༶•┈┈⛧┈♛Foxgloves and Greenleaves ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

Chapter 2: Miranna

My dreams that night were like any other dreams I dreamt of: the night my family was slain by orcs.

I was only a young elf at the time, yet I remember so much. My mother's screams fill my ears as she was stabbed from behind. Even her Telerin spells weren't enough to save her.

My father's arrows fly past me, meeting their target. When his arrows leave him, he brandishes his sword. But even those two weapons couldn't defend him.

I ran away, leaving my parents' bodies to rot. An orc twice my height steps in front of me, ax at the ready. I don't remember much after the orc blocked my path. Only a hot, searing pain from my right temple to the bridge of my nose. For weeks, its unforgiving burn haunted me as I lost my vision in my right eye. And in my dreams, it would return to haunt me once more after it fully healed. If I didn't fully remember the illusion spell that my mother taught me, I would have to show it to the world.

The scorching pain returned once more, but was quickly replaced by the cool wind's caress. How did the wind reach my face if my face is indeed hooded? The only way it could touch my face is if it were unhooded...

My eyes flash open to see Legolas staring back at me, either in fear or awe. I don't know what to feel: angry that the idiot elf prince removed my hood, scared that he thinks less of me because of what I look like, or relief that I don't have to hide anymore.

"I-I'm sorry, Miranna." He stammers. "I should not have done that."

"What do you think," I whisper calmly, using all my energy not to strangle him, "After finally seeing my true self?"

He pauses, trying to find the right words. "I think you look-"

A blood curdling howl fills the crisp night air, interrupting the elf prince's sentence.

"Not good." Legolas whispers. "Those are wargs."

"Those orcs." I growl. "They never learn, do they?" I hoist myself up on Virago. Before I could even offer my hand to Legolas, she bucks. I land on the forest floor on my bottom. The cowardly mare runs off into the trees with no intentions of returning.

"Your mare has run off." Legolas observes.

"Really? I didn't even notice." I respond, sarcasm dripping in my voice. "They're not too far away, so it'll be no use trying to escape them."

Legolas nocks an arrow onto his bow. "What will you defend yourself with?"

I brandish my father's sword from my scabbard. It was about four feet in length, with the double edged blade at three and a half feet. The handle was carved from Elven emerald, lined with silver. It was the only thing left of him.

"You've only a sword," Legolas states. "You can only attack from so far."

"And you've only a bow," I shoot back. "You can only fire so many arrows."

The wargs, wolf-like creatures, about eight in a pack, encircle us. Their drool waters the forest grass as their stench fills my nostrils with an unpleasant smell. The circle of wargs runs faster and faster, making my head spin. One unhinges its jaws and lunges for me, only to meet my sword in its heart.

Another leap for Legolas, claws outstretched. He shoots it down as the rest of the wargs aim for the kill.

I slice one's head off and stab another. Legolas continues to fire arrows, repeatedly nocking an arrow after each shot. The warg in front of me jumps, but not at me. It trains its beady eyes on Legolas, gnashing its jaws.

"Legolas!" I slash its belly and roll to the side to avoid its spilling innards. "Finish them off!"

The elf prince shoots an arrow, killing the last of the wargs.

"It's strange," I huff out of tiredness. "how they did not try to kill the two of us."

"That's because it's me they're hunting." Legolas answers. "Now they will hunt for us both."

"Why would they hunt for you? You're an elf of authority!"

"We must keep moving." He answers, ignoring my question. "I'll wager that they are about a couple of leagues behind us."

"We'll get nowhere if we travel by foot." I whistle for Virago. This time, a whinny didn't answer, nor did the clopping of hooves.

"What will we do for transport?"

I shrug. "She's a smart horse, she knows her way back."

"So where will we go?"

"My destination is up north, about ten miles ahead. Where are you headed, again? Perhaps your destination is closer."

"It is not." He replies shortly. "But perhaps this town you speak of may provide us some hospitality."

We walk in silence to save our energy, weapons at the ready. I didn't mind the silence, but it was quite awkward. I didn't know what to say, and neither did I, so it stayed that way. We stop to rest underneath a tree, still silent.

"Why did you save me?" He speaks up, breaking the awkward silence. "Were you spying on me?"

"Of course not! Why would I even spy on you?" I exclaim.

"Then why did you save me? Was it so you could be with me?"

The audacity of this elf! His authority has become too large for his fair head. "I saved your life because I can't bear to see another elf fall to an orc!"  

"What are you talking about?"

"My parents died at the hands of an orc." I say quietly, staring at the ground.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Spare me your pity."

"My mother too, died by the hands of an orc."

"Oh, I-I didn't know." I pause, trying to find the right words. "I know whatever I'll say won't ease your pain, but I understand."

"I don't remember much of her. My father refuses to speak of her."

Unsure what to do, I take Legolas's hand. Not out of love or romance, but out of sympathy and understanding.