Fire and Water

Chapter 1: Paintings

" And I'm finished!" Amanda smiled happily as she placed the final stroke of paint onto her masterpiece. She placed her paint palette on the desk, before turning to look at her painting. She had painted the lonely mountain with a purple sky, along with a small figure standing on a cliff looking towards the mountain with her back facing the viewer. The woman standing in the painting had long brown hair which reach the small of her back, it was pulled from her face in two braids that met at the back of her head to create one. They wore a deep purple almost black cloak with a hood hidden under her hair.

This had to have been one of her finest paintings and she decided to place it where everyone could see. She left it on the stand for it to dry as she continued to admire it. She turned to look at her other paintings that she had completed. One which she loved, was of a large lush field of green. With different coloured flowers here and there. The sky was a brilliant blue with a few clouds and in this painting was the same woman as in the lonely mountain painting. Except she was facing the viewer this time and you could see her outfit. It was a pair of tight fitting black trousers with a dark green shirt that had sleeves that hugged her arms down to the brown arm guards. She also had a deep brown under bust corset on that had a few silver buckles. She wore black laced riding boots that reached halfway up her calf muscle. The woman had deep yet soft brown eyes and pale flawless skin and roses red lips.

It was then she felt a soft breeze pass directly threw her hair, almost as though it came from the painting of the lush field. Amanda scrunched her face as the painting but shook her head with a chuckle.

" I am going mental." She muttered as she turned around to look at the lonely mountain, but something in the painting caught her eye. She turned to look at it and the grass seemed to be moving and the clouds drifting. She shook her head again but this time stifled no chuckle.

" I really have gone crazy." As she looked at the painting closer, she placed a single finger onto the sky as if to feel if anything was really moving. But instead of feeling anything, a bright white light burst into her eyes. Amanda pulled her hand away and shielded her face from the light but it was no use. It was far to bright as she felt herself being lifted.

That was the last thing she could remember before now, she lay upon soft green grass that had a few different coloured flowers surrounding her. Amanda groaned as a small pain zapped through her head. She moved a hand up to the side of her face to calm the pain so she sat herself up. She looked around her as her brown eyes adjusted to the light. Her breathing caught in her throat as she instantly recognized it as the field she had painting. But it is not possible because the field was not real, she had dreamt it and then decided to paint it. So how could she be sitting in it right now? Unless it was another dream of hers. But this felt so real to her, the softness of the grass below her. The sweet and gentle smell of the flowers that grew around her and the heat of the afternoon sun in a fairly cloudless sky.

" What in the world?" Amanda muttered as she slowly stood to her feet. It was then as she looked down, she realised her clothing had changed. She no longer wore her blue skinny jeans and Supernatural shirt with her spongebob painting apron on. No she wore exactly what the woman in her painting was wearing.

" This has to be a dream." Amanda muttered as she looked around her to find a road or a path. She walked over the grass and flowers until she found a small dirt path, she followed it up to the beginning of a forest. She hesitantly looked back, unsure on wither it was a good or bad idea to enter the unknown forest. Shrugging off the horrible nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. Amanda walked into the forest which was full of tall trees that held lush green leaves. The birds sang happily as she slowly walked on wards. The forest grew darker and colder as she pulled her purple cloak closer to her small body.

But what she had not realised was that the birds had stopped singing and the trees stopped rustling, the forest feel into a eerie silence. But when she had noticed it, it was already too late as a group of orcs ran from behind trees, rushing at her with their weapons raised. Their screams sent Amanda into a whirling pit of fear. She mind made up it choice between fight or flight and this time, she chose flight. She feet took off running as fast she could through the forest, she jumped over a fallen tree as she skidded down a step hill. Old fallen leaves covered her and fell off her as she continued to run with the orcs hot on her tail.

" Come on!" Amanda cried as she grew tired from running. Her tiredness caught up on her as she tripped over a root and was sent hurtling to the ground. She rolled over a few times, due to the speed she was running at, as she came to a stop on her back. She had hit her head in a stone causing her vision to blur. She could make out the orc creatures stopping above her, ready to giving the killing blow. But it never came as their attention was drawn else where. Amanda turned her head to see what cause their attention to turn away from her, but all she could see was blurring figures fighting and killing the orcs. She saw a figure rush over to her side and kneel down next to her.

" My lady? Are you alright? Can you hear me?" His angelic voice asked as his large hand shook her shoulder gentle. Amanda tried desperately to focus her eyes as she looked at one of her rescuers.

" Your safe now. Do not fear." His voice sounded like a angel singing a beautiful tune. She still did not feel happy about this so much to her rescuers protesting, she stood up. Her hand went to the right side of her head as a sharp pain blasted through. Amanda pulled her hand away to see it was soaked in blood. She put her hand back on her head then looked at it again, not able to understand where this blood was coming from.

" Please you need to sit down. You seem to have hit your head hard!" He told her placing hands onto her shoulders, his touch was amazing and it gave Amanda the feel of being so safe. But she did not know who this person was, so she shrugged his hands off her shoulders.

" w-who, w-what?" Amanda struggled to piece her words together as she looked around her and saw that there was a lot of males staring at her. But one stare seemed to intimidate her the most, from what she could see through her blurry vision was that he was tall and had black hair with grey streaks through it. His cold ice blue eyes sent shivers down her back.

" Oin, see the her. Make sure she is well." His low husky voice growled as he turned around and looked to the ground that was littered with the bodies of dead orcs. Someone then stepped up to her with a smile, his hair was a deep grey and he looked fairly old.

" What's your name lass?" His voice was old sounding yet caring. Amanda blinked trying to bring her focus into view.

" A-Amanda." She said as the black haired one walked up to her again. Even when he was not touching her, just his presence near her made her feel safe.

" Good, now let me look at your head." Oin said walking over to her, he was roughly the same height as her, maybe a few millimetres taller. But Amanda stepped back with a fearful look on her face.

" It's alright, we not going to hurt you. You can trust us." The black haired said as he put his weapon away and stepped forward to her. He put a hand out wanting her to take it. Amanda shook her head and opened her mouth to speak but before she could her knees buckled from underneath her. The black haired one rushed over and caught her before she fell. He held her to his chest as his strong arms wrapped around her. Her hands where on his chest as she could feel it moving with every breath he took.

" Your going to be alright. Don't worry." His voice echoed in her mind as the world slowly disappeared from her grasp.

" Th-thank y-you." She whispered before she blanked out completely.