The Lady of The Flame

Chapter Two

"This is speech"
'This is thoughts'
"This is telepathy"
"Sindarin"

All art belongs to their respective owners, I found them all on Pinterest and claim no ownership over any.

I Héri -o I runya
(The lady of the flame)
Chapter Two:

Arda, 1007, Third Age

Azalea groaned softly, and almost started at the sound of her voice, but then immediately dismissed that particular train of thought due to her delirious disposition.

She kept her eyes shut, and used magic to feel her surroundings, discovering that she was alone, apart from a few animals. She felt the tell-tale tickle of a summer's breeze caressing her skin, and smiled softly at the sound of birds and crickets.

'Well I don't know where I am, but it sure seems lovely.'

Sighing softly, she opened her eyes - her eyes that suddenly apparently were much more developed than she was used to. As were her ears - she could even hear the wings of a butterfly.

She went to roll over on her stomach and push herself up, but immediately froze in shock.

Her hands... were tiny.

The hands of a...

'nope this is is not happening. Nope. Nope. I refuse.'

She could almost hear familiar tinkling laughter being carried on the breeze.

She gulped, and hesitantly looked to the rest of her body.

'Oh for-'

Azalea no longer had an adult woman's body.

She was small.

A child, she realised with exasperation, judging by the size of her body, she would have to say that she was no older than about eight months old. She reached to touch her face, noting with a measure of happiness that her hair was still her mother's fiery red. She no longer had the high cheekbones, but the round face of a young child, and her ears were...

'pointy?'

Fortunately, she wasn't naked, but instead dressed in what appeared to be some sort of a thin, white night dress.

'I need to get up before I'm trampled or eaten by something.'

Unfortunately, it was much easier said than done, and she managed to get into a crawling position after about ten minutes, her legs too weak to support her weight.

'Right. I need to find some shelter and food. Maybe there's a- BUTTERFLY!'

To her adult mind's absolute horror, she let out a very (and grudgingly she had to admit) adorable squeal and crawled over to the butterfly that rested on the flower, releasing a stream of gurgles and childlike babble in the process. She sat up next to it, and watched it very closely while being careful not to scare it.

It was beautiful, with turquoise blue wings, outlined with a midnight black. Her eyes went comically wide and her mouth opened in a beaming smile when it landed on her finger. She giggled again, and bounced up and down form her seating position when it fluttered away.

Her mind only came up with one coherent thought: 'must. Follow.'

So she did. She crawled through the weeds, grass and flowers, all the while looking for a new animal friend. But then, she suddenly stopped, and a look of pure horror came upon her face as her adult mind regained control and looked down at her hands as though they were splattered with blood.