Categories > Original > Fantasy > The Dark Queen
Chapter 1
Leecian ran as fast as he could through the forest, assorted items such as gold coins and jewels falling from his pockets as he ran; the sound of wolves snarling becoming closer and closer. If he didn't have the staff in his hand he would have been able to easily out run the wolves but he couldn't drop it. It was far too valuable. He had stolen the staff from a wizard's castle that he had been looting only moments before and only found out after he left the gates that it was indeed inhabited due to the wolves and the guards that he had sneaked passed. Even if the staff had caused the trouble he was in now it would be worth a lot in the market. He realized then that he had slowed down in his running and after a quick look over his shoulder noticed that the three large black and grey wolves were almost upon him. He put on another burst of speed but the wolves didn't fall back. He gave another quick look over his shoulder and regretted it when he realized it has slowed him down once more and that one of the wolves was attempting to jump at him from behind. He quickly stepped aside and it fell to the floor, landing on all fours and turning to face him once more. The other two quickly approaching him until all three were circling him.
Leecian held the staff in his two hands and got ready to swing it at the first wolf to jump at him but they continued to circle him; lips pulled back into a ferocious snarl. He decided to make the first move and rushed forwards and as he jumped over the top of one of the wolves he brought the staff down, clubbing it over the head with all his might. The wolf staggered for a moment but soon regained its composure and made for Leecian again. But it was too late for the wolves he had gained all the time he needed to make yet another run from them. But luck should have it the three wolves weren't all the elves worries. He heard the twang of a bows string with his keen senses and quickly dropped to his stomach. Just as he hit the ground he heard the sound of something sinking into the wood of a tree behind him. He gave a quick glance to the tree to see an arrow lodged into the wood and quickly rolled over as yet another wolf pounced at him. He rolled back onto his stomach and crawled forwards quickly bounding up with all of his speed and made off, ducking his head once more from an arrow in his direction.
Leecian was about to lose hope of outrunning the three wolves and the user of the bow when he spotted a cave in the distance, it was mostly covered by trees but his keen eyes caught the hidden stone beneath the vines and trees. He gave all he had left into running toward the cave. The last bit of the run would be dangerous as there was a small clearing and he would be an easy target for the ranger. It was his only hope though, so he started to make for the cave. He dodged one arrow as it flew past him; missing him by mere inches; the staff once more slowing his down from running at his full speed. He heard the twang of the bow string once more and rolled to the floor tumbling forwards and jumping back up, not having lost any time nor speed. He was at the cave and started to look around for an opening big enough to fit him through and almost shouted out in joy when he found one that the wolves wouldn't be able to get through as it was too high up. But that still left the ranger; he would most likely be able to get in.
"I'll let future me deal with that," Leecian mumbled to himself as he jumped through the hole in the thick stone and rolled into darkness.
The only good thing about the cave being dark was that due to Leecian's elven heritage he could see quite well but there was always the chance that the ranger was not elven and wouldn't be able to see. It was only a matter of time until he heard someone coming through the hole and he made his way away from the hole, choosing that he would rather not risk fighting with the ranger. He was out of view from the hole and saw up ahead the body of someone or something. He slowed to a wary walk and approached the body kicking it with his booted foot. The body didn't do anything and for a moment Leecian suspected that whatever it may have been was dead when he heard the faint sound of even, relaxed breathing. He got down into a crouch and rolled whatever it was onto its back to see that it was a human girl with long dark hair and olive skin. He wasted no time when he heard the sound of boots on stone and decided that the ranger that had been hunting him was not elven due to the amount of noise he was making.
Leecian quietly placed the staff onto the stone floor and drew two short swords; one in each hand, ready to attack the ranger as soon as he came into his reach. He saw the ranger warily walking in his direction and waited for him to come closer, so far he was sure that the ranger could not see him due to the low level of light. Once the archer was in reach he jumped forward and brought down his short swords only to be met by some sort of knife.
"Stop," the ranger begged. "I mean you no harm."
The elf backed away but held his weapons at the ready, he would wait to hear what the ranger had to say and then he would kill him.
"You were firing arrows at me," the elf protested in amusement, now he had the advantage.
"I was doing no such thing, there was another ranger in the forest, at the time I was traveling across the east road when I heard the wolves snarling and I decided to see what the commotion was. I was forced to hide in these caves from them when I realized that there were too many for me to fight alone."
"So you just happen to be passing by at the exact time? You just happen to run into this cave that was quite well hidden? And you just happen to carry a bow and a half empty quiver of arrows?"
The ranger shrugged. "Wrong place, wrong time, I guess."
The elf returned his short swords to his belt and the ranger returned his knife. The elf watched him as he pulled his pack forward clumsily and pulled out something that looked to be a small flat stick and a small rock.
"Can you see any sticks or wood in here?" the ranger asked.
"How did you know I was elven then if you weren't chasing me?" the elf asked warily as he quickly looked around the cave for anything that could help start a fire.
"I just assumed that since you seem to be able to see quite well and I couldn't hear you until the last minute that you were elven," the boy said as he continued to wait.
Leecian finally saw a pile of wood in the corner that looked as if it was made purposely for a fire. He quickly picked up the staff and without a second thought walked over to it calling over the ranger whom felt around for a few seconds before starting up some sparks on the wood. It was dry enough and soon was blazing with large flames. The ranger looked to be fully human and Leecian then gave the ranger a nod of his head in the direction of the human girl that slept not far from them.
"Is she alive?" asked the ranger a moment later after studying the girl from afar.
Leecian nodded his head and then returned his attention back to the staff he was holding. He noticed the human give the staff a quick glance and then he turned his attention to the sleeping human girl.
"How did she sleep through all of that?" the ranger asked in disbelief only to be answered by a shrug from Leecian saying he didn't really care.
The ranger started to go through his pack once more and Leecian saw him pull out two small slabs of fresh meat and place them atop the fire on a piece of wood that was not burning as it was too high up from the flames.
There was silence until they heard the girl groan and start to move. They turned to see her eyes flicker open and noted the shock and fear that was so clear in her eyes. With that they made their way towards the girl, Leecian forgetting his suspicion of the human ranger for the time being.
*
Hope you enjoyed that chappie, I've got the next chappie writen up and I'll post it once I get at least one review, okay, I really want to know if you're liking it so far, or even if anyones reading it for that matter.
~myownfantasy~
Leecian ran as fast as he could through the forest, assorted items such as gold coins and jewels falling from his pockets as he ran; the sound of wolves snarling becoming closer and closer. If he didn't have the staff in his hand he would have been able to easily out run the wolves but he couldn't drop it. It was far too valuable. He had stolen the staff from a wizard's castle that he had been looting only moments before and only found out after he left the gates that it was indeed inhabited due to the wolves and the guards that he had sneaked passed. Even if the staff had caused the trouble he was in now it would be worth a lot in the market. He realized then that he had slowed down in his running and after a quick look over his shoulder noticed that the three large black and grey wolves were almost upon him. He put on another burst of speed but the wolves didn't fall back. He gave another quick look over his shoulder and regretted it when he realized it has slowed him down once more and that one of the wolves was attempting to jump at him from behind. He quickly stepped aside and it fell to the floor, landing on all fours and turning to face him once more. The other two quickly approaching him until all three were circling him.
Leecian held the staff in his two hands and got ready to swing it at the first wolf to jump at him but they continued to circle him; lips pulled back into a ferocious snarl. He decided to make the first move and rushed forwards and as he jumped over the top of one of the wolves he brought the staff down, clubbing it over the head with all his might. The wolf staggered for a moment but soon regained its composure and made for Leecian again. But it was too late for the wolves he had gained all the time he needed to make yet another run from them. But luck should have it the three wolves weren't all the elves worries. He heard the twang of a bows string with his keen senses and quickly dropped to his stomach. Just as he hit the ground he heard the sound of something sinking into the wood of a tree behind him. He gave a quick glance to the tree to see an arrow lodged into the wood and quickly rolled over as yet another wolf pounced at him. He rolled back onto his stomach and crawled forwards quickly bounding up with all of his speed and made off, ducking his head once more from an arrow in his direction.
Leecian was about to lose hope of outrunning the three wolves and the user of the bow when he spotted a cave in the distance, it was mostly covered by trees but his keen eyes caught the hidden stone beneath the vines and trees. He gave all he had left into running toward the cave. The last bit of the run would be dangerous as there was a small clearing and he would be an easy target for the ranger. It was his only hope though, so he started to make for the cave. He dodged one arrow as it flew past him; missing him by mere inches; the staff once more slowing his down from running at his full speed. He heard the twang of the bow string once more and rolled to the floor tumbling forwards and jumping back up, not having lost any time nor speed. He was at the cave and started to look around for an opening big enough to fit him through and almost shouted out in joy when he found one that the wolves wouldn't be able to get through as it was too high up. But that still left the ranger; he would most likely be able to get in.
"I'll let future me deal with that," Leecian mumbled to himself as he jumped through the hole in the thick stone and rolled into darkness.
The only good thing about the cave being dark was that due to Leecian's elven heritage he could see quite well but there was always the chance that the ranger was not elven and wouldn't be able to see. It was only a matter of time until he heard someone coming through the hole and he made his way away from the hole, choosing that he would rather not risk fighting with the ranger. He was out of view from the hole and saw up ahead the body of someone or something. He slowed to a wary walk and approached the body kicking it with his booted foot. The body didn't do anything and for a moment Leecian suspected that whatever it may have been was dead when he heard the faint sound of even, relaxed breathing. He got down into a crouch and rolled whatever it was onto its back to see that it was a human girl with long dark hair and olive skin. He wasted no time when he heard the sound of boots on stone and decided that the ranger that had been hunting him was not elven due to the amount of noise he was making.
Leecian quietly placed the staff onto the stone floor and drew two short swords; one in each hand, ready to attack the ranger as soon as he came into his reach. He saw the ranger warily walking in his direction and waited for him to come closer, so far he was sure that the ranger could not see him due to the low level of light. Once the archer was in reach he jumped forward and brought down his short swords only to be met by some sort of knife.
"Stop," the ranger begged. "I mean you no harm."
The elf backed away but held his weapons at the ready, he would wait to hear what the ranger had to say and then he would kill him.
"You were firing arrows at me," the elf protested in amusement, now he had the advantage.
"I was doing no such thing, there was another ranger in the forest, at the time I was traveling across the east road when I heard the wolves snarling and I decided to see what the commotion was. I was forced to hide in these caves from them when I realized that there were too many for me to fight alone."
"So you just happen to be passing by at the exact time? You just happen to run into this cave that was quite well hidden? And you just happen to carry a bow and a half empty quiver of arrows?"
The ranger shrugged. "Wrong place, wrong time, I guess."
The elf returned his short swords to his belt and the ranger returned his knife. The elf watched him as he pulled his pack forward clumsily and pulled out something that looked to be a small flat stick and a small rock.
"Can you see any sticks or wood in here?" the ranger asked.
"How did you know I was elven then if you weren't chasing me?" the elf asked warily as he quickly looked around the cave for anything that could help start a fire.
"I just assumed that since you seem to be able to see quite well and I couldn't hear you until the last minute that you were elven," the boy said as he continued to wait.
Leecian finally saw a pile of wood in the corner that looked as if it was made purposely for a fire. He quickly picked up the staff and without a second thought walked over to it calling over the ranger whom felt around for a few seconds before starting up some sparks on the wood. It was dry enough and soon was blazing with large flames. The ranger looked to be fully human and Leecian then gave the ranger a nod of his head in the direction of the human girl that slept not far from them.
"Is she alive?" asked the ranger a moment later after studying the girl from afar.
Leecian nodded his head and then returned his attention back to the staff he was holding. He noticed the human give the staff a quick glance and then he turned his attention to the sleeping human girl.
"How did she sleep through all of that?" the ranger asked in disbelief only to be answered by a shrug from Leecian saying he didn't really care.
The ranger started to go through his pack once more and Leecian saw him pull out two small slabs of fresh meat and place them atop the fire on a piece of wood that was not burning as it was too high up from the flames.
There was silence until they heard the girl groan and start to move. They turned to see her eyes flicker open and noted the shock and fear that was so clear in her eyes. With that they made their way towards the girl, Leecian forgetting his suspicion of the human ranger for the time being.
*
Hope you enjoyed that chappie, I've got the next chappie writen up and I'll post it once I get at least one review, okay, I really want to know if you're liking it so far, or even if anyones reading it for that matter.
~myownfantasy~
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