Caged birds don't sing
I do not own LotR in any way.
A/N-This story is done with the extended edition.
Full Summary- After being pressured into marriage by her father, Lirilla runs away. She meets Aragorn. She travels with him for a few years, avoiding all elves. What will happen when Aragorn and Lirilla meet the hobbits and travel to Rivendell? How will Legolas react when he finds out his best friend Lirilla is alive? More importantly, when the Fellowship make it to Lothlorien, will she be forced to stay or can Legolas convince Galadriel to allow Lirilla to continue her journey?
"My dear, I have decided to throw a ball", Celeborn told his wife.
"Whatever for?" Galadriel asked.
"For our daughter of course", he said, "She has passed her age of maturity and I believe she is ready to choose a mate".
"At this age?" Galadriel asked, "She is still a child".
"We were children", Celeborn reminded her.
"Who will tell her?" Galadriel asked.
"Haldir", he told her, "She can never be mad with him".
Haldir entered Lirilla's bedroom to find her creating and fletching arrows. "Princess", Haldir said clearing his throat.
"Yes Marchwarden", she said, being formal due to the chambermaids in the room.
"Your father is going to hold a ball", he told her.
"Is he?" she asked, "What for?"
"For you my lady", he said.
Lirilla rolled her eyes. "He imagines I will choose a mate at this ball", she said.
"I believe that is his intention, yes", Haldir told her.
"Very well. Has he chosen an escort for me yet?" she asked.
"No, my lady", Haldir said, "But I would be honored to be your escort".
"Very well, I accept", she sighed.
"King Thranduil has sent word saying that he and Prince Legolas will be attending", Haldir said as a blush creeped up Lirilla's neck.
Lirilla sat in her room as her chambermaid got her ready for a ball that all of Lórien was hosting. She hated her dress.
It was a pale yellow.
She would've preferred pale blue, so she would have matched what she knew Legolas was going to wear. And she hated her hair.
The pins pulled at her scalp and the braids were too tight.
"You look gorgeous, my dear", the chambermaid said.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Princess, are you decent?" Haldir asked.
She stood up and smoothed her dress.
Haldir entered the room and said, "You look beautiful, my lady".
"Thank you Marchwarden", she said curtseying.
They linked arms and he led her to the banquet hall.
She brightened when she saw Prince Legolas. She hugged her friend. "I must say, I am glad you are here my friend", she said. She spent most of her with Legolas, until her father pulled her away and forced her to dance with the rest of the ellons at the ball.
They were all rude.
She could tell some had drunk too much and roughly twirled her around the room.
Like they even deserved the princess' hand in marriage.
She knew why her father had arranged this ball. She had heard her father discussing with King Thranduil that she should marry her best friend, but she wasn't in love with Legolas. She loved him as a friend, but that was it.
When the night was over, she was escorted back to her room. She packed a bag full of the things she should and left the palace. She tred lightly, managing to slip past most of the wardens, except one.
"And where pray tell, would you be going?" Haldir's voice asked.
Lirilla froze, knowing she'd been caught. She turned and opened her mouth to say something.
"I understand what you're doing", Haldir said, "I myself ran away".
"You did?" she asked.
"I traveled all of Middle-Earth and came back when I had seen everything there was to see", Haldir told her, "Find your wings little bird and come back when you've found them".
"When I find them, you'll have to teach me how to fly", she joked.
Haldir smiled and hugged the little elleth he had watched over since birth.
She traveled for a few days before she found herself lost in the wilderness. She settled down and made a small camp.
She awoke the next morning to the tip of a sword sticking into her neck. She opened her eyes and saw a man with shoulder length brown curly hair and striking blue eyes. "Please do not harm me", she begged.
"What is an elf doing in the wilderness?" he asked.
"I have run away from Lothlórien", she answered, "Please, I only wish to be free".
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Lirilla", she said.
"Why did you run away?" the man asked.
"My father wishes me to marry, but I do not", she explained, "He wishes for me to marry Prince Legolas".
"Legolas?" he asked, "Of the Woodland realm? I am good friends with him".
"As am I", Lirilla answered, "Wait. Are you the one he calls Estel? Aragorn?"
"I am", he said.
"Legolas has told me about you", she said.
Aragorn returned his sword to its sheath. "You may come along with me. Legolas would skin me alive if he knew I left his best friend to die", Aragorn said.
Legolas went to Lirilla's room the next afternoon, not recalling the young elleth being at breakfast. He lightly knocked on her door, but it was open already. Her room was a mess. Legolas feared the worst and sprinted down the corridors to find her parents. Legolas ran into the royal throne room, panting.
"Prince Legolas, what has happened?" Celeborn asked him.
"Lirilla, she is gone", he said, "Her room is trashed".
"Calm yourself, my son", Thranduil said.
"Lirilla is gone! You must send out a search party!" Legolas demanded.
"We will", Celeborn said trying to calm the young elf prince, "As soon as the palace has been searched".
"That's not good enough!" Legolas yelled.
"Legolas, that's enough", Thranduil hissed.
When the rest of Lothlórien heard of the princess' disappearance, it was in an uproar.
"She will come back, my love", Galadriel said.
"How can you be sure?" Celeborn asked.
"She knows that she was meant for a higher purpose than getting married and becoming a queen one day", Galadriel said, "If you hadn't pressured her into getting married, she'd still be here. Celeborn, caged birds don't sing".