Lord Of The Rings Fan Fiction ❯ Entangled ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
Hina: This is my first LOTR story, well, my first full fledged multichaptered story anyways. I own nothing Lord of the Rings related. Everything belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. All I own is Marie and anything unrelated to the LOTR verse. This serves as a prequel to the Trilogy and Stay With Me. Enjoy.

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Entangled
By Tygra’s Wife Oracle
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Prologue

A pale form walked through the woods. Long, white-blonde hair hung freely about his shoulders. His green eyes blinked against the ever growing darkness of the woods. Mirkwood, home of the Woodland Elves under the rule of King Thandruil, was home to many dangers – especially ones that roamed at night. Many of the Wood Elves took it upon themselves to scout the woods of their home for these dangers. And tonight was no exception.

Hearing a light rustling sound in the distance, Legolas quickly hitched his bow. Reaching a slender hand to his quiver, the Prince grabbed the end of an arrow, pulling it out of its hold. He then nocked the shaft against the string of his bow. He gently pulled back, holding fast to his beloved weapon. Legolas only took one step when something bursted from the treetops above.

The furious flapping of wings greeted his ears, becoming nothing more than a whisper on the wind as an owl took to the night sky.

The fair haired elf chuckled inwardly at the notion of him being startled by a bird of prey such as that majestic creature. The arrow was lowered a bit as the elf allowed himself to relax, but only slightly. A hunter – let alone a warrior – should never let his guard down.

Not even for a second. The muscles in his chest tightened as he took in a deep breath. He could sense a lot of things in the air tonight and among the night life of the forest, underlining the hoots of owls, the soft growls of wolves and mountain cats, the rustling of vegetation, and the pitter-patters of other woodland creatures, there lay a strange stillness. He could hear it over the gentle beating of his own heart.

Some grass rustled from behind him, but he already knew who it was. The air practically surged with the sternness that was Rumil.

“Can you sense anything, Cousin Prince?” asked the softly bored voice of the said elf. Rumil’s golden gaze flickered to and fro, scouring the nightly world around them. He wielded his own bow and arrows, a finely crafted arrow adorned with two feathers the color of the soil that graced the Earth was nocked into his bow. The feathers were from a Great Horned Owl that he had shot down himself. Each one was crafted from the branches of the toughest and oldest oak tree in the forest of Mirkwood while his bow was made from the slender maple tree near the river.

Legolas’s own arrows were decorated with the pale golden brown feathers of a Gold Eagle he took down himself. His arrows and bow were made out of the soft, limber, yet strong branches of the young pine trees growing in the forest.

Legolas frowned a bit. Something was wrong, but what?

“I’m not sure.” He whispered softly, his voice was as smooth as silk. He saw Rumil lower his bow. His cousin always wore that same bored expression on his face. “Did you, Rumil?”

Rumil shook his head. Of course they wouldn’t sense anything out of the ordinary. Nothing was around.

“Then we should head back?” Rumil added after a few moments of silence. The blonde indifferent elf casted a quick glance over his shoulder at hearing the loud hoots of owls ringing in the air. Nothing could ever perturb the Woodland Elf.

Legolas was about to respond when they both heard a loud growl. Mounting his arrow back into his bowstring, Legolas gripped his weapon tightly and looked to his adopted cousin with his forest colored eyes. With a confirming nod from Rumil, the two set off in search of the source of the unfamiliar sound.

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It seemed like forever as the two walked through the forest under the dark cloak of night. The single braid in his pale locks hung about the right side of his face as he stepped over an old rotting tree that had began to decay from age. A small twig snapped under his boot as he led Rumil and a few other archers that had joined in them in silence.

Rumil’s golden gaze darted from side to side; whenever something or anything moved within his line of vision, his eyes would immediately trail to it. He was amazingly observant, but none more so than his Prince, Legolas Greenleaf.

Another growl bursted in the air like thunder. It almost made him jump, but Rumil kept a calm composure as he gripped his bow even more.

“Do you think a wolf is nearby or is it something else entirely, my Lord-Prince?” a dark haired Elf asked Legolas from somewhere to Rumil’s left.

He could sense his cousin breathing deeply, inhaling sharply before the warrior’s voice, soft and clear, spoke.

“It sound like one, but we won’t know until we find it.” Legolas answered, “We may have to split up.”

Rumil finally stopped in his tracks as did the entire scouting party.

“Rumil, you and I will lead Bolloce and his group. Ranasto, you and your Company search across the river.” Legolas added, “All of us will meet back at the village in an hour.”

There was a chorus of agreement and the Scouting Party Dispersed.

“Do you really think we’ll find something, Cousin?” Rumil asked Legolas while looking straight ahead. His tone was only loud enough for the Elf Prince to hear.

“Possibly; I do not know.” Said Legolas honestly.

And they pressed on.