The Running Elf

Chapter 1

“Come!” Isundir had begun walking up a flight of oaken stairs to her left. There were thousands of such staircases winding the whole way through the palace, a webbed network of escape patterns.

Callysta followed him through the maze and into an enormous chamber. In the centre a mass of branches intertwined to form the glorious throne. Upon which sat Thranduil, King of the elves of Mirkwood.

Isundir knelt on one knee before the king, his head bowed. “My king, an elleth from the north has come to seek refuge in our halls.”

He stayed on his knees as Callysta looked up at the king. His almost white hair flowed down his back and the crown of autumn leave on his head shone against the shimmering silver robe that reached the floor. He stood and descended the few steps to the ground and cast his gaze over Callysta. A younger elf, who she recognised as the prince. Legolas. His blue eyes pierced her violet ones, making her look away and back to his father.

“Tell me young elf, how is it you came to my halls?”

“Your highness, I have been travelling for many days on my path to Rivendell. I have come here in hope of rest from the dangers of the road. I am Callysta, of Ilcoron.” She explained confidently. Even the slightest trace of doubt could mean them turning suspicious.

His scrutinizing gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned and sat back on his throne.

“Am I right, Callysta that you are not of full elfish blood and are the one who escaped the justice of King Bly?”

Callysta tensed up in fear. They knew who she was, they would try to apprehend and kill her. Or even worse… send her back to King Bly. She battled desperately to keep her heart rate down as her breathing started to increase. Her hand instinctively moved towards the dagger she kept hidden in the small of her back behind her cape.

Thranduil’s eyes snapped to her hand and he understood what she was doing.

“Sana he!” (Take her) Thranduil barked to the guards around him.

Before the guards could react, Callysta had leapt up to one of the staircases and was running back towards the gates.  She hopped from branch to branch of the web. Arrows bounced off the wood at her feet as she climbed forward. Drawing her own bow she took one of the archers in the shoulder and another in the leg. She pounced to another staircase and sprinted up the hand rail. Arrows zipped past her ears and she caught her first glimpse of the gate. It was shut, a solid wall of wood. Except for the branched window at the top. She continued her sprint, swinging off over hanging branches and prancing over people’s heads. A few metres away she jumped.

Holding her arms out in front of herself and straightening her legs, her streamlined form shooting through the air. She could see trees on the other side that she could catch hold of. She hit the window with a deafening snap as the branches cracked upon the impact. Within a moment she was sailing through the fresh air outside and coming up to a tree. She threw a hand out and caught the thin trunk of the birch tree. Her body swung round suddenly as she changed direction and came to land on one of its slender branches.

Callysta put two fingers to her lips and blew two tones of a high pitched whistle. To anyone else this would hurt their ears but she had become accustomed to it. A whinny broke through the woods and she jumped to the ground. The gates were groaning behind her as elves hurried to open them.

She took off along the path towards the edge of the forest. Shouts of fury came from  behind her as the guards pursued her. There was a crash beside her and in a moment Buepa was galloping beside her. Taking hold of the pommel of her saddle she swung into the saddle and they charged through the forest. The sound of thundering hooves came up behind them as they flew through the trees.

“N'ndengina he! I’Aran merna he kuila!” (Don’t kill her! The king wants her alive!) One of them called to the others. The twang of bow strings carried on behind her and the snorts of horses came closer and closer.

“Noro lim Buepa, noro lim!” (Run faster Buepa, run fast!)

Buepa sped on forwards and the sounds steadily became fainter and fainter until she couldn’t hear them at all. Callysta knew they were still following her so she daren’t stop. They galloped straight out of Mirkwood and over the flat plains. Her only hope of rest now was Rivendell, and that lay one hundred leagues to the west through the mountains. An hour later she slowed the pace to a steady canter as the red sun began to set over the uneven horizon.

An hour passed as they rode on through the night. Callysta guided Buepa into a rocky outcrop where they could rest for the night, her wary eyes still scanning the horizon. During her travels she had become accustomed to sleeping during the night rather than being the nocturnal being like her elven ancestors. A shallow cave that sheltered them from the weather became their lodge and after leaving her pied pony to snup at the grass she went to forage for wild plants.

She only found a few edible plants in the sparse greenery that was spread across the outcrop. However she had – purely by fortune – come across some of the elusive Atholas plant. Once a common remedy this weed had become scarce over the years when Lord Denethor had stripped the land of all its natural recourses.

Those times were long past. Years past. Peace was restored to Middle Earth and the only ill willed creatures were now the Night Elves and their relationship with the humans. Mirkwood sometimes joined the skirmishes against the humans because of their alliance with the Night Elves.

She couldn’t risk a fire so for her evening meal she ate the greens and a small bite of her dwindling supply of lembas bread. When she had eaten she removed the bed roll that still clung to Buepa’s saddle. Shuffling into its relative warmth she went into a light sleep. She couldn’t go straight for Rivendell any longer. They would expect that. No, she would make for the gap of Rohan and see if Queen Eowyn would allow her to stay. The humans didn’t share the contempt for a half breed as the elves did. But would they still help her?