Rivendell Rises

An Elven princess faced with a choice. A father insisting on marriage. The man of her dreams pops up while a man of a forbidden race is haunting her steps. Is this the man intended to free her?

A few things are my idea(I don't believe I've seen them anywhere else, let me know if I'm mistaken). These include Cálë, Maldathoron, Kelepeku, and Elencú. The rest of it is all from the real Lord of the Rings. Enjoy!

Running through the halls when father was in an angry mood was a bad move, yes, she knew that. She still did not heed the caution thrown to her. Cálë, her handmaiden, had often warned her of what could happen if father came to know of these outings to the village dances to see the many elvish men. She enjoyed these because she could simply go and have a good time, and not have to worry about whether or not the elf she danced with was going to be the one she would have to bond herself to for all eternity, or if it was because of her family. She could leave her rank and worries about a lifemate behind and have a good time. She did not listen to the warnings, for father did not know, and she would make sure it stayed that way. "Cálë, I wish to go see the village today. The dance there starts at late noon." She said decisively. "My Lady, you cannot go as of yet. Your father is taking you somewhere else later today." Cálë answered.

"If father is taking me..." Elencú stood up in a flurry of anger, her weariness of the long day forgotten in this new anger. "No! I'm not going!" she stood ramrod straight, her whole body tense and taught with anger. Just then the door opened and Arwen Undómiel came in. She was dressed in a dark green riding gown that looked oddly like she hadn't been riding for the week she was missing, 'Her travel clothes, she must have just returned from Gondor.' Elencú thought. 'I hope father hasn't seen her yet.'

"Hello sister!" Arwen cheerfully greeted her.

"Hello Arwen," Elencú greeted, her anger already starting to evaporate in the face of her sister's happiness.

"Lady Arwen, tell Lady Elencú that she must go to your father's ball!"

Cálë pleaded with them both, less worried that yet another fight was on the horizon now that Arwen was there.

"Lady Elencú, you must go!" Cálë answered smartly.

"Look, Cálë. If I go to this, like father wants me to, he'll expect me to pick one of the elves, of his choosing, to be my lifemate. I want to pick my own lifemate! Not some boy off fathers display rack!" Elencú explained, distressed. Her father had been trying to find her a lifemate for the past five years. He knew his ruling time of Imladris was closing, for he would be returning to the undying lands for a second time. Before he left he wanted a ruler of his choosing, for Imladris. But, to have a proper ruler, Elencú needed to find a lifemate.

"My Lady, you can go and not pick anyone." Cálë was getting very good at persuading the quick-witted princess. Arwen looked surprised, then thought, and then smiled, and then chuckled. She sat gracefully next to her younger sister.

"Ele," she started, using her old nickname for Elencú, "I think you will want to go to this one, I invited some friends that I would like you to meet, besides, Aragorn is going to be here, you always liked him, please?" Arwen dropped off, hopeful that her sister would agree.

"Fine, I shall go. But, you owe me big time for this one." Elencú consented, reluctantly. "Okay. Let's get you ready for a ball." Cálë was excited now.

About four hours later, Lady Elencú stood at the head of the stairs connecting her room to the rest of Imladris. Dressed grandly as a princess, she awaited her father impatiently with Cálë. When her father did come, he was met with a huge surprising to see. Elencú wore a dress of an iridescent silver, with golden trim on the sleeves, neck, waist, and hem. The top half of her hair was up in a long, intricate braid, but the rest of her brown-tinted golden locks were left down in a cascade of slight curls. The moonlight glinted lightly off of her hair and shone slightly . 'The only thing left is for her to smile. But, I cannot force her to do that.' he thought, grimly.

"Come, Elencú, we must be off." he said, coolly. Arwen, who had already left, was also dressed as a grand princess, but slightly different from Elencú's. Her gown was of a deep midnight blue, the hems were sparkling of silver. The sleeves of her gown were littered with glittering silver stars. Half of her golden hair was also up, though in an elegantly twisted knot.

"Yes, father, of course." she answered, slightly enthusiastic. "Elencú, please, don't do anything dumb. No, I know you don't usually, but, when you do, it's always at some big, important thing like this. Just do me proud. Namárië" (Farewell) Cálë said, more than slightly worried.

"I'm sorry for forcing this on you, dear daughter." Father said, sadly. "But I'm going to have to leave for the undying lands soon, so I need you to be ABLE to be in control of ruling Imladris. I would have Maldathoron do this, but he and Kelepeku are leaving for the woods of Lorien as soon as you have chosen. But they also must be in Lorien before I leave because Galadriel is leaving with me. The little hobbit, Frodo, is going with us, seeing as Arwen gave her spot to the little halfling. She is going to stay in Gondor with Aragorn. Your brothers have disappeared again, so you have to be in control until they return. When they do come back, the choice to give up the leadership of Imladris is yours. But you need a lifemate! If you do not choose quickly then I shall have to choose for you. You have till a week before I leave. Understood?" he smiled grimly when his daughter nodded sullenly.

Well, I hope you enjoyed. I've had this hanging around on another account. I felt I should combine them(the accounts), and update this a bit. Minor changes have been made since I'm updating the story.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the story!

-Kitté