She was a member of a dying race, one of the few Dunedain still roaming the north. After she was orphaned at a young age, Melody was raised by the elves of the Woodland Realm. She spent a majority of her life in the Greenwood, but yearns for the ad...
It did not take long to change into traveling clothes and gather the belongings that I was taking with me. I had been plotting this for weeks. A couple extra pairs of clothes, along with my map and some food, were packed into my rucksack, which also had a blanket buckled to it. Since I no longer had a horse to carry my extra bags, the smaller one would have to do.
After I put on comfortable traveling clothes and pulled on my boots, I pulled my hair out of my face into a traditional elvish braid and secured it with a clip. As always, I placed the silver crown on my head. Finally, I buckled my weapons belt around my waist and fastened my long grey cloak around my neck, swinging my bow and quiver across my back. I picked up my rucksack and looked around my room for the last time.
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The dwarven community had become almost a home to me in the past couple months, which was more than I could say for many of the other places I had traveled. But as always, it was time for me to move on to my next adventure.
I crept down the stairs of the eerily empty cabin and out the front door without making a sound. I then slipped around the edge of the house and into the dark alleyway between our cabin and Lady Dis'.
I heard soft footsteps behind me and spun around, my hand on the hilt of my sword.
"My Lady," I said in shock, taking my hand off the sword. It was just Dis, dressed in a deep purple gown and a cloak the hood pulled up over her head.
"You're leaving," she stated.
I hesitated, "Yes..."
I had been trying to slip out of the camp quietly, sure that if someone discovered my plans they would try to stop me. Which was probably what Dis was just about to do.
She walked forward and pushed a bundle of food and a water pouch into my hands. "Then you will be needing this."
"But..." I stuttered, "You're not angry with me from leaving? Even though I'm disobeying your brother's orders?"
She shook her head and offered me a small smile, "I have no reason to angry with you, Melody. It is wrong of Thorin to keep you from your family in such a way."
"Besides," she continued, straightening the pin on my cloak, "Since the day I met you, I could tell that you are searching for home just as much as we are."
I tucked her gifts under my arm and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you," I whispered. "For everything."
I tried to put a lot of unsaid things into that one hug. The dwarves had no obligation to do anything for me, especially since the kingdom I had grown up in was seen as the enemy. But they helped me anyway. They brought me tired, scared, and bleeding into their camp and healed my wounds. But above all, they gave me friendship...and one of them gave me love like I never thought I would know.
"Of course, dear. You are always welcome in the Blue Mountains," she said, hugging me back.
Then she put her hands on my shoulders, "Now go after them, and for Mahal's sake be careful."
I smiled and nodded, "I will do my best." Then I turned on my heel and continued along the side of the cabin.
"But promise me one thing, Melody," Dis called after me before I turned the corner.
I stopped and turned back to her inquisitively. She had the look of a worried mother on her face.
"Protect my boys."
She was afraid, terrified for the lives of her children who were off to fight a war they were not alive to see the start of.
I nodded slowly, doubt streaking across my mind. My hand strayed to touch the gold ring hanging around my neck.
