For death & Glory 2

[Galuwen]

No word of the White city had reached the Woodland Realm in years. Galuwen, the red haired she-elf longed for her eyes to look upon her close friend, Linwelos. Yet friend seemed a light word to use when describing the two elves. They were as close as any sisters were. They shared many an adventure. They were there at the battle of the one ring. Galuwen would be honored to die by Linwelos side.

Galuwen tried her best not to concern herself too much with the silence from Minas Tirith. Linwelos had married Aragorn, the new king of Gondor. Linwelos was now faced with life as an elvish Queen of men. Galuwen knew she needed space to adjust. She had her own concerns to occupy her time.

Galuwen was in love with Linwelos' brother and prince of Mirkwood. He shared his love for her. And it was that love that pulled her through the tough times of war, that once plagued the land. It seemed his love for her was the only reason she was allowed to live in the palace. She was made quite aware of the fact she was not a Silvan Elf. Yet as days turned to years he had still not ask for her hand in marriage. It would be then that she would truly have his heart. Galuwen began to feel as if he was slipping away from her.

Silence between the Realms of Elves and men lay still. Until a cloud of whispers from the White city began to spread up through Gondor and Dumnidale. When it had reached the woodland boarders it was no longer a small whisper, but a fire that roared in the ears of all who heard the tale.

They came under the light of the moon. Without warning crimson covered the White City. Enemies long thought dead slathered all who they see. A great army of orcs had taken the City. Only a smell few had managed to escape north and spread their horror story. The king and Queen were thought dead.

"Double the gauds around the woods." Leglos commanded a group of elven warriors. His face was a blank slate, keeping to the taste at hand. Turning to the King for guidance he did not say another word but listened for his father to speck again.

Galuwen listened from just beyond the throne room behind a twisted tree. The king spoke nothing of sending their armies to aid. And healers for the wounded. And what hurt the most was the lack of any acknowledgement that his daughter was dead. He spoke only of Mirkwood's strong hold.

Galuwen heard enough heard enough. Leglos caught sight of a spot of red behind a tree as she left. Her feet were a blur as she descended the stairs. Anger, grief, sadness washed over her like water on rock. And to make matters worse she was the only one who seemed to care. Just as she reached the path to her room she stopped as her view changed. She was getting a vision. Galuwen saw the white tree in flames like a touch lighten the way for thousands of orc to parade through the city. She saw bodies lay on the streets and blood flowing down each level like a river. The vision showed her Aragorn. The army of Gondor proudly covered him. His sword dripped of orc blood. Yet his face was that of a fallen warrior as blood dripped down his arm. She could hear screaming as he dropped to his knees. She knew who was screaming without seeing their face. Linwelos' dress was torn and bloody. She wore no armor but held a sword tightly. She was fighting something with rage. Then a bright white light blinded the vison. When it cleared she saw a black rider standing where Linwelos once was. A sword raised high. She heard Linwelos' voice call to her. "Darkened shadows surround me mellon nin." Galuwen snapped back upon feeling a hand on her shoulder and a soothing voice, "Veleth nin."

She looked into the elven prince's eyes, "I had a vision."
"You do not have that kind of power."
"Your sister does. I think is is alive and trying to reach me. She is in pain. I felt it. We have to help her. I saw a black rider. I think it has her. Leglos please if you could have seen what I just did." She could see the despair on his face, "Please."

In his heart the Prince wanted to believe that Linwelos was alive. The deviated report coming from the city of men proved other wise. The king had made his orders and he would be loyal to them. Even if it tore him apart.
"The King had strengthen our borders and ordered no one to leave the realm." Leglos face was void of emotions.
"She is alive, I know it. How else could she had sent me that vision. I saw so much death. And what of Aragorn? You once swore your allegiance to him. Not for who he was destined to be but because he was your friend. Does that mean nothing to you anymore? In my vision I saw him fall to the ground. And you tell me you are still willing to do nothing."
Leglos words cut him as it poured from him mouth. "The king has made his orders."

"And your just as like minded as he. Am going, and it is going to take the whole Mirkwood army to stop me." She turned and said, "You are not as I once new." Quickly she set about the task at hand. Leglos stood still as he did nothing to stop her.

There was a rustling of movement within Galuwen's chambers that elven ears could hear. Human ears would be a different story. The fiery headed elf would be gathering her dress of travel. No doubted much against her father and loves wishes. An under dress of olivine green silk with a darker mignoette green velvet upon the bell shaped eleven sleeves. The overdress would be a bay brown color. A rich almost chocolate brown cromprising the earth tones of the elf maidens travel dress. Silver filigree accents adorned the collar of the over dress. Each with a gleaming red gem set with the filigree's center. A leather bag that would sit aside her waist with a matching filigree red pendant closure. Linwelos had the bad specially made for her before Linwelos' wedding.

Upon the bed would sit the leather quiver of arrows and her bow. A great bird appearing upon the dark leather wuiver in the golden thread, wings outstretched around the container. It's maw open as if letting lose a battle scream much like that the elf maiden felt rising within.

Sunset turned to sky shades of reds and orange. Which only seemed to add to the emotions she felt. Leglos watched from an upper window as the faded sun seemed to brighten the she-elf's hair given it a look of fire. The Prince of Mirkwood would obey his king in duty and follow all orders. Yet he could not make sense of his father's wishes. To just remain in the Woodland Realm when their friends and sister, the king's daughter could be dead. The news of the orcs return puzzled him further. Peace had be fallen Middle Earth for fifteen years after the war of the ring. Why now and who? So many questions needed answers. And to just remain behind was foolish.

Leglos watched as Galuwen escaped the lock down the king placed. He knew she could. His elven eyes never moved away from her sight. Until he could no longer see the crimson of her
hair into the forest. A smiled painted on his face because without disobeying orders, he had just sent one of the best to investigate.

Leglos pushed back his fears of never seeing her again as he glided down the steps to the throne room.

[Galuwen]

Galuwen traveled swiftly by foot north unto the town of Dragonmoor. Seeing no orc activity but she could feel a change in the air. The town was small, and sat on flat land. It was filled with markets and peddlers selling goods from the far reaches of Middle Earth. It was settled by both humans and dwarfs after the war of the ring. The new town welcomed all races to buy and trade. The air smelled of sweet treats for both the young and old. Wooden buildings and open air stalls lined the brown dirt streets of Dragonmoor.
Galuwen threaded through the busy markets as she try to stay out of the way of shoppers. Hopefully under every ones radar as well. She was not fond of being the center of attention and preferred keeping to herself. It was how she was raised, to always be in the background. But to her dismay she was getting some looks. The towns people must not have seen too many elves. Yet it was in close range to Mirkwood. But the the King's distrust of outsiders, it was expected. Her bight red hair did not help. It too was not normal even for an elf. Galuwen did her best to smile polite as she walked past on lookers.
Even with the chaos of the market her mind was filled with Leglos' words. How could he treat this as if it was nothing. His own sister and the king of Gondor who he swore his allegiance too. After all they had been through together. Leglos did not seem himself. She had remembered when he disobeyed his fathers wishes for the greater good. One of which was to be with her in the first place. She had to do this. The she-elf was not going to turn her back on her friends to the north. Even when she did not know of the consciences her actions would take.
The stables and horse trader was just on the town boarders on the other side. In which she made her way quickly towards. Every second was not meant to be wasted. But something caught her eye. A women selling flowers on a small wheeled cart. She was not sure why. But she was drawn to a bunch of white flowers in the corner of the cart.
"The flower's called a alfirin." The women said as she watched Galuwen pick one up. "It's from the north, Gondor."
Galuwen looked at it as if studying it, when she felt as if someone was trying to tell her something. Her vision flashed in her mind.

Galuwen saw Minas Tirith townsfolk beginning their morning and setting up their outdoor shops for the day would speak to her as she passed. Not letting those who looked up to her see the displeasure in how her day had started. A smile upon those erethreal features of hers as she would greet them back. She enjoyed interacting with the people of Gondor. Something she had done even in Mirkwood, though her father was never fond of such things. She felt a tug at her dress to see a young girl with white flowers in her hand. Crouching down so that she was at eye level with the child the little girl would say softly in the common tongue. "For you Milady." Extending a small hand with a white flower known as Alfirin. Taking the flower Linwelos would smile and say in that melodic dreamlike voice, "Thank you selda nin *my child*." The young girl would be all smiles as she took another and placed it between one of the grooves within the Elf Queen's crown. The childs eyes would get wide however and Linwelos would notice a much heavier footstep coming than most humans had the ability to make. As the child began to scream, Linwelos would quickly turn about seeing an orc within the White City. Something that hadn't been seen since the time of the War of the Ring. Saying to the girl without taking her eyes off the orc she would say soft enough for the girl to hear. "Run to safety young one."

"Would you like to by one?" The flower women said to a confused Galuwen. She hated not buying it after making such a fuss. She bought one white flower for the women's trouble. Then made her way to the stables. The look of horror on that young girls face in her vision was all the motivation she needed.

Linwelos was the only elf outside of Lord Elrond that she knew that had enough power to send visions. But what was she trying to tell her. The one thing that Galuwen found peace in was that Linwelos could not send them if she was dead.

Galuwen paid the man for the horse. And quickly she was on her way again. The horse was mostly white except for brown patches on it's neck and back upper legs. And three brown spots on it back. It reminded her of herself, mixed up and confused as to who she was and is. There was a time she did.Growing up she was an elf, living and serving the Woodland Realm will all her heart. Even being bounced from servant to servant as she grew older. Galuwen never had a real family. But none of that mattered, she was happy. Linwelos made sure of that. Despite her father's dislike of the red haired child.