Forget me not

Chapter 2

It did not take us very long to get a party ready to leave for Lorien. We managed to get eight warriors to accompany us, including Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond’s twin sons. By the time the sun rose in the sky, we were all waiting to leave at the gates. I looked back at the party of elves behind me. I saw Elladan and Elrohir joking around with Merewen again; I swear to the Valar that one could mistake them as siblings. We all said our farewells, and we left. I saw younger elves in our group deciding to race. I just shook my head, wondering how they always had such energy and enthusiasm.

After a while of riding, my thoughts fled to my ability. Normally, it was only foretelling the future, but after I met Helas, my ability heightened so I could sense him. It could almost be described as feeling his heart beat within my own, but now that it ceased to beat, I was worried. ‘Something must be wrong, either with Helas or Lorien in general. I need to reach him soon, to put my lonely heart at peace.’

When we set up camp on the tenth day, I could sense a bad aura somewhere around us, but I could not pinpoint the exact direction from which it originated. “Inwe, are you well? I can sense much confusion and sadness from you.” I was not shocked, for Merewen to notice the change in emotions, for she was an empath.

“I am fine I just have much on my mind. I worry over Helas, not knowing if he is all right, and worry of the danger I sense amongst the trees.” I saw a brief look of shock cross Merewen’s face.

“How long have you sensed this?” she questioned.

“Since we stopped,” I said as if it meant nothing.

“Since we stopped? Oh, look who is acting all adult now.” She joked, but I was in no mood for her childish antics right now, for I had too much on my mind. I got up and stalked past Merewen without saying anything. “Inwe, please come back. I meant nothing by it, I was joking. Come on, can’t you just take a joke?” She yelled after me, but I did not stop. I needed to be alone.

I walked for some time, not caring where I went, I just needed to be away from everything. I stopped suddenly, when I heard a twig snap somewhere in the abyss of darkness in front of me that not even my elven senses could peer through. I, instead of calling for help, drew my bow and notched an arrow in one swift movement. Whatever it was had no idea what they were getting into.

Then, all of a sudden, several arrows appeared, heading in my direction, I avoided them easily, letting loose my own in the direction from which the others had come. I heard several piercing screams. ‘Obviously, I hit my intended target,’ I thought to myself. Then, all of a sudden, several Orcs appeared all around me, I was trapped. I took down as many as I could with my bow, but abandoned it for my twin knives as they drew closer. I did the best that one could do under such circumstances, though not avoiding everything, but then I heard it.

It was the bird call Merewen and I often used, and it was telling me to duck. And that is exactly what I did. I glanced around me, seeing several Orcs now fallen to the ground, and now they were surrounded by elven warriors. We all fought well together, though everyone received a token from the enemy. Worst off was Elladan, from what I saw. His leg had been stabbed with an Orc sword. Whether it was poisoned, none of us knew, yet.

The Orcs were gone; we destroyed them all and returned to the camp to tend to our wounds. I did not glance at anyone, for I was afraid they would blame me. I, most of all, was frightened to look at Merewen, for she was tending to Elladan, like a sister would care for a brother. I smiled slightly when I saw him wave her off saying, “I am fine, leave me be!” I was glad for a short time, but then my thoughts drifted off to Helas and whether I could have prevented the attack.