WATTYS SHORTLIST 2018 The heart desires the unreachable. A rare creature born of Middle Earth must undo the damage of her predecessor, who helped forge the Dark Lord's Ring of Power. Amidst her mental and physical weaknesses, she is challenged to become a warrior. If not, endless lives will be corrupted and extinguished. What is the key to defeating the shadows that threaten Middle Earth as well as the darkness that intends to smother her soul? Mirkwood is no exception to the kingdoms that are threatened by the Shadow. Instead of sailing to the undying lands, King Thranduil remains, creating a rift between him and Legolas, who stands against his father's pride and what appears to be insensibility. As he journeys with the Fellowship to destroy the Ring of Power, he begins to peel the layers of the mystery surrounding Mirkwood and himself - a mystery that draws him closer to the maiden that travels with them. The earthborn must sacrifice all to fulfill her destiny - desires for a peaceful life, family, fellowship, and love. Will those she journeys with encourage her selfless intentions, or will they challenge her being and all that she desires? Uncover the secrets of Mirkwood, witness the earthborn's battle, and discover the element of the heart. ***I do not own or have any affiliation with J.R.R. Tolkien, the production companies, or the characters created by them. However, all other characters and storylines outside of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings - All rights reserved © 2015 - presented by Reese Cadwell***

[NOTE: I will not be posting updates here in the future. You can find the rest of the story on AO3.] Folk healer Lyric of Lalaia longs for more. Her life is pleasant and quiet, containing her like a painted pot. But as it turns out, even flowers grieve. When a handsome mercenary comes to her for healing, a choice presents itself: she can continue wilting in the stillness, or she can follow a perfect stranger into a world unknown, to seek the sea that beckons her. In this reimagining of the Eagle Bearer's journey, Alexios stares down a hardened world alongside a woman made of light and honey. Theirs is a story about freedom, faith, and family- and what it means to love a hero. • -- ٠ ✤ ٠ -- • ✤ A canon-divergent retelling of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. ✤ Contains sexual content; canon-compliant & graphic violence; mentions of past abuse; conversations around sex work, child loss, death, familial trauma, and grief. ✤ An acknowledgement: The story contains OCs that belong to me and a couple of my very dear friends, and a majority of them have been imported from other worldstates in which we have previously written together. It has been a joy to bring life to them in Greece. Thank you Knot & Root for your support and participation! Lyr & Zeph would be lost without your characters, just as I would be lost without you. ✤ Please note: edited versions of chapters 1-8 were uploaded, as well as an updated story summary, on Nov. 13th, 2023. Edits were to improve clarity, grammar, and syntax to improve flow. Nothing about the story has changed!

You're a brilliant woman, and there is no doubt about it. Your herbal skills make you the best healer a traveler can find. To others, your life is a mystery and you're nothing more than a selfless foreign witch with a thick accent and flashy clothes. There are also those who say that you're nothing but a charlatan When rumors about a transcontinental race with a huge reward reached your ears, you didn't hesitate and headed straight to the dusty lands of San Diego to offer your somewhat esoteric services to the runners and spectators.