Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, just Alclainiel, for she is my character.
Love is More Powerful than the Ring
Chapter One: Let Us Go Then!
Arwen glanced at her father one last time before continuing down the path that would lead her away from Rivendell. Once she was out of her father's view, tears filled her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to face an elf with silvery-blonde hair. Arwen recognized her immediately.
"Alclainiel? What are you doing here?" Arwen asked, in slight shock to see her friend whom she had not seen in over ten years. Alclainiel had not changed a bit. Her beautiful hair was still as long and silky and her sapphire eyes were still glimmering with joy. Alclainiel wore a forest green cloak, which made her look like a simpleton rather than the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Mirkwood, which she was.
"I should be asking you the same question." Alclainiel replied, hugging Arwen. "Why are you not awaiting Aragorn's return?" Arwen's smile turned into a frown.
"I don't want to talk about it…" Arwen sighed and added, "But how I wish I were with him right now." Alclainiel's eyes gleamed with excitement as an idea sprang to mind.
"Arwen! Why don't you go find Aragorn?" She said. Arwen found the reply absurd, and yet, maybe she should go find him. But she looked at it realistically. Arwen didn't know where he was, if he was still alive, if he had found another love…Alclainiel had seemed to read her mind because she said:
"I know where he is…" She said, mischievously. "An Ent
told me. On my way over here, he told me that he had been told by another that
a group of Humans were walking towards Helm's Deep." She explained.
"Alclainiel, there are many humans going to Helm's Deep at this time…" Arwen said reasonably.
"Ah yes, but do most men have an Elf and a Dwarf as companions? I think not." Alclainiel said; a tone of mystery in her voice.
"Well, I guess I could…Wait! Alclainiel, why do you want to join the Fellowship?"
"I…I…" Alclainiel took a deep breath. "I am engaged."
"That is fantastic! But I do not understand. Alclainiel, why are you leaving then?"
"It's arranged. My father is forcing me to marry the Prince of the Woodland Elves of Mirkwood. My mother assures me that he is a charming young man, intelligent, handsome, athletic…But I'm too young! Mother says that he and I used to play together as infants, but that was over two thousand years ago! He is said to be on some dangerous quest but my parents refused to tell me what it was. I've decided that if he does not come back alive, then I will return home. Arwen, please, I wish to see Middle Earth!"
"Let us go then." Arwen said, her lips curling into a grin.
The two young women (if you, as Humans, call about 2, 930 years of age young) put their hoods on and ran through the crowd. Arwen looked up to see if her father was still there. To her immense relief, he wasn't. Arwen hurried to the stables to get some horses. Taking her own would draw suspicion. She grabbed a few provisions and before they knew it, Arwen and Alclainiel were riding off to the land of Rohan.
For about a month, Arwen and Alclainiel did not sleep one bit, which was fine by them because Elves sleep with their eyes open anyway. However, they would stop for about an hour everyday to rest the horses and eat. In times of danger, Arwen (who was skilled with the sword) and Alclainiel (the bow), would fight vigorously to save time and be on their way as soon as possible. It was a long journey, and neither of them was prepared to face the horrors which they would encounter at Helm's Deep.
End of Chapter 1
Please R&R!
