The Quest

Prologue: The tale of Galadhel & Alatar

"Remember that game we played? Hide and seek? Hide Erulisse! Hide and we will find you!" Her mother promised as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's head and pushed her towards the forests before running hastily towards home to aid her husband.

Mohrinehtar crashed into the cottage and ran to retrieve his staff before several orcs rampaged through the area. He opened the chest, attempting to pull out the sea blue robe he had forsaken years ago before he heard the splintered wood of the front door breaking open. His fingers wrapped tightly around his staff as he held it in front of him, ready to fight off the intruders that they had long feared would finally find him.

"The wizard lives!" An orc yelled out as they began to ransack the home in attempt to terrorize and torment. Mohrinehtar stood his ground confidently as he listened and waited for them to reach the bedroom. It had been quite some time, but in those moments he prayed to the Valar that Galadhel and Erulisse were safe somewhere and hidden deep with the forests, as far away from home as they could get.

The entire cottage suddenly fell silent as he stood in the center of the room, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his staff tightly in front of him. He took in slow and steady breaths, waiting. They had been found. He had worried that one day they would have been discovered whether it be by elves, men, or orcs, but he had always hoped that day would never come. All he had ever wanted to do was love his wife and daughter and spend their lives in the peaceful solitude of the forests they had grown to love. And in that too, he had failed.

The doorknob slowly turned, his breath suddenly paused as he saw Erulisse's small doll laying on the floor. In one quick movement he kicked it away and out of sight before the door flung open.

"Galadhel!" He cried out as the orcs trampled in with her in their grasp. She tried to scream as she looked at him yet no sound came out, her eyes widened with fear and terror. Just as quickly as they entered, he watched in horror the blue depths of her eyes that were once full of love and laughter quickly fading as an orc sword impaled her through her chest. Her body was thrown carelessly at his feet as the orcs turned their full attention to him.

Tears of pain and anger streaked his face as he held his staff out to expel the full force of his light upon the foul creatures. They just took his love, his wife, the mother of their child. Gone within the blink of an eye. He had risked everything to be with her, and now she was gone.

"BE GONE!" He screamed as he slammed his staff into the floor, ready to end them once and for all. Silence immediately followed before the orcs laughed at him mockingly. Mohrinehtar looked at his staff when the realization hit him. He had indeed failed not only his family but the Valar themselves. To have wed Galadhel and brought Erulisse into the world he had to pay a price which suddenly became evident.

Yet, the Valar still extended their grace to him. Smiling he dropped the staff onto the floor of the cottage and extended his arms, allowing the orcs to kill him with their ragged swords and daggers. The Valar had indeed stripped him of his powers as one of the Istari, but they did not cast them aside. Instead they dwelled within the tiny elleth that was his daughter.

Erulisse's small feet faltered as she walked further into the woods, constantly looking over her shoulder to see if her mother and father was hiding behind a tree or indeed following to see where she would hide. The small elleth crawled into the hole of a large tree and pulled her knees to her chest, waiting silently for several hours for her loving parents to retrieve her. During her time in the darkness of the tree hole she heard many confusing and frightening sounds emanating from where she knew home was.

After some time she decided to try to find her parents, having had the thought that maybe they were the ones hiding from her. She had made that mistake a time or two, hiding instead of seeking during the innocent game. "Naneth?" Erulisse's soft, childlike voice called out.

Her small feet carried her out of the thick of the wood and onto the slightly worn path through the tall grass and lilies that grew around the area her family had settled in. The small cottage settled amidst the thick trees finally came into sight as Erulisse approached. Hesitantly she pushed open the slightly ajar door and stepped into the darkened home, hoping to find her mother and father safely hidden away inside.

"Naneth? Father?" She called out again as she stepped over pieces of broken furniture. Her head shook from side to side as unbeknownst to her, the metallic scent of blood seeped into her nostrils. Her tiny hands began to shake as she moved to their bedroom door. As she placed her hand upon the wood and opened the door, Erulisse began to scream in fear and shock before a large hand clasped over her mouth and pulled her out of the cottage.

"Shhh child." Gandalf whispered in a bid to both comfort and quiet the elleth. Tears threatened to spill from the Istari's eyes having realized what had befallen his old friends. Erulisse continued to flail in his arms when her own light began to pour out of her defensively. Quickly, Gandalf waved his hand over her face, effectively placing the young child in an enchanted sleep.

Gandalf hastily ran through the forests with her in his arms in a bid to get her as far away from the cottage as possible. No child should have to witness the horrors she had just faced and he was desperate to get her as far away from it as possible.

"Gandalf!" Radagast called out as he trampled out of his cabin upon sensing someone drawing near. The brown wizard ran out to them, peering down at the lung child in the grey wizard's arms.

"She..." Gandalf was unable to explain what had happened to Radagast as he forced back his sobs. "Send a raven, crow, whatever bird you have to Rivendell.I must call a council meeting at once concerning this matter." Radagast cocked his head to the side curiously before doing as Gandalf ordered. Gandalf continued his journey to the edge of the forest before whistling loudly, waiting Shadowfax to bid them safe and haste passage to Rivendell.