-Smeagol]

When Mornovarion regained conciousness, the square was filled with the bodies of slain elves, some still holding weapons, some died trying to protect their children. In the centre of the square stood a bunch of anxious but alive elves surrounded by orcs. Other orcs were moving round the square looting bodies and searching for survivors. One of the orcs pointed at him and shouted something in his own tounge and two burly orcs moved forward grasped Mornovarion and threw him into the group of elves.
Soon the orcs gave up searching for loot and one of them who was undoubtedly the leader gestured for them to leave. The orcs shouted and forced the group of elves to move, as they left one of them threw a torch into one of the village buildings. As they drew away from the village they turned to see that the thatch and and wood had cought and the whole village was on fire.
Their captors began to quicken the pace and soon they were beyond the bows of the forest. Some of the less-fit elves began to tire, only to be forced to drink a foul drink which although revitalising left a foul taste on the tongue.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya stood by Rudhchamion and Leoglas looking down at the fallen man, after they had gotten rid of the spider's corpse. The human's breaths came softly but regularly.

"Are you sure hes out?" She asked looking over at the two elves warily.

Rudhchamion nodded, "Aye, I believe he is young Anarya."

Anarya let out her breath in a relieved sigh, "What do we do now then?" She asked looking down at the man.

"You, my fair maid, are going back to the city," Said Legolas setting a hand on her shoulder, "After our little run in with that spider, it is obviously too dangerous out here for one of so little experience."

Anarya shot the prince a look of outrage, "Pardon your highness but do not think me a babe in arms. For I can asure you I am far from it. Is that not true Rudhchamion? You saw how I defended myself among those bat creatures!"

She looked over at the elf, her eyes bright with stubborness.

The elf shrugged and looked over at Legolas, "She did manage to injure one with only a daggger, and she is strong for one so small."

Anarya looked at Legolas triumphantly, "You see," She said forgetting her manners for the moment, "I am stronger than I seem, beeging your pardon your highness."

Legolas smiled at the maid's spirit,"Alright, as long as you don't end up getting yourself killed. In the mean time, I suggest that we get ourselves hidden before our friend awakens."

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel sat frozen, gazing with mingled horror and pity on the anguished face of Mornovarion. The elf tossed and turned violently in the bed. Tinuiel occasionally wiped the elf's face or held him down in his most violent fits. All the while a stream of half incoherent words mingled with cries and whimpers flowed from the elf's parched lips. Tinuiel's eyes never left the elf's face, nor did she for a moment cease to listen to his tortured cries. Every word that broke from Mornovarion's lips was ingrained in Tinuiel's mind forever. With each strangled sentence, Mornovarion's face became less haggard, while Tinuiel's became more haunted and drawn. Hour after hour she sat by his bed, and as she listened, it seemed to her that the weight and guilt of his past was lifted from his shoulders and placed on her own.

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf kept silent after they had left Micanar and disposed of the spider. Although he had been worried about Anarya coming along, he believed that to deny her would not prevent her from following them and may prove more perilous on her part. He sighed, smiling to himself, Pennnauriel would have been no different. And she was spirited, no doubt skilled with the bow, having seen her skill in fletching. Her arrowheads were superb.

Soon, he thought, soon your deaths will be avenged! And perhaps the reason for the madness of their killings would be revealed. Until now, Rûdhchamion had never unravelled the real reason for the attack on his people. It had seemed so senseless.

The three elves were hid among the trees, like still shadows among the growth of the woods. They were some distance from where they left the unconcious Micanar. The man was beginning to stir. He glanced at Legolas and found the elven prince looking at him intently. The dark elf could not avoid feeling as if he was under observation, or being tested. It hardly mattered to him.

Would the son be like the father, he wondered silently? His respect for the prince had gone a notch higher when Legolas had stayed his hand awhile ago. Any other elf would have shot him, thinking him treacherous, but Rûdhchamion had risked knocking the man unconcious, else reveal that they were on his trail. Besides if the spider had reached the man, the foolish mortal would no longer be able to lead him to the very ones he had long searched for.

Anarya stirred impatiently beside them.

“Getting a little impatient young Anarya?” He smiled at her, then he continued softly to Legolas, “We should give him a day’s lead, to avoid suspicion. His trail will be of no problem to follow.”

The elven prince nodded in agreement."Let us reserve our energy until then."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya rubbed her arms of the night cold that had crept up upon them in the forest. She stared at the man, hoping he would awaken.

"Are all mortals as foul as he?" She wondered to herself.

Anarya felt her stomach jump to her throat as the mortal stirred. He sat up rubbing his head. Anarya felt Rudhchamion stiffen beside her. Legolas straightened as well, his eyes intent upon the dark figure as it rose, looking around in confusion. Anarya held her breath as he turned in their direction...

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen slowly got out of the throne room and went back to the kitchen. She wasn't really in a hurry - kitchen duty was not that funny, after all. She would rather try to sneak out in the wood again, to have a little moment of peace and thinking, but she knew that if the kitchen master caught her this time again, dreaming away her time, it wouldn't be fun for her. She started to move a little bit quicker, before she came past some guards practising with their spears. She had no idea of why, but king Thranduil wanted them to be in crack condition, very soon. She saw the wild elf - Sauche - standing next to some guards, and stopped before even thinking about it. Something was going on, and she wanted to find out what it was.

[Gilthalion]

Micanar shook himself, got his bearings, and proceeded south, following the eastern eaves of Mirkwood.

"It is clear," whispered Legolas, "that he means to join others, where no settlements of men can be found. Only the villages and solitary abodes of the Dark Elves, and farther south, the abandoned fortress of the Necromancer, Dol Goldur.

"I will return and tell Thranduil this news. Anarya, stay with Rhudhcamion, if he he would have your company, and be our eyes. We must know what the Woodland Realm faces. And as for you, Dark Elf," said Legolas with a dark smile, "happy hunting."

With that, the son of Thranduil left them to follow Micanar and returned to the halls of his father.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Long after, the orcs stopped.
"You sleep here" grunted their leader, pointing at a rough patch of ground a few feet away. As the elves settled down orcs moved round in a circle to stop them escaping. The elves staggered over to where he had pointed and fell into deep sleep's, grateful for the rest.
After what seemed like a few minutes, they were awoken by the orcs to see that all about them was covered in fog. One of the braver elves spoke up, "You can't seriously be thinking about setting out in this can you!"
The orc leader turned slowly to face the elf that had spoken, "What did you say?"
"Well, we can't even see..." The elf got his head lopped off by on orcish broadsword.
The orc leader turned to face the rest of the elves "That's what'll happen if any of you... elves" he spat the word out" tries to disagree wif'' me again!".

[Leighlei]

Sauche smirked and then, without meaning to, bumped into the elf-maiden and sent her tumblin onto the floor. Sauche reckoned the squared shoulders of the wanderer helD rank over the thin ones of a gentile. Setting the spear doiwn, she held out a hand and helped her up.
"Forgive me..." The maiden stuttered, curtsying. Obviously she realized that the preserve belonged to the woman who had knocked her down. Although now Bourgeouis, Sauch raised an eyebrow.
"Um...why?" She shook her head and grabbed the weapon. "I should be sorry for plowing into you like that! C'mon, I'll take you on a walk...Just to apologize."
"I really should g-get back to..."
"Who cares?" Sauche took her hand. "All work and no play makes...."
"Gayahithwen." The maiden said her name softly, meekly.
"Gayahithwen a dull boy! Or Girl!" She added quickly. "By the way, I'm Sauche." She said also, then took her new friend, well, her new ffriend kind of took eHER, on a tour of the castle.

OOC- Sorry if theres too much slang, I have an awful headache ><

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion watched as Legolas disappeared into the trees. He could not help but smile to himself. It was obvious, the elf prince had a bit of his father’s insight in him. The dark elf would not forget the trust the ElvenKing had placed upon him, nor Legolas’ words. He turned to the young elf maiden.

“I am quite hesitant, Anarya Silverbranch, to have you at my side, with unknown peril ahead. Do not misunderstand my words, I doubt not thy skill, for that I have already witnessed.”

She looked indignant and her stubbornness was resurfacing. “Prince Legolas himself, has given me leave to go in his stead,” she crossed her arms and continued, her brows raising, “And if I recall quite correctly, it was you who was wounded in battle.”

He stared at her dumbfounded. A smile slowly formed at the corner of his lips. “Oh, very well. But we best rest awhile and plan our move before continuing. His tracks will be easy to follow, even at night.”

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen smiled after coming over the first chock. This was the girl she had seen earlier today, wasn't it? Once again she smiled, because it was obvious that the guards had been telling the truth about this girl. She really was a wild one. She tried once more to say something apologizing to get back to the kitchen:

"I really should be getting back, you know, or else.. uuumm.."

She thought about it for a second, then brightened up again.

"...I guess I could come up with some kind of excuse. Is there anything special you want me to show you? - Be easy with that spear, you almost put my eye out! Do you know anything more about what is happening here? All the guards training all the time.. I wish I knew what is happening!"

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya nodded in agreement and wrapped her arms around her knees tightly. She laid her head down upon her elbows and closed her eyes wondering why the prince and Rudhchamion had such little faith in her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear irritably. Really, it was getting very frustrating. She opened her eyes and looked over at her companion.

Rudhchamion had settled closeby, his back to a large oak. His eyes were closed as well. She wondered what the strange dark elf thought of, though she had a very strong inkling to the answer of her question. She had to admit though, the elf was handsome, for an outsider that was. The light of morning caught her eyes and she averted her gaze to the rising morning light, pink upon her cheeks. Yes, today would be a good day...

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion felt the warmth of the mid-morning sun from behind his close eyelids. The breeze whispered softly its song, several wrens were nearby chirping their greeting to the new day. He opened his eyes to find Anarya nearby, her head down upon her elbows and her eyes closed, her honey-colored hair softly caressed by the wind. They had only been resting a few hours since Legolas left them.

He had been in deep thought. What was waiting for them south? Eager as he was to face the slayer of his people, rushing headlong would be a sure death. The dark elf did not wish even one foul orc to escape and see another day, but there was more to this than the death of his kin. It was a mystery that haunted him still. Why were they killed? He knew no reason, but he swore he would find out.

There was also young Anarya. He would have to proceed with more caution, he was not alone in the hunt any longer. He would not be able to forgive himself should any harm befall one so gifted.

And there was the matter of the words of Thranduil. Something was stirring south. He sighed, why hadn’t he had enough sense to ask Legolas the Elvenking’s worries? But it was unlikely the prince would have told him. At least not yet. He doubted this would be the last time he would see Thranduil’s halls, nor the Elvenking's son.

He heard a squirrel’s familiar chattering. As he looked up, it landed on his leg. He couldn’t help chuckling.

“Haven’t had a meal yet, I take it, little friend,” he smiled, taking a nut form his hip bag and handing it to the small creature. Looking up after a few moments, he saw the elf maiden looking at him curiously.

"I hope you've rested well, Young Anarya. Soon our hunt will begin." Rûdhchamion looked towards the direction the man, Micanar, had gone. His smile had faded, a determined look was on his face.

[ May 17, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya smiled at the elf's reply. She was happy to finally be able to see what was beyond the confines of the forest.

"So when do we start?" She asked, a little higher in pitch than how she had meant for it to sound.

Rudhchamion did not answer. His face was cold and stern, his eyes were fixed on the lightening horizon.

"Rudhchamion?" She said again and stood walking over to where the elf sat.

She looked in the direction he was staring. Though no mortal could see it, the imortal's eyes caught the figure of a stumbling man in the far distance.

"Thats the human Micanar, isn't it?" Anarya asked not taking her eyes off the east...

[LúthienTinúviel]

Mornovarion tossed in his bed and cried out. Every word seemed to be wrenched from his frail body. Every one. And each one embedded itself on Tinuiel's heart. He shuddered violently, and with his words, Tinuiel could see in her mind an orc butchering elves. She clenched her jaw. She could see it all. It was as if Mornovarion's words painted pictures in her mind as they were burned in. Tinuiel reached over and grabbed Mornovarion's hand tightly. And so the night passed, the two elves hand in hand, both dreaming the same terrible dreams, but one heart grew lighter, and one grew heavier as with a weight greater than that of all the world.

[Leighlei]

"I'm not sure." Was all Sauche said, her exterior solemn and unbroken by emotion. No rage. Like magma, it churned below her surface, awaiting the time to rise in a fury of blood and death...
"Oh..."
"Where are teh Elf-Prince and those other two...?" Sauche wondered aloud, peering out of a window as they passed. Her body seemed to unfurl in the setting sun, glowing rosy-warm as a gentle smile touched her face. "Then again, I also wonder where my clothes and weapons are...Wow...Isn't that sun beautiful?" She found herself coming back to the window. She needed to get outside. That was where she belonged. That was where she had to be. Then, suddenly, she blushed deep scarlet. "Those bathers saw me naked...didn't they?" She asked in an embarrassed whisper. They must have thought I was some sort of freak!" It was true. With the few but noticeable scars she bore the gentle, smooth-skinned maidens would have been both mortified and full of pity. Chagrined, Sauche bit ehr lip and loked at the floor. "Not that I AM one. I just...don't look the same...I mean, I DO, but...I don't...really...I have scars..." She found herself digging a deeper and deeper hole of embarrassment. She felt sorry for her companion who had to stand there and watch as Sauche, uneducated socially, stuttered through a simple 'Moving right along...'

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen wasn't sure what to do with the girl that stood right in front of her, appearantly embarrased. She gave her a quick hug and then took a step back, looking at her with a shy smile.

"What do you mean? You bear clothes and you have that spear - that almost put my eye out a second ago. The bathers are used to naked people. I am not sure I caught your meaning. Prince Legolas accompanied the dark elf and another high elven girl on the search of the human. I don't know any more about it."

[Nice-Smeagol]

So the orcs and their weary prisoners had set out into the mist. Mornovarion, who had been studied the few maps they had had in the village guessed that they must now be nearing the Emyn Muil. The thought that they had travelled so far made him feel more tired than he really was and a great pain was in his legs. Soon they came to a wide river, which he supposed was the Great River Anduin. The orcs turned south
following the river's course.
The pain in Mornovarion's legs was beginning to become unbearable and soon he stumbled and fell. He was only dimly aware of the orcs kicking him in an attempt to get him up. When he opened his eyes because of a great pain in his back, he realized that an orc was dragging him along by his feet.
Mornovarion squirmed in an attempt to free himself but the orc, a very large brutish one merely laughed at Mornovarion's feeble attempts to free himself. Soon the whole company of orcs was laughing and choosing rougher, stonier routes on which to drag Mornovarion's battered body along.

[Leighlei]

Sauhe smiled at the maid's gesture of emotion and regained control of herself. "Ah...thanks..." She sighed. "I'm just...not...like you or anyone. I'm not like the girls here..." She looked out the window. "Anyway...where do you want to go?" She grinned. "Show me the prettiest place here."

[Fair Amaryllis]

While she had picked out a new garment for her mother, Amaryllis had heard a commotion outside. She had faollowed the elves who were goig to the throne room. She wanted to know what was going on. when she had witnessed all the judgements, she went on towards her mother's home. She had passed by the group of soldiers practicing and had also seen the new elf girl. Soush was her name? It was something like that. She couldn't understand what Thranduil was saying because she had let her mind wander to look at all the elf men in the room. She was under constant pressure to find a man and be married but she was determined that when the time came it would happen. On this occasion she saw the one person whom she ahd had a crush on for decades. His eyes were brown but his hair was blonde and he was a bit shorter than the others around him. Amaryllis had heard rumors that he liked her but he never acted upon them. She had finally caught his eye and smiled at him in a friendly way because if she had done anyhting to suggest anything more, she was have started to become very nervous. She was blushing as it was. He nodded his head slightly just so much as to acknowledge her then turned back to the prisoners. She felt discouraged becuse he hadn't so much as smiled back at her. Then again, there wer people that had been punished quite severly. She supposed she couldn't blame him. But she was pleasantly surprised when he stepped beside her and walked with her to her mother's dwelling. He apologized for being rude in the throne room but he didn't want to make any attention-drawing gestures. He usually shied away from the attention of anyone he didn't really know. They talked of things of no real importance and Amaryllis realized that she very much enjoyed being around him. She couldn't explain how she felt about him. She'd had crushed before, suer but this, this was a different feeling. This was like she was absolutely positive that this one was for her. She didn't dare speak of anyhting like that to him, though. For fear it might scare him off. Then she wouldn't even have him as a friend. They had reached her mother's door when he informed her that he was going away for a long while. he hugged her politely and walked back towards town. Amaryllis stood on her mother's doorstep and was overwhelmed with a terrible feeling that she had missed her chance for good and that she had lost something that could have been so great. She felt a wave of tears coming on as she opened the door and stepped inside.

[Gayahithwen]

With a smile Gayahithwen said "What do you mean? Do you have a tail or something?" she went serious and continiued; "what do you mean? Not like us other..? There are many people here, elven maidens not at least. Many of them are like me, but many has fought several times, wild battles. Greenwood isn't green anymore, it's now known as Mirkwood. The dark is around us, you know and things is not that safe any longer. Although, I admitt it, if an orc would attack me, I wouldn't fight it, I would run for my life."

She smiled and grabbed Sauche's hand. "Come on, I'll show you the prettiest place I know! It's a little bit from here and not that many people know about it!" With that, she dragged Sauche out of the castle, away towards the wood.

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Gayahithwen ]

[Leighlei]

Sauche grinned and followed eagerly. "I'd fight!" She said finally, walking behind her new friend. "And I'd win!" She was grinning happilly. "And if an orc attacked you in this new dark,I'd protect you as well! Only..." She paused. So did her companion. "Not in this dress." She smiled. And then continued on. "If I was wearing this dress, I would strip down naked and battle! Scars an all!" Her friend giggled, as did she, as they walked together in the wood.

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf turned to the young elf-maiden. He frowned slightly at the sound he had heard in her voice. It sounded too eager, as one would her from an inexperienced, and perhaps over-enthusiastic child.

Rûdhchamion suppressed a groan and sighed. “I do not mean anything by it, but is this the first time you will have gone beyond the confines of Greenwood, Anarya?”

That of course earned him a frown and a glare which could have had sent any stouthearted man cringing. “And I suppose that would make me the hapless lass under your protection then.”

“I was only asking and as I said, meant nothing by it. He averted his eyes from her sharp gaze and stood up. “Come then, let us begin tracking the mortal.”

He looked towards the south. “Your Prince is right, the man means to join others. Perhaps to his superior, to report of the encounter with the Elvenking. But to whom? The Beornings are northwest of this place, that is the only abode of men in this area, and they have the friendship of your people.” The elf looked southwestward. “ He would have no reason to go towards Leog Ningloron, and the woods of Lorinand.”

“Lorinand?” Anarya asked as she too looked towards the southwest. They began their trailing of Micanar.

“The Goldenwoods near Silverlode. You perhaps know it or have heard of it as Lothlorien.” He smiled at the her. “The uninvited cannot pass the realm of the Lady of the Woods. Be he man or elf.”

“Was not Leog Ningloron near your peoples’ abode?”

“Yes,” he answered, “ and continuing southwards is Dol Goldur.”

The way he had said it made her look at Rûdhchamion closer. He seemed to suddenly look inwards, in himself, in deep thought. Perhaps because of the memories, she thought to herself. She could have not known it was more from dread of things to come. Dol Goldur was the abandoned abode of the Necromancer. But even after his defeat, no elf would go near the boundaries of that dark place.

They continued tracking the man called Micanar. The dark elf showing his woodland ways to the young elf maid. Gathering nuts, roots and herbs along the way. Stopping at streams to rest and refill their waterskins.

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen thought about what Sauche had said for a while, then she continiued: "I find these dresses comfortable enough. At least to run away in. You seem like such a warriorgirl. Is there any weapon you can't handle? The only weapon I can handle is the knife, out of obvious reasons." She almost giggled, but went serious in a second. "Kitchen duty, you know. Here it is!"

She turned to the right, down a little path, under some big, dark trees, before reaching a little creek. Big birch trees were standing around it, and since the sun was setting all was in a golden light. Small flowers covered the ground and in the trees you could here birds chirping. The creek sounded as if it sang, an ancient and beautiful song. Gayahithwen smiled peacefully and climbed up on a big rock, dragging up her knees under her and enjoying the beautiful sight. She grabbed Sauche's hand and helped her up next to her.

"Well, what do you think? Beautiful, isn't it? I come here as often as possible."

[Leighlei]

"Yes, it is lovely." Sauche sighed. "An outlaw such as I...was... rearely has the time relax in such a beautiful place...but now that I'm here...I don't think I'll ever want to leave..."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya sat by a bed of flowers that Rudhchamion said was edible and began to rip their strong roots from the stubborn forest floor.

She looked up and to her surprise saw the elf kneeling by a squirrel, feeding it. She was astonished to see a smile softly edge across his face at the animal. She had never seen the dark elf so gentle to anything. He looked up and saw her looking at him with curosity. Anarya looked down, her cheeks beginning to flush with self-conciousness. What was happening to her, this feeling?

"Do you think we are very far behind the mortal?" She asked not looking up, trying to make light conversation.

"About a mile or so lies between us," She heard him say. She heard him stand and walk to a tree, and with a leap ascend into the leafy canopy. She looked up alarmed,

"What do you think your doing? He'll see you!" she called to him stading by the trunk of the large oak.

"Shhh! He'll hear you before they see me!" He said harshly to her.

Anarya stared hard down at the ground for her mistake. How could she do something so stupid. Now Rudhchamion would think that she was stupid or something, and the worst thing about it was that she didn't know why she cared what he thought.

"Wait!" Rudhchamion's voice drifted down from the summit of the tree, "I think I see him, and theres another group of figures meeting him now!"

[Thalionyulma]

The burly orc barked an order to one of his subordinates. Wazrárz gazed to the north, his demeanor hiding little of his foul mood. He was clad in armor, and a huge war axe hung at his side. He was getting impatient. The easterlings should have been here days ago. They had been camped near the hill of Dol Goldur waiting.

As a thick mist was slowly forming, draugs could be heard howling from a distance. Another pack would be released once more to hunt near the banks of Anduin before venturing deep into Mirkwood. He would order the wolf-riders as well, else they would grow lazier then they already were, he thought quite irrated.

The orders were the same. Wait for the mortals, and the news they would be bringing. Warzgarz trusted the easterlings little knowing that most could break easily, once they were put to torture. But some did have good uses. It was this reason that they were given orders in such short notice, in order that the lord’s plans would not be betrayed to their enemies. But getting vital information and using devious means to create havoc, which was to these men’s credit.

“Gurgzhâk! Get your useless face here!” He growled. A smaller orc with a badly scarred face appeared, with a glint in his eyes. “Any news of those easterlings? What are your scouts doing besides whining like the useless dogs they are?”

The smaller orc grunted, “Nothing… but three men were sent to wait their return and bring them here.” He then quickly left, knowing such news did not abide well with his superior’s mood.

“Incompetent fools!” He heard Wazrárz say, a sound something breaking was heard as an object was hurled.

[Thalionyulma]

Rinurion parried a strike and countered just as a break in combat training was called. Thranduil had ordered all his elven warriors to training due to an earlier incident where a strange elf had tried to kill the king. They had all been caught by surprise, and it was only by the quick action of king’s son, Legolas, and another captured elf, that the would-be killer was subdued. The tall elf knew something was amiss, and orders would be forthcoming.

They had been in martial training since the release of the human prisoner. He for one waited for the return of Legolas. The prince would no doubt have more news.
He returned once more to the drilling area as the training was called to commence once more.

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen leaned a bit backwards, putting down her hands beside her to keep herself from falling backwards. She took in all beauty of the place, sighed deep and then turned to Sauche.

"Where are you from? I got to know pretty much about you earlier, but, well.. There are quite many gaps. Would you care to fill me in on them?"

Smiling encouragely towards Sauche, she continiued:

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I just thought.. friend to friend?"

[Thalionyulma]

The two elves had let the man move further ahead; it had been several days now since they started trailing Micanar. The dark elf wanted to make sure that they could see every direction the man may take. The mortal had met with a group earlier and was moving southward once more. Rûdhchamion and Anarya kept to the shadows of the trees and avoided open glades. They kept silent, and only signaled to one another when needed.

He noticed a slight change in demeanor in the young elf maiden, a self-consciousness. He wanted to ask but thought better of it, it would embarrass her surely. He was amused at times, and did not know why he was glad to have her on this journey.

Suddenly he felt a chill that seemed to grip him, and motioned for Anarya to climb a large tree nearby. Its leaves were thick enough to hide them both. He heard something that chilled him even more.

“What is it?” She whispered.

“Ssshhh. Listen, do you not hear the baying of the wolves?”

Anarya frowned, she could her the howling. “But it isn’t hardly evening yet.”

It was true. It was late afternoon, but the skies had turned cloudy and the mist was coming in. He swore under his breath.

“We must stay I fear, until morning. Keep alert, and be ready with your bow. We can trail them then. They too have stopped.” He indicated to the Micanar’s group.

When night came, so did the creatures of the dark. A group of hooded men walked past their tree. Similar to the ones when they had encountered Mornovarion and Tinuiel.

They kept as still as possible, holding their breaths as the strange hooded figures passed by.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya gripped the branch in front of her till her knuckles turned as white as the moon that hung low in the overcast sky. The air was thick with fear as the shadows passed, making it hard to breathe.

Anarya closed her eyes and wished herself somewhere else, anywhere else but there. She looked down again at the passing shadows, six of them she noticed. One stopped suddenly
in front of the tree where Rudhchamion and Anarya sat, perched precariously. Than Anarya felt her foot slip from beneath her...

[LúthienTinúviel]

In the tiny chamber Tinuiel kept her silent vigil beside the writhing elf. The sickle moon cat its fey beams on the two figures. Mornovarion struggled and cried out in his sleep, while Tinuiel sat beside him, eyes and ears fastened unwaveringly upon him. Her hands lay upon him, in an effort to calm his twisting frame, but her thoughts were far from the room. Her body sat with Mornovarion in the room in the elven hall, but in her mind, she was dragged alongside Mornovarion. She felt the orc slap her across the face as his hand crashed down on Mornovarion. She heard the same cries. She wailed the same wordless prayers to Elbereth and listened with him for the answer that never came.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was about to motion to Anarya when he saw her begin to slip. He quickly reached out and pulled her towards him, letting her get a better foothold. The movement was heard by the figures, and the one below their tree looked up. The dark elf quickly shifted his position, unsheathing his knife and jumped down, like a cat after its prey.

Landing on his target, grabbed its head and slashed its neck, to silence and kill instantly. Anarya had let loose a barrage of arrows, felling down three. Another advanced towards the dark elf, and was met by Rûdhchamion’s well-aimed knife that slashed from abdomen to heart.

Another had come from his left and attacked the elf with a sword. Rûdhchamion shifted to avoid the blow, but the hooded creature was fast and was able to slash at the elf, hitting him below the rib. The elf slipped and fell back, which saved his life. Another slash had been directed at his head, and as he fell he threw his knife. Anarya too, had aimed as well and caught the figure behind its neck as the knife found its mark.

Finally, there was silence.

Rûdhchamion looked into the mist and listened before taking his knife and stood up. He took the hood off the one he had just killed, and the sight that met him chilled him to the bone. The body that should be there was no more. What he held was something foul and abhorrent.

As Anarya watched, he recovered several arrows. A habit he was taught in the wild. Ammunition was after all, hard to find.

He climbed the tree once more and handed the arrows to Anarya. She noticed he winced as he had accidentally bumped his side on one of the tree’s branch climbing up. She helped him up, and let him lean on her as he settled in their position.

“Keep wary,” he said to her. He then took out his light pack and taking out his cloak, cut a strip before putting it back. He lifted his tunic exposing the wound he received. It did not look too serious, only a deep slash. “I think it will be safer here, since we can see from all direction. Tomorrow we can continue our task.”

He began to dress his wound. "Your skill in your bow matches your gift in your craft."

She silently helped him with his wound. He stared at her and was puzzled by her silence.

[ May 30, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya's hands were shaking from the fight as she helped the elf. She had never been in such close combat with something that was mortal, or atleast seemed it.

"Does something trouble you?" Rudhchamion asked.

Anarya dared not look up. She know understood this feeling that seemed to grab her stomach in a flurry of butterfly wings, and she knew if she let it take hold of her, it might ruin the whole mission.

"No, don't worry for me. I'm fine," She answered.

"Oh I see," Rudhchamion replied.

Anarya looked up alarmed, he could not possibly know.

"Everyone is always a little shaken after a fight. Theres nothing wrong in being scared," He continued with a smile of understanding.

Anarya set her brow hard down upon her eyes, and set back to fixing the wound. He thought her a coward.

"I was not scared," she answered crossly, "Merely surprised."

With that she set the final bandage around his waist with a rough yank. This did not seem to effect Rudhchamion. He laughed at her reply and jumped to the ground.

"Of course my dear Anarya, of course." He said striding over to where the bodies of the black cloaked figures lay. Anarya followed.

"Now, lets have a gander at these strangers of ours shant we?" Rudhchamion said with a slight grin, and kneeling to the ground next to a body...

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf looked intently at the hooded figure. His face betraying not his abhorrence to the hooded – thing. He knew whatever it originally was, was no longer man or possibly elf. It was a violation of all natural laws… a being manipulated and twisted by something evil, turned into something that was never meant to be.

He sighed. “This is a strange and evil thing. They were like those that we have encountered before. Remember all you see here Anarya. Your liege lord may unravel the mystery in all this when you give him the details.”

Anarya, too, knelt by the figure to get a closer look. The face of whatever being it was turned her stomach into a knot. So horrible was the sight.

“What are they?” She asked in a hoarse whisper.

“I know not… wraiths? I am not quite sure, I have never seen one. Perhaps they are- were mortal… I cannot tell.” He whispered back to her. He searched the body further. It yielded nothing more. “Perhaps the strange elf, Mornavorion, would have shed some light in this matter. Alas, I could not question him.”

He turned to the young elf maiden. "Your thought on this, Anarya?"

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya stared at the body with horror. A twisted mangled silloette of a creature beyond description. It chilled her terribly.

Anarya looked away with disgust, "I know not," she answered, her voice breaking, "Mayhap you ask him yourself."

She stood and walked over to a tree, setting her hand on the trunk to steady her shaking body. She was still young and had been sheltered from such things as a child. She had never seen anything that scared her more ever before.

Rudhchamion still knelt by the body. Anarya turned, once she was calm.

"Maybe it is some kind of a mutation of a nazgul?" She asked, not too young enough to know what a Nazgul was.

Rudhchamion stood slowly not taking his eyes off the carcus, "Maybe, though I'm not sure,"

Anarya looked up that the sky. The once navy sky was lightening to the sickly grey of morning.

"We should be on our way," Rudhchamion said stading, "Shall we?"

Anarya nodded, swallowing hard the anxiety that gathered in her throat. She looked over at Rudhchamion who seemed deep in thought. Feeling like a nuisence she began to walk into the morning gloom but soon heard Rudhchamion's steady pace behind her...

[ May 31, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was greatly disturbed. He had never seen such beings such as those that they had encountered. He had heard of stories, but those creature were an abomination! Only one with dark powers could have conjured such things.

But had not most of Greenwood been besieged by other evil creatures of late? But why?

He glanced at Anarya’s back. He didn’t quite know what to think of the young maiden. She was admirably quick in mind and bow. And quite spirited this maiden certainly was! She had easily overcome her fear and did what needed to be done. The dark elf now understood Legolas’s faith in her. And a sight she was, he began to acknowledge. She was young, but not so young that you would not take notice!

He reached out to her grabbing her shoulder gently. “Anarya, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said sounding irritated.

The dark elf stared at her, calculating her mood. That she was badly shaken, he knew, but not from battle. He could not blame her, even he was appalled by those creatures. He regretted not being able to hear Mornovarion’s full tale.

He set aside his trail of thoughts and looked where the men had last stopped. The mortals had begun their trek. They had maintained their route, still travelling along the eastern eaves of Mirkwood going south.

“I fear that as they near their destination, we shall be facing more than those vile creatures.” Rûdhchamion did not wish to alarm her, but forewarned is forearmed. He believed she could hold her own. But that did not keep him from worrying. “Let us be on our way. Don’t let them get too far from our sight.”

With that the pair continued their tracking of the human Micanar.

[Nice-Smeagol]

When the orcs finally got bored of pulling Mornovarion along, the day was nearing it's end and Mornovarion could, in the fading light, see the great rugged hills of the Eymin Muil around him. The party crossed the river at a ford. The feeling of the cold water on their feet relieved the elves blisters a bit, but the elves were still grateful of the chance to rest about a mile further down the river. A chunk of meat was given to each of the elves. Mornovarion poked at it with his finger, but decided to eat it or he would starve.
The next morning the orcs started out again now leaving the river and travelling east, east towards Mordor.

[Fair Amaryllis]

While Amaryllis had stayed with her mother for a week or so, she had let herself imagine what her rather appealing friend, Arloss, was doing. She imagined him on horseback, riding alongside the king's son, Legolas. Then she caught herself imagining him sipping waper from a cool clear stream while resting for the night, his brown eyes filled with joy and laughter as he ran to her and swept her off the forest floor and kissed her so sweetly.

In the afternoon, of the last day she had visited her mother, a messenger arrived at the door. Amaryllis answered and was greeted by one of her friends who worked inside the palace.

"Why, Thalig, what are you doing here?"

The messenger hid his eyes from his female friend for he knew that should he face her gaze, she would see the bad news he could not keep hidden.

"Miss, Amaryllis, I was sent because a terrible terrible thing has happened..."

Amaryllis became wary of each word he spoke and the tone in which it was spoken.

"What? What has happened?"

"Since you were seen with him last, it was decided upon that you should be the first to know..."

A vision of Arloss flashed in Amaryllis' mind. His face bloody, his eyes filled with horror, frozen in death. The tears came and she chose not to fight them. She used all her strength to listen to the rest of what Thalig had to say.

"He was found in the forest... They could not save him... He fought courageously. I'm so terribly sorry, Amaryllis."

Thalig was starting to turn away from the door with sorrowful eyes as Amaryllis burst out of the house and started running. To where, she had no clue, all she knew was that she had to get away. Had to go somewhere where she could weep. Thalig began to run after her but was soon far behind her and could no longer follow her.

She ran as fast as she could into the woods. The branches tearing at her dress. She hardly felt one slash her arm as she headed deeper and deeper into the forest. Blinded by the tears in her eyes, she could not see the log that lay directly in her path. She tripped over it, landing in a puddle of mud, covering herself with the filth and stench. She got up, however, and stumbled into the clearing where two elf girls sat silently. She finally collapsed in a heap of mud, stench, and sobs. She could run no more, her legs throbbed, and her feet were bleeding. As she wept on the forest floor, she gave up on love and all that could make her happy.

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Fair Amaryllis ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya looked up from her feet as they walked. Rudhchamion had taken lead and all she needed to do was follow him.

In the east a clearing broke through the trees, a rare sight in Mirkwood. They continued till they reached it. The sun shone down merrily in the little glade. The place was green as Varda's thumb and scattered with flowers, bright and vivid. A river ran through it, clear as glass so you could see to the bottom where sandy colored rocks lay, waiting to be picked up by the current and moved down stream. It was beautiful.

Anarya felt her breath leave her lungs with awe.

"Oh," She said softly just staring.

"You like it?" Rudhchamion asked walked up to the stream and dipping his hand in the water for a drink.

"Yes," She said with a smile.

"It is pretty isn't it," He said looking around him.

Anarya made her way over to the little river and looked at her reflection. She was not normally vain or self concious about her looks but when she looking at her face in the swift water, she was apalled. She was a mess, dirt smudged her cheeks and forehead, and her hair, she didn't even want to go there. Feeling frustrated that Rudhchamion had not pointed out the stick lodged in one of her once golden curls, she dove her head into the current. She came up, hair dripping wet, to the sound of Rudhchamions laughter. She looked over at him. He sat in the grass chuckling at her.

"Well it was your fault you didn't tell me I looked this terrible," She said feeling a traitorous smile edge across her mouth.

She rolled her eyes in mock frustration and turned back to the water, peering into the glassy stream. Suddenly something caught her eye. Something glinted silver in the water on the river floor. She reached into the water and pulled the little silver thing out. She held it to the sun, the little amulet like thing shining. A silver coin it seemed with an ivory white hand in the middle.

"Eh," Said Rudhchamion, catching sight of the curious object, "What have you got there?"

He took it from her fingers and looked at it closely.

"Hmm," He mumbled after a moment of staring at it, "I believe our mortal character seems to have fogotten something,"

[Leighlei]

OOC: Sorry about absence.
BIC:
Sauche smiled.
"Truth is..I can't remember much either... I'm just a wanderer... I fight, I scavenge, I hunt... I do not love." She looked at her companion. "I just don't. I can't find it in myself to... I don't remember my parents... they died when I was young. And I have been alone ever since..."

[Thalionyulma]

Wazrárz waited impatiently as his subordinates readied for another raid. Two groups would be released in the wilds. A light battalion of orcs would sweep near the Great River, uprooting the hated elves that crossed their path. He had been told that a patrol and one of the Dark Lord's loyal servant would await his people there and give new orders.

He looked towards where the wolf-riders were restlessly waiting their turn to be fielded as well. Wazrárz was pleased, the draugs would bring in more "fresh meat" that should satisfy his men, who was already growing "soft" to his accord.

"Take as many prisoners as you can ALIVE!" He growled. "The Lord has need of them - but should any succumb to injuries..." He left it unfinished, an evil glint in his eyes. His men and draugs knew his meaning and a chilling laughter answered him. They were quite starved for fresh blood and "meat".

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf was in deep thought once more. He had been puzzled at Anarya's finding of the silver coin. Perhaps it was a currency that the mortals were being paid in. After all a silver coin was a silver coin, and gold was still gold in whatever emblem it had.

Rûdhchamion was sitting under an old oak while the young elf maiden was not far off, keeping an eye on the direction of the mortals. The men moved in a slow leisurely matter, he thought. As if waiting to be joined by others, perhaps to meet them. It took all his training to fight down impatience and frustration. He wanted to go after Micanar and his companions more than once, and end their miserable lives. But he would break oath with the Elvenking, and lose the chance to find the real ones responsible for the death of his kin.

Besides, he thought, he wanted to know why it had all happened. Why all the killing again? Hadn't the Last Alliance defeat the Dark Lord?

He gazed at Anarya's direction and smiled. He felt lighter these days. Even with this "mission" he had found himself in. The dark elf felt his burden lighten and he began to sing softly...

"Where is the Eryn Galen, once renown,
Under oak and beech gentle beasts could roam
And among the branches birds of bright song.

Is this the Greenwood where once I wandered?
Thy proud elms, how well I still remember,
And one could hear elven songs and laughter."

Rûdhchamion stopped as he realized it had been a long while since he had sung beneath the trees of Greenwood. Turning he saw the young elf maid smile.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya turned bright red when Rudhchamion turned and saw her smiling. She bit her lip and concentrated on the east, the direction the men were traveling in.

She knew that it was useless to feel such a way for Rudhchamion. He probably thought of her as a child, a little sister. But she did not want him to think of her in that way. She tucked a loose golden curl behind her ear selfconciously.

She stood and streched feeling cramped. she wanted to get walking again. She ran her fingers through her now dry hair with impatience.

"Might we leave soon?" She asked, looking in Rudhchamion's direction.

He glanced up at her and grinned, "Getting a bit anxcious are we?" He asked.

Anarya shrugged and knelt down, picking a daisy from the ground and slowly detaching its petals from its golden head, one by one.
She heard Rudhchamion stand behind her and walk over to the little river to retreive his small pack and dagger.

"Well," He said strapping the pack to his back, "Shall we,"

Anarya smiled and picked up her own quiver, "Yes we shall," She answered as they exited the little glade, she tagging along behind Rudhchamion.

Night came fast, searing the sky with its black silver studded cape. It streched above the forest canopy.

The pair continued walking through the now dark maze of trees till they heard a sound that made them stop.

Anarya held her breath as Rudhchamion motioned to a tree for them to hide in. Anarya lept up to the first brach quickly followed by Ruhchamion who sat, nervously fingering his dagger handle. Anarya shivered with cold from the night air, but soon started shivering for another reason. Voices and laughter drifted through the trees up ahead, harsh cruel voices that were not those of elves...

[GreatWarg]

Khelek struggled and whined softly as the Orcs dragged him along. He was just a pup, pure white, and from the valley of Rivendell, where Lord Elrond would regard them with pleasure and admire their qualities of cunning, swiftness, and strength. But now Orcs had started drawing dangerously close, and had taken him and his kin away from the blessed valley. Khelek whined again and the Orcs kicked him, laughing as they did so. A Warg snarled at him, wanting to taste meat.

Khelek whined to himself, but picked up a familiar scent, or at least one that was remotely familiar, and it soothed him. The scent of Elves nearby. All he had to do was escape from the Orcs and find them, and everything would be all right, and soon he would once again be carressed gently by Celebrian and licking Elrond's face.

But no, wait, that would not happen. News had arrived just days before Celebrian had been taken by Orcs as she returned from a journey from Lorien, her parents' land. The Orcs were drawing dangerously near, and nowhere in Middle-earth could escape the long stretch of evil.

[ September 17, 2002: Message edited by: GreatWarg ]

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf was motionless as both he and Anarya waited for the unknown enemy to pass. A few seconds passed. There was no mistaking the scent that wafed up to him. It was the foul stench of orcs!

His blood boiled as they grew closer. It was the young elven maiden's presence that stayed him. Caution was needed now, revenge could wait.

Rûdhchamion sharpened his senses and listened. He saw Anarya fidget, and motioned her to be still. He saw she had her bow strung and ready for any trouble.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya heard a soft bark come along with the coarse voices and laughter. Anarya looked down from the tree as she watched a group of orcs pass under them. She saw, to her horror, the monsters dragging a puppy along behind them roughly. She had always loved animals and hated to see them hurt. She watched as an orc roughly kicked the pup. The dog yelped pitifully as it fell forward only again to be kicked by another monster.

She felt her anger come and stupidly, she leapt down from their hiding place, throwing her bow and arrow down and brandishing her dagger. She came at an orc, but before she could do any harm she was hit in the head hard by another and knocked o the ground, loosing her dagger in the process. She felt the cool slide of blood drip down the side of her face. She was weaponless and to the mercy of the orcs.

"Oh," She thought mournfully, "What was I thinking?"

An orc, that looked like the leader of the group, stepped forward with a self satisfied grin on his face. Anarya felt fear plunge into her heart. He knelt beside her, stench filling the air around Anarya so thick she could hardly breathe.

"Well," He said, to her amazement, in her language, "What have we here? A pretty little elf maid lost in the woods?" He stroked her hair, making Anarya shudder terribly.

The orc through back his head in laughter, but it was soon silenced. Faster than the blink of an eye, an arrow struck the orc in the neck cutting off his miserable life's breath...

[GreatWarg]

Seeing the Orcs draw in closer for combat, Khelek growled and bit firmly into an Orc chieftein's neck, revealing, for a moment, the power of Elrond within him. He detached himself as the Orc falls down, limp, and looks up at the Elf above him in the tree. Whining softly, Khelek barked pitifully and sunk next to Anarya, licking her wound.

Khelek looks up again, with a fierce gladness in his heart for the two Elves, and uses his eyes to speak to Rûdhchamion."Thank you."

Growling at the pressing Orcs, he slowly stood up to defend his new-found friends.

[ September 17, 2002: Message edited by: GreatWarg ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion nearly had a heart attack as the young elf maiden leapt down. He too had seen the white wolf pup and it took all his will power not to interfere least they be revealed.

“Wonderful! So much for precaution,” he muttered under his breath. With one fluid motion got his bow and arrow, releasing it at the orc nearest Anarya. He was glad to see the ferocity of the pup as it downed an orc near it. He re-strung and aimed at another orc who was coming at the wolf-pup. He was startled when a faint form of a thought entered his mind sending its heartfelt gratitude, but he set it aside and continued his assault against the orcs.

“Take cover! They have archers!” He shouted as he spotted the two orcs readying their bows. A movement caught his eye, and he saw a black wolf coming towards the pup and Anarya. “Ware the warg to your left!”

The elf maid was able to retrieve her weapons and scramble behind the tree for cover. The white wolf-pup growling as the warg neared them stood his ground to defend her.

The dark elf quickly released another arrow, lifting one orc off the ground with the force of impact. Its companion shot at the tall elf, missing Rûdhchamion by an inch. Shifting his position he shot the remaining archer throw the eye and neck.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya brandished her dagger, close to her body as she and the warg circled each other. She heard the dog next to her, a rolling growl erupting from his muzzle. The warg was large and dangerous. It bared it white fangs at her angrily.

"Anarya!" She heard Rudhchamion yell.

She looked over at him just in time to see him toss her bow to her. She caught it, but not before the dog and warg soon came into deadly combat. She strung her bow and aimed. The arrow spilt the air, hitting the warg's throat directly. The demon wolf staggered slightly, then fell to the forest floor. Anarya let out a sigh of relief.

"What were you thinking!" Rudhchamion said walking over to her, "You could have been killed!"

Anarya shrugged, breathing hard, "Oh well, atleast the puppy's safe," She answered

The dog walked up to them, his white coat stained red in places with the warg's blood. Despite his rough exterior, the pup walked up to them, wagging his tail. He barked slightly. Anarya knelt to the ground, a smile streching across her face. Rudhchamion knelt beside her.

"Why hello little friend, now how did you get in the comapny of those orcs?" Anarya asked scratching the dog's ears.

Rudhchamion smiled at the dog, than looked at her.

"Your bleeding you know," He said standing and walking over to his pack.

He retrieved a piece of cloth and handed it to Anarya.

"You might want to stop it," He said handing it to her.

Anarya felt her stomach jump, "Thank you," said stuttered taking the cloth and pressing it against her head wound, walking away to where her bow lay.

She was beginning to get used to this feeling now. It didn't bother her any more, and she wouldn't let it...

[GreatWarg]

Khelek watched, wagging his tail back and forth slowly. The elf-maiden, whom he now connected to as Anarya, seemed to have an understanding of the other Elf, Rudhchamion. Whether it was her body language, or her scent, he was pleased with her kind attitude towards him. Khelek looked up at Rudhchamion, in a look that said plainly I'm hungry. The Orcs hadn't exactly starved him, but the meat was rotten and smelled suspiciously like Man-meat.

Rudhchamion smiled warmly at the young pup, and took out what he had left of some dried meat. Khelek ate it hungrily, then whined softly in a contented way, making Anarya and Rudhchamion laugh. He was safe... for now...

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf had found a small alcove where they could spend the rest of the night and rest. Rûdhchamion decided it was safe to light a small fire and had gathered some dried twigs and leaves. He had left the pup with Anarya and was gone for only a few moments, then returned with a brace of rabbits.

He dressed and pitted the rabbits, all the while keeping silent. Setting his catch on the fire he let it roast. He casted a glance at the Anarya and the wolfpup, before turning his attention once more to his chore. Once it was cooked, he took both rabbits and sat next to Anarya and the white pup.

“Well, little Khelek, enjoy your meal and rest with the fair maiden Anarya. Tomorrow we continue our task. You are a long way from home!”

The wolf-pup’s presence was troubling. Rûdhchamion had heard of white wolves before, but those who served the Dark Lord long ago. But from what he had “read” from little Khelek, he had come all the way from Imladris! Though it would be no suprise if he was to be bred into the orcs’ warg hunting group.
He looked at Anarya finally. He had been upset that she could do something so impulsively. But seeing she was alright, he decided he was not angry, but relieved she was not sorely hurt.

“Rest,” he told her. “I will keep watch.”

He then took his bow and arrow and began his vigil.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya lay on her stomach looking at the pup. Where had he come from? What was his name? Did he have a name? Anarya wished that animals could speak. They would proabaly have a lot to say if they did.

"Do you have a name?" She asked it outloud, not caring if Rudhchamion heard.

The pup looked back at her and blinked.

"Khelek," She whispered, the name just coming to mind, "Do you like that name? Khelek?"

The dog wagged its tail, its toungue hanging out of his mouth. He barked slightly. Anarya smiled, "Alright then Khelek," She answered.

Anarya flipped over onto her back smiling up at the stars. She was glad to have Khelek next to her and Rudhchamion nearby. She felt safe, a feeling she had not felt for a long time...

[Thalionyulma]

From the hiding place where they rested, Rûdhchamion peered into the horizon. The sky was slowly changing hue, streaks of violet and crimson could be seen. After their encounter with the orcs, he had feared another would follow. The dark elf had not voiced his fear to Anarya so as not to alarm her.

He turned to look where the young elf maiden was resting. He smiled as he watched her rest with the white wolf-pup in her arms. Her golden tresses about her fair face, she was picturesque. He felt something was growing between them. But this was not the time to dwell in such things, he reprimanded himself, his smile fading.

Listening intently, his sharp eyes swept his surroundings. Finding all was well, he stood and stretched. After the elf maiden awakened they would have to be on their way.

He would have to teach the pup, Khelek, how to be a proper hunting dog. He sensed the wolf-pup did not need much instruction. But they needed to use stealth on their mission.

He heard Anarya and the pup stir and turned to face them.

[ June 09, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen jumped down from the rock she and Sauche was sitting on and ran forwards to the elven maiden that had collapsed in a heap in the beautiful clearing. Kneeling next to her, Gayahithwen carefully turned her around, but the elven maiden quickly turned back, probably not wanting to show her mud- and tear-stained face, but Gayahithwen had allready seen who it was - Amaryllis - an elf she only knew by the looks and nothing more. Gayahithwen waved her hand towards Sauche, urging her to get down from the rock as well. Taking a quick look, Gayahithwen decided that nothing was broken, or that Amaryllis was hurt in any other way - she could hear that by the elfs cry as well.. It was not a cry in physical pain, but a cry out of heartbrokeness..
Gayahithwen turned to Sauche.

"We should help her back to the castle. The healers might be able to help her, but I don't think that I can.. Listen to her cry, my friend.. she is heartbroken! That is, as you ought to know, a dangerous state to be in as an elf. Do you know any good way to carry her back?"

Feeling that she ought to do something, Gayahithwen cut a piece from her robe, dipped it into the water in the little creek and tried to wash away the mud from Amaryllis face, not noticing what Sauche did, untill she looked up again. Sauche was standing in front of her, looking at both her and Amaryllis. Feeling that Sauche wanted to say something, Gayahithwen kept silence and waited.

[Nice-Smeagol]

Mornovarion could see mountains in the distance, not mountains like the ones he would look at as a child, far to the north of their village, but black cold mountains with a great black smoke sround them, the border of Mordor. "Not long now, my pretties, not long now!" laughed the orc captain. Now they were descending into the marshes, flies were everywhere and the water that they were forced to run through was a thick and dirty-looking liquid. It could hardly even be called water.
When night, which grew ever-longer as they came closer to the Black Land, came, lights and faces appeared in the water. Mornovarion heard voices speaking to him, "Join us, come into the water, it is sooo nice", but the orcs warned them against entering the water, and, Mornovarion decided, whatever an orc didn't want to enter for fear of evil, Mornovarion wanted nothing to do with.
The party stopped by the stump of an old blasted tree. It appeared they were waiting for somebody, or something. Soon out of the mist came a group of figures. As they came closer Mornovarion saw that they were wearing long black cloaks.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya opened her eyes to the sun. The pup's soft breathing was rythmic in her ears. Gold mingled with purple in the morning dew. Rudhchamion stood near, gazing into the sun, dawn's warm yellow locks spraying across the heavens, already blue with the promise of day. Despite the beautiful morning, the elf looked troubled. Concern seemed written across his brow like dark letters. Anarya moved a gently as possible, trying not to disturb the sleeping pup in her arms. Khelek whimpered softly, then went back to sleep. Anarya stood and walked to Rudhchamion who had turned at the sound of her awakening.

"Good Morning," He said smiling, but his eyes did not smile along with his mouth.

"What troubles you?" Anarya asked carefully, "You seem, concerned,"

"Yes, young Anarya I am," He said turning to where the remnents of the fire from the night before smolderedand kneeling by them, "I fear there may be another host of orcs coming through,"

Anarya bit her lip, thinking on his answer, "Why didn't you tell me before?" She asked.

"I did not wish to alarm you," He answered.

Anarya chuckled a bit, "Alarm me? After all that has happened to us so far, I doubt anything could alarm me again,"

At that, Rudhchamion's grey eyes lit up with laughter, "I believe that you may be right, Anarya. A lot of unexpected events have happened to us so far," He answered standing.

"Well," He said wiping off his hands on his tunic, "Might we be going?"

[GreatWarg]

Khelek bounced out of the alcove, sniffing the morning air, taking delight in the cool drops of dew that splashed on his nose. He wagged his tail and ran in a circle around Rûdhchamion, eager to get started. A strong sense of compassion could be felt between Anarya and Rûdhchamion, but Khelek made sure he did not interfere between that relationship.

The white wolf pup wriggled into a log and growled playfully at an insect inside it. It chirped back and hopped away. Khelek twitched his ears at every crack or splinter of a stick in the distance.

"We should be going," Rûdhchamion thought out loud. Khelek turned back, staring with thoughtful eyes that twinkled like the bright Star of Earendil.

"Yes, let'sn go," Anarya agreed. Rûdhchamion broke up camp, carefully making sure the ashes from the fire were well hidden, and they set off in a westernly direction.

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel stared with horror at the faces leering at her from the murky water. She could see Mornovarion a little in front of her. His back was bent. His body was covered with welts and bruises and blood. She stumbled forward a few paces and tried to place her hand on his shoulder, but her hand passed through him. No one saw her. She could only look on in despair as an Orc took a whip to his already shredded back. Tinuiel screamed. She cried out so loudly she thought the vision must cease, but it didn't. Instead, the Orcs paused. At first, Tinuiel thought that perhaps they had heard her, but it was not so. Tinuiel saw dark, hooded figures approaching, and a wave of fear so tangible it nearly knocked her over swept through her body. All the elves and even the orcs were cowering in fear.

[Thalionyulma]

The two elves were once again on the human’s trail. Rûdhchamion sending silent instructions to the wolf-pup, Khelek. Rûdhchamion was pleased that the pup was controlling his curiosity and sometimes, too playful mood. He did not give chase to the woodland animals and left burrows undisturbed. And Anarya was delighted, it seemed, growing very fond of the white wolf-pup.

He sometimes found himself staring at the young elf maiden. As if to keep a picture of her in his minds eye as she walked gracefully. Her hair catching the rays of the morning sun. Her eyes were, as if by the grace of Kementari and Elbereth, had combined both green earth and clear blue sky. He shook himself mentally from his musing.

They continued their route, going southward. The tall dark elf had no doubt that the path the mortals took along the eastern eaves of Mirkwood would lead them near Dol Goldur.

Rûdhchamion stopped and stared up towards the eastern horizon. He spotted what he was looking for and sent a thought towards the flying figure in the sky. He felt Khelek’s curiosity and inquiry.

A friend who may aid us, he sent the thought to the pup.

“A friend?” He heard Anarya ask. He turned towards her, startled. “You… heard me speak to Khelek?”

A small brown falcon suddenly landed on the branch of a nearby tree, catching his attention. It eyed Anarya and the wolf-pup curiously, before turning to him.

How goes, Rûdhchamion of the Wild?

“Well, friend Leasse.” The dark elf asked. “I would ask of news down south, of the Dark Forest. And of the humans ahead.”

A dark Shadow’s presence roams. You will find it less hospitable. Be warned, it is not your dominion, though elf you may be. No free-born creature roam willingly there any longer, but monsters and enemies to your kind. Your humans head steadily there, as some have already done.

“Thank you friend,” Rûdhchamion finally said. “And a bountiful hunting! Please keep an eye out for us.” The falcon gave his acknowledgement and flew away.

He turned to his companions. “Well, let us continue on our way. The mortals it seems may be going straight towards Dol Goldur. Keep alert.”

[Anarya SilverBranch]

"What is Dol Goldur?" Anarya asked, for she had never heard of such a place.

"A place, mysterious, and unknown. No living being, as I've heard of, has entered its gates and returned unscathed. Its evil." Rudhchamion answered.

Anarya nodded and looked down at the ground, before another question arose in her mind, "Then, why are the men going there if it is so dangerous?"

Rudhchamion looked back at her and smiled, "That is what we are going to find out,"

Anarya felt a red flush rise to her cheeks, to see Rudhchamion's eyes glinting back at hers. She still did not understand why she let herself carry on with this feeling. She knew he could probably never think of her as anything other than a sister. This would only lead to pain for her.

Suddenly Khelek barked and the oddest thing happened to Anarya. She seemed to hear in her mind a conversation between the dark elf and the dog. She shook her head of the thoughts.

"I must be going mad," she thought wearily.

Just at the dog barked, looking up at Anarya.
"No your not Anarya," The words floated into her head.

The dog looked back at her, his steady gaze penetrating her's, "Ask Rudhchamion," a voice seemed to say in her head.

Anarya turned to the dark elf, "Rudhchamion, um is it a bad thing if I hear voices in my head," the elf turned and looked at her stunned, "The dog seems to be talking to me," She added sheepishly...

[GreatWarg]

Khelek looked at Anarya sternly. Rudhchamion was slightly bewildered that talking to animals seemed queer to Anarya. He, after all, thought it natural, almost like talking to another person. Then again he said to Khelek I have traveled distant lands and have become friends with many wild things that are against the Dark Lord. Anarya sent him another bewildered look.

"It is perfectly natural, escpecially in strong bonds between Elf and beasts," Rudhchamion answered. Khelek looked at them both. Dol Guldor draws close. It would be wise if you stayed less conspicuous. Rudhchamion nodded. They had been in the open for longer than wise already.

[Mayla Took]

It was late in the evening and the rain was streaming to the earth when the Hobbits reached the Dwarf city. The wet footsteps of the Dwarves and Hobbits echoed through the vast stone halls as they entered. The Dwarves squeezed the water from their beards as Doil grumbled and cursed the rain under his breath because of the water that had collected in his boots. Mayla and Pearl gazed at awe at their new surroundings. “Welcome to Dimril Dale!” announced Grundin proudly when he saw the look on the hobbit’s faces. He chuckled slightly with a gruff tone and turned to them once more “We will stay here for two nights to regain your strength before collecting the toy shipment and returning to Hobbiton.” Mayla and Pearl nodded in agreement. After a few moments, several Dwarves approached the company to escort each of them to their rooms. Mayla sighed with relief at the thought of a warm (relatively) night’s rest at Dale.

[Leighlei]

"Move." Sauche said firmly. She knelt beside the crying maiden and looked straight into her eyes. "You know not pain until even your smile is lost." She touched her own scar. "I nearly lost mine, and am thankful my eyelid is al that was scarred." She put a hand on the weeping maidens shoulder, and then, without so much as a by-your-leave, lifted her in her arms. "Okay, I can carry this one." She announced.

[Fair Amaryllis]

"You don't know what I have lost!" wept Amaryllis.

She didn't struggle as she was lifted up. She barely had the strength to speak as it were.

Tears still streamed down her face but she no longer sobbed as she had before. She had come to terms that love would never find her. She would be alone or the rest of eternity.

"Oh, Arloss. Why did you have to leave me just when I thought I had found the man I would spend the rest of time with?" She thought to herself. More tears streamed down her face as she was carried back to the castle. Somewhere along the way she lost conscienceness.

She woke up in a strange bed, with strange faces hovering in her vision. They were talking but she didn't want to hear what was being said. She thought she recognized one of the faces as Thaglig, who had given her the horrible, horrible message. He spoke with the other elf, who was obviously the healer, in quiet words, his voice full of concern.

When the two turned back to her, she was getting ready to get out of bed. She was about to throw of the covers when she realized, that she had nothign on underneath. She had been undressed, bathed, her hair was washed and brushed and was neatly braided. She looked around for her clothes. She found nothing. She surrendered to the bed and waited for somebody to speak to her.

"Why would you run into the forest like that, Amaryllis?" the healer asked.

"How...How do you know my name?" She stuttered.

"Silly elf, everybody knows your name. Have you forgotten that you are the prettiest elf in all of the kingdom? Kind Thranduil gave you the title himself."

"She must be delusional from the recent events," an elf-maiden, who Amaryllis faintly recognized said. "She needs plenty of rest."

"Rest will not heal me." Amaryllis said faintly. "Bring my garmetns and leave me be. I want to be alone."

"Alone is the worst thing to be at a time like this" Thalig said consolingly. "you need friends and family around you."

"No!" Amaryllis yelled. "I do not want to be around anyone! Just leave me alone!" She wrapped the blankets around herself and stormed out of the healers.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion had been suprised that Anarya did not know how to converse with the animals. But doubly so when she had heard him speak to Khelek. He wondered greatly at that, for only among his kin or those that had been dear to him could hear his thoughts.

“You are edhel, Anarya, elven, never forget that. Or has living in a “civilized” community cause you to forget your own heritage? We of the race who not only speak to the creatures of the wilds but to that which grow from the earth.” He smiled, “you need but listen, and you can hear even the song of the winds!”

He gazed at the elf maiden. She was like Pennnauriel at times. Yet she had a light within her that he had never seen, one that filled him with its warmth and cause heart to harken. If given the chance, how he would like to show her the many wonders of Greenwood and to teach her the songs of the wild.

Khelek’s bark brought him back from his reverie. He would have to guard his musings, he thought. The little wolf-pup could easily start telling Anarya, and this was not the time for such things!

No, I won’t! Khelek said mischieviously. Not yet!

The dark elf laughed, then quickly catching the look on Anarya’s face, stifled his laughter.
“Nothing, Anarya." He said finally, regaining his composure. "We must continue, we can rest at the stream yonder, pass the clusters of trees. It will provide us with cover. We can get a good view with the mortals' dealings as well.”

[ June 12, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

[Gayahithwen]

Holding a brick with food on, Gayahithwen slowly aproached the room in which she knew Amaryllis was. She was pretty satisfyed with herself, there was all kind of food on here. There had been several hours since she and Sauche had come back with Amaryllis.
Making sure Amaryllis was safe in the hands of the healers, Gayahithwen had gone back to the kitchen, getting all scold out by the kitchen-master, of course. She hadn't had time to come up with a good excuse for her absence, so she simply waited untill the kitchen-master was done and then went back to her duties. She had been given all boring duties all of the evening, untill someone told her to make some food for Amaryllis and get it up to the healers quarters.
Now here she was, carrying all kind of food on a brick, making sure nothing would fall off. Slowly aproaching the door, she didn't have time to look up in time. Someone stormed out of the door, hitting Gayahithwen and making her fall backwards, with all the food all over her dress. With some scolding words on her lips, she got up, thinking it was Elenwen, or maybe someone else of the servants that usually was there for helping the healers.

"What are you doing you.." she suddenly went silent, seeing that it wasn't anyone of the servants, but instead Amaryllis. She went quiet and whispered "Sorry. Excuse me, it was all my fault" getting down on her knees she started to pick up the rests of the food, blushing and wishing she could sink through the floor.

[Fair Amaryllis]

As she ran into Gayahithwen, she turned and the sheet she was trying to keep round herself nearly fell off. She took a couple deep breaths to to keep from letting her temmper out on Gayahithwen.

"No. It was my fault. I'm sorry. I was running out of there so quickly that I didn't watch where I was going. I would help you pick that up but seeing as I am i need of a dress...."

"No, it's alright," Gayahithwen answered.

Amaryllis looked down at Gayahithwen's dress. "Oh, look what I've gone and made you ruin your dress." With a moment's hesitation She added, "Would you like to come with me to get a new dress? I could sure use a girl to talk to."

[GreatWarg]

Khelek sniggered as they walked to the stream. He sniffed the air, and the scent of an open campfire and Men filled the forest. The Men, Khelek told Rûdhchamion Are quite stupid. They leave an open fire, talk so loudly, so loudly that any folk or creature within 5 miles of here can hear them! I very much wonder why they are here in the vastness of Mirkwood. Rûdhchamion looked back at him gravely. I do not know, but they come here for a purpose that I cannot see yet.

Khelek padded through the underbrush, and lapped some water before settling down for a short rest under a large, gnarled tree with many spreading branches.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion was in the tree gazing towards the direction of the men. Far beyond to the southwest, he spied another group. The distance was still to great, but they seemed to be coming towards the men. A small band, but he could not make them out if they were mortals, hidden in the shadows of the deep forest woods.

He looked down to where Anarya and Khelek were. The wolf-pup was sitting at the foot of the tree, the maiden's arm around him. The tall elf jumped down and sat next to them, a worried frown on his face

“Another group moves toward the men we follow. We cannot risk a fire tonight, but we must take to the trees. “ He sighed, thinking. “Khelek, you too must stay up the tree- until morning at least.”

“What is it? More trouble?” Anarya asked, looking at Rûdhchamion, with a slight frown on her face.

He hesitated a moment, but finally spoke. The white wolf-pup looked quietly at the dark elf. Khelek felt something greatly bothering Rûdhchamion, mostly about their safety.

“Anarya, before we continue tomorrow, I would speak my mind and hear your counsel. Danger draws near, and many thoughts trouble me.”

[LúthienTinúviel]

The sky reeled. The mountains shook. The earth trembled. Or so it seemed to Tinuiel and the group of elves as the hooded figures drew ever closer.

The walls of dream and reality began to mingle. Tinuiel slipped deeper and deeper into the vision, until she no longer was aware that any other place existed but the current world of pain and horror. The walls of the quiet chamber were gone. Mornovarion lay tossing and turning, bathed in a sheen of sweat. Tinuiel lay across him--unconscious. Her raven hair fell across them both like a blanket. Her face was wet with tears and twisted with pain.

The first red streaks of dawn fell on the pair and seemed to wash them with blood.

[Gayahithwen]

First not knowing what to do, Gaya began to getting slower in her motions, and she suddenly stopped and looked up at Amaryllis.

"Pardon me, but what did you just say? I thought you just asked me to come with you, but.."

"Can't you come along?" Amaryllis asked and Gayahithwen decided to do so. Finishing picking up the stuff, she picked up the brick and followed Amaryllis towards her quarters. Hauling over the brick to another kitchenelf she passed by, she walked faster, right behind Amaryllis. They came through the place where the guards was practising.. When she thought about it, they had been practising for quite a long time by now. Amaryllis first slowered her steps, looking at all the guards, then fastening her steps, turning down her head and almost running through the corridor. Gayahithwen could hear some sobbing noices from the elf.

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf carefully choose his words. The urgency of the situation was at hand, and a choice had to be made. A choice that he felt he had no right to make for them.

“We draw near to the south. It is a place of grave danger, and enemies of whose kind I have not seen since the great battle long age, in my youth” he sighed heavily and looked at Anarya. “I know the duty your liege lord has given you, but I fear also for your safety.”

He held his hand up as she began to protest. “I do not doubt your skill, nor your courage, please believe that! I would choose no other to be at my side.

He placed a hand on her shoulders.

We have seen much... and I fear we will see even more. Things more foul and evil than those that we have encountered.” He pointed to the direction he had spotted the other group. “Yonder another group awaits. Perhaps to meet the mortals... but something fills me with dread for they do not seem like those we have already encountered.

Now a choice faces me that I cannot make alone. I would continue my task, but perhaps it is prudent if you return to the Elvenking and tell him what you have seen. I would bring you near the borders of your realm, where we must part soon after. I cannot, nay, do not have the right to ask you to come with me to Dol Goldur. It would grieve me deeply should any harm come to thee...” He gazed at her sadly and gave her the silver coin she had found. “Show this to Lord Thranduil and the elven prince, Legolas. Perhaps when they take counsel, a light can be shed and they will know what is needed to be done.”

Khelek went to Rûdhchamion and pawed at the dark elf’s arm. The elf smiled at him, "you must stay with her. I trust you to keep her from harm’s way!

But what is it that you fear? The wolf-pup asked. The dark elf’s smile faded a bit. Many things.

The young elf maiden was in deep thought.

[Fair Amaryllis]

As she hurried past the guards, she tried to keep her crying quiet. However, she still feared Gayahithwen could hear her.

"He seemed so perfect for me. I was so stupid for thinking I could ever find someone who could love me. Why would anyone want to?" Amaryllis turned to the elf walking beside her with tears streaming down her face.

"Don't be silly. You have many reasons to be loved. I'm sure many men wish they had the chance. Didn't you see the way nearly all of those guards looked at you when we passed by? If this guy didn't like you enough to stay here with you, then he was not worth your time. You can find someone so much better who will stay here with you and love you until the end of time." She looked at Amaryllis and could see all the pain and grief that she held inside. She gathered Amaryllis up in a big hug and tried to reassure her of the unworthiness of the elf whom she thought had been called Arloss. "Let us continue on towards the dressmakers. We shaall pick out splendid new dresses for the both of us."

"I don't feel 'splendid' so why would I get a 'splendid' dress?" Amaryllis asked half to herself as the walked on.

[GreatWarg]

We will not leave you to face the Enemy alone! Khelek protested to Rûdhchamion, voicing what Anarya was evidently going to say. We have come so far, and seen so much. I do not know exactly what it is you fear, but we will still go anyways! Rûdhchamion looked sadly into the wolf-pup's valiant, clear blue eyes.

It would be too much to ask you to come, Rûdhchamion answered simply. There are worse enemies than Orcs, enemies that could take your very soul away. I am trying to protect you from them. Khelek didn't answer, pondering further on what argument he should make.

Khelek sniffed the air, the heavy scent of Men in it, along with the scent of damp wood, old earth, and the sweetness of a flower blooming somewhere. Anarya stirred from her thought.

"I have no answer to your kind words, but I cannot go back to Thranduil while our quest is still incomplete. I would not admit defeat while I still stand," Anarya remarked.

Honorable your words are, and yet they hold less truth that they once did, Khelek said slowly, broadcasting his thoughts. To go back is not necessarily to admit defeat, nay, not in this case. We all have our parts to play, and though they may seem small, it is the outcome that matters the most. Khelek's eyes however, were speaking something else. Rûdhchamion raised his eyebrow incrudiously. The wolf-pup was speaking something else that had nothing to do with the words he had said.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya sat, shocked at what Rudhchamion had said. Her? Leave? Never, she could not and would not.

Anarya looked over at him, her green eyes set in her desicion, "I am sorry Rudhchamion, but I cannot allow you to cast me off back to the Prince and King like a whimpering puppy," She sent a quick apology for the simile to Khelek, "I have my honor to uphold. I am no coward to run from things. And what about your safety? It would grieve me deeply if anything happened to you! You don't know how much it would! I have to stay and protect you if the need should come! We are a team!" Anarya stood, feeling frustration pulse through her mind.

How could he even suggest sending her away?!

"I refuse to leave!" She annouced firmly to Rudhchamion who had stood, quietly listening to her outburst. Anarya waited for a reply...

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion sighed, incredulous at what Khelek had implied in his reply. As young as the wolf-pup was, he had a noble bearing and a courageous heart. The dark elf then stared silently at Anarya’s determined look. He knew he could not deter her from what she had already chosen.

“Very well, if that is what you choose.” He then stopped as he realized something she said. It both gladdened and pained him. He could feel that something between them was growing, but there was a dire task at hand.

“But as Khelek had said, to go back is not necessarily to admit defeat; truly not in this situation.” He knelt beside her, meeting her gaze. “ I would then ask a promise from you… both of you.

Should the situation arise, and I am caught, either in battle or overpowered, you must leave me and go to Thranduil. He must be alerted to the danger that threatens his realm and elvenkind. That is your mission after all, and -”

He stopped suddenly and turned sharply towards the direction of the figures hidden beyond the trees some distant away. Motioning for them to keep quiet, he climbed the tree once more. Something had caught his attention. It was more of a sudden feeling of awareness.

The dark elf looked intently towards the hidden figures, concentrating. He let his mind try to “read” whatever being was there. He gasped as he felt a cold chill suddenly penetrate his mind, like a sharp blade suddenly being thrust through him.

Anarya and Khelek were alarmed as he had suddenly gone pale, breaking out in cold sweat. “Rudhchamion?”

The dark elf shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Anarya placed the pup in a secure intersecting branch before she, too, climbed the tree.

“What is it?”

“Torog!” He whispered hoarsely, using the elvish word for troll. “And something else I do not know…”

[GreatWarg]

Khelek growled and squirmed in his place in the trees. An uneasy feeling had been growing in him as they strayed nearer and nearer to Dol Goldur. A strange vision caused him to whimper in pain. Large hodded figures were looming up in his vision, with breaths like icy wind. Daggers glinted in the pale light and their glowing eyes bore into him. Shrieks of pain shrilled his ears. Khelek shook his head to find that he was still in the tree.

What is it? Rûdhchamion asked weakly, as if from the distance.

The hooded figures, Khelek answered, still frightened. There is one coming! There is something about them... they are not the Nazgul of the Dark Lord... less terrifying, and not more than mere wisps of shadow... but... Khelek trailed off.

[Leighlei]

The girls were met by the irate warrior-maiden as she strode away from the dressmakers. She was clad in the leather of a warrior- the scanty wraparound, the little top, her spear at her sie and her hair mingled once again with feathers and suede and leather straps, a braid here, a braid there. She seemed enfuriated. "They won't give me my clothes back!" She cried. "They gave me NEW CLOTHES!"

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion looked with concern at the wolf-pup. Gathering Khelek in his arm, trying to decipher the pup's fear. "You are here with us brave Khelek. You will be safe, I promise you. Only keep quiet, keep calm. Do not let fear overcome you."

He handed the pup to Anarya and whispered. "Comfort him awhile and keep him calm."

He directed the elf maiden further up the tree. Where she could perch safely between interwining branches without fear of falling. The wolf-pup too was quite safe, and comfortable, being allowed a little freedom of movement among the sturdy branches. The dark elf calculated he would be able to jump to the next tree if need be, allowing him clear shot of any enemy to stand their ground.

He was unsure if the enemy would actually pass them. It was more likely those hidden would meet with the mortal, Micanar. Rûdhchamion hope this was so.

He cast an assuring smile at Anarya and Khelek.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya smiled back wearily. She was shaking. Rudhchamion had said there might be a troll. She had heard of trolls and from the sound of it, she didn't like them.

Khelek squirmed in her arms, seeming agitated, but Anarya was just as nervous and held him down securely in her arms. She watched Rudhchamion perched below her looking out in the direction from where the strangers had been seen. Anarya didn't want to look up but finally curiosity got to her.

She looked up to she a dark host hauling what seemed a tall terrible creature. Anarya shivered. It felt as if something cold had just gone down her back, like pond water dripping down her spine leaving her feeling violated and frighted, terribly fightened. These were not regular mortals, and they were getting closer to the elves and wolf pup's hiding place...

[ June 18, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

[Thalionyulma]

The dark elf felt Anarya's alarm, and as he turned to see if she was alright, he saw a large black figure loom above them. Rûdhchamion's eyes widened in shock at the terrible sight.

He inched silently towards the elf maiden. When he finally reached her, he saw that she was shivering, trying to control her fear. Taking the Khelek from her, he placed the pup on a wide intertwining branch and readied his bow. He saw Anarya do the same and both pride and admiration of this elf lass grew. Untried as she was in the heat of battle, she was of quick mind and had never let her fear overwhelm her.

He placed a hand on her arm and motioned for her to keep still. She inhaled and nodded her understanding. He postioned himself on an adjacent branch, so he could get a better view around them, but kept him hidden among the thick leaves.

The dark ones! There are Dark Shadows! Khelek said through mind speech to the two elves.

Keep calm, little one! Let not your fear betray you, The dark elf answered him.

Rûdhchamion tensed at what the wolf-pup had said. He readied himself for any attacks, keeping alert, saying a silent prayer to Elbereth. He felt Anarya do the same.

They waited as the dark presence seem to surround them. An unearthly fog was rolling in like a small wave, covering the forest floor.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya watched as a sickening mist flooded the forest below them. Anarya clutched her bow till her knuckles turned white. Fear choked the air like the aptmoshphere inside a quarantine.

Rudhchamion stood nearby, holding his bow up, bold and not shaking like she. Anarya felt ashamed. She wished she could be as brave as Rudhchamion, but then a saying came into her mind. Courage is not the absence of fear. It struck her heart. Her mother had told her that. Anarya held the arrow tighter and looked directly into the fog. Feeling stronger she readied herself. Death, if Illuvatar willed it, but she knew one thing, she would die bravely.

As she watched the fog below her, she saw three large steeds being riden by a black figures emerge from the smog, leading a disusting thing, humongous and almost comical. Anarya would have laughed at it in any other situation. She watched as they passed below. She held her breath, Rudhchamion seemed to be doing the same. Suddenly, the last rider stopped right beneath them. Anarya closed her eyes praying that it would leave...

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion stiffened as the black figure stopped directly below their hiding place. He silently beaded an arrow, aiming straight at the figure. He knew that should he let fly his arrow, their place of concealment would be revealed. He was unsure if he could outlast more than the three riders. He felt there were more enemies unseen; the trolls he had detected, and orcs… who knew what else.

Below the dark rider hesitated a bit more, looking about. The rider’s steed snorted, its nostrils flaring. Then it slowly moved on towards the direction of the other riders. The fog swirling about the feet of the horse, who like its rider was as black as death.

He quickly glanced at Anarya. She was pale, but had a determined look on her face. Khelek, too was still, but the dark elf could see the pup had bared his fangs. He motioned for them to keep quiet as the last rider rode on. Several faint noises could still be heard going about, their source hidden among the thick fog.

He waited.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Night seemed to be cast upon the wood, even though Anarya knew that it was mid day. The fog from the forest floor rose to the tree tops, drenching the elve's clothing with a soggy mist and dampening the pup's white coat to a dismal gray. The world seemed still, waiting and watching for the companions. The once friendly forest became their enemy, to betray them at any minute.

Anarya sat still for what seemed like an eternity. The fog was so thick now she could barely make out the forms of Khelek and Rudhchamion. Then by some miricle, a few stray sun rays cut their way through the heavy blanket of mist, burning the evil smog to nothing but air, and then the world seemed light again, filled with sunshine.

Anarya relaxed, her muscles felt like silk now, leafy and uncontrolable. She sank down in the tree branch, clinging to the mighty oak's trunk with relief.

"What was that?" She asked Rudhchamion wearily...

[GreatWarg]

A shadow, Khelek answered grimly, ears held back firmly to his head and his usually noble tail drooping. But I don't know their purpose - if they are searching for us, the Men, or something else. But it is apparent that they will hinder us on our journey. Anarya shivered in the weak sunlight that barely surpassed the thick fog. Rûdhchamion felt his immediate dread decrease, but the watchfulness of the woods told him that there were countless other perils would try them company.

You have a good sense Khelek, Rûdhchamion told the wolf pup. Do you sense any danger lurking near?

Khelek sniffed the wind, eyes peering into the darkness like no Elf could. The shadows are still nearby, but are swfitly dwindling into the north. But for miles around, the wood is quiet... too quiet and watchful. Rûdhchamion hesitated. Anarya eyed them both, or at least their dim figures in the fog. She could make out two pinpricks of lights, which were the pup's eyes, but nothing else.

"Where do we go now?" Anarya inquired, running a hand down the shaft of an arrow, gaining courage from the smooth wood and finely carved point.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion peered into the declining fog, thinking. He was still wary of the riders though a few rays of the sun were beginning to penetrate the dimness. Strangely though, he thought, it seemed that the darkness threatened to overcome daylight more often. Glancing about, he decided to take a chance and jumped down from the tree to investigate.

“Stay where you are, I will be but a moment,” he said to Anarya quietly. To the young wolf he said, Khelek, alert us of any sign of unexpected company.

He felt the ground damp beneath his boots. The dark elf strode a few meters from the oak, and from behind an elm, checked the location of the men. The mortals were no longer there, and he was going to move further onwards when he spotted them partially hidden among a cluster of trees a few meters from their original location. Another group had joined them. He was getting closer it seemed to those he had long sought for.

He smiled grimly.

The dark elf did not notice something long and thick, slithering towards him, hidden by the thickness of the fog along the forest floor. Then faster than a blink of an eye, Anarya and the wolf-pup watched horrified as a root-like tentacle wrapped the dark elf’s leg. More tentacles appeared from the ground as the elf struggled, his knife in one hand, desperately slashing from the evil horror that had come from the earth.

[Gayahithwen]

Looking at Sauche, Gayahithwen couldn't help but smiling. She quickly hided her smile behind her hand, but not before Sauche had seen it. She cleared her throat and took Amaryllis arm in a firm grip.

"I don't think you two have been properly introduced. Amaryllis, this is Sauche, a warriorelf who is now under king Thranduil's protection. Sauche, this is Amaryllis, by the king proclaimed as the most beautiful elven maiden of non royal blood in Mirkwood." Sighing deeply, she smiled a little bit. "Whats wrong with those clothing they gave you now, then, Sauche? I think they are looking great! We were actually going here to get some new dresses for ourselves, so if you please, come with us back in and I will try to talk with them."

She slowly shaked her head.. How was she supposed to take care of these two.. at the same time? They were both a bit strange, even more now since Amaryllis was heartbroken and Sauche couldn't adjust herself to the life in the kings palace. They could probably use some kind of change.. Sighing even more, she thought about how much she would be scolded when getting back to the kitchen..

[Leighlei]

"Fairest, huh?" Sauche looked her over. "Well, you can't be the fairest if you don't shape up! Stand up straight! Smile! Stop looking as if you are constepated!" Sauche grinned. This elf maiden was pretteir. Far prettier than Sauche, with her scars... Sauch lifted a hand to her face as if to hide it, then quickly drew it away. "Did you tell Amaryllis that I was the one who carried her back> I'm sure she remembers, though..." She grinned at Gayahithwen, her friend. The first friend she had ever made, really. "Now, lets go see if I can't get my clothes back."

[Fair Amaryllis]

Her playful joking did little to brighten Amaryllis' mood. She wanted to run off into the forest and be left alone forever. Someone else would be named prettiest. She was certainly feeling ugly now since Sauche had drawn attention to her slouching shoulders and unsmiling face.

"I have no reason to smile" she said half-heartedly. "I just want to get my dress and be gone. Perhaps I could go into the forest and never return. Maybe I could be captured by something large and horrible and never return."

She thought these things to be better alternatives to living without Arloss. She missed him so bad. She wanted him to be alive still. She wanted it with all of her being. She would have died if it had meant he would live. Her mind was cruel and constantly brought up the question that if he was truly dead, she would be by now as well. Perhaps they had made a mistake. Perhaps it was another elf that looked like Arloss. She wanted it to be another elf. It had to be another elf.

She blinked and remembered where she was. In front of the dressmakers about to go in and get a dress. Maybe she could just get some pants like Sauche wore. She could put up her hair with twigs and feathers and all just like Sauche and go off and be a wanderer. The forest seemed to be beckoning to her. She turned round and looked at it. Its trees swayed and the wind whispered in the leaves. It sounded like it was telling her to come in and live alone forever there. She almost started towards it but Gayahithwen pinched her and pulled her inside the small building. She looked around at a place she used to love to come to. Now it seemed small and suffocating. The lush fabrics seemed like they would cover her and bind her so tightly that she wouldn't be able to breathe. She didn't want to be here but she couldn't run around wearing a bedsheet. She picked out a dress, a rather unflattering one at that and put it on. It didn't look so great but she didn't really care anyway. She purchased it and told Gayahithwen that she was done already. Gayahithwen had just begun to try on a single dress when Amaryllis stepped out of the door and headed towards the forest.

Halfway to the trees just beyond the borders of the town, Thalig stopped her and asked to speak to her privately. She didn't want to talk to anyone but Thalig was a good friend and she couldn't just ignore him.

"Amaryllis," he began. "When the guards and I went back to find Arloss' body, in order to give it a dignified burial, we couldn't find it. It was gone. We feared the orcs were stilll in the area so we thought his body to be taken as trophy. We were in much danger and returned wuickly to town. I thought I should tell you. Everyone has heard what you did. Are you okay?" his voice carried a tone of pure concern in it. He almost reached out and touched her face but held his hand back.

She looked at him like a sister would look at a brother. Why was he such a good friend to her? Why was anyone friends with her. SHe must have always been horribly concieted so why would anyone want to be around her? She assured him she would be fine and she finally was on her way towards the forest. Sure she would find a friendly home there. Consolation for her heart.

[Leighlei]

Sauche thought she might feel bad for following the fair one, but she had a sense that this girl, who has hastily and obviously chosen a dress in order to just leave the dressmakers, would get into trouble, leaning against a nearby wall in a shadow, she watched the the interaction between the two, her heart sank and she cast her eyes downward.

'Someone cares for you...'
She thought, she meant this as if she was speaking to Amarillys of course.
'Why waste your life on someting lost? Sure you loved him...but...to know what love is is a great thing in unto itself.'

Sauche crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at them again, then stepped fluidly out of the shadows on curvacious, solid legs, boot-clad feet almost silent against the ground as she strode towards the gate. The man stopped her.
"Where are you going, miss?"
"Home." She said gruffly. She shoved him out of the way with an ease that astonished him and walked on, a little behind the fair one. Even if the preserve was hers, she still considered the forest her home, the place she had lived all her life. Sighing... she looked up at the sky. Wondering about all the others she had met, the dark elf, and the prince. Wondering what they were doing, and why she was alone.

[ June 21, 2002: Message edited by: Leighlei ]

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya had no time to think when the thing grabbed Rudhchamion's leg, but instinct took hold when her common sense had halted.

Anarya quickly drew an arrow from her quiver and let it fly from her bow. It struck the tenacle thing, that had wrapped itself around the dark elf, with a sickening thud. It seemed as if the creature cried out in pain and released Rudhchamion's leg from its grasp. The thing whipped around in anguish and slithered back to the darkness from which it had come from.

Rudhchamion took the advantage and ran to the oak tree where Khelek and Anarya still sat concealed and climbed up the branches, bark slippery with mist. The dark elf's leg was bleeding but other than that he looked unscathed.

Yet the screech from the creature had caught the attention of the men...

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion ignoring his wound, looked wildly below, intently searching out whatever it was that had attacked him. It seemed the nearer they drew to Dol Goldur, the more foul the woods became. Even the plants seemed to their own “life” – a monstrosity of the flora it should actually have been. The dark elf suspected an evil connection to all of it, though he knew not how, or why.

“Thank you,” he said to the elf maiden, with a faint smile.

Resheathing his blade, he unslung his bow. The noise from the plant-creature had drawn unwanted attention. The dark elf cursed himself silently, he should have been more cautious. He hoped his chance to find the orc company who were responsible for his family’s death would not be in vain.

He heard Khelek softly growl. Rûdhchamion turned to see the young wolf’s eyes burning with inner light. One that he had seen in those packs that use to roam Greenwood to hunt freely. This one will grow to be a formidable hunter, the elf thought silently.

“Be ready. They seem to be a small band, but a troll or two among them could prove dangerous,” he whispered, keeping an eye towards the mortals’ group. “Though most trolls stay out of daylight, there is one kind known to resist it. Avoid it if you can, aim for its eyes if you must. Its skin is tough, doubly so with armor. Your arrows will be sorely tested, Anarya Silverbranch. But I have faith, elven-steel will prove a match to those creatures of the dark.”

Khelek, beware. Stay alert. I know you will be tempted to attack those that have harmed thee. Choose thy prey well, and stay alive! Rûdhchamion told the white wolf-pup.

Just then he saw the group ahead of them split-up. The mortals, with Micanar among them were going ahead! A dozen armored orcs and men came out from the group of trees. A troll with a large axe was among them as well as wargs. A wolf-rider was leading them.

The dark elf let fly his arrow as soon as an orc came in range, hitting it between the eyes. Another arrow followed his from Anarya’s bow, downing a big black warg. As one, the elves picked their target, letting not a single arrow go to waste. Before the orc archer could ready his aim, an arrow nearly lifted him off his feet, another beside him was struck in the eye.

The troll proved a harder target to down, as the dark elf expected. And the wolf-rider had a heavier armor than most.

The enormous troll charged wildly at their tree, swinging its large battle-axe at the oak’s trunk. The oak shuddered at the impact, but its wide, sturdy body withstood the strike. The elves took aim at the monster’s eyes, angering it more as an arrow found its mark. It swung at the tree once more.

The dark elf jumped down, bouncing onto the head of the troll before nimbly landing on the ground. This of course infuriated the beast, and as the elf expected, it came after him, drawing it away from his companions. The beast may be big, but it lumbered on clumsily, and the dark elf knew he had speed on his side.

Dodging a wild swing aimed particularly at his head, Rûdhchamion shot its other eye before running quickly from its reach. The troll’s wail of pain and rage reverberated among the trees. Taking advantage of this, the dark elf shot two arrows to its mouth.

He used another arrow to stab an orc in the neck, which had come from his left before he took another shot at the huge beast. It swung its heavy axe once more, blindly, hitting an unfortunate orc nearby. Finally, the troll fell forward with a huge thud, unto the ground.

The dark elf felt beads of sweat run down his face, and he turned to see Anarya take aim at the wolf-rider. Spotting a sword, he quickly grabbed it and headed towards her. A warg leaped at him, and he met it with the point of the sword. Casting the dead wolf aside, he went to the aid of the young elf maiden.

[Gayahithwen]

Trying to find a dress that wasn't to much colorful and expensive, Gayahithwen saw some comfortable tunic and pants. Guessing that if she was to "hang out" with Sauche and Amaryllis, she would have more use of those, she got them and quickly put them on. Turning around, she saw that Sauche was allready heading out of the door. Sauche was following Amaryllis and Gayahithwen followed Sauche. She quickened her steps in order to catch up with Sauche. This clothes was comfortable, but she wasn't really used to them. Her hair was getting in the way as well - she would have to get some braids.. Catching up with Sauche, she wondered:

"Where do you think she is heading?"

Sauche replied:
"To the forest. Gayahithwen, I don't think she will come back if we let her out there.."

"Please, call me Gaya.. all my friends do! And you are my friend, right?"

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya retrieved one of her red feathered arrows from her quiver and sent it into the heart of the rider before he could draw his sword. Anarya saw, out of the corner of her eye, Rudhchamion in combat an orc.

Anarya leapt to the forest floor, with the intention to help him, but found herself face to face with another orc. Anarya drew her dagger and drove it into the orc. The monster fell to the ground. Only a few orcs were left now.

Anarya let another group of arrows fly into the group of remaining orcs but only took out a couple. Rudhchamion had killed the orc he had been fighting with and noticed now that Anarya had leapt from the oak. He called for her to get back up in the tree but before she could, Anarya felt an arm seize her so she could not move and the cold steel edge of a knife at her neck.

"This maid's life is in your hands, dark elf!" Came the voice of the person who held the knife to Anarya's neck.

Anarya reconized the voice. Micanar, the mortal...

[Leighlei]

She turned back to Gaya and smiled. "Yes, I guess I am..." Looing slowly back to Amaryllis' departing back, she sighed. "We have to stop her. She grew up on tea parties and flowers, not wargs and wolves. She'll get herself killed. C'mon." Grabbing her companion's hand she hurried after the fair elf maiden....

[GreatWarg]

Khelek watched as Anarya leapt down to join Rûdhchamion in the fray. He readied his muscles to follow, feeling his rippling muscles surge with power. A slight breeze that barely shifted the fog blew a scent to Khelek. Inhaling deeply, the wolf pup smelled the damp earth, the stank Orcs, the rotting smell of the troll. Khelek shifted through these scents, and one scent he made out finally. A Man.

Khelek looked back down at Anarya and Rûdhchamion fighting valiantly, then wisked into the shadows that leaped up to greet him. In the thick brush full of tangles and decaying leaves he picked his way, careful to avoid being smelled by the Orcs.

Khelek positioned himself behind the Man, but Micanar's arm shot out to grab Anarya. Khelek surpressed a growl and inched forward as a pale shadow amongst the leaves.

"This maid's life is in your hands, dark elf!" Micanar said, almost jeering in delight, a knife blade held up to Anarya's neck. The Orcs had stopped their attack and were now in a silent circle surrounding Rûdhchamion. Khelek continued to worm his way forward, every muscle quivering, wanting to launch himself at the Man's neck. Rûdhchamion made no move, but his hand gripped the sword hilt tightly, and he was shaking in anger.

Khelek took another step forward, inhaling the man's scent. He hated it, hated it so much that he would've clamped down on Micanar's neck and never let go. But the look that Rûdhchamion gave him, for Rûdhchamion had seen the flickering gaze of the wolf pup, told him to attack at a precise time, when it would do as much hurt to Micanar as possible in the least amount of time. The leaves rustuled, and at the same time Khelek leaped forth with as much strength as his slender legs could give, his fur rippling in the wind, and a fierce battle cry.

Khelek clamped onto the arm with which Micanar was holding the knife, and bore his sharp teeth straight into the Man's flesh, gripping tightly. Rûdhchamion gave a cry and pulled Anarya free. Micanar struggled with the wolf, now using his other arm to slash at it with a dagger. Khelek winced as the dagger slashed his left hindquarter, but continued hanging on. he was too small for Micanar to reach properly and drive a killing blow.

Run! he said silently to Anarya. Rûdhchamion fought with the Orcs that had now seperated him from Khelek,,,

[LúthienTinúviel]

Tinuiel huddled on the ground with the other prisoners. The Black Figures were upon them. At their heels slithered a sickly mist. It coiled about the figures and wrapped itself around the prisoners. The world became a grey nightmare. Tinuiel's breath caught in her throat. She felt as if pale, white fingers were circling her throat and squeezing the life from her. She tried to cry out, but the choking noise that forced itself from between her lips smacked against the brick wall of mist.

What is this fell magic? thought Tinuiel as she struggled to save her mind from the fear that hung palpable in the air. I must find out. I feel that these figures are the cause of Mornovarion's grief, and much more besides.

Tinuiel raised her head--slowly. Her face was fey, but her eyes burned with a fell fire. She began to crawl through the white nightmare. She could see nothing, but the waves of fear that washed upon her were coming from her right, so toward the fear she crept. Each inch that brought her closer to the hooded figures brought her soul nearer breaking point. She heard a hissing voice in her head. Fool, do you challenge us? You know nothing of us--a pause-- or our master.

Tinuiel's heart froze for a moment, but the fire in her eyes blazed brighter and spread warmth throughout her body. I care not for idle threats, replied Tinuiel to the faceless mist. Tell me who you are, and then we shall see what substance lies behind your speech.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion fought his way through the fray, trying to reach Khelek and Micanar. He had seen the man wound the young wolf and strove to aid him. An orc pressed forward and the dark elf parried the blow with his sword, using his dagger to deliver the killing slash to the neck. He whirled just in time to avoid another attack, and struck out at another orc, beheading the creature.

“Khelek!” The dark elf desperately shouted and fought his way to the brave young wolf. He saw the mortal shake the pup off. Khelek landed a few feet from Micanar, who advance towards the pup menacingly. An arrow landed at the mortal’s feet, and the dark elf heard Anarya’s frustrated cry at missing the man. But it forced the man to retreat from the fallen canine.

The dark elf finally reached the pup’s side and came between him and the mortal. Dark anger consumed him as he stared into the face of Micanar, the one who had a hand in his family’s death. Pennnauriel’s death.

With a shout, Rûdhchamion lunged at the mortal. Micanar was able to parry his blow and countered. An orc saw an opening and pressed an attack as well. The dark elf’s skill was sorely tested as he felt the biting edge of steel slash his leg. Ignoring the pain, he feinted an opening and when the orc came in to press his attack, the dark elf brought his blade point up, killing him.

Micanar slashed out at the dark elf, who avoided the blow. He heard a faint thud of an arrow, and knew the young elf maiden’s aim was keeping other orcs from aiding the mortal. Rûdhchamion continued his attack.

The mortal ‘s foot slipped but rolled to the side, avoiding the blow of the dark elf’s sword. He was able to grab a handful of dirt and threw it at the elf, blinding him. Rûdhchamion stepped back quickly, wiping his eyes. The man quickly got up once again, warily circling his opponent.

Micanar suddenly lunged at the elf, who met his attack head on. The noise of the blades’ impact rang through the trees. Though half blind, the elf was still agile enough to fight. Rûdhchamion countered and feinted, waiting for an opening. Cold determination to kill the mortal rendered him numb from the pain of battle.

Finally, his chance came. As the mortal brought his blade up, the dark elf seized the opportunity to turn the point of his own blade towards the mortal. The look on the man’s face was one of surprise as he stared at the hilt of the sword protruding from his chest. The dark elf pushed his sword forward until he could feel the mortal’s strangled breathing, feel and smell the man’s blood drip to the ground.

Pulling his sword free, he let the human’s body fall lifeless to the ground.

“I’ve kept my word to the Elvenking. The human died outside the boundaries of his realm.” The dark elf said coldly. He felt no satisfaction in killing the human, it would make his hunt a bit more difficult now. There was still those who lived who had a hand in his kin’s murder. And he would find them.

He turned to the Khelek who gave a soft whine. The pup had a wound on his hind leg. Rûdhchamion carried the young wolf, cradling him in one arm, the sword in the other.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Most of the orcs had been killed by the time of the mortal man's death. The monsters who had not met their end with an elvish arrow had fled. The bodies of their dead comrades scattered the forest floor. The fog had lifted, the ground wet with the memory of the mist. The light of the sun could been seen but faintly through the thin layer of clouds that covered the sky.

Anarya followed Rudhchamion through the wood as he carried Khelek. She felt ashamed for her stupidity that had caused them both injury. She knew she should had stayed in the tree. They came to a concealed glade where the green grass was not as wet as in other places. Rudhchamion lay the pup down upon the soft grass. The little wolf whimpered softly than lay his head down. Silently, the two elves bound and cared for the pup's wound. Thankfully, it was not as serious as Anarya had first thought.

"He will heal, right?" She asked Rudhchamion as he tied the makeshift bandage around the pup's leg.

"Yes, Khelek is strong for one so young. He will live." Rudhchamion answered not looking up from the wolf pup.

Anarya felt a surge of guilt wash over her mind, "I'm sorry I put you and Khelek in danger," She said standing, "Its my fault you both are hurt. I am sorry,"

[GreatWarg]

Khelek whimpered, raised his head off of the damp earth, and licked Anarya's hand. Rudhchamion looked up from his own wound. His glance met Anarya's. The two looked away nervously. Khelek sat up experimentally and watched Rudhchamion bind his own wound. No one said anything as the sun filtered in through the bough-less branches still dripping with dew.

[Fair Amaryllis]

She knew Sauche and Gaya followed her but she didn't care. They could try to stop her but she needed to be alone. She couldn't live if she didn't have love. She wished he had stayed and not gone out to fight. She had stepped one foot into the trees when Sauche grabbed her and pulled her back.

"What do you think you are doing?" she commanded of Amaryllis rather than asked.

"I'm going into the forest what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Do you know what's out there? Things that could kill you in such an evil way you don't want to know. I've come too close to them, myself."

"I don't care what's out there. I can't stay here without him. Why am I still breathing? Why am I still alive? I should be dead from heartbreak. But I'm not and I can't stand it anymore. I just can't stand it." Tears were pouring from her eyes and she used what strength she had to keep Sauche and Gaya from pulling her back towards town.

"Come on Amaryllis. You can't go out there. Stay here with us in the city. You're still alive becuase he wasn't meant for you. If he were who you truly were supposed to end up with, you really would have been gone by now." Gaya tried to convince her to come back with them but it didn't seem to be working so well.

[Gayahithwen]

Wondering wheter or not that really was the right thing to say, Gayahithwen opened her mouth again, but this time Amaryllis broke free from Sauche's grip and ran off further into the forest. Sighing deep, Gayahithwen ran after her, together with Sauche. This would probably be a long day.

[Gayahithwen]

When hearing a noise, Daegon spun around. He raised his eyes and fisrt thought that it was.. But no, it wasn't his sister. It was just a girl who ran past his hidingplace, with tears running down her cheeks. When he was just about to rise, two other girls was running past him. Looking back to see if someone else was running after them, and noticing that it was not the case, Daegon ran after them. Even though hiding from them, he held the same speed as they did. He thought about how much the first one had resembled him of his sister, but managed to get the thoughts out of his mind. If he was ever to succeed in getting his sister back, he couldn't think like that.

[suicidal elf chick]

A young girl looked down at the scene below her. A man had been sitting next to a fire, but he just got up and started running after two or three girls. She climbed down from her post in the giant oak tree and looked around for signs of other people around. Seeing none, she began to chase after the others in the shadows, intending to find out what all the fuss was about. Suddenly, there was a crackling sound behind her.

"Who are you, and what are you doing?" a shadowy form asked, pinning her to the ground.

"What's it to you?" she asked, kicking up with her legs and managing to get the person in the back of their neck. The form was knocked out and crumpled immediately. She jumped up and struck a match.

"Let's see just who you are," she said to herself, flipping the unconcsious form over. The answer shocked her. It was her best friend, Elipo. He was tall, like her, and was almost the exact opposite. He liked being the center of attention. She hated attracting attention to herself.

"Hey, Elipo, wake up!" she called softly to him, gently slapping his face. "It's me, Sindeliwen. You shouldn't have attacked me like that," she said as he regained consciousness. She helped him up and began brushing herself off. Her neatly braided hair had become undone and messy in the short struggle.

"What are you doing?" Elipo asked as he leaned to the side, past Sindeliwen, looking at the direction she was going.

"I saw a man begin to chase a few girls who were already running. I wanted to see what they were doing, and why they were running. I was curious. What are you doing here?" Sindeliwen answered.

"Hunting. Hey, Sindee?" Elipo began to say, calling her her old nickname.

Suddenly, there was another sound in the underbrush, and someone else came out.

[ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: suicidal elf chick ]

[ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: suicidal elf chick ]

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion had found a hidden shelter where they could stay. The two elves had tended to the young wolf-pup, Anarya had washed the blood from his white fur. They risked a small fire.

“Anarya, please do not blame yourself at what be falls us. The attack was as much my fault, if fault must be found,” the dark elf said to Anarya quietly, finally speaking after a long silence. “If I hadn’t been caught by the strange plant, they would not have been alerted to our presence.”

He stroked Khelek gently, the pup had fallen into slumber. The dark elf smile as he glanced at the young elf maiden.

“Let us rest awhile. Young Khelek needs to be healed and fully rested. He will need to be carried at times. Until his leg is fully healed,” he sighed, “I will keep guard as you and he get some much needed rest.

Tomorrow at sunrise, we will take the route to Dol Goldur. We must use the trees to stay hidden… this area of the Woods I have never travailed. We must stay alert of the dangers.”

Rûdhchamion outlined his planned route to Dol Goldur from what he had seen from afar. Pointing out what could be possible ambush places, he drew a map on the ground to show them. They then rested, waiting for the new day to come.

[Leighlei]

"You town girls..." Sauche growled, finally stopping as Amarylis dissapeared into the dark foliage beffore them. "You're too stupid for me to comprehend! You, follow her on the ground, you're holding me back!" She shouted, being harsh, but not meaning to. She hardly glanced at Gaya's shocked, saddened face before leaping into a tree and hopping lithely from branch to branch, folowing after the maiden that had dissapeared into the wood. She didn't realize she had hurt her friend by what she had said, she was just so angry that that other elf was going to get herself killed over a fairy tale! What idiots!

[Gayahithwen]

Gayahithwen first was chocked and hurt, but then she began running after Amaryllis again. She lept so fast she possibly could, just to prove Sauche that she'd been wrong about her. She now could see Amaryllis not that far away, but she also noticed that Sauche was there. Trying to increase her speed, she tripped over a root and fell hard. Thinking that every bone in her body got to be broken she lay still for a while, then realised that she was still alive and that nothing was broken, she slowly got up. Amaryllis and Sauche had dissapeared again, but she knew in what direction. Trying to get up her speed again, she began to run once more.

She hadn't noticed the elf who almost had reached her to see if she was ok.

[Leighlei]

Finally catching up to, and then getting ahead of the maiden, she dropped down from the trees and landed before her, blocking the way.
"You...IDIOT!" She hollered. "Love is...Love is a thing you never ever lose!" She tried to explaint o Amaryllis what even she, someone who had never loved or been loved, knew. "Just because someone leaves, doesn't mean they are gone. You love him, love him forever! He is here! In the wind, and in your heart most of all!" She knew it didn't help that much, but she had to get this maiden out of the wood or surely she would join her lover. "And there are other people who would rather not watch you be mauled to death by a Warg, thank you!" She grabbed Amaryllis' hand and looked into her beatiful eyes with her own, mismatched and scarred ones. "I don't want to atch you die. Even if you share the same fate as your lover, he will still be dead."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya dreamt only nightmares that night. Terrible ones, that shook her deeply. She dreamt of a large and forboding tower. Black against the red sky. She imagined black figures, shady and petrifying, riding toward her on dark horses with red eyes till they were nearly upon her with their swords, gleaming of cold, ruthless steel. She felt the cool smoothness of the blade upon her skin just before she awoke.

She sat up screaming, cold sweating running over her face and down her neck. It had been a dream and nothing more. In the dim moonlight and fading firelight she could see Khelek sitting up, alert and looking directly at her. His blue eyes worried for her.

"Anarya?" She heard Rudhchamion say. She looked over to where the elf sat by the small fire. He looked worried as well.

"I'm fine," She answered, "It was just a bad dream, a nightmare,"

"Oh, well try to get some more sleep before dawn," Rudhchamion said, looking into the flames, "We'll have a long day ahead of us when morning comes,"

Anarya stood and streched, "No," she said looking down at Khelek who had settled back down and then over to Rudhchamion again, "It is my turn to keep watch. You have taken the least rest of all three of us. I shall keep watch for the rest of the night,"

Rudhchamion did not protest as he lay down, and she was glad he did not. She was not awake enough yet to win any argument.

Anarya looked deep into the night sky, searching for the stars. She could not find them. She threw another stick upon the fire. The flames spit in protest that devoured their new victim with vengence.

Anarya looked at the dark elf. His dark hair contrasted dramatically with his fair skin in the fire light. She knew behind his closed eyelids, his eyes were grey as the sea and deep as the sky. She looked away toward Khelek where he slept quietly. He whimpered slightly and wiggled around a bit in his slumber.

"Probably chasing some squirrel," Anarya thought a with smile.

Anarya's smile widened. If she had to be on this quest, she could not have had better companions.

Dawn came, grey and cold the next morning. The sun rising over the canopy of trees, burning away the night mist. Khelek stirred and awoke first. The light was back in his eyes and he limped over to Anarya wagging his tail. He nuzzled in under her arm, to Anarya's surprise, and sat in her lap. She hugged the puppy close, praying the day would prove eventful and safe for all three...

[GreatWarg]

Khelek let Anarya absent-mindedly run her hand through his sleek fur. He licked her sweating palm and she looked down at him, smiling. Rûdhchamion groaned faintly in his sleep, twisting as if in agony of some troubling memory. Anarya set Khelek down gently to go soothe Rûdhchamion, but Khelek nudged protestingly against the maiden's leg.

Wait, Khelek cautioned. Not yet; he may remember something of use in our quest. Some deep memory is troubling him. Dreams are sometimes sent to us to help us remember things that we would rather forget. Wait, and see. Anarya nodded slightly and sat back down in a drift of leaves. Khelek brushed past her arms and lay down, eyes set on the dark elf's form lying a foot away.

[Fair Amaryllis]

"But I don't want to live without him. Can;t you understand that? I have no point in life if I am not with him. Why am I not dead yet? Is it because he is still alive? I like to think that if I stay in the forest long enough, he will come to me and tell me that he is all right. This wasn't just a crush. I just want to say goodbye."

She fell back against a tree and slid down the trunk until she was resting on the hard damp ground. Moss spread under her and offered some sort of cushion but not much.

"Just give me some time to think"

[Thalionyulma]

His father was presenting the stag's antlers to his grandfather as trophy, and his mother and sister looked on. It had been a good hunt. Pennnauriel was about to whisper something to Liliath, their mother when she caught his grin. The dark elf then noticed the two weary-traveled men, who had been invited as guests by his mother’s kin. They seemed to be fidgeting. Pennnauriel was about to say something to their mother when chaos broke loose.

A sudden shout and several cries of alarm brought the assembly to their feet. The elven hunters all went for their bows and spears as their assailants suddenly appeared from around them. Darts and arrows filled the air as armored orcs began to hack the elves.

“Poison! Ware the foul beasts’ darts and arrows!” Someone shouted as several elves fell dead.

Too late the elvenfolks fought back, their wooden spears and leather armor were no match against blades of steel. The dark elves fought desperately as more and more orcs and armored men came with darts and iron spears. Rûdhchamion gave a shout as an orc shot a dart at his mother, and watched helpless as his father trying to reach his mate, was cut down by one of the men whom he recognized as their “guest”.

“NO!” he shouted, with a short sword in hand he fought furiously towards where his parents were.

“Rûdhchamion! Behind you!” He heard his sister shout out a warning, and as a flash she pushed him aside. He caught her as she stiffened and suddenly went limp, a dart embedded at the side of her neck.

“Pennnauriel!” Rûdhchamion stared helpless as his sister breathed her last. Tears came unbidden to his eyes as he felt the wave of deep pain wash over him like cold water.

“You should worry more of yourself, elf” he heard the mocking voice of an orc.

Looking up he saw a large, heavily armored orc towering over him. A red mark was on his armor, a red eye.

Rûdhchamion awoke with a start. He sat up was breathing heavily. He turned to see Anarya and Khelek watching him anxiously.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Rudchamion looked lost and angry when he awoke, panting and sweating from whatever nightmare that had interrupted his sleep. Anarya knew the feeling well and her heart went out to him for it, even though he already had her heart.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly still looking at him, worried he would not remember where he was.

"Yes," He answered after a few minutes, "Yes, it was just a dream."

Khelek wandered over to where Rudchamion sat and looked up at the dark elf. Anarya asked the question aloud that she knew Khelek was asking the elf.

"What was it about?"

[Leighlei]

There was a slight rumble nearby and a throaty growl, and she was forced to grab the maiden by the wrist and yank her to her feet. "Sorry, we havn't got any." She quipped.
"But... what is that?"
"One of two things... both of which smell bad and have large teeth, and a hunger for our kind. Now MOVE!"

[Fair Amaryllis]

she was practically dragged along as she saw large white fangs jump out of the bushes. She ran as fast as she could to get away from it. She screamed and Sauche pulled her faster and further away. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she could hardly catch her breath. Her legs screamed at her but she kept running.

[Thalionyulma]

The heavily armored orc stood surveying the hillside. More companies were coming in from Mordor and Misty Mountains. It did not make him less annoyed, no word had come yet from his scouts and human agents sent to the elvenking’s city.

He grunted, no matter, he thought. With such a force mustering at Dol Goldur, no hated elven army now could defeat them!

He espied another battalion coming in. There was no mistaking the outlined fingures of the Orog-hai among them. Wârzgârz smiled with an evil glint in his eyes, those trolls were less stupid than the ordinary ones, and were better suited for battle. Like himself, they could withstand the sunlight.

Since the last great battle with those cursed alliance of elves, he knew the number of the elves and men had dwindled. For such a force as one under the Dark Lord, no one could possibly withstand them now! Elf, man, nor dwarf.

As he turned, he saw an orc scout heading towards him. It was from one of the scouting group that swept the Vale of Anduin, looking for news to be sent to their Master.

[Thalionyulma]

Rûdhchamion averted his eyes from the young maiden’s concerned look, forcing himself to breath slower. He wiped his face with his hands, finally brushing back his long dark hair. His eyes were haunted by the dream and memories of that fateful day.

Khelek whined softly, the young wolf was concerned as well. ”What is it that disturbs you so, dark elf?” Came the white pup’s inquery.

He did not answer the white pup, barely hearing even Anarya. The dark elf’s mind was in turmoil. This was the first time he had dreamed of what had happened in a long while. Why now? He felt there was something he had to remember, something crucial. But he could not quite place his finger to it. Something lingered at the back of his mind- what was it? Slightly frustrated, he stared out into the horizon, where streaks of light were peeking from velvet sky.

The dark elf turned to his companion once more. The elf maiden’s eyes were filled with worry. He pushed aside the ache he felt, suddenly in his chest, turning his eyes away once more from her gaze.

“My apologies,” he said in a low whisper. “It was just a dream of... of what had happened. But there is something-“

“What is it?” Anarya asked, and he felt her concern for him.

“Something I must remember. The things happening now seem to have some evil connection. And it is this what we must know... but I feel that time draws short.” He sighed, feeling weary more in mind than in body. “Something is greatly amiss. There is no doubt we shall find the answers at the Necromancer’s abode.”

He silently wished the young elf maid had gone back with Legolas, to the safety of Thranduil’s boundaries. But something told him that the dark shadow would soon spread further north towards the Elvenking’s realm, if they failed to find out what was going on.

“Khelek, tell me what you remember of your capture. I feel that these strange events have begun long before the tragedy of my people. But I would like to put the pieces together,” Rûdhchamion said, putting his mind to the task ahead. “Perhaps, we can plan better our way, before we enter Dol Goldur.”

[Leighlei]

When they were out of the forest, Sauche looked at her companion. Amaryllis was gasping for breath, but Sauch was fine. Not even winded or tired or anything. "City girls." She mumbled. There was a howl and then sauche hurtled foreward, something had hit her back. She whirled, and tackled the wolf that had attacked her, sending it flying and landing on top of it. As she tried to avoid it's snapping jaws and flailing legs, she yelled to Amaryllis.
"RUN TO TOWN!" She roared, driving ahard elbow into the animal's ribcage. "NOW!!!"
Amaryllis was frozen in fear, ehr feet planted. She wouldn't move. Sauche growled at her resolutely and grabbed the animalby theneck, trying to keep hold, finally, she twisted her arms to the side. There was a cracking noise, and the wolf fell still. "You see why the wood is dangerous?!" She asked, her back had scratches on it, she could feel the warm blood running over her body in tiny currents. "BECAUSE THINGS KILL YOU! That wolf FOLLOWED us! YOU SEE?! Sometimes you can't escape fate, even if you run."

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya nodded at the pup in agreement with the dark elf, but felt a bit hurt and confused for Rudhchamion would not look at her and seemed to brush aside her questions. She would not think of that now though, when there was planning to be done.

Both elves turned to the wolf pup, eager to hear what the canine had to say,

"Please," Anarya asked gently, hoping the memories would not be too upsetting for him, "Do tell us,"

[GreatWarg]

Khelek's tail twitched and his eyes narrowed a bit, trying to remember how exactly he had found himself in Mirkwood; all the way across Middle-earth from his home.

We were out hunting, quite far from the Valley of Rivendell, I suppose. We were further away from the Ford than I've ever been, in any case. Then there was the scent of Wargs. We thought that they might've come from the Misty Mountains, because Rivendell is so close to them. But that wasn't all we smelt. Khelek whined in distress. Rûdhchamion and Anarya waited patiently for the pup to start again.

Soon, the sound of a battalion of Orcs could be heard very clearly, and I think the had some trolls with them too. It was the break of dawn at that time. Me and my siblings were sent back to Rivendell, while my sire gathered all the nearby wolf packs. Khelek sighed mentally, and the two Elves exchanged meaningful glances. And then... there were Orcs swarming all over the place... I don't think they dared attack Rivendell yet... not without risk of being drowned by the flood that Elrond would've created... but... I don't know what happened to my family... The wolf pup rolled over, exposing the fur on his stomach, and whimpered as if remembering great pain.

The Orcs traveled for many days. They went south through Moria, then went wide north from Lorien, crossed the Great River, and I think they were making for... for... the pup's voice shuddered and broke off. Then in a dreaded whisper. Dol Goldur. Rûdhchamion too a deep breath.

"Did you see any emblem on their helms?" he asked the shivering pup gently.

On their helms... Khelek thought. There was an emblem... a large, red eye. The Eye of Sauron. The dell had suddenly become eerily quiet. Only the soft plop as a drop of dew dripped from a whithered tree's twig.

[Anarya SilverBranch]

Anarya stroked the pup's fur sympathetically. For such a little one, he'd been through so much. Khelek stopped trembling with fear at remembering the terrible experience and was calm now. Khelek looked up at her, his blue eyes bright and true yet deep hurt seemed embedded within them. A hurt which, unfortunatly, could probably be never healed.

"Worry not my friend," She whispered quietly to the pup, "You shall have vengence for your lost innocence."

Khelek seemed to smile then, in his own little way.

"What do you think of his tale? Does it in anyway fit with yours," Anarya asked Rudhchamion, not looking up from the pup...