Act 1: The Meeting
Disclaimer: I do not own in anyway, any of the works by J.R.R. Tolkien, I only own Eleniel and other original characters and what happens to them.
Chapter 1
Little Eleniel was boiling mad at her brothers Elladan and Elrohir. They never let her play with them anymore. Just because she was a girl didn't mean she didn't like to play "war" or getting dirty in the process. Her family had come to Lorien, to visit her grandparents Galadriel and Celeborn, a fortnight ago. And the 10 year old elleth was in desperate need of some playmates, because of her brothers certain no they had given her.
Some may wonder how it is possible for such a young elf to cover as much ground as Eleniel had, or how she managed to sneak past so many watchful elvin eyes. But it did happen, and now Eleniel, daughter of Elrond and Celebrían, was most certainly lost. In the middle of the Golden Woods, miles from were she had started, and ignorant to that fact, she was still mad at her brothers.
'Just because they're older than me doesn't mean they can boss me around. They're only a few hours older than me… I didn't really want to play with them anyway.'
After sometime, no one is quite sure when, the little head started to cool and tiny feet tire. Causing Eleniel to realize something, it was starting to get dark, and she had no idea were she was! No mater, she would go back the way she came… if only she knew which way that was. After pondering what to do, a little bird's song caught her attention.
"That way is as good as any," Eleniel said out loud as she started off in the general direction of the song. Maybe she'll even get to see the birdie.
But the nightingale didn't let itself to be seen this day.
~*~
Lothlórien about the Same Time
Castiel was getting more frazzled by the minute; she had just gotten Elladan and Elrohir down from a very high and very thin tree branch. She could almost swear they were part squirrel with how fast they were. She sighed as they rushed off to pester the unlucky elf passing, which just happened to be the Lord Glorfindel. Finally a break, those two were going to drive her insane soon. At least Eleniel wasn't adding to the chaos today. Thinking of Eleniel, were was she? It had been a while since Castiel had last seen her; maybe she went to look at the fountains again. Or more likely jump into the fountains and splash around again.
The elleth paled at the thought of a very muddy and wet elf child, running around in the Lady of Light's home. Quickly getting up to stop the imagined problem before it happened, because isn't that the best time to stop disasters. Before they dripped on the expensive carpets, left grimy hand prints on the walls and before the glassware got broken, Castiel ran.
~*~
Somewhere In the Golden Wood
The birdie had soon been forgotten, to be replaced by a big, orange and yellow butterfly, its shimmering wings taunting Eleniel to follow and try to and catch, as it flitted to and fro. Over rocks, moss, and fallen trees, the chase went. Little hands trying to grasp a figurative wisp of air, as the sun steadily marched closer to the west.
~*~
At one of the many Border Posts
Haldir shifted his quiver to a more comfortable position, as the rest of his fellow contingent left for the city. Their three year stay at the borders was over, and everyone one was eager to get back to home and family.
It had been his first full-length assignment at the borders, and he was as eager as the others. But he needed some time to be alone and to reflect, before getting back to his brothers. It was guaranteed that they would both keep him up well into the night catching up, and informing him of the latest news. No-one noticed the lone elf ship from the back of the merry group, heading into the thick wood.
~*~
Back in the City
Two hours had gone by, and no one in the whole city had seen Eleniel. After Castiel had been unable to locate the missing child, many others had been asked to join in the search. Including Eleniel's father, Lord Elrond, who had quickly put together search parties to look outside the city limits, when it became obvious that she had gotten out unseen and unheard.
~*~
Back to Eleniel
Sharp pricks of pain shot up Eleniel's hands and knees as she got up from the rocky stream bed. She hadn't been watching were she was going in the half-light, and had fallen because of it. Luckily it was mid-summer, or she would have fallen into the stream and swept away, instead of the now exposed river bed. Hungry and tired, Eleniel saw the sun sink even farther. Causing shadows to lengthen, casting an eerie light over the quiet forest, increasing her discomfort and apprehension.
She wished she was still with her brothers and Castiel, their nurse-maid. Or even better with her Ada and Naneth, in Grandmother's sitting room listening to Grandfather's fairy stories, surrounded by the warmth and comfort of family. She started at a loud splash, and turned in time to see a large rock settling at the bottom of the stream.
Tears running down the frightened face, the lost little soul, scuttled underneath a small ledge, curling up into a small ball. Hours seemed to go by as time dragged on, but in truth only 15 minutes had passed. She worked up the courage to speak, or at least try to.
"Ead-dar," was the first mangled attempt, perhaps it would come out better a second time.
"A-adar…Ada, I-Im gost-ta."*
*Translation: Daddy, Daddy, I'm afraid.
