Post by Tári on Aug 7, 2009 13:12:39 GMT -5
The Chronicles of Tári Tinehtelë
The log beneath her breaking with age, Tári Tinehtelë sat alone near the forest's edge. She held a blade in her left hand and a stone in her right, stripping the history from her steel. Her eyes flickered as sparks ran between her blade and the stone, erasing the scars of battle. There were no voices. No footsteps. The only sound in existence was her striking steel.
She wished she could force herself to leave this forgotten place. Every day she waited for a friend to return or a sign from the past, but every night she would admit there was nothing for her here, nothing left behind from the friends and memories that made this forest her home. And still, through all the battles she survived, all the places she went and the faces she met never kept her away from the Fangorn woods. She would always return with a hopeful heart, and refused to accept the forest she loved was now a forgotten wasteland.
A sudden roaring laughter came from the ground floor of the Green Dragon Inn. Tari continued the pace on her blade, suppressing the hopeful jolt that rose in her chest. These voices were the same she heard every night, but never were comforting in her silence. Although the village of CrannMeigeall remained populated, she felt no comfort from these traveling strangers. Her timeless friends that once dwelled in these trees were gone, and nothing would bring them back.
Tari pushed her weight against the tree beneath her then got to her feet, strapping her blade to her waist and dropping her stone in the pouch on her belt. The sun was falling in the distance; now the most prominent light came from the open door of the Inn. She turned down the path to village, blindly following the village lamps.
She passed the stable as she walked and mindlessly extended her hand to the ash-white beauty in the last containment unit. Amras shoved his nose playfully into her grasp, filling Tari’s hand with warmth. She smiled at her only companion, then opened the gate and let him walk from his cell without her guidance. She grabbed the bundle of straps from their hook and turned to leave the barn, her faithful stallion following her steps on his own accord.
The voices became louder as she grew closer to the Inn. The door stood ajar, the lantern lights gleaming into the outside darkness. The voices stopped as she walked by, and the young, flawed male faces glanced in her direction as she passed. Their eyes traced her strong shoulders, the round perfection of her eyes, and finally the tips of her elfin ears. Tari felt a smirk escape her lips, but simply pulled the hood of her cloak around her face in response.
The city path stopped short but Tari headed straight into the trees, Amras keeping pace. Her stride was slow this time, embracing the taste of the wind and the scent of the earth, letting her memories consume her conscious thought. A sudden smile crossed her face as she remembered the first time she appeared in these woods. She had the fleeting image of a road-dusted and travel-worn elf climbing through the open window of a store room in the attempt to the escape the cold, only to crash into an upturned barrel and wake the entire Inn. Tari laughed in the darkness, recalling the fear in her heart as the store room door opened with a jerk, the brilliant shine of Sita’s blade levitating inches from her face. The midnight intrusion quickly became a welcoming to her new home, her new life.
It had been four years to the day since she entered these woods. The life she had known would never be again, with age leaving it’s mark the village and locals raids turning half the city to ash. Perhaps that was why she remained when all others had gone; maybe she wanted there to always be something in these woods from that memorable time, as if holding on long enough would bring it back.
She placed her hand on Amras’ side to comfort her desolate mind as they walked through the trees, no goal or destination in sight. For miles it seemed they walked in the night. The village lights had long since disappeared, and Tari felt a surge of freedom with every step they took. The desire for adventure and the unknown rushed through her like the ocean tied. She kept her eyes forward, leading them onward to anywhere but where they had been.
Before she could comprehend her thoughts, she threw herself over Amras’ back and forced him into speed. The world flew by in a whirl of color. The wind was hard on her face, but it woke her senses and made her feel alive again. She searched for familiarity in the woods ahead, and pushed her steed faster as they raced through unknown territory. They road through the darkening night, never to return to the forest again, and pushed through the trees without a backward glance.
The log beneath her breaking with age, Tári Tinehtelë sat alone near the forest's edge. She held a blade in her left hand and a stone in her right, stripping the history from her steel. Her eyes flickered as sparks ran between her blade and the stone, erasing the scars of battle. There were no voices. No footsteps. The only sound in existence was her striking steel.
She wished she could force herself to leave this forgotten place. Every day she waited for a friend to return or a sign from the past, but every night she would admit there was nothing for her here, nothing left behind from the friends and memories that made this forest her home. And still, through all the battles she survived, all the places she went and the faces she met never kept her away from the Fangorn woods. She would always return with a hopeful heart, and refused to accept the forest she loved was now a forgotten wasteland.
A sudden roaring laughter came from the ground floor of the Green Dragon Inn. Tari continued the pace on her blade, suppressing the hopeful jolt that rose in her chest. These voices were the same she heard every night, but never were comforting in her silence. Although the village of CrannMeigeall remained populated, she felt no comfort from these traveling strangers. Her timeless friends that once dwelled in these trees were gone, and nothing would bring them back.
Tari pushed her weight against the tree beneath her then got to her feet, strapping her blade to her waist and dropping her stone in the pouch on her belt. The sun was falling in the distance; now the most prominent light came from the open door of the Inn. She turned down the path to village, blindly following the village lamps.
She passed the stable as she walked and mindlessly extended her hand to the ash-white beauty in the last containment unit. Amras shoved his nose playfully into her grasp, filling Tari’s hand with warmth. She smiled at her only companion, then opened the gate and let him walk from his cell without her guidance. She grabbed the bundle of straps from their hook and turned to leave the barn, her faithful stallion following her steps on his own accord.
The voices became louder as she grew closer to the Inn. The door stood ajar, the lantern lights gleaming into the outside darkness. The voices stopped as she walked by, and the young, flawed male faces glanced in her direction as she passed. Their eyes traced her strong shoulders, the round perfection of her eyes, and finally the tips of her elfin ears. Tari felt a smirk escape her lips, but simply pulled the hood of her cloak around her face in response.
The city path stopped short but Tari headed straight into the trees, Amras keeping pace. Her stride was slow this time, embracing the taste of the wind and the scent of the earth, letting her memories consume her conscious thought. A sudden smile crossed her face as she remembered the first time she appeared in these woods. She had the fleeting image of a road-dusted and travel-worn elf climbing through the open window of a store room in the attempt to the escape the cold, only to crash into an upturned barrel and wake the entire Inn. Tari laughed in the darkness, recalling the fear in her heart as the store room door opened with a jerk, the brilliant shine of Sita’s blade levitating inches from her face. The midnight intrusion quickly became a welcoming to her new home, her new life.
It had been four years to the day since she entered these woods. The life she had known would never be again, with age leaving it’s mark the village and locals raids turning half the city to ash. Perhaps that was why she remained when all others had gone; maybe she wanted there to always be something in these woods from that memorable time, as if holding on long enough would bring it back.
She placed her hand on Amras’ side to comfort her desolate mind as they walked through the trees, no goal or destination in sight. For miles it seemed they walked in the night. The village lights had long since disappeared, and Tari felt a surge of freedom with every step they took. The desire for adventure and the unknown rushed through her like the ocean tied. She kept her eyes forward, leading them onward to anywhere but where they had been.
Before she could comprehend her thoughts, she threw herself over Amras’ back and forced him into speed. The world flew by in a whirl of color. The wind was hard on her face, but it woke her senses and made her feel alive again. She searched for familiarity in the woods ahead, and pushed her steed faster as they raced through unknown territory. They road through the darkening night, never to return to the forest again, and pushed through the trees without a backward glance.