How could three sisters brought up in the same family go three different ways?

The daughters of Chremon, Aara being the oldest and most like her mother, next was Chleo who was the tomboy of the family and last was Ivy, a very small and quiet elf.

All there were completely different but shared that same parents and love for each other. Aara began to explorer the race of men when she was old enough to leave the golden wood. She first went to the land of the horse lords, Rohan and then she moved on to Gondor. She fell madly in love with the eldest son of the Steward, Boromir. Chleo stayed with in the elven realms, she fell in love with Elrohir, son of Lord Elrond. And as for Ivy, she stayed close to home. No love would be felt by her; instead she worked hard and became a warden of the Guards of Lorien. How could three sisters brought up in the same family go three different ways? All though Aara and Chleo looked the same, long blond hair and blue eyes, they were the perfect elven maidens of Lothlorien. But Ivy was completely different; she had long dirty blond hair and bright green eyes. This is the story of their lives, with the good and the bad.

The three girls sat be the edge of a small pond. They were young and just learning about the world. Aara smiled and watched her younger sister Chleo trying to touch a pixie. Ivy just sat by herself in the roots of a great Mallorn tree. Butterflies gathered around her and she watched with no intent to touch or catch them. Aara turned away and looked down through the woods, she began to run and run. Chleo taking note of this ran as well following her sister. Both stopped at the edge of the woods and looked out over the horizon and saw two different visions. Aara saw the race of men and the man that it held for her in a tower of stone. Chleo say a great city upon the falls of a large river and the elf it held for her. Both turned to each other and smiled they knew what they were destine to do. Ivy stood up and looked into the canopy of the great trees; she saw neither man nor elf. She saw the guards and what she was to become, no love for the youngest, just hard work. She lowered her head and began to walk back to her families talan.

"Girls where have you been?" Their mother asked with her hand upon her hips.

"In the woods," Chleo answer sweetly.

"We did not tray far from the pond mother," Aara said taking a seat next to Chleo.

"Liar!" Ivy yelled "You both ran to the edge of the wood."

"Hush!" Aara and Chleo said in unison.

"Excuse me girls, but you know the rules-"

"But I saw a vision," Aara said before her mother could finish.

"You had a vision, of what?" She asked in disbelief.

"I had one too," Chleo said suddenly finding her voice.

"My word!" She said realizing that if two had their visions then Ivy had to have had one too. She turned to Her youngest, "Ivy, did you also have a vision?" Aara and Chleo looked at each other and then at Ivy.

"Is she not too young to have these visions?"

"No, she is but a year younger than Chleo. She is of age. Come Ivy you can tell me."

"Yes mother, I did I have a vision."

"Come girls," She said walking out of the talan, "We will go to the lake." And so the mother with her three daughters walked far into the woods to a large lake where the water looked like glass. Ivy had seen many elves walk across in during the summer festivals. Her mother than sat upon a stone and all three girls made a circle in front of her. "Now, let us hear these visions. Start with Aara, then Chleo and last Ivy."

"Well I saw the race of men, and a large tower made of stone. Inside was a man, oh mother he was beautiful, even more than the male elves we live amongst."

"Good my daughter, he will be your husband. But he will have to be born and then you must find him."

"He isn't born yet?"

"Aara, it take hundreds of years for these visions to come true. The race of men is not like the race of elves where we live for ever."

"Oh," Aara said lowering her head, "then how will I know its time for me to go? And where will I find him?"

"You will know, trust me, you will know. You will have to search the two countries of men, Rohan and Gondor." She smiled and touched Aara's face sweetly; she then turned to Chleo, "Now yours."

"I saw a great city upon the falls of a great rushing river. And there was a man, he was an elf I could tell that but he had brown hair. How funny, do you think so?"

"You saw Rivendell, and a river elf. They have brown hair."

"Why do they have brown hair as we have blond?"

"The are mixed with the race of men. They are half elf and half man as the legend goes."

"They are not real elves?"

"No, they are very much as real elves as us, they just have brown hair from their ancestors and the race of man."

"I see, but who was he?"

"He can be anyone, you, like your sister, must find him." She smiled lovingly at her daughter. "Your time may come faster than your sisters for he most likely is already born," She watched Chleo's face light up with joy. Ivy looked away with dread, her sisters were destined for love, and she was not. Her mother than turned to her, "Ivy? What was yours?"

Ivy fought back tears and shook her head, "No," was all she could manage before the tears she had fought to keep back fell.

"Oh Ivy, my dear what is it?" She asked reaching out to hold her, Ivy pulled away and wiped the tears away as they fell. "Ivy please tell me so I may help you reach what you are to reach."

"Only father can help me," she said softly.

Her mother and sisters looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" Her mother asked with pleading eyes.

"I am not to find a love, man or elf."

"That is crazy!" Chleo said.

"Are you to love a dwarf?" Aara asked jokingly.

"I am to love none, not even a dwarf."

"Then what?" Her mother asked impatiently.

"I am to become a great warrior and lead the Galadhrim in battle."

Her mother looked shocked, "Are you sure that was your vision?"

"I looked up into the trees and saw myself in the grab of a Warden leading the guards into battle."

back in the talan later than night

The girl's father walks in and finds the mother sitting in her chair with a white face.

"My love?" He asks rushing to her side.

"Chremon," she said wrapping her arms around his neck. Tears began to fall silently. "Oh Chremon," she wept into his hair.

"Athene, what is it?" he asked pulling away from her. He held her face in his hands. "Please tell me what happened."

"The girls got their visions today."

"Is that all? My love that is wonderful."

"Aara is going to marry Boromir of Gondor. Chleo is to marry Elrohir."

"And Ivy, what of her?" He asked eagerly. "What was her vision?"

"A warden."

"A warden?" he asked pulling away from her. "What kind of Warden?"

"Warden of the Galadhrim," she said shacking.

"Did she see anything of a lover?"

"None, just herself leading the guards into battle."

"Are you sure? You could have heard her wrong-"

"She was crying when she told me! She was scared to tell me, she was ashamed at what she was destined to be! Don't you get it!" Athene screamed, "My daughter will never know the touch of a lover! She will never bare children, nor will she have grandchildren!"

"We will have to go to Lady Galadriel, tomorrow we will go-" Before he could finish what he was going to say he heard Galadriel's voice.

"What she saw was right, she will be the first female warden of Lothlorien."

Chremon turned around to see that she was sitting in the chair in the corner; she stood up and crossed the room. "My lady," Chremon and Athene said in unison bowing.

"Please let me see Ivy," she said ignoring their courtly behavior.

"Aye my lady, right this way," Chremon said leading her down the hall to Ivy's room. He went to walk in but Lady Galadriel stopped him.

"Let me go alone," She said passing him and walking into the dark room. She sat on the edge of the bed and pushed a lock of hair from her face. "My darling Ivy, we always knew you were different."

"My lady?" She said sitting up

"Shh, lay back and tell me of your vision." Ivy retold what she had seen and Galadriel laughed softly. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, you will be happy with what the valor has decided for you." She smiled, "I knew you were going to be different."

"How?"

"I delivered you and your sisters. You were quiet and didn't fuss like your sisters did or any other elven maiden I delivered. And you are quiet different, you blend in with the woods. A quiet elf makes a good warrior."

"But are not all elves quiet?" she questioned and then she winced, "I am sorry my lady I did not mean to-"

"It is fine; you are young and ask questions. I only hope I have the answers." She smiled at her and took Ivy in her arms. "I would like you to train with Lord Haldir; he is one of the Galadhrim."

And so it began, each sister going their own way. Growing up and waiting their turn to chase their destiny.