This is a Lord of The Rings fanfic.
I'm personally just writing this in my free time, both as a form of leisure, and as a way to (hopefully) improve my (slackening) standard of English.
Right. Rated PG-13 for a little bit of language and some scenes.
If you're uncomfortable with any part of the story, do leave me a pm and I'll see what I can do.
Enjoy.

-Prologue-

A pair of feet with well-chiseled toenails lay submerged in the water, dancing in rhythm with the current while playing with a long strand of river plant. They led to a pair of long, slender legs with toned calf muscles. Toned and strong yet not muscular, a perfect balance of grace and power. Arms, lightly muscled from swordplay and archery, conjoined to hands of healing, and destruction. The torso, lithe and slim, stood erect in dignity and adjoined to all these, a head crowned with the brightest gold and beset with jewels of the most vivid red.

Ariella. A simple peasant turned nomad hailing from a small village in the West Emnet. She grew up like every other child of the Rohirrim would; learning to ride horses most of the year, working the fields otherwise. As was customary, all boys of age would be required to ride away to war should they be mustered for battle. This meant that the only people defending their homes were the women, children, and aged.
As such, Ariella was made, along with other girls in the village, to learn basic swordplay, marksmanship and hunting in addition to the more traditional social roles women took on. It was a simple, easy life. For all it's simpleness though, it was extremely mundane, leading some who preferred a more adventurous existence to pack up and leave.
Ariella was such a person. At the age of eighteen and half, she left her village to see the world. It was a blessing within a curse within a blessing.
The ultimate quagmire.

Ariella looked down at the water, eyes of ruby curiously eying the plant trapped between her toes. The dismal state of the plant was reflected in her eyes in the form of a wavy like pattern that danced across her iris.
All of a sudden, Ariella misjudged the strength of the plant's roots and pulled it out of the soil. The waves created by the disturbance sent small fragments of soil floating on the surface of the river, towards the waterfall a mile ahead.

The young lady stared blankly at the defeated thing between her toes and released it to the currents. With her attention needing to be focused on something again, Ariella turned her gaze to the east where the sun was rising.

"Good morning world!" She called out to no one in particular then extricated herself from the river. Sweeping a lock of gold out of her eyes, the lady cheerily made her way back to her lodging in a nearby westfold village in a sort of half-walk half-skip kind of fashion.

It was still only minutes after sunrise so the general public was still either asleep or just beginning to stir from its blissfulness. As such, Ariella made her way down the busiest street without seeing so much as a person. That is, of course, until she got to the inn.

"Top of the morning lass!" The bartender called out as the teenager's head popped out behind the door, hands waving midair in a friendly gesture. He was a mellow, cheerful gentleman with a mellow, cheerful potbelly - the ultimate personification of a happy, satisfied, middle-aged man.

Ariella's head pivoted automatically in the direction of the voice, dimples instantly forming as she smiled.
"Good morning Mister Binghamton!" She replied with a grin.
"As you requested, your meal has been prepared in your room." He said in a matter-of-fact way. "I take it that you'll be leaving the inn by noon?"
Ariella nodded in affirmation and thankfulness. "Thank you very kindly, and yes. In fact, I'll be leaving right after breakfast." She smiled and winked at him then walked down the corridor to her room.

The corridor was long and narrow, but brightly illuminated by candles placed everywhere in the room. The innkeeper had paid especial care in ensuring that places infamous for vice-related activities were brightly lit.
It worked, most of the time at least. Ariella was a little more on the unfortunate side.

On the previous night she was stopped by the man who stayed in the room next to hers. As she walked down the same corridor, flashbacks of the events that had taken place began to run through her mind.

The drunk but rather good-looking young man stumbled out of his room awkwardly and used the door-frame as a support. Ariella was walking back to her room when the man reached out with his hand, narrowly missing her body. Ariella recoiled in shock when she saw the hand inches away from her torso. Turning a piercing glare at the man did not help either. Rather, it seemed to embolden him. The man drew himself to his full height and gripped Ariella right wrist then pulled. Ariella couldn't help but open her mouth and scream at the top of her lungs.

Like clockwork, multiple things happened at the same time. The man, now desperate and eager to 'complete his conquest' began to pull on her with increased ferocity. At the same time, the bartender and his assistant, Ivan, a shy, rather insecure young man barely three years older than Ariella, appeared at the other end of the corridor and hesitated, wondering what the commotion was about. Then, taking in the full scope of the situation, began to mount a rescue mission. Their hesitation proved to be just the thing the man needed. With a final, powerful yank, the young man pulled Ariella into his room and shut the door.

Binghamton cursed loudly and ran up to the door, banging on it furiously.
"Young man, if you do not let that young lady out I will flay you alive!" He hollered.
No response. The bartender cursed again then spun on his heels to face his assistant. "Ivan, hurry up and get the spare keys to his room. Every second we waste leaves her in greater danger."
Ivan nodded, understanding the importance of his task, then ran at top speed towards the key cupboard.

Meanwhile, inside the room, the man had thrown Ariella towards the wall.
The girl let out a muffled scream as he caught her in a headlock, intending to first suffocate her. Kicking and squirming in futility, Ariella soon saw black specks at the corners of her eyes. Knowing that she was running out of oxygen, she then tried to beg her way out of this situation but to no avail. The man was too drunk to listen to reason, and he was certainly very eager to have his way with her.
Feeling the last traces of oxygen seep from her body, Ariella just accepted that she was, indeed, going to be used for his pleasure.
The young man leered over her body and he began to disrobe her. Neither emotion nor compassion could find a foothold in his mind as he viciously removed articles of clothing.

"Throw the keys at me!" Binghamton said with intense urgency as he spotted Ivan around the corner.
'I can't do this!' Ivan thought to himself. 'I'm the worst thrower of anything in the whole town!'
When Binghamton saw that Ivan wasn't showing a single sign of obedience, he shouted, "Lad, if you don't throw those keys in two seconds, I swear I'll skin you after I skin him!"
Obliging, the youth drew his arm back and launched the keys towards the middle-aged man.
'Please make it...' Both males prayed to the valar silently.
It didn't, landing a full three meters away from the bartender. His mind too caught up in the situation, Binghamton wordlessly dived for the keys then ran back to the door, fiddled with the lock then yanked it open to see a very excited young man so immersed in disrobing the now blouse-deprived Ariella that he didn't notice an iron rod swinging in his direction until it actually hit.

He let out a cry of pain as blood poured from his cracked skull. The man writhed on the floor, bloodshot eyes glaring at the bartender. Ignoring the pathetic state of the would-be rapist, Binghamton whipped his head around to the entrance.
"Get the young lady to my office lad." He said just loud enough for his assistant to hear. Turning to the man, he glared at him.
"I'll deal with this one."
Nodding meekly, Ivan gently put Ariella's shirt on top of her torso then carried both girl and clothes to the bed in the office.

"What a pretty girl..." Ivan thought to himself as he placed her on the bed, fully taking in her features now that the situation was a little calmer. Blushing, he quickly shook the thoughts out of his head and turned to exit when Ariella screamed.

Ariella found herself in the blackness utterly naked and hairless. Or rather, she didn't know if she was either of the two because none of her senses seemed to work. She couldn't feel any clothes on her or her hair on her neck. She couldn't see anything other than an eternity of blackness stretching from horizon to horizon. She couldn't even feel gravity.
Curling up into a fetal position, Ariella sobbed softly.
'What's happening to me?'
'What is this place?'
'What's going on with my body?' She asked herself over and over again in panic and desperation.
After what seemed to be forever, she saw a pinpoint of light in the blackness. Then it grew, expanded and unfurled like a scroll as she came back to consciousness.
'Where am I?' She asked herself. Her mind was in a blur simultaneously trying to recall the preceding events and to get her bearings. Suddenly everything rushed back into her head like a waterfall. She turned her head and saw a man standing at the doorway, noticed that she was on a bed, and screamed.

Ivan swiftly looked over his shoulder then ran over to Ariella. The girl shrunk back towards the wall and curled up against it, eyes full of fear. Ivan recoiled in uncertainty, unsure of how to act, then slowly sat on the bed and laid a trembling hand on Ariella's knee. Then, not quite sure of what to do next, Ivan did the only reasonable thing that came to mind. He moved up beside her and smiled.
Ariella froze in horror as the young man laid his hand on her knee. Was he trembling? She asked herself but didn't have time to answer as he positioned himself beside her. Instinctively, she recoiled, but then, he smiled.
He smiled; such a gesture of innocence that Ariella couldn't help but smile back as well.

Ivan relaxed, exhaling loudly when he saw her return his smile. "It'll be okay..." He whispered softly as he gently unclasped her hands and placed one in his own. Ariella looked at him with a mixture of anger and apprehension as he tried to calm her nerves. "Okay?" The girl whispered back. "I nearly got raped!" She exclaimed, snapping at Ivan.
The young man recoiled at the ferocity of her words. Then, making sure he chose the right words this time, he tentatively whispered, "Yes, but you're safe now."
Safe. What a nice ring it has. Ariella thought to herself. She eyed the man up and down, taking note of his aquamarine colored irises.
"You'll be fine okay?" He said again, louder and firmer.
The girl weakly nodded, then inquired. "Who are you?"
Ivan grinned as he twiddled his thumbs, palms still sandwiching Ariella's. "I'm the assistant bartender." He laughed.

She would never forget that laugh. Such a beautiful thing that infected her and forced all the negativity out of her spirit.
They talked a little more until Ivan suggested that Ariella take a walk by the river to calm her nerves. Taking his advice, she went out to the nearby river to relax and set her mind at ease.

That was how she came to be there. Now, just outside her room, she noticed Ivan putting down a tray of food: a plate with two slices of bread and a jug of warm milk. Both of them smiled at each other.
"Erm, about last night..." Ariella began, looking to the side shyly.
Ivan turned his attention to her. "Ah don't worry about that. After all, it's not every day a guy like me," He pointed to himself. "Get's a hold a pretty girl's hand like that eh?"
Ariella laughed. "True that." She smiled. The only memories of the previous night that came to mind now were of the little conversation she had with him. The attempt on her virtue had all faded into a deep fuzziness. "Thanks." She smiled and hugged him around the torso.
Ivan was a little stunned by the action, but eventually managed to awkwardly return the gesture. Just then, Binghamton's voice came roaring out of the front desk. "Get back here laddie! Food doesn't get to people on their own!"
Ivan groaned. 'What a great way to ruin the moment.' He sighed.
"You can let go of me now." Ariella said softly.
Snapping out of his reverie, Ivan quickly took his hands off her, utter embarrassed. "Well then, I suppose I'll be getting back to work." He managed to stutter out.

Ariella smiled as he closed the door then turned to her food which was specially placed on a table next to the window where she could see a familiar-looking man being whipped at a post. She smiled evilly. "Serves him right!" She muttered under her breath as she turned away from the gruesome scene and consumed her breakfast.

An hour later, Ariella emerged at the servery wearing a dull colored traveling tunic and breeches, armed with a dagger that swung at her left hip. Walking up to the bartender, she placed twenty silver coins into his hand.
"Thanks for staying here lassie." He smiled. She smiled back and was about to leave, then turned back.
"Anything wrong?" Binghamton asked, his face dropping into a worried look.
"No no." Ariella laughed. "Just help me give this to the young man." She removed a large autumn leaf from her bag and placed it on the counter-top.
"Righto. I'll make sure he gets that." Binghamton nodded.
"Thank you." Ariella nodded gratefully and strolled out of inn.

She passed by the whipping post on the way out. Turning to look at the man who tried to take advantage of her the night before, she couldn't help but spit at the half-dead man. "Serves you right you despicable idiot." She shouted at him and continued on her way.

Ariella stopped about fifty meters away from the town and retrieved a small book, a diary of sorts, from her traveling pack. "There we go, that's the Westfold pretty much checked." She mused. "Next stop, Edoras."

-A Chance Meeting-

Shutting the book, Ariella looked towards the direction of Fangorn, which was a thin, blur strip barely an inch high on the north-western edge of the horizon. After making a few calculations, Ariella reached into her pack, donned a brown, hooded cloak and walked westward, in the direction of Edoras.

A few hours passed, and soon, morning passed into high noon, and then high noon passed into early dusk. Her stomach grumbling for attention, Ariella set her pack down by the edge of the forests on the base of the White Mountains. Throwing back her hood, the girl lay her back against the tree trunk and searched her pack for some food. Upon picking a strip of lean meat, Ariella pulled it out and began to munch thoughtfully upon it.
As she planned the next stage of her little journey, the sun waned and then sank below the rim of the world, leaving her no choice but to quickly set up camp.

Ariella looked around and picked up a good number of dry foliage. She place them in a neat pile by the side and started a fire. Following that, she unclasped her cloak and let it fall to her feet. Her eyes followed the descending piece of cloth as gravity acted upon it. After smoothing it, Ariella placed her pack where her head rested and lay down facing the fire, allowing imagination and eventually sleep to take over.

She awoke early the next morning when a noisy group of birds started singing in the boughs just behind her. Looking around to get her bearings, Ariella quickly pack up, stomped out the little, half-dead remains of the fire, and began to walk again.

She did not get far before the familiar thundering of horse hooves reached her ears. Turning to her left, she noticed a group of horsemen riding eastward, away from Edoras. Ariella paused to absorb the sight before her. An entire eored, fully garbed and riding in formation swept past her like a thunderstorm, the dust from their horses causing her to shield her eyes. Just when she thought the whole thing was over, three riders, one from the front, the middle, and the rear, masterfully swung their horses around towards her.

The riders approached cautiously. Their spears were held tip skywards, but their posture was, according to what Ariella could remember, perfect to adapt to ambushes. As they closed the distance further, they checked their horses. All three riders came to a perfect halt in front of Ariella and the one with the most ornate armor lowered his spear-point parallel to the ground. Ariella immediately assumed him to be the leader.
Then, a deep bass voice ushered forth from that rider. "What is your business out here, all alone in the open?"
"I'm heading to Edoras horse-lord." Ariella replied meekly, keeping her gaze down not so much because she knew her life was in his hands but because the sun's light reflected off his armor was extremely glaring.
Frowning, the man reached forwards and lifted her hood off her shoulders. He nodded, satisfied, then resumed questioning her.
"All alo-" Before he could continue, the rider to his left positioned his spear under the first rider's and lifted it.
"Peace captain." A baritone voice said in a soft whisper.
The first rider turned his head towards the speaker and engaged in a soft, heated conversation before he, with an audible groan, retired back to the company, which Ariella noted had stopped a good two hundred meters from her location. At his behest, the third rider also retired and left Ariella and the person she was sure was the leader alone.

The man eyed the lady before him through eye holes bored into his helmet. His face passive, the man skillfully dismounted and lay his spear lengthwise across his saddle, then walked over to Ariella, stopping a meter in front of her.
Ariella stood where she was and cautiously looked the man up and down. She took particular note of the sword he bore. It was very richly decorated, and, she inferred, very well designed too and in that instant, it seemed to her vaguely familiar. In a moment though, the man was now standing in front of her; not so far away as to make conversation difficult, but not so near as to intrude on her personal space either.
The man lifted his hands and removed his helmet, releasing a flurry of gold just a shade duller than her own. His eyes were a dusty chestnut brown, his features both masculine and prominent. Ariella couldn't help but think him a very handsome person.
The man curiously watched on as Ariella scrutinized every inch of his face. When she realized what she had been subconsciously doing, Ariella hastily withdrew her gaze and planted them on her feet, cheeks and ears turning a light shade of pink.
The man laughed, causing Ariella to look up and into a wide smile. "There is nothing to be afraid of lady Ariella." His smile, already unimaginably brilliant grew in radiance.
Ariella looked up, stunned and surprised when he called her name. "I am afraid I do not remember you horse master." She said with an embarrassed smile on her face.
The man's happy composure instantly shifted into a mock sadness. Ariella, noticing this, hastily said, "Well what I mean is that erm, I don't remember your name!"
What am I doing? She thought to herself. I'm chatting with a marshal like a childhood friend of his. I swear if I don't get out-
She couldn't continue though, as the man swiftly reached forwards and swept an armored hand though her locks, making her look even more disheveled than she already did from traveling. "Ariella, it is I! Eomer! I visited your village with my father when I was a kid! Do you not remember me now?" He said softly, but with an urgent tone in his voice.
Ariella tensed when he messed up her hair, she frowned and was about to scold him when the revelation hit her like a thunderstorm. Now she knew why the sword looked so familiar. His father had carried the sword Eomer now did.
Ariella laughed. "To think, that a rowdy little boy like you would grow up to be like this." She teased. She and Eomer, who was about 8 years older than her, had become friends during his short visit.
Eomer scowled, but his eyes retained their friendly sheen. "To think, that tomboy would grow up to be like that." He laughed.
"Right down. Out with it, what are you really doing here?" Eomer asked.
"I have told you already, I am heading to Edoras." Ariella replied with a smile.
Just then, a rider from the party, looking both exhausted but determined, rode up to Eomer and dismounted. "I've seen a company of orcs and a strange type of man-creature running through our lands. They seemed to have crossed into Rohan through the Emyn Muil." He whispered into Eomer's ear. Nodding, the marshal quickly sent the scout back to the company then turned back to Ariella.
Eomer frowned. "You shouldn't be traveling alone. There are many dangers in the wild now." When he saw Ariella about to protest, he laid a hand on her shoulder and with the other, brushed aside a lock that had tumbled down across her eyes.
"I tell you what. You aren't allowed to be running through the lands like that, but if you promise me that you'll make straight for Edoras, I'll let you off with a warning." He said, a smile returning to his face.
"Oh Eomer you overprotective thing." Ariella scowled. "Fine, I'll head right for Edoras."
Eomer nodded. "Right then. In that case, I'll be heading back to my eored. We're gonna hunt orc tonight." He grinned then turned back to his horse and grabbed his spear. Before departing, he looked over his shoulder and called out, "Remember! Head straight for Edoras!"
"I know!" Ariella hissed.
Placated, he nudged into his horse into a full gallop and rejoined his already moving company.
Ariella looked on until all that was left of Eomer and his men was a pale dust cloud on the horizon, then pulled her hood over her face, and resumed walking.

Critic would be great.
Please make it as blunt and as brutal as you can That's the only way I'm actually gonna get better anyway.

This is a... story Fanfic actually.

Yes I do. I know there's a good deal wrong with my first chapter, I just can't seem to pinpoint it ><

-A Crooked Beeline-

It was now early afternoon and the sun was hammering down on her exposed skin.
Ariella sighed nonchalantly. The walk through the grasslands had so far been uneventful, and the lady had taken especial care to keep near to the forest, just in case she needed to camp out due to any unforeseen circumstances.

"And I should reach the city by evening." Ariella concluded happily, her stoic face giving way to a smile. She had been walking for a good four hours now, and her legs were beginning to ache. She looked to her left absentmindedly, taking in the vibrant colors of the midday forest with a smile on her face.
She was still lost in her reverie when the stench of smoke reached her nose. Trusting her instincts, Ariella quickly got down on all fours, the metal pots and pans inside her pack clanked together, producing a soft, muffled sound due to her clothes.
Crouching on all fours and simultaneously sweeping aside the stray grass blade that got in her line of sight, Ariella advanced slowly, relying heavily on the tall grass to hide her frame.
After proceeding in this fashion for a mile, Ariella struggled to hold back a cry of shock.
In front of her, barely ten miles out, a village was being attacked by a company of thirty or so man-like beasts. Their black armor was unadorned save for a white hand. That same hand was also emblazoned on their broad shields.
"Just like the ones Eomer described just now." She muttered in an undertone then stuck her head above grass level and looked around, expecting at any moment for Eomer and his eored to sweep down across the plains and vindicate the village.
"After all," She mused softly. "He did say he was going to hunt these things didn't he?"
Ten minutes passed.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
Before she knew it, she had remained stationary for an hour. Releasing a groan of discomfort, Ariella cautiously waited till the now faint sounds of war died down before getting up again. Ariella stretched absentmindedly then trekked across the plain towards the now burning and half demolished village.
She reached the village in twenty minutes, both shocked and surprised at the carnage around her. She knew from stories her father told her that orcs who raided villages generally left behind a very bloody and messy scene. There was often straw scattered all over and the meager possessions of the villagers were frequently strewn all over the place. Literally. One could often find a piece of jewelry behind a building, and then a tunic somewhere in an alley, even undergarments on the street.
But this one was different. Yes there was carnage. In fact, there was so much, Ariella could smell blood in the there. But it was also quite neat.
Nothing, apart from the villagers themselves, seemed to be out of place.
All of a sudden, a shrill cry went up from behind a burning house.
Ariella froze for an instant, considering the implications, then scolded herself mentally. That could be a child there Ariella! She thought to herself as she ran towards the source.
Upon finding a tiny hand underneath a bush, Ariella quickly picked up the small body and placed it lying down beside her.
"Hush now." She whispered softly to the boy who couldn't be more than seven or eight years old as she retrieved her waterskin.
Before anything could be done though, the boy's eyes rolled upwards, whites totally exposed, and died. It was then that Ariella noticed the gaping slash extending from his shoulder to waist.
She sighed, knowing that he could not have lived anyway.
Standing up again, Ariella turned towards Edoras, intent of leaving behind this dreadful place. In a flash, she spotted another of those man-like beasts that had raided the village. Ariella swiftly drew her dagger and crept up to it. At a suitable distance, Ariella placed everything on a single attack and jumped at it, plunging her dagger into it's neck and holding onto its shoulder.
The beast screeched loudly. It made a sound so blood curdling Ariella had to muster every single shred of self control within herself to not cover her ears. Thankfully, it didn't last long. After a few seconds, the beast crumpled face forwards.
Ariella panted heavily as she withdrew her dagger, staring at the blackish blood that stained her hood. Muttering a curse, Ariella redirected herself back on course.

-Edoras- Wip

Ariella started humming to herself a childish tune as she walked through the grass. Evening was falling, and the sun's rays gave the horizon a beautiful reddish, orangish tiny. "What's this?" Ariella mused to herself, pausing momentarily in her humming. "Streaks of purple as well?" She said in a semi-caring tone.
Then a bird chirped in the forest, which was now quite fair away from her. Ariella was forced to turn away from the forest if she was to make straight for Edoras.
She sighed. The dusk couldn't get any better.
It took about an hour's jog to Edoras, and by the time Ariella got to the gates, her clothes were damp with perspiration and beads of sweat glistened on her fringe and neck.
The guards, as she expected, halted her before the gates. A soldier garbed in a leather tunic and a long spear stepped out of a wooden tower and blocked her way. He eyed her up and down.
"Good evening lady, what is your business here?"
"I'm visiting a relative." Ariella replied, smiling demurely. She was lying. She was just here for some adventuring and she knew the man before her wouldn't accept that answer.
Yes. She thought to herself. Visiting a relative would work just fine.
To her horror, the man laughed. "Visiting a relative? Armed with a dagger and clothes like that? You look more like you went on a hike to Minas Tirith."
Ariella frowned. Not good. Not good at all.
"Well I-" She began.
The guard smiled and held up a mailed hand. "I was jesting little lady." He laughed. "Be on your way then."
Ariella's expression softened. "You don't make the best jester then."
The man ignored her and signaled some other men to open the gate.

No, that's a WIP

And it's okay. feel free to comment though
Nice comments are good motivational tools.