The land of Adar lies in peace rather than pieces for once in many centuries. Uruviel, Itarille, Alasse, Glorfindel, and Elrohir all live in harmony, as they never have before. People are no longer bred to fight, but to help and supply, to farm and mine. The subjects of the five Lords must follow by the example of their leaders and live in peace or suffer a horrible fate. But there are people, though very few, who do not follow any Lord, and do not live in peace and harmony, and these people are known as Shadows.
Shadows�the worst of the worse. The dastardly deed doers that wreck havoc on all the lands, stealing and burning and killing. Shadows are frowned upon by all and when found or captured; they are often put to death. But then there are the Shadow�s worst enemy�the Gildor Calmcacil, also known as the Shadow Guard.
The Gildor Calmcacil is troops of men trained and dedicated to eradicate the �Shadow menace�. They capture and kill Shadows regularly and are held in high praises by all, all but the Shadows. In turn, though, Gildor troops are killed as well and no Shadow gives in easy. Despite the peace in the lands, there is a great conflict�a game of wills and strengths�but the battle will not easily be won�
Darkness encased the Gildor Wood, hiding the hunters of the night, as well as the visitors to the wood. Beneath the moon-cast shadow of a parth tree laid a figure concealed by a cloak of gray-green, hood drawn over its head. In the tree above, an eagle was perched, her feathers ruffled lightly in suspicion. She shifted from one foot to the other, her black feathers turned silver by the moonlight. Her yellow eyes looked around, and then down at the sleeping form.
Elbereth. The eagle spoke softly in her own way, through her mind and that of the human below. Elbereth, awaken! With one more look around at the ski and surrounding area, the giant Bateleur eagle swept down from her perch and landing beside her master. With a giant wing, she buffeted the shifting sleeper into total wakefulness. I said wake up!
The young woman sat bolt upright, staring at her pet eagle with slightly narrowed eyes of silver.
�What do you want Lessien?� She stretched her arms casually above her head, yawning quietly. �And it had better be good, we�ve gone for nearly a week without sleep.�
I know Elbereth, I know, but something doesn�t seem right.
�What do you mean Lessien?�
It�s quiet Elbereth; even the wind has fallen dead. Elbereth looked around, nodding slowly. Not long ago the winds had howled through the treetops and ducked down into every little crevice it could find, looking for flesh to bite at. Yes, even the wind had died. Elbereth got to her feet and promptly buckled on her sword and slung both bow and quiver across her back. Lessien was right; it was unnaturally quiet and eerie even for the long-time Shadow. But before she could strike out, Lessien hit the sky with a screech, Elbereth�s head snapping around to see what was happening. She spotted an arrow that was fired into the sky, it�s silhouette barely visible against the darkness above. She jumped out of the way just in time to prevent an arrow from striking her in the back.
She rolled into a crouch, snarling with silver eyes darting about in search of her assailants. Before she could do anything more, at least a dozen soldiers on foot and horseback came charging from the brush, brandishing swords, daggers, and bows. Her eyes widened and it was at times like this that she wished she had a horse of her own. With an almost reluctant sigh, her bow was swung from her back and an arrow notch. In a flash, it had been fired and Elbereth watched as a man toppled from his horse, the beast spinning and running in the opposite direction in fear. She dodged several more arrows, but could fire no more because the riders were nearly on top of her.
She held tight to her bow and grabbed at the sword arm of one of the riders, swinging onto his horse behind him and pulling a dagger before his sword could find her flesh. The gleaming blade of her dagger was dug deep into his side and she shoved him from his horse, promptly taking his place and sending the creature galloping off at top speed.
�Lessien! Fly away!� She watched the eagle fly high above her head, circling and dodging the fired arrows. Both riders and foot soldiers charged after her through the brush and she heard several veer off to the side. They were going to surround her and she had no idea how to prevent that! This was only her second encounter with the Gildor Calmcacil. She just urged the horse on, hoping she could outrun the people trying to come out ahead of her.
Her hood had fallen from her head long ago and now her silver hair streamed out behind her, glistening brilliantly in the moonlight. She spotted the gleam of an arrow tip revealed through the foliage of a tree ahead of her and quickly notched an arrow to her bow string and fired, hearing a twang as the bowstring that had been drawn taught broke followed by thumps and rustles of the body that fell limp to the forest floor below. She smiled in a most victorious way, but it came too soon. The horse she rode reared up and she fell to the ground, her arrows scattering everywhere while her bow remained in hand. Elbereth cussed quietly as she scurried to save a few of her arrows, but soon discovered that she was surrounded.
At least 24 men stood around her, all with bows pulled taught and pointed directly at her from wherever they stood. She continued to grab arrows until a giant black hoof sunk down inches from her hand, shattering one of her arrows. Elbereth�s silver eyes turned upwards to the rider. The man wore a black cloak and clothing in general. His hair and eyes were black, both of which were wild and untamed. He had at least a week�s worth of beard and malice in his looks.
�Halt your scrabbling Shadow and stand. Or would you rather die like the animal you are?� His voice was low and it made Elbereth invisibly wince. But she did stand, ever so slowly, eyes locked on that of the rider before her. She slowly put her bow across her back and straightened out, watching as the rider dismounted and spoke once more.
�Now, I don�t want to kill a total stranger, so tell me your name Shadow.�
�Only if you first tell me yours Gildor Calmcacil.� It was obvious the man disliked the defiance in her voice, but he answered her none-the-less.
�My name is Maglor, now your name Shadow.�
�I am Elbereth�and that is may eagle.� Lessien swooped down, right into Maglor�s face, and automatically all bows were targeted on Lessien. Elbereth took her chance and dodged around the guards, dashing away into the dark forest, calling Lessien off with the call of the eagle. The guards were taken by surprise that Elbereth had gotten away, but their captain�s face was clawed up, so the hunt would have to wait.
Elbereth sunk down against the truck of a tree, wincing visibly as she ignored the rushing sound of the river before her. She hadn�t gotten away totally unharmed, an arrow had struck her in the shoulder and there it still protruded. Lessien landed beside her, blinking in concern.
Are you Ok Elbereth?
�I don�t know Lessien.� Elbereth grasp the arrow firmly and pulled it from her flesh with a gasp of pain. �How bad does it look?� She couldn�t see over her shoulder, but she could feel blood soaking into her clothing and cloak. Lessien gave a reluctant glance towards the injury site, but quickly looked away.
I may be an eagle, but I hate to see blood when it is that of my mistress.
�How bad is it Lessien?�
It�s bad enough and I think you should try to bandage it.
�I have nothing to use as a bandage.� Elbereth looked at her cloak, knowing that to stop the bleeding more quickly she�d have to bandage. With a reluctant sigh, she removed her cloak and started to tear it into bandage strips before wrapping up her shoulder good and tight. Once done, she got up and started to walk along the river, keeping an eye and ear out for the Gildor Calmcacil.
Maglor and his troops returned to their base, a small barracks in the middle of the forest. Maglor�s horse was led for him, since the man�s face was bloodied and eyes turned to only see the red of his own blood. He was aided in dismounting and taken inside where their healer dealt with the injuries, the rest of the Gildor Calmcacil listening to the hissing and gasps of pain of their captain. Finally the healer was done and stitches were seen all over Maglor�s face, and even his left eye was sewn shut.
�Are you Ok Captain?� Asked one of the men, a young officer newly instated into his troop.
�Do I look Ok man?! I almost had my bloody eye torn out! Get some rest tonight men! Because tomorrow, we�re going after that Shadow!� He snarled and the men cheered and quickly found their bunks, Maglor watching as a few of them went about shaving while others shed cloaks and boots before laying down in their bunks and falling asleep. He snarled and spun around, sweeping to his own private quarters with his cloak billowing behind him. He opened the door, entered the room, and closed it with a sharp snap. Once Maglor was concealed in his quarters, he began to speak to himself.
�Bloody women Shadows, they always seem the hardest to deal with! There must be some way I could break her spirit or something�� He seated himself at a clean wood desk, staring at a dagger on his desk. That weapon had once embedded itself in his side, shoved there by a female Shadow many years ago. He picked up the weapon, twirling it in his hands.
�This dagger could�ve killed me, but instead it made me stronger. We shall track down this Elbereth and destroy her! She shall die under my blade and I shall eat that eagle of hers for dinner!� He stabbed the dagger into the desktop and the blade sunk at least an inch into the wood. He sneered and stood, removed his cloak and boots, as well as sword, bow, and quiver, before lying down on his bed. It was to the images of him removing the head of Elbereth that he fell asleep.
Elbereth was in excruciating pain as she walked. Unlike Maglor, she did not have a healer at her disposal, so she�d have to put up with the agony. She shivered slightly since she no longer had her thick cloak for warmth. She had no way to keep warm and wasn�t about to start a fire just in case she was being hunted yet. She finally sat down at the base of a tree, huddling against it and ignoring the pain in her shoulder as best as she could. Elbereth was exhausted, and the fact that she was still bleeding helped none. Lessien landed before her.
Are you Ok Elbereth?
�Far from it Lessien, I�m so tired.�
Sleep then, I shall keep watch.
�Thanks.� Elbereth sighed and, in a matter of moments, was asleep.
Elbereth was awoken an hour or so later by an alarmed screech released from Lessien�s beak. She looked around and heard the snap of a twig. She leapt to her feet, hissing as her shoulder smarted, and dashed into the brush. She crouched and watched as a man stepped out of the bushes, looking around curiously. Elbereth spotted a patch that shone lightly on the tree and realized that her blood had seeped through the bandages and now shone brightly in the fading moonlight. The man, too, saw the blood and crouched down to look at it. Elbereth�s breathing stopped and she stared at the man who was no more than three feet from her. She watched him as he looked from the blood to the ground, and then directly at her.
�Are you Ok?� Elbereth cursed, she had been found. She leapt to her feet and was about to run when she found fingers encircling her upper arm. She spun around and went to hit the man, but her fist was stopped.
�I�m not going to hurt you, I was just asking if you were Ok.� Did the man not realize she was a Shadow? Elbereth knew that he wasn�t, and so struggled to get out of his grasp.
Do you wish for my help?
�No Lessien, stay there.�
�Whom are you talking to?� Elbereth�s eyes darted around wildly, looking for a means to escape that didn�t mean harming the man. He didn�t mean her harm, but she had to get out of here and find another place to hide. She didn�t answer, but Lessien screeched again, flying down to a lower branch to watch.
�Just let me go! I�m fine!� Her arm was promptly released and she had to stare at the man for a moment before she hurried back into the bushes, running off with Lessien flying after her. The man was made curious and so followed her just as swiftly, easily chasing her thanks to the very visible eagle above.
Elbereth ran onward for quite a while, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to see if she was being followed. Finally she stopped and swung up onto a low branch of a tree, out of reach of anybody who would try and get her down. Lessien landed beside her, yellow eyes flashing.
He better not have followed.
�It wouldn�t surprise me if he did Lessien.� Elbereth�s voice was low and she watched the wood sin the direction she had come and it wasn�t long before the man appeared again. He looked far more pleasant than Maglor, but anybody who wasn�t a Shadow was an enemy. Elbereth watched in silence, huddled against the trunk of the tree, trying to hide herself in the rather thin foliage. Once more, she was found.
�I am aware of your�ah�status and it bothers me none. I shant turn you in to the Gildor Calmcacil, just come down from there and I shall help you.� Elbereth wasn�t sure what to think, but Lessien sure did.
It�s a trap! Stay in the tree. Elbereth looked at her eagle, surprised by the vehement response.
�How do I know I can trust you?� Elbereth spoke with a slightly raised voice, concerned, but wanting to stop running long enough to get a proper rest.
�You don�t. I want to help you, and should I turn you in or do anything besides help you, you may kill me.� He watched quietly as Elbereth swung back down to the ground, Lessien staying on the branch. He spoke again with a slight smile.
�I am Turgon, I live here in the forest. What�s your name, miss?�
�I am Elbereth, and the eagle is Lessien, I thank you for your kindness.� She gave a quick bow, making sure not to reveal the back of her neck to the stranger. Turgon removed his cloak, which Elbereth hadn�t before noticed he wore, and slung it over her shoulders.
�Wear that in case we run into the Gildor Calmcacil. And should we run into them, just play along with what I say.� Elbereth hastily nodded and put the hood up over her head, making sure to tuck every strand of her hair into the cloak.