Aiming at an oak tree painted with white circles on its bark he drew his yew bow. The fletching tickling his cheek. He drew a deep breath and 'swoosh!' The arrow hit the outer circle. Well at least i did not miss the whole tree this time he thought humourlessly. I wish father was here. He would have taught me well. He huffed and bent to reach for an arrow. After a few more (slightly better tries) he strode to gather his arrows. He saw a rabbit nearby, cleaning its face with paws and surveying the area as if sensing danger. He reached for an arrow and drew it to full length. He studied the rabbit for a moment, then lowered his bow and spared it for he remembered something.....
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I was a child born to a family living in Rhovanion near the southern borders of Mirkwood. My father was a general in the small village of ours. The village was always covered in the glooming shadows of Mirkwood that recently had started to whisper Death as our elders said. The stories had that it was a cheerful place but evil had started to take root in its heart in a place called Amon Lanc, the old fortress of elves. But our pastures were away from such dread. They were rolling hills, always lush green with long grass, which created an entrancing effect when wind blowed through it in summers. We let our sheep and goats free and had perfect area for horse riding.
Who am I? I am named and called Acgrim. I have an older brother Iwgár. We have a strong bond of brotherhood and friendship and we support each other through hardships, rarely will you see us apart. Our father emphasised to learn the arts of wielding swords and bows, while our mother would argue that we should not be acquainted with warfare and weaponry but left to wander the earth, because us mortals have short life spans and our fate unknown.
I would always be mesmerised when I would see elves from the halls of King Thranduil to bring either aid and gifts as a token of goodwill or come to give the warriors training against a common enemy that was growing every passing day. That's how I developed my interest in fighting much to mother's displeasure. My brother would tusk at my eagerness but i remained undaunted.
I would sneak to the fields and would imitate the elves by twisting and turning and always ending up on my bottom. Then, till i returned home I would be covered in blue and purple bruises, which I hid very well unless my brother would poke me on them making me jump and earn weird expressions. Soon my father had me learn sword mastery but I preferred to use a bow. I had a dream of a bow equipped with a blade, but it never came true. In my village there was no one who excelled in archery and the elves that came excused, by saying that it required a lot of time to learn, but they gifted me a bow which was decorated with elvish runes, and brought supplies of arrow so that I could learn myself.
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One morning I awoke, and was cheerful for my father would return today. What I did not think about was in what way. Near afternoon a band of men could be seen, approaching like a funeral procession. They seemed to be headed for our house and there lay Acbald on a makeshift bed, deceased father of brother and I and deceased husband to my mother. Stung by a spider saving a warrior. A company that was sent to attack the spiders with the elves, had to retreat for they were overwhelmed and no help came from the elves. Two lessons did i learn that day: Not to trust anyone (especially elves) and began to understand what fate and destiny were and what bitter paths they lead a man through.
I saw my mother fight grief and keep watch over us (though we had sufficiently grown up). My brother was recruited in the army while I practiced every day. I had a new yew bow, the elven bow burnt due to my hate that was given to them, it burned bright and crackled fiercely. Me and my people moved away to the more eastern borders as there were less spiders and shaman orcs that were multiplying day by day. I wanted to be a warrior but watching my people suffer due to illness and wounds I became a healer, that was what fate wanted for me.
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I am now mostly away from home helping my people against hardships and give them hope. The illness upon the wood has increased, trees ever looming and bent, it seems like a dark power lays over them eating away their lives. There came no elves for a time, seems that they left us in our most dire situation. My brother returns with scraps and wounds, he once was wounded from a spider, though I healed him before anything serious could take place. I was thus appointed to accompany the groups that went to fight, due to my healing arts. I was also trained with swords and bow fulfilling my childhood dreams, I can now hunt for food and fight spiders and orcs alike along with tending the wounded, they now being my priority.
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I now remember my father and what he taught me about fate. he used to tell me to give my best shot and let the fate do the rest of the work. I used to think and ask then what fate was and how come it had this much power, but I learned it and now I know. Recently I lost my brother, saw him take his last breath in front of me, though I tried to save him. It was his fate. My mother, when told of his death died of grief and I was left alone. My fate. I after my brother's death left my post as a healer, partly due the leader of our village dying and his son replacing him.Though his son was not a harsh leader, he did not seem to like me. The elves did come come to pay homage to the new leader but i cared not. I condemn them now and care for no one in the world. I did like a woman but knowing my fate as such I did not pursue her but stopped myself. I now wander the forest alone leaving my village for good.
I once came upon elves one of whom was stung by a spider. I helped them against my will, must be his fate to be helped and mine to help. They thanked me and offered to stay a night with them but I refused. Later was it revealed that it was Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. I now wander the woods helping those in need and slaying the enemies unto my last days....
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So I wrote this story at night cuz I hav upcoming exams and was not free. Hoping that this story makes it through.... *fingers crossed*
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Fate: A Middle Earth One-Shot
Fanfiction"Fate is for those too weak to determine their own destiny" Acgrim is a child born on the Southern Borders of MirkWood. He has different ambitions but learns through his life that fate rules him and he cannot do what fate has planned for him. "Fate...
