The Dragon Charm (A LOTR fanfic)

Prologue: The Marketplace

Hey guys!! How are you? I'm postponing all of my other books so I can make this one! Thanks so much for letting me use Phoenix in this story @Avengers14 

-Twilightshadow

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A cloaked figure stepped swiftly, avoiding the crowd in the marketplace. She was headed towards a half empty stand, it was a blacksmith's.

"Do you have any knives? Make it quick! I have business to do."

"A young lass looking for a pair of twin knives, that is unheard of around these parts." The blacksmith replied to the half-elf's question.

   "Listen, get me a duel. If I lose I'll give you all the coins I have, without the knives. But if I win, I get those twins for free." The cloaked figure said, threatening the man.

    "That most certainly can be arranged, Miss." He chuckled as a strong burly man walks up.

In the darkness an elf watched, his own cloak covering up his spiky red hair. He tilted his head, curious as to what would happen next.

"Your name?" The burly man spoke, grinning.

     "Lithwen," She answered without hesitation.
    
         "Jaraghon."

He motions, such a slight little movement that if Lithwen hadn't been part elf, she would've missed it. She unsheathed her sword, without even turning around, she took out the new man, who had snuck up behind her. With the hilt of her weapon, she knocked him out...

  "Cheat if you must, but I will win." Lithwen growled.

The elf in the shadows regained his posture, he was shocked. There was more to this girl then meeted the eye. He had barely heard the man come up behind her. Sure he was farther away, but he was a fullblood elf. He rested hand rested on his hidden knife. This was about to get interesting.

Jaraghon drew his own blade, he swung it lazily at Lithwen, she easily dodged the blow. The man started swinging it faster and more coordinated than before. Lithwen didn't fear this though She brought her sword up, it clashed with Jaraghon's gleaming one. Lithwen quickly brought it down to the ground.

"Does anyone else want to try?" She asked triumphantly.

Phoenix, the elf in the shadows was now right beside the blacksmith's stand. The crowd had thinned out so he decided to get closer. He was about to leave, thinking Lithwen could hold her own ground. But he was wrong. The man versing her grabbed a cloth out of his pocket and wrapped it around her mouth. Lithwen blinked in surprise for a few moments, before crumbling to the ground, unconscious.

The man slung her over his shoulder, sheathed his sword, and threw a bag of gold saying, "Split this, don't tell anyone." Jaraghon then ran off into the fading sunlight.

Phoenix reached down to his knife. It was stuck. Phoenix frowned and grabbed a throwing dagger from the stand beside him. He aimed and let it soar right next to the man's ear, nicking it and drawing a small dot of blood.

  "Drop the girl, scumbag," he shouted, pulling back the hood of his cloak.

His bright red, short hair didn't scream elf, but it was apparent from his pointy ears. He was also a bit short to be an elf, making people wonder if he was just someone pretending to be one.

"Never," The man grinned evilly, he took off running again, Lithwen in his arms.

Phoenix sprinted after him, showing surprising speed and agility. As he ran, he threw three more daggers aimed for the man's back, leg and the arm that was holding Lithwen. The man yelped in pain as the daggers hit their mark. He stumbled to the ground, Lithwen falling in front of his head.