Maethoriel and Gandalf continued there journey in silence. The tension between the two was thick it was as if a huge wall of anger, confusion and mistrust was set between them and neither of them wish to try and break it down. At least not now, they had more pressing matters at hand.

"I have confirmed that it is not merely Nazgul that reside in Dol Guldur," Maethoriel said stiffly, absently rubbing her hand.

"Yes, I know," the wizard responded swallowing uncharacteristically hard, looking to the woman. His ever expressive eyes were sad now as he looked over her appearance once more. She was covered from head to toe, only showing skin from her neck up. He remembered what she hid not one part of her had gone unmarked. He looked hard now, trying to discern her mind only to be met with a barrage of useless babble.

Maethoriel felt him probe her thoughts, and all at once she started voicing thoughts of useless information - colors of leaves, dates, songs. "My thoughts are my own, Olorin. And if you try and invade them again you will receive more than you bargained for," the woman hissed through gritted teeth, concentrating on blocking him out.

The older man coughed and looked vaguely embarrassed by being caught. "Forgive me, child. I was curious, you can hardly expect me to belay my curiosity. Indeed curiosity is the thing that keeps me going, and what keeps most of this world safe."

"So humble," she replied sardonically rolling her eyes. Maethoriel's general arrogance seemed completely gone around the wizard, and those who knew her would be confused by such a distinct change in her persona.

"You are no better," he retorted his tone falsely jovial. Gandalf was a kind soul if anything, but the woman's nature was starting to wear on his nerves. "It is impossible to carry the world on your shoulders," he cautioned.

"I can try," she responded dryly.

"You will fail..." he said looking to the woman, his tone sharper, "who will pick you up then, I wonder..." he saw the woman's posture sag slightly as he warning rang true, but she said nothing. "Here we are," Gandalf said facing forward - he had never been so happy to see the lodgings of Thranduil.

"Mae govannen, Thranduil!" The wizard called as the companions continued forward towards the Elven king.

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Heavens no. Hell Yeah.


Set 1: Nurr | Set 2: Me

"Taurvantian," Ellethwen repeated the name. She was silent again before she gave the rarest of tiny smiles, amused slightly as the pride came out in her new aquaintence. "A pleasure to meet you. I was making my way to the court of King Thranduil. Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me the way." The smile had vanished, and she shook down her dark blue hood. Strands of midnight black hair tumbled to her shoulders. "My parents insisted that, in my coming here, I should stay in safe lodgings." She said no more, waiting for his reply.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Sylied, smiled and nodded to Legolas, but his smile quickly faded. "Indeed, a great shadow of darkness has fallen upon our land." he glanced over to where Deawen had left. "Which worries me all the more for the safety of my kin. You must train hard little brother, but you must promis that you will not fight until you are ready."

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Zekiera walked calmy through the woods as two horses flew past him in a playfull race. He flinched as they thrust by him, a gentle speed-blown breeze catching in his dark hair. He brushed back a red strand and then stepped behidn a tree as Lalaith chased after the other horses.
After she had passed he continued on, it wasn't far to the elven city now.

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Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

Lalaith watched how the distance increased between her and the last rider. But she knew that she asked too much of her horse if she would keep up her current speed so instead she let her companion slow down into a trot. The riders now only seemed shadows in the distance, fading in the growing darkness of the Mirkwood.
Silently she rode on, wondering whether she tonight again had to find shelter of the trees.
Then as sudden as the riders had appeared last time they appeared again. But there weren't merely two riders but a whole group of Elves who seemed to have met. Lalaith who'd never seen the Elven folk and looked upon them with surprise and admiration. They looked fair in appearance and elegant in their moves. Their complete being seemed to coincide with Nature itself.
Quietly the girl was standing there, beholding the Elves as they spoke, but she did not go forward to join them herself. Something withheld her from that.. Fear? Respect? She did not know..
So on a distance she just looked at them and noticed that there was one human among them: a man with long shaggy hair and grey eyes. He had been one of the riders..
Fatigue was taken over and a complete other feeling: sorrow. In her rush of leaving with the purpose to find help she'd not yet had the time to mourn.. That would come later she had told herself For now she'd jsut had to be strong..

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

How nice that little smile looked upon her face... Taurvantian mused to himself. A slight disappointment overtook him when it so suddenly vanished, but this disappointment was not long-lived. The sight of the revealed masses of ebony hair upon her shoulders stunned him into momentary silence. Opening his mouth to speak, he found that no sound came forth. He strained a little harder, and finally the sound of speech came out of his mouth. "Of... course... of course they would want you in the safest lodgings possible." He bowed slightly once again and turned around, first throwing a wistful glance at the untrod shadows of the forest in front of him. "I shall be most honored to guide you, m'lady. No harm shall come to you on my watch, I assure you!"

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"Thank you, it is much appreciated," Ellethwen said. "My apologies, if I deprive you of any former tasks, in taking me to the king's courts." She stepped beside him and laid a slender white hand on his sleeve. She looked up at him, still unsmiling, but not unfriendly. "Lead the way, my lord."
She was glad that she would have company on her journey through the forest, though she did not show it. Ellethwen seldom showed any expression of feeling, apart from the small smile of just a few seconds ago.
Ellethwen gaze a small glance round at her surroundings. It was so different from Lothlorien. But that she did not mind. She enjoyed travelling, and usually travelled alone, but on this one occasion, she would be fairly happy to have a companion. And she wanted to know more about Taurvantian.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

((I'm sorry, I'm confused. Is the 'last rider' me? Or someone else?))

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

[ Nope, Lalaith was following Aramel and Aragorn, so in that case the last rider would be Aragorn ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

[ I know but I actually referred to my post were "a last rider" is mentioned and since Lalaith was chasing only two riders, Aragorn was for her perspective the last one.. do I still make sense? ]

Lalaith looked away when the human looked up, a troubled gaze in his eyes, smiling warily. She couldn't bring herself to smile and somehow a red glow appeared on her cheeks as if she was caught doing something forbidden.
Come on, say something a voice inside her told her. But she didn't. She understood that something important was going. The Elf in the middle of the group was clothed in finer garments than the others and looked around with some sort of authority. He was offered a piece of parchment but Lalaith couldn't guess the content of it. But whatever it was, she thought, was she the one to interupt them? If this was their council she would wait until they were finished.

[ Since everyone is meeting everyone else now.. I thought it was better to hold on for a bit.. otherwise it will get so confusing, unless anyone want to address my char ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

((so then, where am I? I'd approach whoever was with Tranduil.))

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

[ Thranduil's bystanders are: Aramel, Strider, Talathion, Gandalf, Maethoriel and Ryninial. Lalaith is watching at a small distance..]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

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The waves that C R A S H E D upon
The R O C K S that you were trying to step along

And in my head I heard them play a S O N G

Gandalf offered a gracious nod to Aramel while his companion stepped back to watch - she was in no mood to deal with any at this moment in time. Her walk with the wizard had thrown her completely off kilter and she needed time to regain her mind.

The older man walked closer towards the elves and younger ranger surveying them with clever eyes.

His gaze once again focused on Aramel and he addressed her personably, "Greetings, my dear girl! It has been too long, you have all grown in my absence I see," he said brightly his head turning to look at the group again, "To be expected, of course, so I suppose I cannot hold it against you," he joked and then went quiet as Lord Thranduil spoke.

Maethoriel listened to the King speak uninterestedly. She looked up from a spot on the ground hearing the King dismiss them all, her eyes immediately trained on Gandalf who looked slightly put off by the dismissal. Taking a chance to rub in the doubtlessly unintentional slight she walked to his side with devious smile on her face.

"You have been dissmissed, sir Wizard. Should you not be welcomed with many heralds and grateful sayings?" She sneered.

"A mistake, I am sure," Gandalf replied confidently giving the woman a withering glare which caused her to quiet herself.

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Heavens no. Hell Yeah.


Set 1: Nurr | Set 2: Me

"No, no, you are not taking me away from any errands here, m'lady," Taurvantian gallantly answered Ellethwen. He secretly quivered under the light pressure of her hand upon his sleeve. There was something about her... some strange air about her that seemed to gnaw away at his innermost being with the desire to know more about her. This journey, though it was not long, would give him that opportunity which he was so yearning for. "Shall we?" He smiled down at her.

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Banner from Nellie