Above her, peeping coyly through the tapestry of the forest's crown, the full moon sent a pale blue light into Moon's Keep, providing her home with enough illumination that the sentry torches had long ago been extinguished. She trembled beneath the soft kiss of that light, feeling it fill her with a strength she only felt but one day in two fortnights, trembled with energy and magick withheld, but also with something else.

She was lonely. Hecate, her faithful wraith, had just returned with yet more information of goings on in the great and unknown realms beyond Wydde's Wood. Even as she stood there, reaching out with a visceral instinct toward the soft paleness of the moonlight the wraith was weaving through the trees, his long-feathered wings flapping noiselessly as he circled and twisted and dove. Every so often he let out a low cry, one which arrowed into her heart with the unerring aim of one of her own finding its target; her trembling grew stronger in spite of herself, and she sighed.

So badly did she wish to depart these woods, as beautiful as they were, even though they were home, and she the Keeper of the Sward.

So badly....

Hecate sounded out into the night once again, and the Daughter of the Moon merely cried slow, icy tears of frustration in reply.

As the darkness of the night enfolded the Earth in her dark and foreboding embrace, Adra Salavonic worked busily in her chambers, casting spells to send her demonic forces outward once again to seek the Ring which she had yet to find, her hunger for its power prodding her onward. This task completed to her satisfaction, she reached for her crystal, throwing her head back and closing her eyes, her dark tresses tossed asunder like a crashing wave.

She would find the Ring; failure was not an option. But, in the meantime...

When she opened her icy blue eyes and let her gaze fall into her crystal, the image of a man, sleeping peacefully in the beds that only royalty could give, appeared. She smiled evilly; knowing how very much he trusted her to protect the region with her magicks. He was playing into her plan so very, very perfectly...

Muttering a spell in some dark and unknown tongue, the images of war-mongers haunted his once blissful sleep. He awoke suddenly, and, a thought now implanted in his brain, stood and robed himself, departing his chambers altogether.

Adra’s smile only darkened further. She stepped away from her crystal and hurriedly headed for her own ill-used bed chambers, waiting. In moments the expected knock fell upon her door; she took her time in opening it, pretending to be surprised at the King’s arrival.

She bowed her head humbly, then looked into the King’s eyes. “What troubles you, my Lord?”

“The dreams of our region’s fall is haunting me yet again,” he said simply.

“And...?” she queried, sensing something else, knowing there was something else.

He turned from her, drawing his robes about himself. “Again my decisions as King and leader of this region army trouble me, again did I make decisions which I know lead our destruction....”

At that he trailed, and Adra stepped out of her door, a blue-eyed gaze full of concern falling into his. “My Lord is a wise, cunning leader. He doubts himself far too much.”

The King did not respond. He turned and paced about Adra’s chambers, something clouding his vision. He did not note the vaguely dark smile which glinted her features, for she held it for the barest of moments.

“There are none who would oppose us, My Lord,” she commented in a deep and rich voice after a few moments of silence.

He whirled to face her. “The Elves, with their rings. It is always the Elves!”

Adra merely blinked her blue eyes innocently. “Without the Ring of Power, those rings mean nothing. But...should they find it...”

The King’s look darkened. For a long moment, Adra’s chambers fell deathly silent. She knew he was ready for what she planned next.

“There is another option,” she stated, waiting til she knew she had his full attention. “We could find the Ring first.”

The King turned to eye her, pursing his lips, then a curious smile coming to them responded, “Yes...yes, perhaps we should...”

She stepped in closer to him, and laid a hand on his arm. “And we shall, My Lord.”

“And there is none better than you to find it,” he added, almost hypnotically.

“That is a wise decision my Lord; I shall make plans to do so as soon as the day breaks. But for now both you and I need our rest, and most certainly you. A King cannot rule when he has had little sleep...”

He smiled to her, then nodded. “You are right, as always, Adra. So wise...” he stated, trailing and gazing into her blue eyes as if hypnotized. She only smiled a somewhat vague little smile.

“Come my Lord, I have just the spell to have you sleeping like a baby,” she said lightly. Then, “Tomorrow...shall be a new day...”

L'Endriel fell flat on his back near the outskirts of the township. He heard someone spit, and slowly opened his eyes, feeling the human's saliva on his face.

"Youse angered enough o' us today. Git outta this town, an' don' come back...or you won' haf a'nudder chance to come back."

L'Endriel slowly stood up and regarded the group of drunks. He slowly fingered the handle of the axe next to his thigh, and toyed with thoughts of dismembering the entire group. A wry smile appeared on his lips. He would excuse their behavior today - after all, he had acted similarly more than once after downing one too many beers. So he simply dusted himself off, and walked away.

He could hear the humans jeer and laugh, predicting his doom as he walked off into the wood once more. He didn't know where he was, but that didn't matter. He found the woods to be a better companion than a human could ever be. It wasn't long before the sun fell, and L'Endriel purposely lost his way in the woods once again.

L'Endriel looked around. The trees in this forest seemed to be much older than any he had ever been in...and strangely, more beautiful. He went up to a nearby tree and felt the lines in the bark. He had never been in such a forest before.

L'Endriel stood silent. His ears involuntarily twitched. He heard a barely audible sound in the woods that didn't seem natural. There was a light rustling and cracking of leaves nearby. Instinctively, L'Endriel crouched down and approached the noise. What he saw surprised him.

There were four shadowy figures walking along a trail, with bows slung at their backs, all wearing grey cloaks that seemed to blend in with the coming night. He almost didn't follow them, until he noticed their hair. They were long and flowy, in locks of gold and silver. He involuntarily touched his own hair...it was so similar. Who were these people?

L'Endriel took a step forward and immediately regretted it. He winced as he looked down at the branch he had just stepped on. Maybe they didn't hear...

These thoughts were quickly brushed aside as L'Endriel looked up to see the four cloaked figures surrounding him. One had unsheathed a long, curved blade, which now was placed under L'Endriel's chin. He heard one of them whisper in some foreign tongue, and another reply. The blade quickly twitched, and was now next to his ear, holding back the long hair that hid it.

He heard a gasp. Then came the blindfold.

"Your insights serve you well, child, for indeed it is the Daughter of the Moon you cast your gaze upon. And she bids you halt in your larkings, and wait for her arrival unto your side."

With those words she bowed her head but once, turned, and soon disappeared into the shadows of Moon's Keep. Long moments passed, broken only by the sighing of the wind, the rustle of the living trees, and the occasional cry of Hecate as he swooped and circled, ever faithful, ever watching over his Mistress.

Finally those myriad light night-noises were joined by the tapping of soft footsteps as, with the suddenness of a wave breaking upon a shoreline the Daughter of the Moon came out of the shadows of the forest itself, coming up from behind to quietly announce her presence to the unsuspecting child.

Feileacan appeared to gasp in surprise, whirling to find the object of her wonder literally at her heels.

"Am I what you expected, Child?" Eirianna whispered at last, her voice as musical as the kiss of moonlight on water. She held out a slender, pale hand to the young elf.

"Come, child, and ride the fair woods with me this night. I am faint for want of company, and stiff from lack of exercise."

With that she let out an eerie and not quiet natural keen; immediately a haunting return not quite of this world came wafting in response, borne along the back of moonbeams, as strong as the rising tide. There came a sudden rustling crash and her wonderful friend and steed, the beautiful Gorfynt, came trotting and prancing out from the dreaming green shadows. He came to a stop before the two of them, tossing his long and wavy mane, his spiraled horn glinting in the scattered light of the moon.

In one light leap the Daughter of the Moon was astride him. She leaned down, reaching a hand to Feileacan, who was yet standing in silent awe.

"Come child," she again enjoined her. "Come ride with me. Let me show you why it is that I am called the Daughter of the Moon."

She fell silent, feeling the strength of the animal beneath her, savoring his glossy hide and rippling muscles, feeling likewise the ever-growing power the creeping moonlight was sending down to her. Her hand extended toward the young elf, she waited in silence, smiling.

The youth dragged his packaging along his back, hunching down in dispair as his mind rattled like the end of a snake's tail with fear. Talasti's foxy, gleaming eyes reached up at the moon that shined birghtly like the smile of a forest creature down at him. The reflection of the wind danced happily in the boy's mesmerized red fox eyes. His tough brown fabriced garment dragging along the surface, as his aimless motion forward came to an end with a thump. The boy's head hit against the ground, and he rolled down the hill into the plain terrian.

Talasti, the "Wild Fox Eyes" was not unconscious at all, but rather stunned by the sudden pain that throbbed in his head from the bounce on the hard foundation. Reaching into the physical strenght of the teenage body, he threw himself up, staring ahead at another row of trees. The young boy reached into his brain, grasping hold of his knowledge in past situations.

I have heard that many elves live in forests, just like I did in Mirkwood, maybe they would be kind enough to allow me rest there. Oooh, I'd hope so He thought to himself, shaking his head to rid himself from the stagnant pose.

Rushing forward in full-stride from his stationary placement down the hill, he reached a log in the forest where he fell down immeditately, as his mind hadn't pondered the thought of tripping over such an obstical. Standing up, he gandered over his shoulder, staring down at an incrested word on the log. It said..

"Wydde's Wood", which probably was done by a child, or possibile a Kingpin of the village that he had spectculated upon.

Turning himself around, he went back to his stride, aiming for what he believed was an opening in the forest, created by the citizens in the village, but it was hard to tell when the moon created such darkness. He remembered when his mother told him darkness was never the best of times to be out, even if the moon was there to guide you.

Another rule Broken, I am beginning to become more michevious every day.

At the end of that thought, the boy was before a fascinating archietured settlement. A smile crossed the face of the youth as he walked slowly, regaining his breath from his stride to the closest of citizens so that he could enter the shelter.

No Adra, not yet, you still need him should your plan succeed! she told herself. All in due time, all in due time...

"The Lady Galadriel is my cousin, Child," she murmured softly, breathing deeply the horse-scent of Gorfynt's hide and hair and sweat. "She is ever my friend and compatriot of my youth; ahh, I miss the days we would ride these woods together.

"But come, Feileacan, let us do as I have not done lo too many years."

With that she let out a long, low whistle, like the call of the will-o'-the-wisp as it plays amidst the ferns and fen and shadows. Gorfynt let a mighty bugling cry crash out against the night, and leapt eagerly into its echoes, his cloven hooves raking and pounding the loamy earth, the small branches whipping and snapping in his wake as he slalomed through the trees as if mad.

At length they broke out onto a clearing, ringed with dark and quietly watching trees. The moonlight seemed to somehow sharpen as his light hooves bore his equally light burden into the midst of that clearing, where he stopped. He tossed his head, his mane flinging out, whipping into the faces of those yet astride his back.

Eirianna let out a great musical laugh, and stretched forth her arms to the brilliant moon above. It seemed to brighten, sending forth a veritable shower of silvery rays, which wrapped about the three of them where they stood: unicorn and elfling and Daughter of the Moon. For a long moment it warmed them in its strangely icy embrace; then a strange occurence broke the magick as yet more magick sprung to life in its radiance.

Eirianna shuddered as the silvery beams somehow... darkened, grew black and noisome, limned with a deep and coppery blood-glow like a moon during an eclipse. The entirety of the night seemed to lower down upon them; Gorfynt let out a wild scream as the trees ringing the clearing seemed to withdraw into themselves, suddenly afraid.

Astride her unicorn, the Daughter of the Moon broke out in a sweat as there upon the darkening surface of the moon, she saw the likeness of... someone.

A woman, dark, beautiful, smiling...

And powerful. Somehow, very very powerful.

She gasped, flinging herself backward, her hands entwined in Gorfynt's mane, bringing him to a back that he literally snapped the strange rays that had bound them to the moon. Then she turned to her companion.

"We ride as the wind to Moon's Keep, child! No play for us this night!"

With that she let out a cry of fear and trepidation and haste, urging Gorfynt onward, back into the forest to her home. His horn broke a path before them as they fled back in silence, deep in the night.

A beautiful blonde elf woman, astride a strong and mighty unicorn with another of her kin, apparently fleeing somewhere. Adra smiled darkly, an evil idea sparking in her mind as she reached to lay a hand on the crystal and once again mutter in a dark and demonic language...

...then froze, suddenly frowning.
Fleeing? But then, the elves did have magicks of their own, maybe...

Adra's dark smile returned once more. Intrigued by the older of the two elves, she reached out to the demon forces that were yet lurking in the wood where the two lady elves were even now.

This one seems stronger than any common elf. Find out more, my evil minions...

...find out more...

The elf slowly took one step back, just out of L'Endriel's reach, but the half elf continued to reach out desperately. Suddenly he realized how ridiculous he looked, and regained his composure.

"Why have you brought me here? I have done nothing wrong."

A smile curled on one of the scouts' lips. "We'll see about that soon enough. It is said that the Lady of the Keep can read into the hearts of men. We'll see what your intentions were for coming into the woods with these." The elf held up the two axes.

"Wha...are you kidding me? Those are for self defense!"

The elf simply stared at L'Endriel.

"We shall find out in the morning...or whenever the Lady chooses to decide your fate. Until then, you shall be confined here."

With that, the scout turned on his heel, and exited the jail, with his subordinates following. L'Endriel slumped down. Who was this lady?...and who in Middle Earth were these people? They looked similar to himself...and yet, they were so different...it was almost as if they had aura surrounding them that infinitely separated themselves from lesser beings.

Suddenly the shadows of the woods grew darker, and a leathery rustle came sliding into her ears. She gasped, clutching against Gorfynt's protection with both hands now and daring to turn her head to take a quick peep behind her.

There, over Feileacan's shoulder, she thought she saw a hint of... something. Something black and noisome and dark and evil and deathly, deathly quiet save for that occasional leathery rustle it put forth. From somewhere above there came Hecate's piercing keen; she jumped, nearly unseating herself, and turned to face forward once again.

"Hurry, my friend, oh please hurry!" she encouraged the unicorn, half frightened out of her wits...

...and not for her own sake, or for that of her elven companion.

For some unfathomable reason, she was suddenly shaken to her very soul for the sakes of all those dwelling within Middle Earth... and beyond its borders as well.

This one knew...something. That would never do...

Sensing the imminent arrival of daybreak, Adra stretched out to her minions, her hand hovering over her crystal as she uttered a demonic order.

Now clouding the image of the scene still playing out in her crystal, a large and oily figure, not of any flesh of man nor dwarf nor elf but of the evils dwelling in the Earth, appeared in the direct path of the unicorn. The unicorn halted and neighed, suddenly finding itself and its riders surrounded by several demons, rising onto its hind legs in protest.

Adra grinned darkly.

Let's see what happens now...

The Daughter of the Moon had scant seconds in which to react... but she was not entitled thus purely for her features. Now her pale brow lowered and a hint of blackness oiled in her gray eyes, turning the mare of them into eclipsing Night. Gorfynt remained upright, suddenly transforming his entire aspect from a panicking animal into a trained war-steed. His great hooves continued to lash out even as Eirianna began the one spell which would save them.

For although dusk hovered at the horizon... the full moon had not yet set.

Now she let go of her grip upon Gorfynt's mane and stretched both hands out toward the circling darkness. Her fingers spread wide, pulling low and off to the side where the lowering moon hovered. Something mystical and magickal and utterly inherent to her very being reached out then, taking up great handfuls of moonstuff and grasping it with the caress of a lover.

"To our aid, come ye now, oh Harbinger of Night and Light!" she cried out a great clarion call, one echoed by Gorfynt's accompanying trumpet. Then she flung out her hands in two wide arcs, scattering the moonstuff directly into the eyes of the demonic horde which ringed them.

It flew into those dark and drear and shadow-seeking orbs... and blinded them entirely.

Before they could gather their wits about them, she flung her body sideways from the unicorn, even as he whirled about on his hind feet. Grasping Feileacan with a hold born of sheer will, she yanked her once more astride her steed, and once again uttered her keening whistle.

Gorfynt needed no further urging. He leaped forward, cloven hooves managing to slice into the hideous non-flesh of at least one demon as with one mighty jump he escaped their blinded circle, rushing off deeper and deeper into the protection of Wydde's Wood. Soon the glimmering stone of Moon's Keep was before them; Eirianna wasted no time but rode her steed directly into the Gates and into the Grand Hallway of the Keep. There she slid from the sweating and trembling Gorfynt, her own knees buckling beneath her as she slid to the floor at his hooves, panting, waiting for someone to come to her.

This one was more powerful than she had even suspected...

She snarled at that, her right hand again reaching for the crystal which had been jostled to the side of the table with her blow. She moved it back to center and caressed it a bit, reaching out to cast one final spell before the day broke.

She had to stop this elf who had such power, which meant that she must first FIND her.

Reaching outward, she murmmered a spell which would in turn cement the trail which the unicorn laid in the ground of the forest. Likewise she called back the remainders of her demonic horde from that region altogether until nightfall graced them once again and she could lay further plans to find this one. Then, as the light of the sun began to glint through the darkness, Adra turned and headed for her bed chambers, weary from an evening full of work, pleased to know that she would not be disturbed by the King for some time...

Glancing over his shoulder he watched a fearful unicorn stampeed down an unmarked straight path toward the Keeper that was ahead. Dodging the collision, he looked over his shoulder in ineterest as one of his young age would. Excitment aroused him at the very moment of the intersecting path, and he took full stride at the posterior of the horse decendant. In the middle of his bolting dash, he lept with the might of 5 men, and grabbed onto the tail of the animal. Clutching onto the hairs of the unicorn, he was dragged painfully along the foundation of the forest. Rolling about during the session of horrid pulling, he came to a sudden stop.

He laid unconscious behind the object, not yet seen by the rider who had slipped off the creature, with a frantic, tremulous emotional apperance on her face. The youth could hear in the hush of the halls the gagging breath of the woman. The boy silently, and promptly arised, his legs wiggling with agony. Straining them to a normal state, he creeped to her side, staring down at her, who had yet to feel the presence of the boy. Kneeling down, he ran his finger along her hair, his touch filled with warmth.

Rolling his fingers gradually down her cheek and under her chin, he softly pushed it up to reveal himself to her eyes. Smiling in pleasure, he began to speak.

Gorfynt merely snorted, quieting as beside him Eirianna began to stir. She blinked her large gray eyes, luminous as the moon over which she held her sway, and directed them into the foxy pair which had come from seeming nowhere to stare down into her own.

Suddenly she realized that her position there upon the floor was unbecoming of her stature... but sure as the moon cycled she could not find the strength yet to rise. It was as though the very proximity of those hideous things, whatever in Middle Earth -- or beyond -- they were, had leeched her life and elan and very heart's energy from her. She shuddered, not daring to think of them, knowing she had to get word of their danger to the King.

"It is--" she began to answer the mysterious young elf, when she stopped. Danger most dire indeed lurked near, but it was not her way to frighten those who needed not learn of it. At least not yet. Better she hold council with her father as to what best to do; she managed a smile, and continued on, her voice firmer.

"It is nothing; I merely rode too swiftly, for my dear Gorfynt holds the heart of the eagle and the freedom of the wind in his breast," she fabricated smoothly. Now her smile broadened into a more natural one, and she let the shadows sink away from her eyes.

"But who are you, my fine young man, to come to the aid of the Daughter of the Moon in her apparent distress?" she asked at length, now rising to her feet. He rose up with her, his hand still lightly touching her chin, and she found much to her chagrine that she had to look up to meet his eyes.

So tall for a youth! she couldn't help but think. Then after helping Feileacan from Gorfynt's back, she turned her attention back to the young elf. Her brow lowered in concern as she noted at length the fact that he was scraped and torn from his mad career behind the galloping Gorfynt, his clothing ripped, his hair dusty and askew. She gasped a little, reaching out to him.

"But you are injured!" she murmured, letting her hands run over his sturdy young frame, seeking to discover whether those words were true or not. "Need you assistance, my friend?"

"I need not that of physical assistance, only shelter for a few hours and I will be on my way for the Powerful Ring." The youth blurted out the reference to the Ring without thinking, and shoot himself back in suprisment of his own words. Gulping down on the statement as if he could retrieve it from reality, but it was obvious that these words were untouchable as time and the wind had drifted them along into the keen atuned ears of the female elven.

What manner of Night does the moon in its fullness take from us? she wondered to herself as she now let her hands fall to her side. Blinking her gray eyes, noticing the obvious discomfiture of the young and yet-mysterious elf, she chose to interpret his suddenly downcast eyes as being positioned thus from respect.

She smiled softly.

"But of course, I am remiss. There is room for the weary and the Knight Errant in this Keep," she said softly, her voice, though a near whisper, echoing off the stones of the Grand Hallway. Turning, she clapped her hands and was immediately approached by a retinue of her court. They proceeded to make a fuss over her and Gorfynt, but she waved them away with an impatient gesture of one hand.

"Take care of this traveler; he has gone far, and is much wearied from road and wind," she stated, turning her head toward Talasti and giving him a sly wink. Then she clasped her hands afront her, and grew solemn.

"See to the needs of my dear Gorfynt, but let him take his head as to where he would lay it to rest this coming day."

With that she nodded the retinue to leave, and turned herself to go to her father and reveal all she had observed this night when she was approached by yet another of her court. He sank down to kneel on one knee before raising his head to inform her of the Prisoner they had taken within the Keep.

She sighed at the news, wanting nothing more than to go clean herself up and fall into a deep and dreamless slumber. But many are the duties of the Daughter of the Moon; she dismissed the elf and after nodding to the two young elves who yet lingered near the quiet Gorfynt, now turned and hurried to the dungeons of the Keep. Not only did she want to get this over with quickly, but wanted to relieve the prisoner of his shackles should it prove unnecessary to keep him thus entrapped. Freedom, after all, was a personal right guaranteed to all those who dwelled within Wydde's Wood, and if innocent she didn't want to keep him from his own freedom a moment more than she had to.

Her feet tripping lightly against the stones, she hurried from the Hall, and soon approached the barred cage in which the newcomer was being held. He rose to his feet at her arrival, neither bowing before her nor striving to appear haughty.

For a moment she stood silent, taking a small bit of time to gather herself together. Then closing her eyes, she laid her hands upon the cold iron of the imprisoning bars, and with her talents reached out to delve deeply into his heart.

Turning about he fell down on the bed. Rolling inside the comfortable wartmh of the covering clothes he wrapped them tightly along his body. He fell into a quick slumber as rest would destroy his vex mentality, and possible gain a response to his own statement ot the female elf that he had presented himself to in a helping hand.

L’Endriel maintained his composure...barely. This lady was the key to his freedom. If she did not find him innocent of whatever crime the scouts thought that he was committing, he would rot in this cell for a long time. Without knowing it, L’Endriel assumed a defiant pose, crossing his arms across his chest, and matching the lady’s gaze.

He examined the lady’s face, looking for any sign of what she was thinking. It seemed that her thoughts were...well, he was no reader of minds, was he? It was obvious, however, that her mind was elsewhere.

"Hey...Hey...HEY!"

The lady seemed to wake from her previous thoughts.

"I’m the one in the cage, and yet you look more distressed than I do. Why don’t you just release me?"

Most, in such a position, failed this one small test of hers, a test she always delivered much to the chagrine of her father, who thought such to be something of a waste of time. This person was no exception.

She then turned her vision outward, letting her gaze fall upon the gleaming, if somewhat widened, eyes of this captive, and continued her contemplation of him in silence. Those eyes of his seemed to ripple and shine like sudden quicksilver in his countenance; indeed, such were truly the windows to the soul, and now she sought to peer through those shining panes.

She said nothing yet, merely letting her own eyes grow glacial, unfocused, and piercing. They melded with his, dancing along their mercuric surfaces, peeping into his being to decipher things he had undertaken, despairs he had long borne, loves he had found and lost, and the many, many fights he had done likewise.

Something deep within their depths flowed into her cells, like the smoke of a morning's mist. Insidious... and chilling for being long ignored. She couldn't help the one small gasp which fled her lips; quickly she pulled back a moment to regain her own composure, then pressed herself snug against the bars of his prison.

A slender hand beseeched him through those bars.

L’Endriel’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her face, her look warm and inviting. She held her hand with her palm open through the bars, beckoning him...

A frown creased her smooth brow.

What manner of being is this, who comes armed as a dwarf, with the demeanor of man, yet within whose bones I sense the singing of my very own kith?

For a moment she stood, quietly contemplating him. Then she made up her mind.

The movement one swift and sure of itself, she opened the door to the imprisonment, waving away the suddenly nervous sentries as she did so.

"He shall come with me to my King," she announced in a tone of voice that brooked no argument. Then giving the man she so easily recognized now as being a halfling of her own kind, she turned and began leading the way to her Father's rooms.

But it was day. This might not be such an effective way to deal with the situation...

...at this time.

So, retreiving her midnight-blue cloak and wrapping it about herself, Adra headed to the door and opened it to reveal the captain of the guards. "My Lady, something approaches the castle that may be flesh or something else entirely, for we cannot distinctly make out its form. My men are waiting for my word on what to do, yet the King does not arouse so that I may seek his consel."

Adra knew very well why the King did not rouse, but she covered for it. "The King has been remiss in resting for some time," she commented lightly. "Let us not disturb him; rather I shall deal with this intruder myself, for intruder he indeed is lurking towards our castle in an elven cloak. Recognize you not the magicks of the elves before your own eyes?" she queried somewhat sardonically. Then, "Have your men... escort him to the King's throne room. I shall be waiting."

"Yes, my lady," the Captain replied, bowing in respect then turning on his heel to make sure the task was completed. Behind him Adra drew her cloak more closely to herself, stepped out of and secured her chambers with a simple spell, and then began descending the stairs of the tower to the throne room below.

A shadow passed over L'Endriel's face.

What if she's taking me to the king to have him decide my fate? A hardened noble might not be as kind as a gentle lady...

L'Endriel turned around to see two escorts armed with long spears following from behind. There would be no chance of escape. He turned around again to see the lady smile, and motion for him to follow.

Perhaps there would be no need to escape. Hopefully, the lady's smile hid no malicious intent.

He began to walk again, and the lady turned around, leading the way. As she turned her golden hair moved gently, just enough to reveal a...pointed ear.

L'Endriel almost stopped walking again in shock. These people were indeed different from any he had encountered before. They were similar in his own appearance, and yet, the ears...and their air of superiority...

They eventually approached two great doors guarded by elvish sentries. There were several runes etched into the golden frame, letters and characters L'Endriel had never seen before. The sentries removed their crossed halberds, and the doors opened with a loud creak.

He continued to ponder what his fate would be as he followed the lady into the King's hall.

Pure Adrenaline..

The boy fell out the bed with a thump, his head throbbing from the awakening pain. Struggling to push his eyes open, he looked along hte wooden floor at his surrondings. He was no longer in the darkness of his dream, no it was a nightmare. Breathing in hte boy fel his body be covered in cold, though the cloth over him should have warmth him, it only worstened the manner.

He needed to go..

The boy threw himself up, staring abou the room at his luggage that he dropped off in his entrance. Walking leisurally toward it, his thought's began tumbling over ideas that he awakened at the worst of times. The dream was amazing, but during it some Trool creature came out. His mother told him about those evil, sadistic barbarians, and what they do to those of flesh. It terrozed him into an awakening, and he had no time to take another sleep, because soon it was going to be an horizion, and he would have to go.

Reaching down, the boy clutched the strap for his luggage, and threw it over his shoulder. Heading out the door after the knob was circularly motioned around, he closed it behind him. STagnant in motion, his mind told him only one thing at the moment.

You must say your good bye to that elf woman. She was kind enough to allow him to sleep in her residence, so the best he could do was give her a vocal respect.

Turning himself to where he remembered her going, he bumped into a child elven. Falling down by the sudden contact, he looked up in confusion, mermozing the face from his ride. Thought it was a bumpy, horrific drag along the surface, he did manage to see the two both before the steed came to a cease.

Precaution, she finally decided as she came to a halt before a large throne and knelt before it. Behind her, the prisoner likewise knelt, prompted by the halberds which suddenly pushed him there.

The elf atop the throne was as ageless as his daughter, but chose to wear the guise of one carrying only 50 earthly years. His hair still gleamed with the gold of youth, his skin was fair and taut and clean-shaven. Eyes the color of night shone out of the regal countenance he bore, shining with the light of myriad stars. They lit up further and he came quickly to his feet, his arms outstretched to his daughter.

"My child!" he smiled in a mighty voice, now descending from the dias to meet her on an equal ground. He reached out and gave her a hug, then cast a glance over her shoulder. This was an easy matter for him to accomplish, for he stood nearly six feet tall, statuesque by elven standards.

"And who is this halfling you bring before me, and in thus a manner?" he queried at length, stepping back to hold her out at arm's length.

Eirianna smiled, loosening her own embrace from her father's shoulders.

"A wayfarer coming into our midst, armed with double axes of a fine and intricate edge, or so I was informed," she said at length. Then, before her father could focus on the lightness this situation warranted, she frowned, bringing something of the dark to dim that light.

Quickly she told him of her encounter in the clearing, of the strange things sent to thwart her, of how the moon had turned to blood and had emblazoned upon its face the dark beauty of pure evil. She shuddered as she ended her brief narrative, putting her arms about herself as from a great distance Gorfynt's whinny came into her ears. Whether that whinny was real or of her own memories, she could not for the life of her ascertain at the moment.

Her father frowned, and quickly went to a window overlooking the woods. There a faint and sparkling trail silvered the duff; his frown deepened, and with a wave of his hand the forest replied, spurting up great clods of dirt and loam to cover over the cemented trail the unicorn had left in the waning night, one augmented by this unknown evil but now hidden from her view.

He turned to his daughter and the halfling, who was still on his knees. Bidding him rise, he approached and stood before him.

A brief eternity passed in which the Elven King reached out himself to determine the purity of heart already decreed by his offspring... and did not find that heart wanting. He laid a strong hand on the halfling's shoulder.

"Speak now, and tell us of yourself, for we may have use of you," he decreed with a squeeze of that mighty yet slender hand. Then he returned to his throne, and regained his seat there upon it.

E'raes smirt spread accross the right half of his lips as he stepped closer and they snapped to attention.

"you there! state your bussiness!" the guard went through the ruiten as standard.

his lips parted to let lose a little laugh, before his eyes narrowed upon one of them and his voice came out smoothly. "I could tell you... But im afraid you wouldnt like what i have to say, and then you wouldnt let me see the king, so... Ask yourselves-" his smirk spread once more as he placed a hand on his hip and stood defiantly. "- do you really want to know?"

the guard looked at him for a moment before his eyes went wide. "im..im so-"

E'rae didnt let him finish the sentance, he simply strode through the confused guards laughing once more.

Spinless morons, see someone and make yourselves large, yet confronted by noble blood you swallow your tongues... You should have asked my business all the same...

he strode inward and passed down many hallways.

This walk is impossible... I have made it only twice before... But i will never make it again... This is the last... I must not return.
His head shook slowly from side to side, the bound hair at the back of his head fliping over his shoulder he paused.

the last time i was here... I made the same promise... This time i will keep it... Never again.
Fliping his hair to his back he continued on, bowing slightly to a few beings who worked at there tasks with extrodinary vigor, truly deticated to there place.

They are so dedicated, they know thier place, why can i not take mine? What is it about this title that hurts me so? I will never know i supose.

he came upon a large and elabretly designed door, pausing momentarily.

Finaly he shruged and walked through, ignoring the protest of the guard before it, he had never been one to care for rules...

He strode into the room and bowed to the king, whom was looking at him strangly, along with the eyes of many others, probably filled with rage, but he did not see those eyes, for he wished not to distract himself from the task at hand.

"M'lord, I have something which i most speak to you of..."

There would never be someone for him to run to.

The King said something else, and time itself seemed to halt for L'Endriel.

...And who is this halfling you bring before me...

Wha?...but...how...?

Had he heard right? A halfling? L'Endriel looked up slowly, noticing the king, his daughter, and the two guards. They all looked like himself, except the ears...and they were smaller in stature. The king's lips moved, but L'Endriel's round ears didn't hear a single sound.

And then it hit him.

Whatever race these people were, he shared their blood.

L'Endriel involuntarily raised his hand to his forehead, and felt the beads of sweat that were beginning to form there. He sat alone in his thoughts for a moment, until a poke in his back brought him back to reality.

"The king has asked you a question. Will you not answer him?"

L'Endriel looked up to see a look of expectation on the king's face. Apparently, he had asked him a question.

"I'm sorry milord, but...uh...what did you say?"

The king let out a breath, and repeated his question.

"Ah...well. To speak the truth, I don't know much about myself." L'Endriel's eyes moved about the room. "I led a simple life up until now. I was adopted by a woodsman when I was young, and raised as his own child. I never knew my parents."

L'Endriel walked towards one of the walls in the hall, and looked out a window, out towards the Wydde Wood. He continued his discourse:

"After his death, I became a wanderer. I do not venture into the towns of men too often. I prefer the company the woods." L'Endriel lifted his hand out towards the forest, palm upraised, catching the some of the rays of light that broke through the cover of the trees. "The birds of the air and the trees of the earth are my companions."

L'Endriel turned around and faced the king, and slowly looked back at the ground. "I have no home. And I didn't know I had any kin, but..."

L'Endriel saw the look of surprise on their faces. Apparently, they had thought he knew his own identity. He also noticed that another person had entered the hall, taller and larger than the others...but with the same ears. This one must've entered while he was still in shock. Either way, there was nothing more for him to say, so he waited for one of them to reply.

Coming to the a soldier who was guarding a door, motionless like a statue. The tall boy walked slowly before the stagnant guard, staring into the man's eyes, averting the soldier's attention from his thoughts to the boy before him. The guard opened up his ears as the boy's mouth began moving in an inquiring concerning fashion.

"Do you know where.." Talasti stopped in the middle of his setence, and he glanced down at the younger elven who used her lips to signal him the name of the lady that he had meet last night. He began again, turning his vision back to the soldier. "Eirianna be thee name of who I want to meet."

Abrupt shock came to the soldier, as a lightning bolt had fallen from the skies directing the man's very conscious into the depths of heavens. Tightening his grip around the arrow-staff, he twirled it stealthfully, and poked it toward the boy's neck in an aggresive manner.

"You shall not see our King's Daughter in these times. I have been told she is in a dire state of emotions, and it is evident she is in a meeting with her father, you traveler-" The man stuttered, as his anger began to take the best of him. Pushing the sharp ending tip of his weaponary even closer to that of the boy's skin, nearly create an indent. The militant continued on his dialgoue, filled with a foregien ascent. "She is the future Queen, and you suggest a peasant dressed fellow of your kind see such a being. Leave these premises as of this moment you fool."

The boy's emotions were intensified with anger by the words that were hooted in such an irritated tone. Assault burned in teh gleaming foxy eyes of the boy, as they ran down the soldier's armor, locking down on the hand's of the militant. Gritting his teeth down, as his finger's clutched into a balling, strong fist, sending of rays of aggression.

Abruptly he screamed in an animilistic manner. The roar was heard even inside the closed doors that held the one he seeked. Throwing himself into a crouch position, while his hand extended pushing the young child away from the altercation, he prepared for a swift move. Reaching at the wooden crafted staff of the throwing arrow, he pulled it from the man with one, single, compelling tug, throwing the man off balance. Swirling around in the fashion of a swan, he banged the man with the wooden materail at the side of his neck. The militant fell unconscious, hitting the stone tiled ground with a thud, left to remain on the cold surface until his awkaening.

Turning his head to the other militant who was alarmed by the thud, he rushed toward the scene. Talasti rotated stealthfully around, coming to a knelt as the staff circularly motioned to the knee point of the man. Banging harshly against the leg, the professoinl combatant was forced to a fall, but during his quick fall a stern kick pushed him against the wall of the door, opening it with the magnititude of his collision.

The boy stood there in the light of the horizon, he stared at thos ebefore him. It was a tall man, slender and of elfish heritage closest, and a man dressed in royality by the one he seeked, and was known as Eirianna. Rolling his eyes to the side, he spectated a man who had been startled by that of another.

His hand shot instantly to his side, where it gripped the hilt of his sword, his body mechanicly moving into a crouch and his eyes focusing intently upon the man who had come in with such a crash. "And who is this that would enter through violence? For your sake, i pray thee have no desire to harm the king, for such would be your last breath!"

"I am here for the girl, the King's daughter." The boy commented, looking past the gleam of the blade at the beauitiful face of the female elven. Throwing the weapon he had attained from the attack down, he walked slowly past the one who protested his entrance. Gesturing his hand to calm the man, he inhaled a breath as his feet trailed along a horiziontal path toward the princess.

Immeditately falling to a kneel, with his clothing and jewlery under making a mustling sound in the hush of the room. His head falling down as only one knee was up, he smiled blissfully as he began to speak.

"King, and M'lady, excuse me for my aggressive entrance, but I was being blockaded for the thing I wanted, and my youthful mentality drove me to such horrific actions. As I pass those words to you.." The boy took a pause in speak, he awaited their expression to his statement. He couldn't draw sense of sound, and his head was down, so their was no way of seeing hteir faces. He continued, "I am here to say my goodbye, for I am back on my path to the Ring of Power."

When he said it this time, his voice didn't whitter, his expression didn't change. He was clear and procise with his words, and showed no restrain or fear of them. Taking a stand he turned to those of the room and bowed to them in respect.

with a jolt his body turned and he faced the king once more, bowing slightly. "im sorry My Lord, but i have remembered, and this is well time to say, I have seen dark things rooming the night, dark things for some time now... They search M'lord, Search everywhere! I saw a few in this area last night, and i fear that they may come here in search... While i can not be sure, such dark things can only be the work of one seeking the ring!"

"You!" He began, his hoot taking hte attention to all within the council residence. The boy continued, his voice even more intensified then the first word, "You moronic elf. There is no way such a great power would be found in these residence, it would have been found immeditately. I even found this aimlessly, and such the socceries of this world would have captured it immeditately." His red eyes burned with a ray of distress, and anger as he paused catching his breath. He began once again, roaring his few last words, "And if this was a matter of a doubt, why would you be idiotic enough to state such an issue in the public when their are possibilies of those of soccery looking over you."

The boy ended, his mind throbbing as adernaline pumped faster with his heart nearly expiring from the speedy dash. Talasti didn't understand this anger that had he had wielded, it wasn't right in the culture of the woods he was in, but it had been burrowed out by the [i]moronic statement, and the possilbility of the Ring actually being in this very location. He was blind enough not to see it, and if not, it would be even more irritating that it wasn't. Taunting the boy with the statement if it was only a lie it would be, and he was never postive toward the state of a lair.

Another portion of his mind was on the idea of soccery, it wasn't normally used in his vocbulary, but the touch his mother's tales told of those who used mystical powers in the form of darkness. He could never believe it, but at the time it seemed only resource in his mind that he could use to battle against the words that attacked the barrier of his heart, and emotions.

A tear suddenly rolled down his cheek, then another, then another. He fell to his knees uncharacteristically crying in the heated moment. It was as if all reality collapsed upon his shoulders, and he was obviously not prepared for such an issue. He grabbed his head in pain, as he screamed loudly..

He gave the kid a pat before he noticed the tears.

"listen, Perhaps you should be finding a bit more rest, eh? relax, find comfort in sleep... Running emotions take hold, and give clear scent to things which run in shadow, understand?"

he then stood and gave the kid a little wink. "Listen, If you wish it to be so, you may stay within my walls tonight, and i'll help you on your way when your feeling better?"

He then took a step back and bowed slightly, "remember though, Getting killed is a horrible way to die."

The boy stummbled to his feet, his head sunk like a unbalanced holey boat. He could feel his legs, they were wobbling though, but he could feel them for some reason. His body just felt num as if he was posioned by the disease of Fear.

He had the comforting words, but they only built his reality, but with the sense that much of his actions could and were possibly for no reason. The friendships, the comfort of his mother all dispatched for the ring that which he had done so much for, was in the hands of those he wanted to place it in as long as he wanted.

This determined him more, but only sent him to the idea of demise outside the walls of woods. He didn't know what to do, but he needed something. He needed some one to comfort him. Though the notion was childish compared to his age, he couldn't help act this way.

E'rae Velic! Back, as carefree and arrogant as ever!

Scarcely able to refrain from an unladylike snort, she now stepped forward, one hand having the audacity to hold itself palmward toward her King, knowing her father would forgive this rash action. The clear gray of her eyes darkened to thundercloud hue.

"I see you have not changed much these many years, E'rae!" she finally burst out with, her voice low and musical but cutting nevertheless. For a moment she stood there, quiet and serene on the outside but trembling with the affront this elven's actions were to her father.

And we were discussing affairs not to be bandied lightly! Now she did snort, and came over to the crying elven. There she stopped, utterly ignoring the handsome and grinning noble, and quietly looked up into the the lad's crumpled height. A cool hand reached out to dry his tears, and she retrieved the map from where he had dropped it.

"Your search for the One Ring will not gain far, should you lose your way without direction, my young friend," she whispered, cupping his chin in her hand. He directed his foxy, tear-stained eyes into hers, and she smiled again.

"Perhaps it would be best indeed that you take shelter within these very walls, to seek further rest, while such an affair of state is decided among my father's court."

With that she backed gracefully away, nodding once to one of her hovering retinue, who hurriedly came forward to take the young Talasti in hand. Seeing he was in good hands, the Daughter of the Moon now turned to the halfling, who had remained quiet through this all. She approached him on quicksilver feet, and came to a halt before him.

Her cloud-clearing eyes stared into his quasi-fey pair.

"It is the elven in you which reaches out to the birds and the forest, my cousin," she said at length. Then she rose up on her tiptoes, and kissed him lightly.

"As you have no kith of your own, I welcome you into my clan, if you like. I have always desired a brother."

She then returned to her father's side, and leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"Indeed, there are dark things most foul abounding in the night, my King," she whispered that none other could hear. "And as such, we must make plan against. But even though claw and wing scour the skies in drear despair, it is not these which bring my heart to such a state."

With that she trailed off into silence, thinking again of the dark-haired beauty, whose image she had seem limned with blood upon the moon in the darkling night of Wydde's Wood.

A...a family.

"Yes...I think I would like that very much."

For the first time in his life, L'Endriel experienced a sensation he had never felt before - happiness.

Footsteps...

His feet were banging against the stone ground, blazing past the young elven who had accompanied him to the door. He was running away from something, and he didn't know where he was going, it was out of there. The warnings of demise couldn't phase him at the time, and only death itself could stop him in his steps.

He felt incarcerated in his own mind, and he rushed to free himself, but the cage was to tight, even when he reached the out of the gates for the village he still felt the emotional cage tightening against him.

Suddenly he realized where he was and bowed, to the king and princess, speaking to the later with an apologetic tongue.

"I am truly sorry M'lady, but i can not help the habbits i hold... Someday i will make it up to you, though i know you have heard it before."

bowing once more he stepped forward and examing the halfling, he nodded slowly. "Your liniage is indeed elven... And stongly at that...if you ever need a companion, I offer myself to you" he bowed once more, an action he always seemed to do a little to much of in the presence of the king, as he was never sure what he should or shouldnt do. "i am E'rae Velic, it is a pleasure to meet one that has found his way not knowing, to find what he did not seek..."

As he spoke he couldnt help the little grin that spread accross his lips, and it was indeed with great difficulty he controlled a chuckle, he was already on thin ground, no need to push it further...

As he stepped back he almost jumped with a start, before drawing out a small medallion upon a silver chain, presinting it to the king he spoke softly, "I almost forgot, I found this on a path through the woods, as it bares the royal crest, i believed it best to return it here, does it belong with either of you?"
Hopefuly i have not done something wrong... I pray this is the right procedure...

Her hand reached out to grasp it, certain it was hers. For hadn't she struck against many a branch, hadn't she heard the creaking of the ents who inhabited these woods as they chastised their herd for their disrespectful slapping of her face, tearing of her hair, and grasping of her cloak as Gorfynt had borne her pell-mell back to the haven of Moon's Keep?

But even as her hand reached to take it back, she paused. Her eyes widened in surprise; now it was her lips which once again pursed in a dainty manner. She slowly withdrew her hand afront of her, where it clasped its companion quietly.

"Indeed this is if royal lineage, but not of my line, nor that of my King," she announced in her musical whisper. Her eyes darted back to the King, who leaned forward for a better look.

Then she nodded her chin to the door.

"The young one weeps at the gate," she smoothly changed the subject, her innate magicks clearly augmenting her hearing to where even from this distance, and through stone and rafter, she could hear Talasti's cries. Abruptly they stopped, to be replaced by a slight rustling.

She frowned, quickly turning to a corner of the King's Hall where there stood a great stone urn. Atop that urn there was a flatly curved silver dish, in whose center there glowed a dancing green flame. The dish was filled with something eerily blue and shimmery; she made a strange gesture with one slender hand, and then peered intently into the dish.

"He wanders in haste to the Keep from the Wydde's Wood," she murmured at length, backing off now with a stifled yawn. Indeed, now that nothing untoward seemed to be seeking them, she desired nothing more than to go lay her weary head down for a bit of refreshing rest. It had indeed been a long night for her, and the King was now in his court.

"Although the sun now dapples and dances amidst the leaves, and he is but beyond the Gate, it is not safe for one so young to be thus on his own," she mused, hiding another small yawn behind her raised hand. She moved that hand away from her mouth, and continued.

"I believe I shall take my leave of you for the nonce, my King," she said, turning to her father with a loving hug. "Perhaps my new... brother..." Her gray eyes danced like moonlight as she put a strange inflection upon the word "...or our returned noble..." Here, her eyes shot into E'rae's like arrows into a heart "...would be so kind as to retrieve the young one in his return, before something dire happens to him or he changes his mind, the vagaries of youth being such as they are."

She paused for breath, wanting nothing more than to relieve her pressing fatigue by a singular and pleasing stretch, but she retained her calm demeanor. Nodding in dismissal, she spoke up once more before departing from them altogether:

"I shall return two hours hence."

Then her light footsteps carried her past the halfling and the tall pureblood, and she soon found the solace she so greatly desired between the satins and silks of her soothing green bed coverings.

Little did the Daughter of the Moon dream that it would be a far longer time than she promised, ere her lids would lift from their slumbers.

A far, far longer time....

Find the Ring.

They were in constant communication with her, following any and every lead within the Earth, making certain that should one find the Ring it would return to its Owner as quickly as possible. And should one be foolish enough to announce his or her desire to gain the Ring of Power for themselves, this would gain the attention of those self-same Ringwraiths.

And precautions would be taken.

And there was one which even now sought after that Ring, one bold and unwise enough to state as much aloud.

The Ringwraiths may not have heard the exact words themselves. But the very desire that this one, this Talasti, gain the Ring, was enough to draw them to him.

As the fool ran back towards Wydde’s Wood, out of the skies swooped a large and monsterous beast, upon which road one of those horrible and hideous Ringwraiths. He turned in startlement, but was unable to move away from the oncoming attack quickly enough to evade it. The Ringwraith, stuck between the world of the living and the dead, only needed to cast but one single non-look upon the frightened elf before he began to fall limply to the ground. The beast upon which it rode flew gracefully under the falling lad, with his limp form now upon its back and in the grasp of the Ringwraith they began to return to its Mistress.

Still sitting on her throne, Adra sensed what was occurring and smiled once, darkly.

See that this one is taken to the dungeons, she indicated. And show him our... hospitality ...leave him to his cell so that I can speak to him in my own time...

Knowing that the task would be executed flawlessly, Adra then returned her attentions to the intruder whose arrival she awaited with keen interest.

Without waiting for a reply, he bowed once more and exited, turning down the hallways swiftly, even unsure himself if his speed was for the need to be away from the keep, or for the desires to help talasti.

As he exited he allowed his feet all speed, giving truth to elven blood, and movign with swiftness that could only be of such.

he came forth to the gates in time to see a shadowy figure riding off into the forests, and in the time it takes a dwarf to finish a pint, he had put two and two together to come to an even 4...

He felt the hilt of his sword tightly within clenched fist, could feel the blood being squeezed away from those knuckles...

I tried! i warned them all that they would be here... They take my Bravado as ignorance, and stupidity... But there is true knowledge to such actions...

Not wasting time he quickly chased after, but even elven legs could not match those of a swift steed, and the shadow was soon no where to be found...

Quickly he returned to the keep and left a message for the Lady Eirianna, which was writen as:
M'Lady,
I fear the shadows have claimed the one you wished to retrieve, i shall follow the tracks, and find this blight, and do all i can to retrieve him.

E'rae Velic

L'Endriel examined his surroundings for a moment, and ran over to a nearby tree. He climbed the tree with inhuman speed, until he finally reached the top. He peered over the horizon, until he found what seemed to be a black cloud hovering over a certain spot nearby, but moving quickly. L'Endriel grinned.

Well, at least I still know how to speak with the ravens

Had he forgotten how to do so, the large eagle that now swooped by would've never come. L'Endriel jumped on its back, and quickly directed it to the conspiracy of ravens looming on the horizon. Perhaps he could save the boy yet.

"Greetings to Taunderon," she said calmly and regally. "What brings a man, dressed in an elven cloak and adorned with an elven sword, to our parts?"

At that she fell silent, by all appearances merely waiting for an answer to the question that she had posed.

This one would challenge HER, the great Sorceress?!

How dare he...

She flicked a cool gaze to the guards standing beside him. Then, standing, she descended the steps to the throne, stopping before him and casting a dark look into his eyes, not bothered in the slightest that she was considerably shorter than he was. Behind her, a wolf-like creature which she called Talon trailed, snarling, sensing the concerns of his Mistress.

She then looked to one of the two gaurds. "Take his sword," she said quietly. "My ever-faithful Talon will make certain I come unto no trouble from this one who would challenge the most trusted servent of the King."

She fell silent at that for a moment which passed in an eternity, waiting as the guardsmen, who were only doing their job, removed the sword and took it along with them, still hovering somewhere nearby should they be needed.

The tall and imposing Talon stepped beside the pair, and Adra backed up a step to look at this one. "Who are you?" she queried again, the look in her eyes this time born of the fire of Hell. "And what is this you think you know of me?"

The eagle had caught up to the dark rider, and was now simply keeping up with the wraith below. Even the horse's speed, which was driven mainly by the madness caused by its rider, was no match for the eagle.

L'Endriel had experienced a wide range of emotions today...but the most memorable was the happiness he found in finding acceptance somewhere. He would not fail those who had taken him in as family.

Stupidly, L'Endriel let go, and jumped on the darkly cloaked figure below.

As soon as L'Endriel made contact with the wraith, time seemed to slow down immensely. He felt his life forces draining immediately, as if the wraith was feeding on his very soul. He saw dark spirits circling around him, laughing and mocking him. Slowly, L'Endriel fell from the horse, and heard his body hit the leaves on the forest floor. As soon as his body no longer was in contact with the undead creature, time speeded up again, and he gasped a mouthful of air, as if he hadn't breathed in ages. After what seemed like an eternity later, L'Endriel heard a second thump, and a horse neighing violently.

No point in following him now... he thought to himself as he placed the bag in front of him and took some bread out of it. The wind will be covering his tracks. I'll have to continue tomorrow at first light.

Arandil ate the bread, crunchy from being so dry. Afterwards, he unrolled the bedroll against the log for him to sleep on. "I wish those elves gave me a map about this forest..." he said to himself, looking up at the trees. "I have never been to this part of Rhovanion be--"

A horse neighing loudly interrupted Arandil. He looked to where it was coming from...

It's not far...maybe its just another traveller...

The neighing was then followed by a violent, inhuman shriek. The sound of it hurt his ears...and filled him with a strange sense of fear and dread.

...I have never heard a creature make that sound before. It is neither elf nor man...and it is certainly not the horse.

Curious, Arandil ran in the direction where the screams came from. He jumped over rocks and fallen trees, brushed leaves and branches out of his face, and stomped through mud as he got closer and closer.

The noise had stopped, and Arandil began to wonder if the source of it had already moved. The thought was answered when he was able to spot two dark figures in the forest.

As he got closer, Arandil slowly stopped running as he took in the sight before him.

Farthest away was the horse, standing quietly
in the night. But closer, and far more important, was a being clouded in a black cloak as if he were a living shadow.

Arandil only heard about this creature in stories of myth and legend...stories about horror.

A ringwraith... Arandil realized. He stood there, motionless by fear, as he watched the wraith drew out a long sword and crept closer to a body lying on the ground.

When Arandil saw the wraith's prey, he broke off from his trance and unsheathed his sword. With a cry he charged towards the wraith.

"Get back, soulless beast!" he cried. The wraith's hood shot up towards the oncoming challenger, and brought up its sword in defense. Arandil swung first, but was parried by the wraith and was countered by a slash to the neck. Arandil ducked from the attack, and sliced upwards. He heard the blade cut through the thing's cloak, yet the wraith seemed unhindered by the blow.

Arandil backed off, a look of surprise on his face. That would have killed any other man...

The wraith, seizing an opportunity, shrieked and dashed towards him. A flurry of strikes were launched against Arandil, and he parried and blocked as many as he could. But the wraith continued its offensive, forcing him to back up. Determined to finish the Man off, the wraith lunged forward with its blade. Arandil side-stepped to the right and swung at its side.

The blade cut deep, and the wraith screamed. However it simply stood back up and faced its opponent. Arandil swallowed as he brought his guard up. The creature strided towards him slowly, each thump with its armoured feet making Arandil feel a sense of hopelessness in defeating it.

When it came close enough to dash forward and engage Arandil again, the wraith stopped. Both opponents simply stared at each other.

For some reason, against his will, Arandil stared into the darkness within the hood. There was nothing there...yet there was something...familiar...deep inside...

"Issssssildur..." the wraith hissed. Then it started to back off. Arandil watched as it turned around and made way to its mount.

Witin moments, both figures had disappeared into the forest.

Isildur? Arandil thought.

A few minutes had passed before he finally noticed the body laid out on the forest floor. He quickly ran up to it and crouched.

He looks human...but his hair looks that of the inhabitants in Rivendell.

He leaned over and pressed his ear against his chest. "Still alive...and still breathing."

Arandil picked up the man, and carried him into the forest to his camp.

Some medicinal herbs will keep him from getting a sickness...

No sooner as he walked the path to his camp, there was another ringwraith shriek in the air...followed by another...and another...

Somewhere a cousin of his cried out, a wild and foul sound which rent the air like a blade, and was soon joined by a ghastly shriek which came from nowhere and everywhere, descending upon Wydde's Wood in a shroud of black and decayed evil.

Gorfynt bugled an answering challenge, coming to earth in a rush of wind and flurry of dirt, lashing and pawing the soil beneath his feet, his cry bellowing over and over in reply. Then he turned and for the fourth time galloped the full perimeter of Moon's Keep, screaming his warning, the echoeing cries of the circling Hecate spurring him onward.

She did not answer their cries.

He bugled his frustration again, and set off at a mad pace, mane whipping, horn a-gleam, to complete yet another circling of the Home of his beloved.

L'Endriel slowly opened his eyes as he woke from what seemed to be a deep sleep. His eyes seemed to want to stay shut, but he forced them half open. What he saw was a cold, grey world, in which a mist had settled. It was a forest, a wood that seemed incredibly familiar, and yet, the name of it seemed out of L'Endriel's mind's reach. He looked down and noticed the ground was moving. He was traveling somewhere. If he had his wits with him, it would've been obvious that he was being borne by someone or something, but that seemed irrelevant at the moment.

L'Endriel looked up to see a beautiful woman. She had long, flowy grey hair, and seemed to float alongside him. The ghost looked deeply into his eyes. A gentle smile appeared on her lips, and she raised her hand to carress the bruise on his cheek. L'Endriel looked down, grinning sheepishly in his stupor. He looked up again, wanting to see the mysterious lady's eyes once more. He met her gaze...but did not like what he saw.

As he looked in her eyes, he saw what he recognized to be his own face, but extrememly different. His cheeks were drawn and malnourished, with bags hanging from his eyes due to fatigue. His skin quickly deteriorated, leaving behind the fleshy substance of his face. This too, fell in glops around him...leaving only his bare skull.

A loud shriek awoke him from his nightmare, where thankfully, he was greeted by the gentle face of the grey lady once more. But her face changed as well. The pupils in her eyes seemed to disappear, and her eyes took on a single milky white color. Her face became drawn in, and and grim looking. Her mouth turned cruel, and she reached out a long and frail hand as she shrieked once more. Two more specters joined her on each side, answering her call.

L'Endriel blacked out again, only to be haunted by dreams of what he thought he saw.

Awaken

A heat blow of the wind beckoned the boy to an awakening. His eyes shooting open quickly from the feel of the cold cement under him in the dungeon. The boy inscitantly attempted to move his arms down to push himself up, but he felt the vice grip of the chains refrain him from doing it. Frowning in displeasurement, he strolled through his brain, searching for an explaination of his existence in such a dark, cold place.

It was that monster, he attacked him.

Talasti's fear and anger overwhelmed him, so he responded in struggle. Rustling about, attempting slide his tightened fist through the olden, but still strong locks. After the moment of his dire attempted at escape and stopping, he leaned against the stone tiled wall. It's cold, horrific aura discomforting the boy, but he felt that these would be the walls that he would reside in for the rest of his life, so he'd have to find some sort of luxury in his stay.

His hand outstretched slowly and set upon the mans shoulder, obviously startling him with the silence of his approach.

as the man looked at him, ready to draw his sword, E'rae's smirk returned to his face, and he quickly spoke. "Wait! this is my friend... thank you for your assistance, he went ahead of me and i was unable to help him..."

Looking down he nodded at the form of L'Endriel, which sat tossing and turning, unable to wake from the horror of his dreams.

"do all you can for him, please, i will stand guard... Though i doubt they shall be returning tonight, they're objectives are elsewhere..."

"The Wraiths, you mean?" he asked. Before this stranger could answer, L'Endriel moaned painfully. Arandil shook his head.

"Never mind. I have some medicine with my supplies..." Arandil carried the half-elf through the forest path. He wasn't sure if the elf behind him was following or not, but his focus was more on the injured man.

Within moments, he reached the log where he placed his belongings. Arandil laid L'Endriel on the bedroll and pulled a small bag of herbs out of the knapsack.

He's pale and cold...whatever that creature did to him is slowly killing him.

He chewed the herbs, then placed them inside a leather-skinned sack of water. He shook up the sack and then poured some of its contents on the half-elf's face, and the rest into his mouth.

"It will make you sleep easy..." he said, though L'Endriel was unconscious.

Smiling a bit darkly, she then stepped back a bit further, still pinning his eyes with hers, then extended her right arm, her hand held loosely and fingers hanging naturally towards the ground. With the flick of her wrist she moved that hand perfectly horizontal with the ground, her fingers then widespread and tense. Something not visible sprang forth in that motion, knocking the unspecting being in front of her to the ground unconscious.

And HE would challenge ME? she thought, snorting even as she gathered her cloak about herself and pulled the hood over her head. She nodded once to Talon, then spoke. "We will take him to the dungeons with us."

Then she began outward even as Talon began to half-carry, half-drag his charge along with them. She halted only momentarily to speak with the gaurds, "This one would threaten the King!" she stated mournfully, nodding in the motionless one's direction. With no further ado Adra headed for the dungeons below where Talon chained their new prisoner in the same manner as the other yet in another portion of the dungeons while Adra approached the sleeping Talasti.

She cocked her head then, actually kneeling, again reached out her hand, palm extended downward. "Awake, young one," she said aloud. As he began to awake she reached out further and ran a finger from his forehead down to his jawline, considering him carefully. Finally she spoke once more.

"You seek to gain something that does not belong to you," she said a touch darkly. Then, pinning him with a somewhat icy gaze, she waited to see what, if anything, he might say in reply.

He turned slowly in place, glaring at all that was to be seen. "where are you... I know your hear... I can feel it..."

stepping silently, feet not snapping even the most brittle of branches.
Standing before a large tree he growled as he unslung his blade, slashing the tree in two.

Moving quickly into his frenzy he slashed down several more trees in an instant, growling as he did so in his deep demanding voice. "Come to me! your here!"

Finaly his lunges released a low and ferrel grunt, as his blade became inbedded 3 or 4 feet into the ground...

No sooner had the blade met its resting place, then the bluish runes upon the black surfice began burning in a terrible fire of magick, and the forest around him seemed to "die" somewhat, losing its vigor and taking on a blackish hue.

Finaly he spotted it, what he searched for, a small stone, which was the size and shape of an egg.

He grined to himself as he drew his sword from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, walking to the stone he picked it up and smiled down at its black surfice, and its single rune itched in a firey white, now glowing fiercly at him in an angry fashion for the destruction of the tree it had once hid within.

he laughed. "you are indeed worth the price of these trees... for now two stones do i have..."

As he walked away into the area's of still living tree's his attention was caught by a shadowy rider and he couldnt help but laugh to himself. "Worthless wraith, your master seeks the ring... Pitiful... who would desire a mere piece of metal?"

walking away and entering a little cave which served as his base of operation he placed the stone on a little table alongside another stone, this one red and etched with a green rune.

As he set them together they semmed to vibrate for a mere second, befor eboth fell dorment.

setting his sword down in a corner he gathered the two stones and placed them in a pouch at his side...

He then turned to a little symbol etched at the bottum of a bowl of wine.

Gazing in he focused on the wraith he had seen and smiled as a dark figure appeared in the liquide, feminen by the looks, but with his way's of detection details were nothing wonderful...

If she is the one that seeks the ring... Then perhaps i should pay her a visit... Finding thes accursed stones is more work then i desire... If power is what she seeks, she will indeed be interested in what i may offer...

He smiled to himself and stepped from his "home" to view the forest outside of him, taking in a deep breath he closed his eyes.

He fled from the cold stone, seeking the warmth of the dying sun as he bore upward now, his hawk's gaze sharpening over the realms below. There in the distance, a dark and dismal place, one in which he sensed the presence of even darker things, laughing in the night. He called a piercing challenge to that darkness; it would not succeed.

For he knew. He knew what they all sought after... as well as he knew its location. Well it was hidden, and hidden it would remain, as long as he kept watch over his beloved forests and the occupants which inhabited it.

Now reaching the apex of his swoop, he cartwheeled, stooping now, wings tucked tightly against his body, feeling the rush of the wind in his face, his beak open in joy, his eyes a glittering dark topaz in his head, still watching, still looking, never closing. From somewhere in the darkening shadows there came a flash of silver; it was the trumpeting Gorfynt, still engaged in his endless mad-dash about the Keep. From elsewhere there was the flicker of flame; he shot to it, concerned that the campfire not exceed its small bounds and threaten his woods.

It was contained; he snapped his wings out then, effortlessly transforming that nearly uncontrolled fall into another soaring glide, and flew over the heads of the ones about that fire, his wild cry piercing the Night.

And then something else captured his attention... something elsewhere, something as dire and dread and deathly as the place from whence all the shadows had been coming of late.

An evil was to join with another, and his lovely, leafy charges were at stake.

His call chilled, piercing the Night like an arrow, keening over the realm of the elven and into that of man, that all would know their plans would be useless, would be of no avail.

He circled back to the Keep, calling, crying out in the Elvish Tongue, warning, ever warning....

"You speak of the Ring, then that would mean implying that you want it as well. To you and the rest of this place called the world, nothing belongs to you, why do you think man beckons for it. They want what they dont have, and thats why they conquer land. Leave me be, as I remain here for my eternity, dreaming of what I will never have, and you will never have, but the difference between me and you is that I wasn't searching for my own pleasure, my own needs. I was searching for the rest of the world's safity, to bring complete balance, you probably are searching for conquering grip over the land..." Talasti ended, his red fox eyes coaling, while his fist tightened over the grip of the chains. Closing his eyes, he silenced himself and with this gesture, his bodily expression spoke the words...

With that he took hold of L'Endriel and assisted in his transport, heading off in the direction of the elven keep.
Sometime later

They arrived at the keep, L'Endriel's body beginign to sweat and shudder, as fast as they could...

Quickly E'rae found a room to place him in and summoned a nurse to assist in his healing, all the while hearing the cry's of warning from above...

Standing suddenly he looked to the nurse and to Arandil, "i shall return momentarily, but the Lady Eirianna must be found... it is, odd that she would not respond to this call from the woods..."

He turned and exited at that, quickly making his way to the throne room.

Never return... This is the last time I will come here... The last... I swear it...

As he entered he saw the King chatting with an Elven Lady, noble by the looks of it...

His eyes widened to see the young noble back with such obviously empty hands.

"Where is the young one you hastened in pursuit, my friend?" he queried, coming up to E'rae to lay a questioning hand atop his shoulder. His dark eyes pinned the jade pair before him.

"Has ill befallen him this night; is that why Gorfynt screams and the wood's wraith howls without these walls?"

He frowned, as though suddenly noticing that time had passed... too much time than his daughter was normally wont to nap. Without removing his hand, he flipped his head to Feileacan.

"Go hence, and quickly. See to your Lady," he directed shortly, before turning back to the eleven noble in his hand. His frown deepened, his eyes becoming like the very sun in the depths of an eclipse.

"What have you to describe unto me, my friend?" he queried in seriousness, slitting those dark eyes a bit and perking his delicately turned ears forward. "Indeed there is foul afoot without the Keep; has it reached you in your endeavors to save the young one who so brightly shines for my Daughter?"

She paused at that, her blue eyes peering into his, unreadable. "You would claim that I am evil for seeking the same thing which you do?"

Again she fell silent at that, weaving a cloak of deception and sweetness about herself, using her powers to completely hide the true intent of the next words she would speak. And after all, it was night...

...her powers were strongest now. She then gazed more deeply into Talasti's eyes, muttering something in a tongue which he did not know, a spell which would bend him to believe her words even more. "I am but a Sorceress seeking to find the Ring. Its powers are evil; seeking it for good alone is not enough. However, as a sorceress I can withstand the Ring's draw; I intend to find it and see that it is destroyed myself."

At that she fell silent once more, her eyes yet falling into the younger pair before her.

"Will he be alright?" he asked.

The nurse nodded, not looking up at him and cleaning L'Endriel's forehead with a cloth. The man was still pale and shivering, whispering to himself.

I'm sure he'll recover.

"Do you know where your lord is? I have something of great importance to discuss with him." The nurse didn't look up at him again as she responded. "Follow E'rae Velic to the Throne Room. He goes to speak with King Gildur."

E'rae Velic...that must be his name.

Arandil nodded and followed the elf's path. As he reached a huge doorway, probably leading into the throne room, two elven spearmen stepped up to stop him.

"What business does a Man have with our King?" one guard asked. Arandil made a small bow with his head.

"My business," he began, "is none of yours, save with your King. It is of great urgency I speak with him."

The other guard smirked. "We don't simply allow your people to walk into the throne room, especially ones who are armed and dressed in your manner."

Arandil took a step forward to the guards, intimidating them a bit. "Perhaps you'll make an exception with a ranger who saved one of your kind from a ringwraith."

Disbelief spread across the faces of both guards.

"If you don't believe me, you can go see him writhing in pain as he is cared for by the nurses."

Within moments, Arandil was walking down the hallway to the throne room. He stopped when he spotted the elf whom he had met in the forest talking to another, who Arandil felt a sense of majesty from.

He must be the King...

Curtsying she hurried out of the Throne Room and repeating her orders to the guards outside obtained directions to her Lady's chambers. She approached quietly and knocked gently upon the door, "Lady Eirianna, your Father wonders at your long delay."

She waited a moment and hearing no reply queried again, "M'Lady?"

"You were touched by the wood within the area i searched..."

he sighed and pulled the two stones from his pouch, holding one stone in each hand he held them near the wound, which had been caused by a splinter of wood.

As he held them he focused upon the gentle throbbing in his hand, thinking of a sweet melody of light tune, which came from his minds ear, and into his hands, causing them to glow, soon the dear's wound was practicly non existant, the infection removed he replaced the stones in his pouch and standing sending the dear off with a threatening growl.

"Your destruction gains me nothing... But bother me again, and i wont be so kind..."

He shook his head and stepped away, looking back to the forest he sighed

believe me... Had you not hid this stone from me, your pain would not be so evident...A kingdom is usless if there is nothing within, I seek to control everything, not just those that have true conciousness... You too will serve me when the time comes.

he then walked returned to his "home" quietly taking his sword once more upon his shoulder and walking off in a seemingly random direction... it was time to seek an ally, and unfortunatly, he held only a vague idea of where that ally dwelled, and could not simply transport himself there with a whim... For even his powers held restrictions.

he trailed off for a moment, and then looked to the traveler that had assisted them in the woods, he nodded to the man and turned to the king, "This one is who L'Endriel ows his life to..."

He then turned to view the way which Feileacan had gone off to, a frown threatenign to take over his features for the barrest of seconds, yet his quiet little smile remained intact, fighting off idea's of displeasurment with a flash of seeming self centered confidence. "it is odd, it should not take this long find and wake someone..."

he then turned and bowed to King Gildur, "M'lord, i will see to this."

With that he turned and followed after, finding Feileacan standing quietly beside Eirianna's bedside, shaking the quiet form of the princess now and again and uttering "M'lady?" repeatedly.

as he approuched he quickly essessed the situation, shaking his head.
What has happened... Has the forests death found its way into you? Ah your stronger then that, i must say, im somewhat dissapointed in you for not fighting whatever it is from your being...

He kneeled slowly looking at Feileacan and gesturing to the side "excuse me m'lady, but allow me to see what can be done."

his attention then went to Eirianna's body, his hand reaching out to take her wrist... He could feel the warmth in her body, and could feel the beating of her pulse... She was simply unconcious...

What could cause such a thing? Dark magicks are at work... She is strong, this is the impression i was given even as a child on my first visit to this place... What dark strength could be powerful enough to place her within such a state?

He took a small and sudden step toward the stalwart elf before him, cocking his head. Then he raised his arm imperially.

"Come, my friend," he murmured in a rush as he let that step lengthen into many which took him from his Halls altogether and into that portion of the Keep where his daughter kept her rooms. There he burst into her chambers, coming to her bedside and jostling the somewhat useless Feileacan to the side as he did. Quiet yet hurried footsteps sounded the arrival of E'rae along with him.

He halted, staring down at her pale and gently sleeping form. His brow lowered.

"Your mother was the Healer of the Court in her day, my young friend," he stated at length. "You have it in you to do something about this foul and unnatural sleep which has descended upon her."

Now he turned his head, overtly acknowledging E'rae, his dark gaze pinning the younger elven's jade one.

"As your King, I command you take action.

"But as Father to the Daughter of the Moon, and One who would yet hold in high esteem the son of two once so dear to my court...

"I will leave you then," she cooed, a little too sweetly to be real. Then her look and her voice darkened. "But I will not leave you in peace."

With that she stood, her staff held tightly in one hand, all-the-while casting a dark and foreboding look in Talasti's direction. Then she threw back her head, stretching her free arm with the palm of her hand downward and fingers extended, her eyes for the moment closed as she drew upon the dark energies and evil dancing in the night. She reveled there for a moment, then her icy blue eyes snapped open and she pinned Talasti with a look born from Hell.

In that moment, something made of nothing more than sheer evil yet completely invisible burst to life from her the staff which she now pointed towards him, slamming into Talasti and pinning him to the floor of the castle dungeon, wrapping about him and squeezing til at length he couldn't even breath. So he merely laid there, gasping desperately for breath, til at length the world began to fade into spots of blackness.

Adra would have none of this. She released him from the deathly hold her powers had upon him, allowing him a precious few seconds to gasp free air.

Then she let that evil slam into him once more. The chains upon his wrists and ankles suddenly snapped free, but before he could even think of moving she lifted her free arm upward, and his body rose in tandem into the air, where it spun upon the invisible cloud of evil he was being held up upon. With another move of her staff, he then was slammed into a dungeon wall with great force, drawing a few cracking sounds from his body. He crumpled to the floor but was once again weighed down with evil, once again gasping for breath.

Adra left him there once more, this time waiting til he had blacked out completely before letting him go. Even as he gasped for breath in unconsciousness, she saw to it that he was once more chained by both the wrists and ankles by the dungeon warden. Only after she was certain he was once more restrained, completely disregarding the probability that he had several broken ribs and bones, she stretched out once more and shoved him back into consciousness so that he could feel the utter pain now coursing through his body.

And likewise so he could hear her next words, if he even had the remainder of stamina to interpret them.

"See that this one is guarded personally," she told the prison warden. "Through him I have discovered that the elves intend to find The Ring and defeat us all; this one is one of the chief Ring-searchers. I shall consult the King regarding this immediately, but make certain this one is never out of your sights, and he should be beaten if he utters yet one plea to be released. Otherwise, I shall return to...discuss matters further with him regularly."

The warden nodded in understanding, and Adra cast one final gaze in the direction of Talasti, reveling one final time in the pain she felt coursing through him. She couldn't help but extend her staff at him, shooting one final thread of pain into him to heighten that which he was already feeling.

He would not die. But he might wish he could.

With nothing more than that then, she turned and headed for her chambers to her crystal, writing something forged by evil yet in Elven tongue upon one of the trees near the place where she knew the Ringwraith had abducted Talasti, keenly aware that there was an elven village somewhere nearby.

Regarding the one who was foolish enough to seek the Ring of Power: Only I, Sorceress of Taunderon, shall succeed in that quest...

That darkness was not merely a result of the New Moon... for New Moon should not be hanging in the sky overhead. Upon that night before, indeed, did not he bear the Daughter of the Moon into the clearing, where she herself grasped the stuff of the Moon in its entirety, flinging that into the Faces of the Destroyers, to allow them to slip beyond the grasp of Death and gain sanctuary within the sturdy walls of the Keep?

He bugled and frothed his dismay and alarm, caroming back to circle the Keep, his trail now a deep path cut into the loam and duff upon the forest floor. Even as he passed, branches seemed to hold out to him, to beseech him stay, and not tear any further that from which they took sustenance.

He could not restrain himself, but he broadened his path, now moving outward that his poundings not lay upon one path only and deepen it so destructively. Onward, ever onward, he tore through the shadows and the trees and the dark, until at length he came to a particular tree standing as sad and lonely sentinel amidst the living strengths of the others.

It was blackened, sere and wizened, great heaving cracks marring the wood, from which an abundance of sap had oozed but had not managed to heal. Two knots peered out in pain and anguish for what it bore, what it was forced to bear, that gleaming with the utter lack of light and written as warning in Elvish.

Gorfynt took an instinctive step backwards, snorting in new alarm and distaste. He shook his proud head, reacting to the evil placed there before him, sensing the pain of the yet-living tree.

His bugle tore the night then as, lowering his head, he rushed the tree, plunging that spiraled point deeply into the heartwood, rending and splintering, until he reached the very core of the tree connecting roots to crown, and ripped it in twain. A kind of light, unseen by mortal eyes, stared out at him as he pulled his horn out amidst a flurry of wood and sap and bark, then faded gratefully into Night.

Trembling with fury and disgust, his feelings mimicked by the fiercely protesting screams coming from the distant Hecate, that one of his own beloved needed to be put out of misery imposed so direly upon it, Gorfynt whirled and reared. His hooves lashed in promise of death to any who dared bring harm to the Keep of the Moon, and his beloved Daughter who dwelled within it.

Then he took off in pounding haste, upon his horn pinioned that bit of engraven bark, this time to actually enter the Gates of Moon's Keep, to bring forth this awful message he had discovered in the woods, limned in blackness, and radiating the cold of eternal death.

For he could feel the shadows growing, and that clearly gave light to what he saught...

In a moment he found himself in the chambers of the sorceress, who's powers had obviously been augmented by the night... She wore darkness as a cloak, her deeds clear, he smiled and approuched, his pressence suddenly becoming known, dispite his utter silence.

Mother... I wish i had more of your talent... I saught so little in the skills you had offered me...

But i will do what i can...

He stood slowly, and exited the room, finding a little garden he plucked a few flowers, and plants, uttering a thanks, and appology to them before returning...

Quietly he dipped a few flower pettles in water, and lay them upon Eirianna's cheeks, before continuing by grinding a few routs, and leaves into a bowl, turning them to a fine powder, before adding water and soon seeking a small fire to heat the liquid mush...

As the liquid heated he saught out more petals and returned to deep those in the strange concoction and then place the soaked petals upon her forhead, and cheeks, over the ones he had previously placed.

Waiting a moment he saught out a small bit of whin, which he then poured into a glass, and mixed with the other liquid mush...

With a quiet sigh he opened her fair lips, and forced some of the drink down her throat before backing away...

"I am unsure if this will work, but my mother said that this was the strongest healing remedy for those in a coma"

Then the fluttering grew stonger, and the bloom of the petals came into her fair cheeks, the living essence of those upon her forehead absorbing deeply into her brain, even as that smeared upon her chest soaked down into her heart, both to coax her into awakening even as the salving broth flowed down her throat into her stomach, from there to be carried into every part of her body.

She uttered a slight groan, then a little sigh, and shifted upon her bed.

Her gray eyes snapped open, then, staring unseeing at the ceiling arching overhead, yet seeing something graven there only too clearly, something only she could see, and one other....

"Gorfynt," her whisper cut the otherwise silence of the chambers, echoing off its stony walls, loud as a portent of doom.

"Wydde's Wood is in Darkness... and we have touched that Night...."

She then fell silent, sentience and normalcy returning to her demeanor, her faculties returning to normal before their very eyes. She cut her gaze up to those around her, finally letting it settle upon E'rae with the realization that it was he who had awakened her.

Her eyes closed briefly, her lashes brushing her cheeks. Then they opened, clear and strong once again.

"I thank you, E'rae," she said in her musical contralto, sitting up now to finally rise to her feet. She reached a hand out, one pearl-tipped finger gently touching his cheek before she allowed her eyes to slide from his, a frown now coming to her features.

"Gorfynt..." she murmured, a touch of alarm now coming into her voice. Then without so much as another look to the others, she departed her chambers, seeking the Grand Hallway of the Keep, where she sensed her beloved steed awaited her, a trembling harbinger of something too awful to even consider.

Two visitors in one day...? she wondered darkly then rose to turn and meet this rather bold newcomer with a steel gaze tipped with ice. Behind her Talon bared his fangs, stepping out of the shadows in preparation...

In that split second Adra cocked her head, considering this one who had so suddenly come to her, sensing something within him which gave her life as well. She reached one arm out to stop Talon in his tracks.

She shot a dark and not-all-too-pleasant look in Kalion's direction. "Who are you?" she whispered icily yet with a touch of something else in her words. "And for what reason should I trust the likes of you?

After all, there is no greater power to seek for than the Ring..."

He was unsure if the Elves had acknowledged his presence, though E'rae had gestured to him earlier before.

They're preoccupied with something...

Moments later, both E'rae and the King left the Throne Room through another doorway...to where Arandil was not sure.

At length the sound of dancing hooves came to her daintily pointed ears, and she came out into the Grand Hall where Gorfynt stood prancing about between the great stone fireplaces occupying centerplace on either side of the hall. Flames flickered and wallowed therein, gleaming out to reflect upon him, casting upon his coat the illuminating illusion of fire, only underscoring his obvious distress as he danced and pranced and whinnied, tossing his head, his mane flinging into the faces of the court members who had come to try to settle him.

Eirianna flew to him, shushing, her hands reaching out to smooth upon his strong, arched neck. She petted him, laying her head against his muscled shoulder, whispering in Elvish that he calm, that all was fair, that she was with him and he need not carry his great concern alone any longer.

Then she caught sight of the slab of bark he carried upon his horn. For some reason, a great foreboding came crashing down upon her; her hand trembled as, not removing her cheek from the warm security of Gorfynt's hide she now reached forth and took that bark from the pearly spear which graced his head. She looked at it, distress now growing in her eyes; then gasped and leaned more tightly against her friend, the bark dropping from nerveless fingers.

"It is She, the Sorceress of Taunderon..." she began, trailing off as her voice began a trembling to match that of her limbs. She gestured a hand to the bark; then with a great inhalation managed to calm herself and stood tall and firm beside Gorfynt. Her initial shock overcome, shock easily come to her for her recent descent into the Darkness from which it originated, she continued on, her voice musical and strong once again.

"She has taken the lad, Talasti," she whispered, turning her gaze up into the eyes of E'rae and then her King. "It was her wraiths which touched my friend and I in the last light of the moon... it was they who sought to send me into that Night."

Her eyes cast back into E'rae's, glowing with thanks for his help to her.

"It is She my dear Gorfynt brings warning of...

"It has begun. She seeks the Ring."

In his dreams, L’Endriel found himself in the woods once more. The ground was covered with a mist so thick that he couldn’t see his own feet. The whole world in fact, had been colored in shades of gray and dark blue, and the sun seemed to be blotted out. L’Endriel stopped staring at his feet, or where they would’ve been anyway, and looked up, where he saw the specter that haunted him.

About twenty feet away stood the wraith he had attempted to attack earlier. There was a difference, however. This time, the wraith seemed to be cloaked in grey, and its hood was removed. The face of the wraith was almost regal, and it bore straight white hair that came down to its shoulders. A grizzly beard covered its face, which was deathly white. A small circlet of power sat on his brow, and he was mounted on a pale horse with gleaming red eyes. It held in its right hand a short scepter, with a long spike at the end of the blunt weapon.

He was looking off into the distance, as if he were expecting someone. Slowly, he turned towards L’Endriel and smiled evilly. L’Endriel tried to look away from the wraith’s baneful gaze, but found that he could not turn away. The wraith extended a pale, emaciated hand, and beckoned L’Endriel to come.

Unwillingly, L’Endriel took a step, and another, and another, before he finally stopped himself. He managed to look at the ground in doubt, and shake his head very slightly. His confidence grew, and he looked at the wraith now, and told the wraith his answer. No sound came from his mouth, but it was enough.

The wraith’s look became one of confusion at first, and then his face became expressionless. He tugged on the reigns of his horse, which reared and neighed violently. Blue flames shout out from its nostrils, and the horse charged towards L’Endriel, who was on foot. L’Endriel, who was unarmed, began to literally quake with fear.

Meanwhile, in the Moon’s Keep, L’Endriel’s body began to convulse violently. One nurse called for buckets of both warm and cold water, while another held his hand, and whispered his name into his ear. The other nurse began to dab at his forehead with a soaked cloth.

In his dream, L’Endriel looked down at his hands and saw that he now held two hatchets. They seemed to be the very hatchets that his former adoptive father had given him. Now that he was armed, his confidence rose, and he gave the wraith’s steed such a look that it was overcome with doubt, and stopped its run. L’Endriel on the other hand, was now beyond any doubt of what he had to do, and quickly stuck one axe into the chest of the beast, and used the other to cut its legs out from underneath it. The horse bucked on its remaining hind legs and whinnied, and the wraith was thrown off...and lost in the mist covering the floor.

L’Endriel’s convulsions slowly began to die down into little twitches, until his body stopped moving. Slowly, he opened his eyelids, and took a deep breath. He saw the two elvish nurses staring back at him, and both of them instantly smiled. One of them muttered something under her breath, and the other went to inform the king of his adoptive son’s recovery.

Strangely enough, L’Endriel understood what was said, even though the nurse had not spoken in the Common Speech.

His trip into the netherealm had granted him much knowledge, and he came back to the land of the living wiser. As always, however, wisdom came with its own price, and L’Endriel became very grim later on because of his trips into the land of the dead.

But for now, he was content to rise from his bed, and look out the window into the depths of the Wydde Wood.

"It is She my dear Gorfynt brings warning of...

Finaly he nodded his head to her, in a slight bow and spoke softly, "M'lady, She speaks of the One Ring, the ring which was taken from this world with darkness, to be shrouded in mystery."

His smile then turned soft and true for a moment, before he turned his gaze back to Eirianna, "If there is one that seeks the ring... Then the young Talista will not easily be realised... He too seeks the ring, and in that, has made himself most likely a chance of finding information...

"I am Kalion... And i do not recall saying anything about trust.. No, no indeed, you should not trust me, To do that would be foolish.

But, trust has nothing to do with assistance, Assist me, and i assure you that you will have what you seek..."

He once more chuckled, now taking his sword from its place upon his shoulder, and embedding it 2 or so feet into the ground, before taking another step forward.

"I would be a great ally to have... yes, there is a chance that once my goals are complet, i would leave you to rot as i held the power i had saught out... But in the past i have never left an ally without what they desire...

"i seek these stones... Each possesses great magick, together they become able to do amazing deeds of both light and dark potential, the time of disision is now... but be warned, through the course of this transaction, should your desires sway, and you turn to seek these stones, i will take your life faster then you beleave your companion can take mine..."

Dimly, from without the stone walls of the Keep, there came the piercing scream of a hawk.

"Hecate knows the path, and Gorfynt would tread upon it," she affirmed, loosening her gaze as she lowered her lids. Beneath her hands the unicorn's hide rippled as he tensed his muscles in readiness to act for her sake.

"The way is treacherous, but not nearly that so much as its end. Will I take you upon the back of my steed? For he bears no one other upon it save me, or one with me. And he would not yield to assist you in any manner at that."

She blinked, flicking her eyes back up into E'rae's once more, shifting back and forth as Gorfynt moved restlessly, taking her with him in a dancing two-step as she waited to hear how this elven of noble birth would reply.

"No," she denied her, shaking her head again. "This is not the place for a muse, nor a poet. Your talents would be most put to great task within these walls, to keep my father's spirits high in my absence."

Here she turned about, now directing a look into King Gildur's countenance that mimicked the strength in his own, a strength she had herself inherited from him, being the Princess and Daughter of the Moon which she was. For a long moment their eyes clashed with one another; then his filled with a kind of proud sadness, and he nodded in singular defeat to her.

"My King needs stay, and see to his court and his peoples. In fact..."

Now she returned to the quiet Feileacan, memory of a darkly bearded visage swimming into her mind.

"There is one amidst us who looked somewhat aback when I saw him last. Go now to him, Feileacan; see to his needs. For he is stranger to our Keep, and I must with pain announce that now I have not the time to give unto him the mannerly inquiries that are due."

She nodded then to Feileacan, urging her to seek out the one called Arandil; of course she had no idea of his name at this point, but his visage and the fact that he was indeed a stranger to the Keep was enough that she send someone immediately to him in her stead.

"He last was seen without the King's Hallway," she finished, sending Feileacan another encouraging nod of her head.

Then she turned back from her in complete dismissal, laying her head against Gorfynt's sleek hide, shushing his obvious need for movement and action, and continued to wait what E'rae should reply.

“Still...this alliance could be very profitable.”

She actually nodded her head in a semblence of respect at that.

“Now, my new ally,” she stated, once again pinning him with her icy blues. “No alliance can be truly made if it is not sealed.”

With no hesitation, and waiting for no confirmation on his part, Adra reached out with her staff, laying it on his shoulder blade. She threw her head back, and a thread of nothing other than darkness flashed between them, somehow binding him to her so that she could contact him at any time, in much the same way she could contact her Ringwraiths and demonic hordes.

Then, removing her staff from him, she stated one final thing. “I am a woman of darkness, but I keep my word so long as yours is not broken. And as I can call upon you at any time, you likewise may do the same through this bond which I have established between us.

“But now,” she continued, turning to her crystal and raising her right palm above it, momentarily closing her eyes and casting an image engraved in her memory into its depths for Kalion to see, an image of a beautiful white-haired elf with gray eyes riding upon a fearful steed. “I seek this elf, for she seems to hold powers which may threaten my own quest...

...and perhaps yours as well, for the stones of which you speak seem to be something which Elves may hold interest in. Even now I hold one of the elves from her village as my prisoner; I suspect a task force of some kind will be sent to find him, and they have one clue as to where their comrade has been taken should they find it. At any rate I am certain at some point they will arrive here.”

“Before they arrive I will have siezed power over this entire region.”

After she spoke these words, an image of the still unconscious King of Taunderon appeared in the crystal to replace that of the elven woman. She smiled darkly at him, knowing it was at long last time to make her move. The villagers and King’s men firmly believed that the Elves were seeking the Ring of Power, and would in the meantime use the rings they already had to lay claim to their region of Men. And she had not taken the one elf, Talasti, merely as bait. Indeed, his Elven bow and arrows would prove most useful...

Adra stretched out with her staff and her powers, utterly ignoring Kalion now, and aimed them directly for the bow and arrows sitting in her chambers, the bow and arrows she had had taken from Talasti. In doing thus, she bent the magicks of the weapons, twisting them to work for her and her minions. Satisfied that this was accomplished, Adra then blinded the eyes and deafened the ears of the guards protecting the King and his quarters with a spell. She nodded to Talon to proceed.

“It is time to do as we discussed,” she said to him pointedly. He nodded in response only once, and in moments had retrieved the arrows which had been taken from the young Talasti, whereupon he headed outward and entered into the King’s chambers, making one well executed and deadly accurate shot. Only when Talon had returned, leaving only the bloodied arrow in the chest of the now-dead king as evidence, did Adra reopen the eyes and ears of the guards. The look in her eye grew impossibly darker as she again looked to Kalion. ”They shall find the King murdered at the hands of an elf,” she whispered darkly, falling silent for a few moments and relishing the the deadly aura bouncing against the castle walls even as she could feel the glimmerings of the rising sun.

Then, “If the elves have any of your precious stones, you will soon have your chance to find them... personally. Know you of any way by which to trace these stones you seek more specifically?” she queried then finally fell silent, keenly aware through the eyes of her demonic horde that the King’s guardsmen were finding his slain body even now...

The King's daughter? Only a fool would think she was a servant.

As she addressed him he smiled to himself "There is but one way to remotly find the stones, and that is to possess others of its kind... Other then that, blind luck must be used..."

he shook his head slightly as he considered her previous words, "if the elves possess a stone, they do not realize it, for otherwise, you would indeed know of it..."

He chuckled to himself as he stepped closer to her, eyeing her for a moment carefuly he spoke darkly, "This bond you have created... Do not relly on it... I will only be contacted when i desire such... And at no other time shall i be bothered..."

he then smiled politly and stepped away heading towards his sword and carefuly withdrawing it, "do not feel so certain of your ability to kill me if i should change our bargen... Though i have no intention of it, should i choose to, there is little you could do to stop me..."

he then reached within his pouch and closed a fist about the stones, eyes closing as he hummed to himself quietly... finaly his eyes opened and his hand was withdrawn, "Have your servents check the boundries of this kingdom, stone hides stone...

And now, i will see what i can learn about your precious ring."

And soon they were off on the trail, moving as fast as they could move, following behind the flying hecate

"Excuse me milady, but do you know who it was that brought me back from the forest?"

The nurse thought a moment, and replied.

"There were two men, sir. One had the look of a human, and the other was Lord Velic himself."

Hmm...Velic...that name sounds strangely familiar...ahhh, yes! That was the elf that came to speak with the king and the lady of the keep earlier.

"Uh...kind lady, can you tell me where these two men are?"

The nurse pointed down the stairs.

"I know not where the human is right now, but the Lord Velic is apparently preparing to ride with Lady Eirianna to rescue some young boy. I'm not sure though..."

L'Endriel swore under his breath. Even with their superior knowledge of the happenings of the surrounding world, L'Endriel didn't know if the Lord and Lady knew what they were up against. He quickly thanked the nurse, and jogged down the steps of the tower. After a few minutes, L'Endriel reached the King's hall, where the guards evidently recognized him and let him pass. L'Endriel walked through the great door, only to find the King looking out a window, apparently lost in his thoughts.

"Uh...milord...father. Can I ask where my sister has gone?"

The king turned around with a startled look, as if awaking from a dream. Immediately he smiled benevolently at L'Endriel.

"Well, it seems you have recovered rather quickly."

"Thank you, father, but my speedy recovery was mainly due to the extensive care of your skilled nurses." L'Endriel took a deep breath. "Please, tell me where Lady Eirianna has gone."

"Hmm? Oh, she went to go see if she could rescue that young boy with E'rae."

L'Endriel's eyes widened, and he immediately took leave of the king. He sprinted again for a little while, until he found where the jail was, and the two hatchets that had been taken from him during his short imprisonment.

L'Endriel fastened the simple twin axes to his legs and ran yet again, this time outside. He searched the elvish encampment for a small clearing, and eventually found one. He then cupped his mouth with his hands, and made a strange call, at a frequency too high for normal ears to hear. Only a few moments passed by before a large eagle came swooping down, and after beating its wings a few times, landed in the clearing, and allowed L'Endriel to ride it's back again.

"I thank you, for bearing me again on such short notice."

The eagle quickly rose up into the air, and replied, "It's no problem. Just tell me where you need to go, friend."

Damn!

L'Endriel had absolutely no idea where the small rescue party had taken off.

"Fly straight up, and search for two steeds. Your keen eyes might be able to spot who I am looking for."

As soon as he said this the eagle immediately soared to great heights, and circled overhead. If he hadn't known better, L'Endriel would have thought he was flying straight up into the sun.

"There, I see one, but not two, dust trails on the horizon."

L'Endriel looked, and squinted, but still could not see anything.

"I cannot see what you see, friend. Fly in closer."

The eagle immediately obeyed. With a great speed that seemed to match the wind itself, the eagle quickly closed off the distance between the dust trail and his rider. L'Endriel squinted again, and saw that one steed bore two riders, and one of them had stark-white hair, flying about wildly in the wind. They were riding a horse with a single horn sprouting from its brow - a unicorn. A strange ghostly apparition in the form of a hawk was leading them, and L'Endriel felt his heart drop into his stomach for a moment, but the feeling passed. This...spirit...didn't seem malevolent like the wraith

"Yes that's them. I am indebted to you once again. Please bring me in closer..."

Without being told to, he thrashed to a sudden halt, his riders jerking involuntarily forward against his withers as he brought his swift pace so abruptly to an end. With a snort for the safety of his riders he whirled, now pulling his weight and that of the two back on his haunches as he rose into a controlled levade. There, balanced powerfully upon his lowered hind legs, he sliced the air with his forehooves, his wild cry of defiance and challenge piercing the night.

No one shall bring harm to the One on his back and her escort... no one. It was his duty to see to her safety; that was first and foremost in his heart.

Hecate came back in great circles, stooping and diving himself, crying as he flew at the immense shadow now flying down from above toward their group...

...until he sensed just exactly who that dark shadow was. As well as the rider he bore.

His cry became more urgent then, more piercing as he shot past the eagle and L'Endriel, truncating his attack to swoop upward, crying the announcement that foe was friend.

"Hold, my friend!" she suddenly cried, turning forward in her seat again and laying a hand against Gorfynt's tensely arched neck. "This is no enemy dire seeking our demise; stay your wild thrashings, I beg you! Look!"

She pointed aloft with her other hand, twisting quickly about that the finger she was holding out would stay on target as the eagle screamed in reply and careered through the trees once again and shooting over their heads.

"It is my new brother, L'Endriel!" she exclaimed, with not a little worry crossing her features. "Hold!"

The ground rose up beneath her then as the unicorn instantly obeyed, coming to all four feet again, which then pranced in place as he moved about, still nervous from being taken by surprise. Eirianna grunted lightly as the reverberations of that coming to earth vibrated through her willowy body; then pushing aside a strand of hair which had fallen into her face, she called upward into the dark:

"L'Endriel! Brother! You are well and whole! Yet surely this is not why you have followed; what is it that brings you to us in such haste?"

"I have heard that you are going to try to rescue the boy?"

Eirianna replied, "Yes, that’s true."

"Well, I’m not sure why I came up here, because it wasn’t to stop you." L’Endriel paused for effect, before starting again. "I will not speak of my uneasy dreams while recovering from the touch of the wraith. Such matters should not be discussed. However, I will say that I have not come back unchanged, and that many things were revealed to me while I strayed along the borders of the netherealm."

"I can tell you that the woman who holds the young elf is no ordinary sorceress. The spells she weaves are not to be taken lightly...and also..." L’Endriel’s eyes strayed as he searched for words. He did not wish to describe the horrors of his dreams, but he needed to tell what he saw, and what he sensed.

"There is a growing darkness. When I first walked along the lands of the death, the spirits I saw frightened me, but they didn’t hold much power over me. But...I felt a calling, if you will, in the last dream I had. The apparition I saw in my final dream seemed stronger, though he was the same undead creature I had first seen. I...I do not know what this means, but I sense that much power has gathered in alliance with the keeper of the boy. And that power seeks something...though I know not what."

L’Endriel looked up at the two riders, both sitting on Gorfynt and calmly listening to him speak. "I don’t know what power lies with the keeper of the boy, but I fear it has grown enourmously. I...I came to warn you, not to dissuade you from your journey. Much danger lies ahead."

She turned back to L'Endriel, reaching a hand to steady Gorfynt, who snorted and tossed his head.

"I thank you for the warning, my brother," she said at last. Then she sat back, and for the first time noted the weaponry upon his person. She crooked a brow.

"I was about to suggest that perhaps one who has such night-visions might be a boon to us on our quest to retrieve the lad, but I see you come prepared to do more than soothsay."

She nodded to the twin axes upon his belt. Then she smiled to him.

"Indeed, prithee, come with us and assist. For if what you speak bears truth indeed, then more hands than the six of ours shall be needed."

With that she turned her head, and cupped her hands to her lips. That same eerie keening she uttered the night she encountered the Ringwraith arrowed from her lips, to echo and rebound into the darkness of Wydde's Wood. Beneath her, Gorfynt trembled, pawing the earth as he tossed his mane hither and yon. It flew into her face; quickly, she raised a hand to brush it from her eyes, and peered into the shadows from whence there now issued a series of distant hoofbeats.

They burst in upon them then, two of them, unicorns of Gorfynt's ilk. One a golden color, his mane and tail the purest of snowy white, his horn the color of the sun; the other a dark charcoal, his hide covered with silver dapples that matched his mane and tail and horn. The burst in upon them with paired wild bugles, skidding to a halt before Gorfynt, to whom they bowed their heads and fell to one knee. Then they regained their footing and stood in docile silence, waiting.

Eirianna waved a hand toward the two magickal steeds.

"If join us you do, then a steed of your own you must have. Unless you prefer an eagle's wings once again, to follow Hecate above our heads, choose one of my beloved Gorfynt's clan. They stand ready and willing to assist us in our endeavor.

"Here are Greot the Gold, who carries the strength of the sun, and his brother Brisgean the Silver, who has the power of my own beloved moon in his heart. Both are stout and brave and true, although--"

She leaned forward now, and laid her tresses against Gorfynt's sleek hide. Her pale locks intertwined with his mane, joining them in a union few seldom achieve.

"--although not as stout and brave and true as is my own dear Gorfynt."

The unicorn snorted, and shook his head again.

With that she fell silent, turning now to E'rae that he understand one of the unicorns was meant for him as well, should he choose to take her up on this offer.

With that he turned and approuched the darker of the two great steeds, spendign a moment looking at the great animal, he offered his hand silently so it could take in his scent.

Finaly to E'rae's relief the great unicorn took a step forward and nussled his hand gently before shaking his head and allowing E'rae to mount the silvery animal...

"I am indebted to you and your kin once again. Give my regards to the your lord."

The eagle almost seemed as if it nodded its head once, and beat its wings slowly, taking off into the night sky. L'Endriel's eyes followed the path of the great bird for a moment, before turning towards the unicorn pracing its paws nervously before him.

"A most magnificent steed..."

L'Endriel approached the horse, which started shaking its head wildly, as if saying it would not bear L'Endriel. L'Endriel raised his hand slowly, and began to speak softly to the animal. He patted it's great neck gently, and whispered in its ear for a little bit, until it completely stopped moving. L'Endriel looked into the steed's eyes once more, and smiled at what he saw. Then, without hesitation, L'Endriel mounted the unicorn.

L'Endriel looked towards E'rae and Eiranna. "I still fear that the three of us may not have enough strength to challenge this great power..." L'Endriel's voice trailed off.

At length she spoke up once more.

"My brother, if you have knowledge of others who would assist us in our quest, then speak now that we might ride hence and beg that aid of them. For if naught, then indeed the life of the young one rests solely upon the strengths of we six."

Indeed shall I keep my end of the bargain, my friend. But you would be foolish indeed to belittle my powers...

She smiled darkly once more, even as the sounds of a fist banging upon her doors interrupted her thoughts. She opened it to find one of the King's men, in a panic.

"My Lady, the King has been wounded by what looks to be the arrow of an elf and has been murdered!"

Adra played the part she was expected. "No!" she whispered, slipping past the guard and hurrying to the King's chamber only to find several of his men crowding around his body. She pushed through them.

"Let me through! I must help him!"

Hopeful, the guards complied, allowing Adra to make her way to the King's side. She knelt by him, seemingly considering the wound. Her look darkened after some length of time, and she shook her head in a semblence of despair. "It is...too late," she sighed, her eyes defocusing.

Then, after a moment, she looked to the Captain of the Guards, who was now standing behind her. "This is an elven arrow," she confirmed. "The King suspected that the Elves would seek to take over the region; even now I am certain they will move in, expecting us to fall under the loss of our beloved King who has not a wife nor an heir. We must not allow them to succeed, but must prepare for their next strike," she said simply.

The Captain of the guard nodded, then pursed his lips but once. "My Lady, you are the only one who can handle these dire circumstances properly. You shall be our only leader til a new King or Queen is decided upon."

She stood, and nodded humbly.

Everything was occurring so very, very perfectly.

"I shall lead your people into peace," she promised, her aura one of seeming honesty. "But first we will repay the Elves for what they have done to us..."

In spite of the situation at hand, L'Endriel laughed at himself. He then turned his attention back to his sister.

"Alas! My wanderings in life have been solitary, so I know not of any other beings that would lend their aid, save for the beasts of the wood and the birds of the air. If needed, they may come at my call...but other than that, I know of noone else that may come to our aid."

L'Endriel's eyes wandered to the ground, as if in sudden doubt. His mind wandered elsewhere momentarily, before he began speaking again.

"Do not underestimate the strengths of the creatures of the forest, nor the beasts of the field. I have seen you coming upon the back of the eagle; if needed to come to our aid, come they shall and shall be most formidable in that coming."

She nodded; beneath her slim body, Gorfynt moved again and softly whickered his approval. She turned her clear-eyed gaze to E'rae then, and a hand went immediately to her lips to hide her growing smile. For he was sitting astride Brisgean, a somewhat cautious look upon his face as he so obviously tried to maintain his balance. His concentration about the task broke with a start when he realized she was looking at him.

"It usually comes quite naturally to we elvens," Eirianna finally smiled. "It shall not take you long to become accustomed to the fact that other than your own two feet are in command of your mobility."

Then that smile faded, and she turned to face the shadowy unknown ahead of them, from whence Hecate's piercing cry came yet again. She blinked solemnly, then spoke up:

"Do we continue this ride now, in this night, fraught with dangers unseen and shadows most dark? Or do we now halt and set camp, to refresh for another bout of travel on the morrow?"

She paused the barest moment.

"We camp," she finally decided, then slid gracefully from Gorfynt's back and with a little tap on his croup sent him off to find a meal and resting place of his own desire.

As her companions likewise dismounted and sent their own steeds off into the night, then went about the task of preparing camp, Eirianna did not remain idle. She gave a nod, raising her head and sending a call out to Hecate, to thus inform him of their stopping for the remainder of the night.

Then she turned into the surrounding forest, and soon was nothing more than a dim shade amidst the shadows there. Following her nose, she moved swiftly and gracefully through the trees in their immediate surrounding, stooping here and there to pluck something from the soil of the earth. With each motion she uttered an apology for the act; after a bit she returned to the now complete camp and settled herself upon a fallen log the males had placed near a companionable campfire.

Reaching now into her bodice she drew out something which hung about her neck on a chain of spun silver. It was a disk, fashioned to look like the moon, covered with crater and mare and highland. Holding it flat in the palm of one hand, she reached out with the other and found the skin carrying their water supply. She took a bit, and poured it carefully into the largest of the craters on her disk.

Then laying the moon-disk carefully beside her, she took up that which she had sought and found in the woods: several pale white flowers whose delicate forms gave off a heady and intoxicating fragrance. Gardenia, moonflower and jasmine, they were; all the bloomers of the Night. She removed those rare petals, combining them in her hand, and with the other gently crushed them to obtain their combined juices. This she added drop by careful drop into the craterful of water on her disk.

She bent forward then, peering into that tiny pool. There reflected, the grim tale was told.

The elven lad languishing, hurt, in pain, in the dungeons of the King of Taunderon...

Who was only just announced dead by his panicky men.

She straightened with a frown, and revealed this to the others. Then she shivered and wrapped her arms about herself.

The King had been murdered by Elven arrow? But how could this be?

Hecate's cry bore the answer in one great yet awful word, which echoed into the darkness, around and around and around.

Deception....

"I apologize for my intrusion, as it seems your people are occupied with more important matters..." Arandil said, recalling L'Endriel and the wraiths in the forest. "But I must see King Gildur."

The aide looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "If you convinced the guards to let you in, then perhaps you should see the king..."

The Elf led the Man into another chamber, richly decorated just like the Throne Room.

The King's chamber... Arandil thought as he followed the aide. There, staring out the window, stood the king. Arandil was a bit surprised; he had known Elves to live long lives, especially their royalty, but Gildur looked only 20 years older than him.

A small smile appeared at that thought.

Just like Lord Elrond...

His clear eyes shot directly into Arandil's.

"Forgive my aspect, and my bearing," he said simply, now moving away from the window. The circlet of state glimmered in the dusky light of the stars which managed to send their feeble light through the canopy of trees surrounding them, entering into the Keep to mingle with the light which danced from the roaring fire in this great hall, a fire guarded by hearth and stone to keep its fierce elemental power at bay. Gildur now merely traded that fire for the shadows; his shoulders seemed to slump the least little bit as he stared into it, his gaze growing vague.

He suddenly whirled, fixing his eyes on Arandil once again. One hand waved as though in explanation, an explanation which did not fall from his lips. At length--

"It has come to my ears that you must needs seek me out, and with haste. Prithee, my good man, what is it that has sent you into my presence in such a manner? How may it be that I, King Gildur of Moon's Keep, Holder of the Light of Midnight and Watcher of the Tides, assist you? Why have you come to me in such a manner that my very own aides give way before you, and let you to my side when I would speak with no other?"

"Your Majesty, I have come from Rivendell with the blessings of Lord Elrond. I am on a quest that is most important and most..." he looked at the aide. "...secretive."

The Elf frowned, took the hint, and left after making another bow to Gildur. Arandil waited until he was gone before he continued.

"The heir to the throne of Gondor has been missing for 40 years, kidnapped while he was a mere baby. I have reason to believe he is still alive, and that a chieftain of the Wild Men of Dunland has information about him. I met with the chieftain four days ago. My questions were simple and quick. His answers were violent and furious."

Arandil sighed. "After fighting my way through his guards, the Dunlending took flight from his mountainous home. I have been tracking him since then. The last sign of the Dunlending led into this region...Wydde's Wood."

"Your Majesty, if your people have seen or heard of this Dunlending around this land, I must be informed. It is imperative I find him. Whatever he knows could possibly break the kingdoms of Men."

"Something is amiss. That much is obvious."

Silently, each member of the party pondered what Eirianna had revealed to them. An assassination of a human king, by elven arrow...It was simply impossible. It was common knowledge the elder race left didn’t interfere with the kingdoms of man and their dealings. There was almost no reason why an elf would go out of his way to kill a human king.

Was it possible that an elf had hired himself out to kill a king?

The king’s men had announced that the king was dead...and just before his death, a young elf was captured and thrown into the dungeon. It would be nearly impossible to place the blame on him, but...

"This much we know. We will not be allowed to simply walk in anymore."

L’Endriel thought for a moment, before speaking again.

"I believe great haste will now be needed on our journey. The wrath of men once kindled is hard to put out...and our young friend may become a victim of an act of vengeance."

Kronos took his seat, a seat in which he owned for many lifetimes, as the head guard of Ithilien...

The only Elf in the Kingdom, Kronos was very valuable to his King...

This day started like any other, the King was late for the daily strategy briefing, and the prince was waiting in the King's seat.. as a vulture awaits his prey's death...

But the boy was not in his usual spot, he wasn't even in the room..

"Ah, there you are Trevor, you had me worried.." Kronos said, as Trevor entered the room..

He did not respond, clad in full armor, Trevor passed by Kronos and into the Great Hall...

Entering the hall, Kronos could sense the King was awaiting his son..

"My Lord?"

"We will not be having our briefing today, nothing is more important than this.. 'quest'..." The King replied..

Looking around the hall, Kronos saw the Wizard Landi, and the two warriors Bendar and Vereiz...

"Quest?" Kronos asked simply...

"For the ring, my old friend.."

The room stood still, aside from the quiet fussing of the warriors weaponry...

"You cannot expect anything to come from this.." Kronos stated, as calm as the other side of the pillow...

"Oh, but I do... and so should you... you of all, should understand my wishes.. My son shall not return, until he has the ring in his possession..."

The King paused, gained a little bit of composure, then continued...

"These two," gestures toward the warriors,"will be my son's protection, along with the wizard, they will make their way across the lands... leaving no stone unturned..." The King let a mischievous laughter leave his lips...

While listening to the Kings introductions, Kronos was battling himself... should he consciously be a party to the powerfully evil ring?

He came to one conclusion: Harm must not come to a boy of his age, he must 'join' this fellowship...

"You have my bow..." Kronos said, directed toward young Trevor...

"I knew I could count on you... old friend..." The King placed Trevor's helmet atop his head,"Off you are, you have much land to cover..."

The five exited the Great Hall, and mounted their respected steeds...

Harm must not come to a boy of his age...

His eyes romed over the blade quietly, his knowing little smirk was once more on his face as he trust the blade into its sheath, ignoring the hissing that came forth as he did so.
Then his eyes turned to look at the others, his smile only growing slightly, "I have discovered... that when trust into the flames, this blade can feel the evil in the air... Red means the wards upon the blade have merly taken the heat of the fire... A yellow means that there is wildness in the night, often animals seeking blood... a deep blue screams warning of orcs and thier like... but should the blade glow black, then there is truly evil about... it was glowing black the night before i came to warn his majesty..."

"We shall set up camp here..." Came the bellow from the old wizard Landi...

"I shall scout ahead, something draws near... I can feel it..." Kronos shot off, without as much as a whimper from his steed...

"I don't trust him--""He's an Elf..." The two warriors joked...

"Ah, that will be the day... when men and elves can share the alliance they once enjoyed... more likely a friendship between a dwarf and an elf? aye, Bendar... Vereiz? Grow up..." Landi said, as he took a seat atop the first stone he could spot...

...eventually.

Adra, meanwhile, stayed close by the Captain of the Guards as the King's dead body was removed and taken so that the proper burial rights could be performed. She turned to him, nodding her head in deceptive kindness. "The peoples of this kingdom deserve to know the truth of the King's death," she said simply.

The Captain of the Guard nodded in agreement. "They will need time to mourn the death of our King."

"Indeed," Adra replied. Then, "We shall give him a grand funeral worthy of his station...

...and we should then continue onward. This must not go unavenged," she observed. "Have your men surround the boundaries of our kingdom and protect us from our Elven foes," she ordered. "And while you remain there...seek for me a magical and mystical stone, hidden by a stone."

"My Lady?" he queried curiously.

"When you find it, I will know," she replied simply.

The Captain nodded in return, respectfully. "It shall be done then. This kingdom shall not be entered so easily as it was before," he continued with, departing at that.

Even as he did, Adra turned to another guard, pursing her lips in thought. "The elves sent another of their kind, one who would seek the Ring of Power so that the Elves make work against us with it," she explained somewhat dishonestly, her aura yet seeming sincere, "We must keep a most careful eye on him. His compatriots will try to reclaim him under the pretense that he is innocent."

"Shall I send more guards to watch him?" this guard queried.

Adra considered for a moment, then, "No," she replied thoughtfully. "I shall watch him, with my faithful companion," she commented, motioning her shadow to come forward. She shifted her icy blue eyes to Talon. "Go with this young man and... retrieve our prisoner from the dungeons below. He shall not leave our sight, my friend."

"Travel if you will to save a mere one," she murmured at length. "I find this event to be of greater distress than that experienced by the lad, sorry as it is for me to claim that fact."

She walked swiftly to the perimeter of the fire's glow, and once again uttered that piercing, keening call. In a flurry of duff and a thunder of hoofbeats, Gorfynt was soon there. She leapt lightly upon his back, then turned to the others.

"Brisgean and Greot shall still bear you upon their backs; this my dear Gorfynt as commanded of them. But I must leave you now.

"I suggest one of you take this dire news to my father, that he be able to determine the best course of action. I must depart, to use my magicks in seclusion, and in that seclusion see if there is truly anything we might do other than engage in all-out war with men, for I fear that dark shadow is upon our horizon."

With no other word than that, she spurred Gorfynt into action, and soon disappeared into the dying shadows about them. Behind her, her erstwhile companions scarcely had the time to blink as the young Elven Princess went off to a secret hiding place only she knew of, and one which was shielded by her own magicks. None would find her there, neither elf nor man, sorceress or Ringwraith.

This had stood her in good stead in the past... and she now called upon it to do so again.

Above, ever circling, the faithful Hecate followed, and with but a few hours hard riding she obtained the safety of her secret shelter....

"Dunlending... Dunlending..." he murmured a bit, then cut himself off with a shake of his head.

"This is something unknown to me, as well as is your claim that a rightful King has been taken. Perhaps my daughter would know of such a thing; her wood wraith discloses all which occurs throughout Middle Earth, and at times she is more knowledgeable than even I about some things."

He then held an arm out toward the door, obviously in dismissal.

"Even now she and a small party ride out to Taunderon, to take back one of our own who was captured in an act most foul. Perhaps you might find them, and ask this of her. For I am sorry to say, I can help you no further in your quest."

With that he nodded to Arandil, then turned and left his Grand Hall, seeking and finding the privacy of his chambers where no one would dare to interrupt him.

((OOC: Continues in To Traipse Within the Shadows of Night, thank you.))