Aresa's Secret
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings or any of the story's characters. However, I do own Aresa, Jesyka, and Celefil. My friend owns Kyoko, so don't take her either!
A/N: This story takes place after the Ring is destroyed, but before everything is restored.
Aresa slipped out of bed. She glided silently around her little sister and down the tree trunk. Her small body landed silently on the forest floor as she raced to her favorite spot, just at the top of a hill overlooking the south-eastern path to Rohan. Her deep blue eyes darted to and fro.
"He should be here by now!" she stamped her foot, her long blonde hair caught in a breeze. Something moved in the distance. She dashed down the hill and over to the tall, dark-haired man.
"Aragorn!" She squealed as she threw her lean body against him. "Elen síla lúmenn omentielvo1!"
Aragorn laughed as he hugged his friend. "Yes. Elen síla lúmenn omentielvo, my dear Elf. Tell me, where is your mother?"
Aresa pulled back slightly. "She rose long before the sun, as she hath many a day now. I know not where she is." She paused. "What doth thou bringeth me from Rohan, Lord Aragorn?"
Aragorn laughed. "Alright, alright!" He pulled out a long, wooden whistle attached to a chain of reeds. "Go on, blow it." Aresa lifted the instrument to her lips. It made a melody so sweet Aresa almost didn't notice when a tall, white horse came galloping around the hill and stopped in front of her.
"Wow." Aresa reached her hand out. The horse nuzzled it.
"He is called Ambrosia. He is the only son of Shadowfax. A gift from the Riders of Rohan. They say thank you for your help in ridding them of disease."
Aresa stood in awe. The only son and heir of Shadowfax…Aragorn patted her shoulder.
"Take care of him. I shall go forth to seek your mother. Salhelm2!"
"Salhelm, Lord Aragorn!" She said as she swung up on her new horse and galloped off.
When she came back, she went in search of her mother. She wanted to ride to Mirkwood and show Legolas her new horse, but she needed permission first. Being princess and the new Lady of the Wood is not all cracked up to be. She'll probably make me take Rumil as well. Oh why did Haldir have to be the better fighter? Her eyes filled with tears at the memory of Haldir's fall to an Orc at Helm's Deep3. Haldir had been a brother to her-Rumil is nothing but a nuisance that has a crush on one of her best friends.
One of her mother's servants approached her. "M'Lady? Her Majesty wishes to have a word with you."
Aresa nodded. She found her mother looking into the Mirror4. "What is it, Galadriel? What do you see?"
"Our people are leaving." She replied in her usual mysterious tone. "Lord Elrond's people have already gone. It is our turn."
"I'm not leaving without Legolas. I will not do it, not for anything."
"Aresa, I will not leave my eldest daughter to the tortures of the mortal world!"
"I'm not leaving without Legolas." She said simply. "You have Jesyka." Aresa flew out of the garden and onto Ambrosia. Jesyka, her younger sister, stood watching as Aresa dashed away. Jesyka wasn't really her sister; she was an orphan girl Aresa had found one day when she was walking. Aresa and Galadriel both knew that Jesyka could not go to the Undying Lands. Jesyka was mortal.
About half-way through her journey to Mirkwood, Aresa came across an old man. "May I help you, sir?" She dismounted and walked over to him. He made to hit her with his staff, but she grabbed it. Instead, she was hit in the head with a rock. Everything went black.
Aresa heard voices. Male voices. "Yes, Sir! She's pregnant." Aresa jumped up. They couldn't be talking about her, could they? The man who had just spoken walked over to her. "Ya heard that, didn'tja? That's right, you're pregnant. With my child."
The next nine months were torture for Aresa. She was forced to ride on the back of a packhorse and to eat stale bread.
She gave birth to twins. Celefil was the first. She never got to name the second one. The men took her son and left Aresa and Celefil under a tree at the edge of a forest. She bundled her daughter in a blanket and pulled out the whistle from Aragorn she had kept hidden all these months. Clutching her daughter to her chest, she blew.
Ambrosia was instantly at her side. "Bear us to Lorién, and Her Majesty." She whispered as she mounted. Ambrosia whinnied and took off.
When they arrived in Lorién, Her Majesty was overjoyed to see her daughter again.
"Aresa!" She cried, rushing to her daughter's side. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick." This is, of course, not literally what she said, as she spoke in rapid Quenya. (A/N: Which is, for all those more ignorant than me, a form of High Elvish).
"Mother calm down. I'm fine, I promise." Just then, Celefil began to cry. Galadriel stared at the child in disbelief.
"What happened, Aresa?" Her mother took the child from her.
"It was a mortal, Mother. They kidnapped me on my way to Mirkwood. I was unconscious-I didn't know what was going on." She sank down on a rock and her eyes filled with tears. She managed to not let them spill.
"What will you say when Legolas finds out?"
"I don't intend to let him find out."
"Why not? What are you-"
"She is a mortal, Mother. Adopt her. Like you did Jesyka. Please." Aresa looked up at Galadriel with pleading eyes.
"I would do it in an instant, you know that, Dear, but how are you going to change your kidnapped story?"
"Prison. Sarumon has tried, yet again, to capture Rohan."
Galadriel smiled. "It is so like you, Daughter of Mine, to know what is going on in the world even when you are kidnapped." She looked down at the now sleeping child. "What are you to say about her?"
Aresa took Celefil back. "I rescued her." She turned to a guard. "Send for Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Tell him it's urgent."
"Yes, Ma'am." He left swiftly. Aresa turned back to her mother. "I'll be in my chamber." Once again, she blew the whistle and Ambrosia came running.
Silently, she tucked Celefil into the bed and sat by the window, waiting for Legolas. She heard him enter the realm of Lorién. Quietly, she ran to meet him.
"Legolas!" She cried, rushing into his arms.
"Aresa." He smiled and tightened their embrace, pulling her into a passionate kiss. "Are you alright? What happened? Who did it?"
Aresa giggled. "I'm fine. Honest." She added when she saw the doubt in his eyes. "Sarumon again. I rescued one of the children who was orphaned. She's only a few days old, and Mother has adopted her."
"You mean there's three of you now? I feel sorry for your father." He laughed. Aresa smiled and snuggled closer under his arm. "Come now, I want to meet my new sister."
Aresa closed her eyes briefly before heading in the direction of her chamber. The door opened silently, and Aresa led Legolas quietly across the room to her bed. She slowly pulled down the covers, revealing a newborn girl fast asleep. Legolas rand his hand across her forehead.
"She looks like you." He whispered. Aresa stiffened slightly before producing a weak smile.
"Yes, I suppose she does."
Legolas looked at her for a moment, trying to understand her reaction. Finally he gave up. Then he remembered why Aresa had run off in the first place. "Sree, darling, we need to talk." Legolas placed a loving hand on Aresa's shoulder. She nodded and they walked to a secluded clearing. Aresa sat on a log. Legolas, however, began pacing. Aresa watched him, unmoving. Legolas finally calmed down a bit. "Aresa, you must go with your people to the Undying Lands. My father will not allow you to stay with us, you know that. You have traveled too far and learned too much." He knelt before her and took her hand. "Please, I beg of you. Go with your people. Be free. My father only welcomes you because I love you."
"I don't care! I'm not leaving without you, Legolas. That's final." She removed her hand from his and looked away as tears began to fall down her face.
Legolas stood up and moved closer. "Sweetheart, be reasonable. You can't stay here."
"NO! I'm not leaving!" Aresa ran, tears still streaming down her face. "I hate you!" She screamed at nothing as she threw herself at the ground. "I hate you." She sobbed. After a few moments, she felt something on her ear. She swatted at it and turned around. About three inches in front of her nose hovered a faerie with long blonde hair and green and blue wings.
"Kyoko!" she gasped, sitting up. "Oh Kyoko it's not fair!"
The little faerie sat down on a nearby log and smiled. "Aresa, they can't make you go, and they can't make you stay."
"But Legolas's father hates me! All because I'm the daughter of Galadriel. It's not fair. I didn't do anything wrong."
At that, Kyoko stood up and stamped her tiny foot, making her wings glitter as a fine coat of silver dust fell. "That's crazy talk, Aresa. Legolas's father adores you."
"But-"
"He really does, Aresa. But he also thinks that if he tells Legolas, he will not love you anymore, which is, of course, the last thing he wants."
Aresa nodded. She was finally starting to understand. "But if he likes me, why can't I stay?" Aresa's eyes were full of questions.
"You can, if you want. That is your decision alone, Aresa. Not anyone else's. Your fate is in your own hands. Choose wisely, for if you choose what you don't want, no one will regret it more than you. The choice is yours." With a small pop, Kyoko disappeared.
A/N: Review please and let me know what you think!