Legends of Belariath
NightEyes
Love, Life and Death
It was a small village deep in the woods, an elven out post of sorts, home to no more than a hundred elves. They had tired of living under the strict laws and regulations of the Elven Council. They left and started their own little world, where no one was a slave and they could trade with whom ever they wanted. Free of the constraints the village lived peacefully and prosperously, until today.
The villagers were whispering, gossip was flying, had the chieftains daughter run off with someone, leaving her betrothed to his own devices? It seemed soon they would know for she was tied to a pole in the center of the village, a place known only to the few who had committed great acts of wrong, it was where she was awaiting her trial.
Loranyth was her name, named for her great grandmother and twice as beautiful as a newly blossomed flower. Her long silver hair seemed to all but flow down her back. Her skin pale and creamy without the slightest hint of imperfection. Brilliant almond shaped green eyes that seemed to pierce one's soul if gazed into and her body nonetheless beautiful. The dark green gown she wore seemed almost as if it was a second skin clinging to every curve on her body. Even tied to the pole, her hair a mess, gown torn and covered in dirt many of the males had trouble drawing their eyes from her.
She had been found a few days earlier by one of the patrol parties. Who ever she had been with had escaped, but her father was sure he would come back for her and was ready to make an example of him, no matter what the cost. Since the passing of his wife, Loranyth’s mother, his life has been a downward spiral of personal gain and he had decided the marry off his daughter to another village like his own to gain their riches.
It had been close to a week since Loranyth had been found and bound to the pole, the villagers began to wonder why her father, Melrylian, had left her there, not showing any mercy towards his only daughter. She had been given water and small amounts of bread three times again and it was beginning to show. And why, they wondered, why hadn’t this lover she ran off with come to save her?
It was around the eighth night, the moon’s silvery light glittering off of everything when the two guards where found, throats slight, never to see the sun rise again. The alarm was sounded, the villagers awoken. As the flooded out of their homes they all froze as their eyes found the center, Loranyth. Her father stood beside her, a dagger to her throat, and a stranger standing close to 40 paces away an arrow notched, poised for action.
“Who are you," cried Melrylian, “and why do you wish to bring me dishonor?" “I am Katra Nightstrider, but most call me NightEyes, and I come to collect what is mine, your daughter.” The Stranger was what some would call ruggedly handsome. His long red hair pulled back into a ponytail with a leather thong, revealing pointed elf ears. his skin, tanned from time spent under the sun, was offset by the light brown leather vest and breeches that matched his low cut elven boots. His face smooth and pointed was marred by a red Scruff of the beard of one who hadn’t shaven in some time.
“Well NightEyes, it appears that you are mistaken, my daughter is betrothed to another and there is nothing you can do to change that,” he said with disgust as he stared at the elf, “besides what would anyone want with a worthless halfling?” NightEyes stared viciously at the elder elf sick of being told his blood was tainted,.
“you will release Loranyth now or else.”, NightEyes said as he pulled back the arrow taking aim. “I should have killed you the last time.”
Merylian’s eyes widened as he realized who the halfling truly was. “Or else what? You will let loose your arrow? I would slit her throat with my last breath if I had to, you will never touch her again half elf. You will never again take what is mine.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t recognize me either, or your bow for that matter.” NightEyes smiled “How fitting that you will die by it. Now release her and maybe you shall live to see another day of your wretched life.”
NightEyes didn’t notice the guards until it was too late, the grabbed him, and wrestled to the ground. Beaten and sounded the bound his wrists and stripped him of his weapons, all but his dagger the had hidden in his boot. One of the guards gave him a sharp kick to the head and he blacked out, the last thing he heard was Loranyth laughing.
When he awoke he found himself in a under ground room, the walls and floor solid stone, the door made of heavy wood with wrought iron reinforcements. He sat up rubbing his wrists, the whipped the caked dirt and blood form his face. He dragged himself to his feet groaning, his entire body was sore from the assault. He made his way over and sat on his bunk unsure of how long he had been out. It wasn’t long before he heard the door opening, he looked up.
Loranyth walked in holding a torch. “I’m glad your still alive you have been out for two days.”
NightEyes looked up. “Thank the Gods your still alive I thought your father was going to kill you. How did you get down here without your him knowing?”
“Father would never kill me, as for how I got down here Father gave me the key.” She smiled. “Foolish half elf did you think I truly loved you?”
“What are you talking about! What is going on? What about what we had?” NightEyes jumps to his feet his mind numb not feeling the pain and reaches into his boot for dagger, but before he could get it out Loranyth grabbed his wrist and jerked the dagger from his hand. She turned and slashed at him with the blade, striking true with the razor sharp edge blood ran into Night’s eye. Night lurched at her, grabbing her arm as she struggled to no avail he was much too strong for her.
“My father used me as bait, he knew you would your fall for me you worthless bastard. I never loved you, although the nights were quite enjoyable, you won’t live long enough to see another night at all.” NightEyes continued to wrestle with her his mind reeling at what she was saying. He rolled on top of her pinning her arms down with his knees.
“You slut! And to think I risked my life to save you!” Tears began to well up in NightEye’s eyes. “I loved you as I have never loved before in my life, and this is how you repay me?” As the anger welled up within him he ripped the dagger from her hands, holding it poised over her in the air he thrusts it down driving the blade through her breast and into her heart.
Loranyth gasped as the blade pierced her, her hands went to the wound and then in front of her face. As she saw her own red blood dripping from her fingers her hands began to tremble as she began to cry, her eyes went wide. Releasing his grasp on the blade NightEyes looked down unbelieving of what he had just done, killed the only woman he had ever truly loved.
Taking Loranyth into his arms his tears joined hers, blood from his cut dripped mixing with hers as he held her until she took her last breath. He lay her lifeless body back onto the ground. Removing his dagger from her chest he whipped it clean on his leg before sliding it back into its sheath. Whipping the blood from his face, he looked down at her lifeless body. He felt hurt and betrayed yet he still loved her. Reaching down he placed his arm on her blood soaked breast remembering everything they had shared. As he arose his hand went to the cut that ran over his eye socket, the blood on his fingers mixing with the blood on his face. He wondered how bad it would scar as slipped out the door.
Autors note: This is the first in what I hope to be series of stories from NightEye’s past. I’ll put more up as I finish them. Sorry if it seems rough I’m use to writing poetry.