Go down in flames

The hunt

The journey continued. We travailed over vast endless fields and through thick forests. Not even the steep hills or ruff boulders could stop us. We pushed on restlessly. The pain in our feet or the tiredness of our lungs could not stop us because our hearts drove us forward to where the little hobbits were. The pain made us push harder towards our goal. Over our travails Gimli had apologized multiple times and no matter how may times I told him that I forgave him and if I was in his place I would have done the same thing he would not forgive himself. You could see the pain of guilt and remorse in his eyes and smell it in his scent. I felt bad for the small man. I understood the unforgivable pain of regret every time I thought of my mother and how I had not helped her. I understand that I was honour bound to remain hidden because of my promise but it still hurt. It would have been worth it to die. The dishonour of breaking my promise could not be as bad as the dishonour of letting my mother die while I hid like a yellow bellied coward. I could still see the memory as clear as day as if I was watching it again through my eight year old eyes all over again.

Gimli huffed as he tried to catch up with us. " Us dwarves are not very good at cross country running. We are born sprinters and are very dangerous over short distances." He panted through his words. Aragorn let out a laugh. I smiled.

We reached a peak looking over a large flat area. " Legolas, what do you see with your elf eyes?" Aragorn asked squinting his icy blue eyes as he peered into the distance. Legolas stepped up onto a rock. His eyes had a far away look as he searched the plains. " The creatures turn west." He said grimly. " Something gives speed to these creatures that pits itself against us." Aragorn spoke with a dejected tone to his ruff voice. I offered them a small smile. " There is one advantage we have that they don't." I said quietly. " And what would that be my lady?" Aragorn said. I could tell he was trying to gather his hope like scattered pieces of broken glass. " We are driven to go on because of love for our friends and hope for a better world. They are driven because they were ordered to and a group without passion for their job will most certainly shatter and be blown away in the wind like dust to be forgotten." They were all silent for a moment and I wondered if I had somehow insulted them but then smiles grew on their faces. A large grin spread across Gimli's red and panting face. " Well said my lady, I could not have said it better myself!" I smiled and curtsied in his direction going by proper Trov gestures. Gimli chuckled loudly and gave me a small bow in return. " I must say Shadow you would make a wonderful leader." I smiled at him. " I am a leader, a leader of myself and that makes me queen of dragons." I said smiling and holding in my laughter. I had not told them about Leverin because I felt that he would not want me flaunting his identity about so freely. " O mighty and fearsome Queen of Dragons Lady Anastasia would you care to continue?" Aragorn held out his arm jokingly. I took his arm. " Why yes sir I would be delighted O Aragorn King of Gondor." I replied jokingly back. He flinched when I said King of Gondor and I realized that I had accidentally touched a nerve that I shouldn't have. But he ignored it and we continued, to Gimli's despair, at a jogging paise.

We went so fast across the plains it felt like we were gliding. I wanted so bad to spread my wings. I longed to feel the air beneath my wings. Flying is a terrible but beautiful thing. Once you do it once you can't stop, it is addicting. My favourite is dives. The rush of adrenaline you get as you plummet towards the ground and just before you crash to your death you spread your wings. You hang there for just a moment. Suspended in midair as if you are floating on a cloud. And then gravity kicks in and you have to flap your wings as hard as you can to get back to a good height........

I was jerked out of my thoughts by the sound of loud horses coming towards us. " Over here!" Aragorn called waving us over behind a large rock that hide us from view. Legolas grabbed my wrist tightly and dragged me over to the rock as I was still coming out of my thoughts. Forcing my mind to snap out of it we dove for the rock and made it into hiding just as the muscular war horses made it over the crest of the hill.