Chapter 1
Elrond gazed into her deep, dark eyes, and placed his scarred hand on her rosy, flawless cheek. She swallowed, as she knew what was to come.
"Arual, did you not listen to me the first time we conversed?" he asked her gravely.
"Yes, father. I did hear you. But you do not understand. I yearn to explore the surrounding world. There are things I have yet to see." She turned, Elrond's arm dropping, and gazed out of the open window, a breeze rippling through her long, dark hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. "I wish to travel to Lothlorien, to Mirkwood to visit my dear friend Legolas. I'd like to see the Hobbits."
"Elves from Lothlorien and Mirkwood visit you frequently, my dear. Why must you yearn for more than you have already? And there is plenty of time for you to travel - just when you are older."
Arual turned back to her father, her face in despair. "Why must it be when I am older? Why not now, whilst my young heart yearns it so? I have heard so many tales of the surrounding lands. Of the little Hobbits, in the Shire. I would give up everything I live for here to travel," her eyes shone, her delicate hands clasped together in front of her.
"You would leave even your own father to go all over Middle-Earth, when you would get bored within a month? What has Legolas been telling you?" Elrond looked down at his youngest daughter sternly.
"Father! You know that is not what I meant-"
"Then what did you mean, Arual? I have no time for your nonsense!"
"It is anything but nonsense! You talk like I have no mind of my own - like Legolas is the one who controls my desires," Arual began to weep with frustration. "I love you more than anything, father. You know that. But you do not own me. You have me under constant guard - I feel like a prisoner."
"You are my daughter, Arual. I do not lock you up! You are free to wonder the pinewoods, so long as you are guarded. And that is not so that you can't run away from me, or because I feel powerful keeping you under surveillance - it is to keep you safe. It would break my heart for anything to happen to you," Elrond's expression did not change, whereas Arual's tears were running freely.
"And it breaks my heart to see Legolas and the other elves ride into the distance, visiting other folk, to observe their homes and make new friends, whilst I am here. I get so lonely."
"The roads are perilous. You wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides, you have many friends here at Rivendell."
"Father - please let me go. Just to Mirkwood, and Legolas will make sure that I am kept safe. He can be trusted-"
"No he can not! I do not like the thought of your safety in the hands of Legolas Greenleaf! We shall discuss the matter no further. You shall stay here." Elrond turned, and reached for the door. Just as he was about to exit, he heard a mutter from Arual.
"I shall not."
Elrond turned back, and closed the door.
"What did you just say, Arual?"
"I said; I shall not stay here. You have no power over me. I shall leave in a week, when Legolas shall collect me," Arual told him, her head cocked up.
"Arual - if I ever here you talk to me like that again, you shall be severely punished," Elrond warned her. "Now get ready for bed."
"I mean it, father. I am leaving Rivendell."
"You shall not! For your cheek, you shall stay in these grounds for one month. For meals, you shall come to the dining room, formally dressed. There will be no visitors for that amount of time, and all of this tat-" he gestured to Arual's collection of objects Legolas had given to her from where he had ventured. "Shall be got rid of. It does not do well to dwell on dreams."
"You would not be so cruel-" began Arual.
"It is not cruelty! They will be removed in the morning. Now get some rest," Elrond exited her room.
Elrond gazed into her deep, dark eyes, and placed his scarred hand on her rosy, flawless cheek. She swallowed, as she knew what was to come.
"Arual, did you not listen to me the first time we conversed?" he asked her gravely.
"Yes, father. I did hear you. But you do not understand. I yearn to explore the surrounding world. There are things I have yet to see." She turned, Elrond's arm dropping, and gazed out of the open window, a breeze rippling through her long, dark hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. "I wish to travel to Lothlorien, to Mirkwood to visit my dear friend Legolas. I'd like to see the Hobbits."
"Elves from Lothlorien and Mirkwood visit you frequently, my dear. Why must you yearn for more than you have already? And there is plenty of time for you to travel - just when you are older."
Arual turned back to her father, her face in despair. "Why must it be when I am older? Why not now, whilst my young heart yearns it so? I have heard so many tales of the surrounding lands. Of the little Hobbits, in the Shire. I would give up everything I live for here to travel," her eyes shone, her delicate hands clasped together in front of her.
"You would leave even your own father to go all over Middle-Earth, when you would get bored within a month? What has Legolas been telling you?" Elrond looked down at his youngest daughter sternly.
"Father! You know that is not what I meant-"
"Then what did you mean, Arual? I have no time for your nonsense!"
"It is anything but nonsense! You talk like I have no mind of my own - like Legolas is the one who controls my desires," Arual began to weep with frustration. "I love you more than anything, father. You know that. But you do not own me. You have me under constant guard - I feel like a prisoner."
"You are my daughter, Arual. I do not lock you up! You are free to wonder the pinewoods, so long as you are guarded. And that is not so that you can't run away from me, or because I feel powerful keeping you under surveillance - it is to keep you safe. It would break my heart for anything to happen to you," Elrond's expression did not change, whereas Arual's tears were running freely.
"And it breaks my heart to see Legolas and the other elves ride into the distance, visiting other folk, to observe their homes and make new friends, whilst I am here. I get so lonely."
"The roads are perilous. You wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides, you have many friends here at Rivendell."
"Father - please let me go. Just to Mirkwood, and Legolas will make sure that I am kept safe. He can be trusted-"
"No he can not! I do not like the thought of your safety in the hands of Legolas Greenleaf! We shall discuss the matter no further. You shall stay here." Elrond turned, and reached for the door. Just as he was about to exit, he heard a mutter from Arual.
"I shall not."
Elrond turned back, and closed the door.
"What did you just say, Arual?"
"I said; I shall not stay here. You have no power over me. I shall leave in a week, when Legolas shall collect me," Arual told him, her head cocked up.
"Arual - if I ever here you talk to me like that again, you shall be severely punished," Elrond warned her. "Now get ready for bed."
"I mean it, father. I am leaving Rivendell."
"You shall not! For your cheek, you shall stay in these grounds for one month. For meals, you shall come to the dining room, formally dressed. There will be no visitors for that amount of time, and all of this tat-" he gestured to Arual's collection of objects Legolas had given to her from where he had ventured. "Shall be got rid of. It does not do well to dwell on dreams."
"You would not be so cruel-" began Arual.
"It is not cruelty! They will be removed in the morning. Now get some rest," Elrond exited her room.
