The Second Fellowship: The Creation Flower

Chapter 1: Back to Lothlorien

Chapter 1: Back to Lothlorien

Tirnel POV

The sky was red. Dark clouds streaked across it like vicious tears in the fabric of the heavens. The sky was the colour of blood. The colour of the blood that dripped down my scalp and into my hair. The colour of the blood that stained the battlefield below us. The colour of the blood that had gushed from Alden's chest.

The air was cold, a freezing wind blowing over from the mountains. Far we flew, gusts of air dragging my fair hair behind me, clutched in the grip of an eagle's talons. I breathed heavily, unable to properly move my injured body. Pain coursed through my veins whenever I so much as lifted a finger. Blood ran down my nose, blotching my skin. Somewhere along the way I had lost my glasses.

But I was alive.

I drifted in and out of consciousness. Whenever I awoke, I would hear the steady beat of wings, feel the biting wind in my eyes, the sting in my heart, and I would will myself back unconscious, wishing for quiet and peace of mind. But when I slept, I was plagued by cruel dreams of monsters and men battling to the death, and of candles in the mist.

At last I felt the eagle slow down. It circled mid-air before soaring in to land, setting me lightly down on some soft surface. Grass, it must be grass. Where can we be? It has been so long a flight...

Then, at last, sleep came to me. Deep and undisturbed, I fell into slumber, soft blades of grass stroking my cheeks, easing me into a dreamless rest. I was weary and grateful, but my last thoughts afore I drifted away were where are we?

Many hours later, I awoke. Soft sheets covered my bare shoulders. I was inside, though dappled silver light filtered through a tall glass window. I wrapped the bedclothes around me and stood up. It was a strange experience, my head spun and I felt dizzy and sick. But I was refreshed and rejuvenated.

I looked around the strange room. Aside from the bed, there was no other furniture, but I found simple clothes folded at the bottom of the bed. A plain grey kirtle with long draping sleeves, and a darker purple surcoat. Someone had also placed a pair of dark framed glasses by the side. I quickly put on the clothes, and tucked my hair behind my pointed ears. I raised a hand to my throat, and let out a gasp. My mother's necklace was gone.

No! I cannot have lost it! Not when I have just found it again.

Frantically, I searched around the small room, pulling the sheets off the bed in case it had fallen, checking the folds of my new clothes. The pendant was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door and froze, gaze snapping to the simple frame. In my panic I had forgotten that I had no idea where I was and what I was doing here. The door pushed open and I saw someone that I had thought to never look upon again.

"Mistil!"

She held one arm across her chest in a symbol of greeting, before extending it to me. All formalities aside, I rushed to the dark haired elf and embraced her happily. We are in Lothlorien, I should have known.

Mistil wore a pale blue dress and a darker overcoat with short bunched up sleeves. When I stepped back, she smiled at me. "Tirnel, you are awake! I am so glad to see that you are better; when the eagles arrived I was terrified for your health, you and all your friends. I dared not imagine what ill luck had befallen you, but Lady Galadriel explained all to me..."

She paused for a second, gaze dropping to the ground. I could tell she did not want to meet my eyes. An awkward moment passed as we both struggled for words. I felt close to tears, Mistil had just reminded me of what I wanted to forget. That Alden had sacrificed himself for us and yet we had still failed and lost the Stone.

Mistil interrupted my thoughts with a welcome surprise. "I believe this belongs to you. The eagles found it on you and did not know if it was of any importance. I assumed you should want it returned."

She held out my necklace, light catching on the surface of the white jewel. I gently took it from her open palm and fastened it around my neck. My fingers tickled the bruise on the back of my head and I winced.

"They still ail you?" Mistil asked, concerned.

"Yes," I replied. "That one in particular will take a long time to heal. It is large and painful, and I would not be surprised if it turns purple. Now, how long have I been here, and how are my friends?"

Her smile faded slightly and she wound a curl of soft dark hair around her finger. "It has been three days since your arrival with the eagles. You were relatively lucky, just a broken nose and a concussion, not to mention that nasty bruise,"

I smiled at this, but felt anxious. If I am relatively lucky, what does that say about the others?

Seeing my fear, Mistil carried on speaking, her gentle voice calmer. "The others are in flets nearby. Most have escaped fairly unharmed and are simply resting, your sister Faineth for one is sitting up and bossing us all around, but Ofi has broken his arm and fractured his ankle. Dwarves are hardy and he shall heal quickly however. Oreth however..."

My heart sank. No. During her fight with Ragortz, my friend had been severely exhausted, and then to see Alden, the man she loved and meant to marry, die before her... To have him die in her arms. I could imagine what that felt like. When I had lost my mother, I had cried until I had no more tears.

Furious at the injustice and cruelty, I clenched my fist. Mistil continued. "She pretends she is taking it well but I know she is not. There is nothing I can do to cheer her. Perhaps one day, but not now."

"And Alric?" I asked, knowing that when Oreth had lost a lover, he had lost a brother.

"He tries to bury himself in work and forget Alden. He is different now, though. Angrier. Less silent. I caught him crying the other day. It is like he has lost his other half. It must be terrible."

We sat in silence, the words hanging heavy between us. Our mission failed and we have returned one short, with two unable to voice what they have lost. And soon the dark lord Sauron will have dominion over all things, as he has always wished, and we will be even more in the dark.

I broke the silence, trying to put aside my depressing thoughts. "Might I see Faineth?" I was worried about her. I had never wished my younger sister to come on this quest, thinking it too dangerous, but she had followed us all the same. And truthfully, Faineth had proved useful, a good and strong fighter as well as a steady friend to all our fellowship.

I climbed stiffly down the spiralling staircase cut out of the tree trunk and followed Mistil across silver grass. As we walked, many elves stopped their business to stare at us. A little elleth pointed and whispered to her friend, who gaped at me, before a tall older female nudged him on the shoulder and he turned away, embarrassed.

Suddenly three male elves entered the clearing together. One polishing his bow, the other two talking in hushed tones. They had long fair hair far paler than mine. It glittered like spun gold in the light. All three wore leggings, light grey shirts and longer woollen overtunics. They were all brothers, I decided, each being characterised with the same long faces and sloping noses, as well as their white blonde hair. I supposed they had just returned from a scouting mission, and my assumption was confirmed when Mistil led me over to them and greeted the three.

"Hail, Haldir, Rúmil, Orophin. All is well?"

The elf who had been polishing the bow slung it over his back and replied. "We sighted a party of twenty orcs patrolling the western border. Since the attack last week none have dared come closer, but they still remain. I believe we should drive them off."

The four continued talking but I was not listening. There had been an attack on Caras Galadhon? Orcs are patrolling the borders of a once safe haven? And now Sauron has the Stone? Arda is in dark times indeed.

A/N: Sorry it's not a very strong first chapter, I was eager to get it published soon and not mess around!

Please vote, comment and enjoy!

xxHelena