Disclaimer: do not own Lord of the Rings. Own my chars. Steal and die.
Eärwen Táralóm walked silently from her bedchamber. Her guardian, Elrond, was having a council she could see clearly from her window. She sat at the window seat, watching the meeting below. The Elf prince of Mirkwood would be arriving shortly, and she wanted to see him. She watched as other Elves, Dwarves, and men took their seats in the area. Finally, the prince arrived. Flanked by two Elf companions he made his way to the meeting area on the balcony. He sat down and made polite conversation with the Elf on his left. Whom Eärwen recognized as her cousin, Celebrimbor. She hoped he'd mention her to one as godly as Legolas. She lay against the sill, watching Legolas for hours until the meeting was over. Then a woman came in and said, "Lady Eärwen, Lord Elrond wishes to see you." The woman left, and Eärwen stood, straightening her gown, and went to see Elrond.
"Lord Elrond, I do not understand." Eärwen repeated, as Elrond announced that she was to leave for the Gray Havens.
"As I have said before, you must accompany my daughter, and your lady, to the Gray Havens. She will be leaving soon. You must be ready." He glanced out at the gardens, "Ready."
Eärwen left huffily. Her lord was always so insistent that she be Arwen's "lady-in-waiting" and she despised it. Arwen was so dimwitted, or at least Eärwen thought so. Though their names were similar, they were nothing alike. While Arwen had been forbidden from talking to Aragorn (before she "fell in love" with him), Eärwen had talked to him frequently. They'd talked about the weather, hunting, and things like that. Eärwen had grown up since then, but she still thought Arwen a nimrod. The girl took credit for everything. Glorfindel, riding out and saving the ringbearer, and she gets all the credit. Eärwen had approached her after that, and she had merely said, "Let them think what they want to think. You must not raise a fuss or I'll tell my father. He'll send you away." Sure she SEEMED brave and courageous, but she was only a spoiled BRAT.
Eärwen walked slowly up the stone steps to the tower. It had been weeks since the Fellowship had left Rivendell. She watched the stars from the tower, wondering if Legolas watched them now, too. A noise startled her, and she turned, gown billowing in the night breeze. Her fair hair blew against her face and she saw the old Elf woman, a meddler and one not to be trifled with. The woman, eyes wise with age and knowledge, could read her thoughts. How long had she been standing there? Eärwen remembered what she'd been thinking moments ago and turned red. The old woman grinned and spoke quietly.
"So you think of this Legolas often. Legolas, the green tree, prince of Mirkwood. Son of Thranduil." Eärwen nodded, her face still red. "Well then, Eärwen you shall follow him. Follow him to the ends of the Earth. And if you do, you will have him." The old woman's grin widened, "FOLLOW HIM!" she screeched. Then, all was black to Eärwen's eyes.
When Eärwen awoke, she was surrounded by trees. She sat up, looking around. Her nightdress had been replaced with a tunic and leggings, and an unmanned horse was tethered nearby. She smiled, and walked over to the horse. A few minutes later she heard talking.
Eärwen Táralóm walked silently from her bedchamber. Her guardian, Elrond, was having a council she could see clearly from her window. She sat at the window seat, watching the meeting below. The Elf prince of Mirkwood would be arriving shortly, and she wanted to see him. She watched as other Elves, Dwarves, and men took their seats in the area. Finally, the prince arrived. Flanked by two Elf companions he made his way to the meeting area on the balcony. He sat down and made polite conversation with the Elf on his left. Whom Eärwen recognized as her cousin, Celebrimbor. She hoped he'd mention her to one as godly as Legolas. She lay against the sill, watching Legolas for hours until the meeting was over. Then a woman came in and said, "Lady Eärwen, Lord Elrond wishes to see you." The woman left, and Eärwen stood, straightening her gown, and went to see Elrond.
"Lord Elrond, I do not understand." Eärwen repeated, as Elrond announced that she was to leave for the Gray Havens.
"As I have said before, you must accompany my daughter, and your lady, to the Gray Havens. She will be leaving soon. You must be ready." He glanced out at the gardens, "Ready."
Eärwen left huffily. Her lord was always so insistent that she be Arwen's "lady-in-waiting" and she despised it. Arwen was so dimwitted, or at least Eärwen thought so. Though their names were similar, they were nothing alike. While Arwen had been forbidden from talking to Aragorn (before she "fell in love" with him), Eärwen had talked to him frequently. They'd talked about the weather, hunting, and things like that. Eärwen had grown up since then, but she still thought Arwen a nimrod. The girl took credit for everything. Glorfindel, riding out and saving the ringbearer, and she gets all the credit. Eärwen had approached her after that, and she had merely said, "Let them think what they want to think. You must not raise a fuss or I'll tell my father. He'll send you away." Sure she SEEMED brave and courageous, but she was only a spoiled BRAT.
Eärwen walked slowly up the stone steps to the tower. It had been weeks since the Fellowship had left Rivendell. She watched the stars from the tower, wondering if Legolas watched them now, too. A noise startled her, and she turned, gown billowing in the night breeze. Her fair hair blew against her face and she saw the old Elf woman, a meddler and one not to be trifled with. The woman, eyes wise with age and knowledge, could read her thoughts. How long had she been standing there? Eärwen remembered what she'd been thinking moments ago and turned red. The old woman grinned and spoke quietly.
"So you think of this Legolas often. Legolas, the green tree, prince of Mirkwood. Son of Thranduil." Eärwen nodded, her face still red. "Well then, Eärwen you shall follow him. Follow him to the ends of the Earth. And if you do, you will have him." The old woman's grin widened, "FOLLOW HIM!" she screeched. Then, all was black to Eärwen's eyes.
When Eärwen awoke, she was surrounded by trees. She sat up, looking around. Her nightdress had been replaced with a tunic and leggings, and an unmanned horse was tethered nearby. She smiled, and walked over to the horse. A few minutes later she heard talking.