TA 2941
Misty Mountains
That next morning, Nyx headed down to the dwarves' camp and waited until they had finished eating. It was early hours yet, the sun scarcely scraping the horizon. Yet Nyx felt uneasy, though perhaps it was just the knowledge that they had a set amount of time to reach the Mountain. But as Thorin appeared to not have mentioned it yet, she stayed quiet.
Finally, Thorin turned to her, "Do you know a way out of here where we can pass unseen?"
She nodded and at a gesture by Thorin, the dwarves began to pack up. In a shorter amount of time than she had expected, the camp barely existed. The only signs were the bench Bombur had broken their first night there and the smoldering remains of a fire. Bluntly put, Nyx had expected there to be a worse mess.
Seeing all of the Company prepared to march out, Nyx led the way out of Rivendell. The place was quiet, no elves walking between the various elegant buildings and verandas. A bird sang a joyous melody above her, causing her to lift her gaze into the tree branches above. It flitted to another tree, leaving her with only the memory of its sweet song.
Leaving the main buildings behind, Nyx led them onto a path over one of the rushing rivers. It was narrower than she would have preferred but it would do. Her boots scraped slightly against the stone beneath as she crossed, sending a few pebbles down into the water below.
They cross easily, the path having widened and then opening up into the foothills of the mountains. Nyx gazes upward, staring at the high peaks above them. Some are wrapped in mist, winds churning around icy cliffs. She grimaces slightly, there's a storm trapped in the valleys and passes. When they enter the mountains true, they'll get hit by a mountain storm.
Balin takes the lead. Nyx says nothing, trusting that the dwarf knows his way through the foothills. She'll only speak if there is a better path or they walk a dangerous one. Already she considers various paths into the mountains. Her thoughts are interrupted by the dwarves passing her by. Their journey has begun in earnest.
She notices Bilbo gazing back at Rivendell and smiles sadly. Her own heart aches to leave behind such a place of peace but they cannot linger. "When this is all over, I would be happy to guide you back here," Nyx says softly.
Bilbo glanced back at her, "I couldn't possibly. I'm sure you have other things to attend to."
"Nonsense. At the very least I could send one of the Battalion," Nyx retorted, gesturing for him to follow as she headed after the dwarves.
Walking alongside her, Bilbo sighed. "When all this is over.... Seems an awful long time to wait. Assuming we even get through this. If that dragon wakes up..."
"Perhaps. But the memory of something beautiful will give you something to fight for." Nyx paused, brow furrowing. "And should the dragon awaken, then it'll be time for me to earn my keep. I didn't just come to guide you, but also to guard the Company. Even if it means guarding against a dragon."
Bilbo nodded, silently grateful for her words. As they marched deeper into the mountains, the two continued to talk. They spoke about the Shire, Rivendell, the Wilds ahead of them and other more mundane things. Their conversation wasn't exactly philosophical but it helped pass the time.
Before long, the Company was setting up camp in a small clearing within the forest of the foothills. An ancient oak looms near where they began setting up, its branches reaching far into the sky. As the sun dipped beneath the trees, shards of light met the ground. A bird flies over to a nearby tree, its song speaking of the incoming night.
The wind isn't yet fierce, giving them time to set up a fire. Bedrolls are laid around it and Nyx takes a spot near the old oak. Setting her things down, she headed off into the forest, bow in hand with her quiver slung over her back.
Creeping silently through the trees, she spied a deer standing in a small clearing. Nocking an arrow, Nyx slowed her breathing, focusing on the bow in her hands. Then she fired. The arrow sunk deep into the deer's head, killing it instantly. She, like many other elves, cared deeply for her fellow creatures. When she hunted, she was careful to prevent unnecessary suffering.
Her ears pricked as a pair of rabbits ran by. Grabbing a pair of daggers, she fired them at the animals, adding to the food she had gathered. If she knew anything about dwarves it was that they would be glad to see some fresh meat. She'd never quite entirely understand how they ate so much of it but at this point, she didn't dare ask.
She removed the daggers from the rabbits and then, slinging the deer over her back and picking up the rabbits, set off for the camp. When she arrived, Bombur already had a fire smoldering in the center of their camp, preparing to make their dinner. Upon seeing her, a grin lit up his face.
"I knew keeping you around would be worth it!" Bombur said with a laugh, coming to help her with the animals.
The other dwarves come over, grinning upon seeing the food she had brought back. Before long, dinner was being passed out, everyone tucking into their meal. Nyx took a spot near her bedroll, Bilbo coming to sit by her. They continue talking as the moon rises, casting a silvery glow over the camp.
Slowly, the Company heads to bed, one by one falling asleep until Nyx alone sits against the old oak. The embers of the fire light their camp, and she watches at the light dances over the faces of her companions. A sense of peace washes over her as she gazes around, comfortable in the stillness of night.
She told Thorin that she would watch through the night, that her time in Rivendell had been sufficient rest. He'd only told her to wake one of them if she grew tired. While the exchange had been curt, his trust in her must have grown to allow her to watch the camp. Perhaps he had realized he would need her help to reach the Mountain. That she could aid him not just in fighting but in other ways like gathering food.
Her gaze shifts to the bow and arrows set near her bedroll. The archer is only as good as the bow. That's what Amrod had told her all those years ago. As he'd guided her hands in crafting her own bow, showing her how tight to make the string, how to curve the wood and make a bow that would mirror its wielder.
~~~
"Steady now. Don't wanna lose it when you're so close," Amrod whispered, crouching beside her.
The forest sighed softly as a wind blew through, the light from the Trees falling through the leaves. She and her twin brothers stood in the shadows of great oaks, gazing forward into a clearing. A herd of deer stood there, and Velcanyxa's sharp ears picked up their quiet snuffling as they grazed.
They'd tracked the herd from their home in Valinor, heading through the forest in hopes of catching one. Her brothers had intended to go alone but Amras elected to bring her with them, wanting to teach her to hunt. Now she held the bow in her hands, fingers on the string.
Amrod came up behind her, gently adjusting her hands to make it easier to hold the bow. "Now lock it in your sights, focus on where that arrow needs to go."
Velcanyxa breathed deeply, relaxing her muscles before pulling back on the string. She could feel the feathers of the arrow against the tips of her fingers, seeming almost to twitch as they waited to be fired. The deer turned slightly, as if having picked up a scent. She stood still, waiting for the perfect moment.
It turned, going back to its grazing. She fired.
The arrow flew true and struck its mark perfectly, killing the creature in a matter of seconds. Rising from her crouched position, Velcanyxa watched as the rest of the herd went racing off, making all manner of grunts and bleats and screams as they fled the hunters. Amrod fired after them, succeeding in striking another deer. The others they left alone.
As Celegorm had fiercely instructed them, if one wanted to hunt at a later date then they could not damage the population irrevocably. The population and health of other species were no less important than their own, for all lives were tied together, interwoven like the threads on a tapestry. Velcanyxa remembered how her grandfather had walked in and nodded, telling them that when Men came to the world, their lives would soon also intertwine with those of the elves, adding color to the tapestry of life.
She held on to that message since that day in the forest, even when the trees around her changed and different winds blew through different leaves.
~~~
Her hands shook. She curled her hands into fists, giving up on attempting to craft the bow for the moment. The scars that dotted her hands practically shone in the sunlight filtering into the room. No longer were her hands smooth, only altered by the calluses that came with forging. Now the skin lifted up or fell down like the rolling hills surrounding Himring. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised, surviving years in Angband would inevitably have left its mark.
Footsteps sounded behind her. She turned in her chair, senses already on high alert. Like a wolf raising its hackles, she began to stand up. But it was only Amras. Upon seeing her brother, she felt herself settle.
"Ah, Maedhros said you might be here," he told her, heading towards her desk. He frowned upon seeing the bow. "Amrod and I are going hunting further south, would you like to join us?"
When they were kids, one of the twins would come and get her, grabbing her by the shoulder and dragging her out to hunt. Now they spoke like strangers. She hated it but understood it. None of them were the same as they had been, Velcanyxa perhaps least of all.
"I haven't finished crafting the bow," she replied, turning back to the table. "I... I need more time."
It was an excuse and they both knew it. She couldn't finish it. Her hands shook too badly for her to bend it.
"No matter, Amrod can find another one," Amras told her, a smile flashing to his face. "Besides, we'll need your tracking skills in this terrain. You've always been better at it than us."
A moment spent considering. Then a small nod. She would go with her brothers. It would be better than sitting with her thoughts. The focus required for the hunt could keep the memories at bay. She could forget all she could no longer do and all she now could do.
So Velcanyxa left to hunt with her brothers. For hours they roamed the hills, tracking a herd of deer as they headed south. Amrod brought a few deer down and brought them home to share with their brothers. She did not wield a bow, she couldn't trust her hands enough at that. Yet she tried to enjoy the hunt, the simple pleasure of being out with her brothers. It helped.
And when she returned to her room, she found the bow finished.
~~~
The boy fired an arrow at the target. He missed. Groaning, he plopped onto the ground, ignoring how the grass itched at his legs. All day he had been practicing and all day he had been missing. The captain said he would get it soon but he felt like he wasn't making any progress. It was like walking through mud.
Footsteps sounded behind him and he glanced up to see an tall elven woman. One he recognized as the Commander. He shot to his feet, already trying to apologize. She was the one who led them all, a warrior without equal.
She lifted her hand, "There's no need for you to apologize. I was told by Captain Wyeria that one of her soldiers was practicing archery. I thought I might see your progress."
He stared at her. His Commander had come to see him, to see how he was doing? "I'm sorry Commander, I haven't made any progress today. Perhaps I am simply not cut out to be an archer."
"Your captain tells me you have keen eyes and a calm mind, admirable traits in a hunter. 'Tis only your accuracy you must improve," she replied, eyes kind as she gazed down at him. Even standing up she was taller than him by more than a few inches.
He picked up his bow again. "If only it were that simple. I can't seem to even get close."
"May I see?" The Commander asked. "Perhaps I will be able to offer some guidance."
Again it took all of his self control not to stare. The Commander had a crucial role both in the Battalion and in the whole realm. He didn't even know her name and yet here she was, trying to help him. Standing by her, he felt very small. Mutely, he managed to nod.
He picked his bow back up and nocked an arrow. He tried to push away his anxiety, the fear he felt at knowing his Commander stood nearby watching him. Once again, he aimed and fired. And missed.
The boy stared at his feet, feeling shame rise in him. A choking feeling came to his throat, his eyes burning with what he knew could become tears. The wind rustled through the trees and a leaf landed beside his feet. A bird chirped.
The Commander said nothing. He kept staring down, pushing away his thoughts. He wouldn't cry in front of her. Instead, he tried to focus on the ground beneath his feet, the warmth the light gave to his face. The sun burned onto the back of his neck, having pierced through a gap in the trees. He noticed the grass had grown to his ankles and he thought he saw a bug sitting on a blade of grass.
"Good," a voice interrupted. He glanced up see to the Commander smiling faintly. "You cannot hope to fire accurately when your mind is elsewhere. When you fire that bow, what matters is where the arrow goes. Why it goes there and what might happen after doesn't matter. All that matters is the arrow and its target."
It felt strange to hear her say that. Everyone had always told him to remain aware of his surroundings. She told him to focus instead on the arrow.
As if reading his mind, she smiled. "In time, you will be able to both pay attention to your target and to your surroundings. For now, focus on your target. I can show you and then you may try again."
He just nodded as the Commander selected a longbow from the rack nearby. This training area of the Battalion's Camp was specifically designed for archers. Basic targets and bows were in the clearing and harder targets could be located deeper into the forest. The hour was early, only he and the Commander were there.
The bow she selected was strikingly different from his, long and broad with a silver line running through it. He'd learned enough from the smiths to know the longbows of the Battalion were created with a band of metal, strengthening them and allowing for more powerful strikes.
She pulled an arrow to the string and began to draw it back. Her eyes didn't even twitch from her target, never once did she glance towards him. She took in a breath and fired as she breathed out.
The arrow whistled as it flew through the air, the sound cutting off abruptly as it slammed into the target with a thunk. Perfectly in the center.
How was he supposed to follow that? Grimacing, he lifted his own bow and nocked another arrow. He tried to heed his Commander's words, breathing slowly and focusing only on the target in front on him. The target in front of him felt impossibly far. But the arrow could make it. He just had to guide it.
He breathed in and breathed out, firing as he did so, just as his Commander had. The arrow buried itself in the third ring from the outside. His jaw dropped open.
He'd done it. He'd not done it perfectly but he'd hit his target. And not even the outer edge! He whirled around to face the Commander and found her smiling.
"Excellent," she said, a light in her eyes. "I dare say you will make a fine archer."
He shrugged, "I think I still need to practice more."
"Aye. You've gotten it right now you make sure you don't get it wrong," came the reply. Still there was a smile on her face and he felt proud just looking at her. "Besides any archer worth the name often practices."
The boy nodded. He was about to respond when a shout rang through the forest. The Commander turned, brow furrowing. "Ah, it seems I am needed elsewhere. Fare you well little archer."
With that, she turned and began to walk deeper into the forest, cloak swaying slightly as she moved. He smiled to himself. When he'd first joined the Battalion, he wasn't sure what he was doing. He knew precious little about the Battalion and even less about fighting. Simply put, he didn't have faith in anything.
But seeing his Commander walk off, heading to go help someone else, his doubts faded. He was proud to serve her, to serve a woman who clearly cared so deeply for those under her command. He wrapped a hand around his bow. He'd do as his Commander bade him and become an archer.
He'd remember what she taught him.
Words: 3037
A/N: Plot twist: I'm not dead. Had some stuff going on and getting an education is always fun. We're also not gonna talk about the writers block. Still a new part for y'all so please enjoy