FIRST INSTALLMENT FOR QUEST FOR THE RINGS
1: ON THE SHIP
It was a hurt so intense it cut my heart. I could hardly bare the wait until it came. As awful as it would be, the waiting and not knowing ate at me until I felt utterly sick. It would tear him apart, and that would destroy me. I could hear them in the room next to me, I knew exactly what they were doing, and I wanted to die right then and there. The thought of her in his arms sharing a love I had no part of, while I sat in absolute misery, constricted my throat and made my sobs come in uneven, choking spurts. That was not the worst of it, I knew what was coming, and he did not. I could not even think of what he would do when it happened. She was going to die, I had seen it, like I had seen a million other visions on a million other people, and it would come true.
Legolas' soft, musical voice drifted over to me through the walls of my cabin, so gentle and full of devotion. I clearly imagined the loving half-smile that would be playing upon his lips at this very moment, and I wanted to cry. I wanted him to look into my eyes with that passionate look on his face and tell me that I was the most important person in his life and that he would die should anything ever tear us apart. He had given that vow to another, though, and deep down I knew he would never be mine.
Aceleniel, the beautiful Elvin woman from the Glades, let the lulling roll of the ship sink her into a half-sleep of absolute contentment. Next to her lay the source of this all-encompassing serenity, his vivid blue eyes glowing softly in the flickering candlelight and his pale skin lightly flushed. She loved Legolas with every ounce of her being. Nothing made her happier than being in his tender embrace and simply breathing him in; the faint, sweet scent of morning dew, overlaid with the comforting, omnipresent smell of the forest-of home.
She rolled over and looked deep into those sapphire eyes and smiled. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled in return, and with his strong arms, drew her closer to him. There they lay together, reveling in the peace each other's presence brought. That serenity was shattered in an instant when an obnoxiously loud knock sounded on the wooden door to their cabin. When it was not immediately answered it became more insistent and impatient.
"A moment, please," Legolas called, as he reluctantly disentangled himself from Aceleniel and slipped out of the bed. Aceleniel grabbed her tunic and breeches and pulled them on with a wistful smile for Legolas as he retrieved and donned his own garments. Pulling his long, silky, blonde hair from beneath his tunic, Legolas tugged open the protesting door and his face met with that of Gandalf. Concern and impatience creased his forehead and his enormous eyebrows knitted together so closely they almost seemed to touch and become one. "What has passed?" Legolas asked, apprehension filling his voice.
"A dark ship, fast approaching, with no lights, it seems to be heading strait towards us and has not responded to any kind of attempted contact. I am afraid we may be attacked. Alert Tarrodwen and Rorimac quickly and tell them to prepare. I am going back to the deck to see if I can be of any help." With no more explanation than that, Gandalf spun on his heel and quickly made his way back up to the deck where the frenzied sounds of movement could be heard.
My head jerked up at the sudden, emphatic knocking on my door. Quickly wiping my eyes on my pillow, I straightened my now hopelessly wrinkled tunic and made my way to the door. I was only impeded by the one chair and small writing desk nailed to the floor to keep from sliding during storms, and I reached the door in a matter of seconds. I was completely surprised to see Aceleniel standing at my door, the rapier loosened in her scabbard, her face painted with a mixture of fear, determination, and urgency. Before I could say a word she blurted,
"We are being followed by a ship that can only mean to attack us. Get ready to fight, Tarrodwen." As she said this a thrill of fear and excitement coursed through my body and eradicated all my previous worries.
"By whom?" I asked earnestly.
"How should I know? Just hurry up and get ready, I'll wait for you and then we can get up there and find out the answers to all our questions." It only hurt me more to see this woman, who was one of my closest friends, and one of my bitterest competitors, standing there with tousled hair and a not-quite-righted tunic. A flash of my previous aching returned to my heart and suddenly, knowing what she had so recently done made me hate her for her beauty and wonderful personality. However, that only lasted an instant, I quickly recovered my bearings and hurriedly pulled on my boots and snatched up my engraved quarterstaff from beside the door. I then leaped out the room and followed Aceleniel up the ladder to the deck.
And then it hit me, full and hard. As soon as I stepped out into the salty, sea air I knew it. It was coming, and it was coming soon. Legolas and Rorimac were already on deck, bow and broadsword ready, muscles tense, and eyes straining on the black ship, sailing ever closer to us. Upon our arrival Rorimac spared a quick glance for us before returning all his concentration to the potential danger ahead. I cast a brief look at Aceleniel and Legolas before taking up my position to the right of Rorimac. My heart felt like lead and my stomach turned violent somersaults until I thought it would surely burst from my skin.
The mysterious ship drew up alongside ours, dark and eerily silent. All aboard our ship waited with tense stances, and a muted hand of dread seem to take hold of the ship and drown all our hearts in terror. Then, suddenly, a single, inhuman cry was raised from the black ship and out poured a wave of hellish orcs, swarming from their deck to encompass ours.
1: ON THE SHIP
It was a hurt so intense it cut my heart. I could hardly bare the wait until it came. As awful as it would be, the waiting and not knowing ate at me until I felt utterly sick. It would tear him apart, and that would destroy me. I could hear them in the room next to me, I knew exactly what they were doing, and I wanted to die right then and there. The thought of her in his arms sharing a love I had no part of, while I sat in absolute misery, constricted my throat and made my sobs come in uneven, choking spurts. That was not the worst of it, I knew what was coming, and he did not. I could not even think of what he would do when it happened. She was going to die, I had seen it, like I had seen a million other visions on a million other people, and it would come true.
Legolas' soft, musical voice drifted over to me through the walls of my cabin, so gentle and full of devotion. I clearly imagined the loving half-smile that would be playing upon his lips at this very moment, and I wanted to cry. I wanted him to look into my eyes with that passionate look on his face and tell me that I was the most important person in his life and that he would die should anything ever tear us apart. He had given that vow to another, though, and deep down I knew he would never be mine.
Aceleniel, the beautiful Elvin woman from the Glades, let the lulling roll of the ship sink her into a half-sleep of absolute contentment. Next to her lay the source of this all-encompassing serenity, his vivid blue eyes glowing softly in the flickering candlelight and his pale skin lightly flushed. She loved Legolas with every ounce of her being. Nothing made her happier than being in his tender embrace and simply breathing him in; the faint, sweet scent of morning dew, overlaid with the comforting, omnipresent smell of the forest-of home.
She rolled over and looked deep into those sapphire eyes and smiled. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled in return, and with his strong arms, drew her closer to him. There they lay together, reveling in the peace each other's presence brought. That serenity was shattered in an instant when an obnoxiously loud knock sounded on the wooden door to their cabin. When it was not immediately answered it became more insistent and impatient.
"A moment, please," Legolas called, as he reluctantly disentangled himself from Aceleniel and slipped out of the bed. Aceleniel grabbed her tunic and breeches and pulled them on with a wistful smile for Legolas as he retrieved and donned his own garments. Pulling his long, silky, blonde hair from beneath his tunic, Legolas tugged open the protesting door and his face met with that of Gandalf. Concern and impatience creased his forehead and his enormous eyebrows knitted together so closely they almost seemed to touch and become one. "What has passed?" Legolas asked, apprehension filling his voice.
"A dark ship, fast approaching, with no lights, it seems to be heading strait towards us and has not responded to any kind of attempted contact. I am afraid we may be attacked. Alert Tarrodwen and Rorimac quickly and tell them to prepare. I am going back to the deck to see if I can be of any help." With no more explanation than that, Gandalf spun on his heel and quickly made his way back up to the deck where the frenzied sounds of movement could be heard.
My head jerked up at the sudden, emphatic knocking on my door. Quickly wiping my eyes on my pillow, I straightened my now hopelessly wrinkled tunic and made my way to the door. I was only impeded by the one chair and small writing desk nailed to the floor to keep from sliding during storms, and I reached the door in a matter of seconds. I was completely surprised to see Aceleniel standing at my door, the rapier loosened in her scabbard, her face painted with a mixture of fear, determination, and urgency. Before I could say a word she blurted,
"We are being followed by a ship that can only mean to attack us. Get ready to fight, Tarrodwen." As she said this a thrill of fear and excitement coursed through my body and eradicated all my previous worries.
"By whom?" I asked earnestly.
"How should I know? Just hurry up and get ready, I'll wait for you and then we can get up there and find out the answers to all our questions." It only hurt me more to see this woman, who was one of my closest friends, and one of my bitterest competitors, standing there with tousled hair and a not-quite-righted tunic. A flash of my previous aching returned to my heart and suddenly, knowing what she had so recently done made me hate her for her beauty and wonderful personality. However, that only lasted an instant, I quickly recovered my bearings and hurriedly pulled on my boots and snatched up my engraved quarterstaff from beside the door. I then leaped out the room and followed Aceleniel up the ladder to the deck.
And then it hit me, full and hard. As soon as I stepped out into the salty, sea air I knew it. It was coming, and it was coming soon. Legolas and Rorimac were already on deck, bow and broadsword ready, muscles tense, and eyes straining on the black ship, sailing ever closer to us. Upon our arrival Rorimac spared a quick glance for us before returning all his concentration to the potential danger ahead. I cast a brief look at Aceleniel and Legolas before taking up my position to the right of Rorimac. My heart felt like lead and my stomach turned violent somersaults until I thought it would surely burst from my skin.
The mysterious ship drew up alongside ours, dark and eerily silent. All aboard our ship waited with tense stances, and a muted hand of dread seem to take hold of the ship and drown all our hearts in terror. Then, suddenly, a single, inhuman cry was raised from the black ship and out poured a wave of hellish orcs, swarming from their deck to encompass ours.