𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 ✯ 𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

Two New Friends

Caladhiel looked back at the young elleth who had said there was still someone else. Narsil gestured with her head towards a tree next to her, telling the stranger was hiding over there. Melwin readied her bow and aimed it at the tree.

"Show yourself," Caladhiel ordered with a stern voice and Narsil rested her hand on the hilt of her sword hanging around her waist. Ready to draw it if that appeared to be needed.

It stayed silent and Caladhiel was about to repeat her commandment, when they heard some noises and cracking of branches above them. Caladhiel took a few steps back when someone landed right in front of her. She prepared herself for a fight but the stranger had no intentions to battle with them.

She shook her strawberry-blonde hair out of her face and two blue eyes observed the Forest Guard. "Hello. Goheno nin, I didn't mean to sneak up upon you all."

"Who are you, and why were you hiding?" Caladhiel wondered. Narsil relaxed a bit, this unknown elleth wouldn't be much of a threat now, and she crossed her arms in stead of letting it rest on the handle of her sword.

"Im Karina," the elf answered. "I was hiding, because... Well, I actually did that all the way towards here. I don't know who you all are, so I just kept out of sight."

Rúmil was suprised, did she just meant she had been following them all the way to Greenwood? And they hadn't even noticed? He was impressed, if it hadn't been for Narsil; they still wouldn't had noticed her. Still, he decided to ask her, just to be sure. "You've been following us?"

Karina shyly smiled. "Yes... I'm sorry, but I swear I didn't mean you any harm. I just followed you, that's all."

"That's all? You make it sound as if it isn't a big deal. You'll have to understand, you followed us without being noticed. Now, that's impressive."

Karina blushed at his compliment. She wasn't used to receiving compliments, she had been alone for most of her life. Last past years she had lived nearby the woods of Lothlórien but when she had found out the two Marchwardens and Amarië were leaving Lórien, Karina had decided to follow them. She had overheard their conversation and she had always wanted to visit other Elven cities. It hadn't been her plan to keep herself hidden from the elves but she never had the courage to show herself to Haldir, Rúmil and Amarië, so she had just followed them.

"Or maybe," Amarië interrupted her thoughts, "you two have just slacken your vigilance. Narsil here did notice her, but you two didn't? All the way from home till here?"

Haldir snorted. "You didn't sense her either, milady."

"Yes, but you were supposed to protect me."

Karina uneasy shifted her weight to her other foot. It hadn't been her intentions to embarrass them. "Goheno nin" she pleaded again. "Forgive me, I should had shown myself."

Narsil was getting enough of this. She had hoped this was going to be a thrilling adventure, you know; retrieving the elves who had entered the forest and bring them to the King, but it all had went easy. Even the stranger hidden between the branches hadn't been exciting. It was all so, boring... "Lovely, it's all rainbows and unicorns. Now, let's get you to the King. We have delayed long enough."

Melwin tried to hide her smile. "Rainbows and unicorns?"

Narsil rolled her eyes, but Caladhiel nodded. "That's true. King Thranduil is waiting."

Karina backed up a little and shook her head. She couldn't go to the King, she had only wanted to visit the forest, not to go see the King! She bumped into Narsil who was blocking her way when she tried to escape.