A/N: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my story. I can't express my happiness that I got so many reviews in the first day! And thank you to DORK DOG and Kersteen for adding this story to the favorites list. I just wanted to tell you guys that this story is not finished, and nor is it a one shot. I have more chapters on the way, guys:)
I also want thoughts on the cover…do you like it? And for a visual aid of Melli, just picture Keira Knightley… lol. And please, please, please review this story if you read it, and you liked it. It bugs me when I don't hear feedback, because I want to know if you like my story. Anyways, time to shut me up. Thanks to gabisamore, DORK DOG and Friendly Feanorian for reviewing these chapters.
On to
Chapter Two:
They both nodded at once. "That song you were singing—where did you learn it?" Melli looked at them both. How long had they been following her? "My naneth (mother) used to sing it to me before I went to bed at night."
Elrohir and Elladan looked at her. "As did our naneth, Melli." Elrohir spoke. "What happened to yours?" How did he know her nickname?
Melli swallowed down the lump in her throat. "Orcs." She simply replied; it was all the twins needed to figure out the death incident. "Our naneth is not dead, but she would've been if we hadn't rescued her. But she became so paranoid that she fled Middle Earth, and we've not seen her since."
Melli began to pick up her corn again as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "You do know why we've come here, correct?" Elrohir asked gently. "To hunt innocent young girls?" She replied with a smug grin. "Good guess, but that is incorrect."
"We've come here in search of a bride." Elladan finished quickly. "And you've turned down all of those women in the streets?" She asked them.
"Well, we're not exactly done yet." Elrohir said quickly. "We were just wondering why you weren't one of the women in the streets, Melli."
Melli frowned at the nickname, and the subject of which Elrohir chose to bring up. "I do not partake in those silly old festivities." She picked up the last ear of corn and turned to go round to her house in the trees. "Wait, Melli—"
"My name is Menelwen." She called back to him; she didn't like him calling her by that; her naneth used to call her by that name, and it was only for family usage. "Not Melli." She brushed her long locks of chestnut hair from her chest to her back. She will be my bride. Both twins thought almost instantaneously, and ran after her. "We'd love to have you spend the night over at our home in Rivendell," Elladan spoke. "Thank you, but I prefer my swamp home."
Usually they had women falling at their feet, and the twins were not used to a stubborn young woman. "Consider it," Elrohir suddenly snapped, getting agitated with the whole situation. "Maybe," Melli replied calmly. She could feel her heart pounding through her chest, and she didn't like the feeling of it at all.
Melli reached the tree house in which she lived in with her family, and began climbing the metal pegs hammered into the bark of the tree. "Melli," Elladan called. He pursed his lips when he noticed that she was making no move to turn around. The house in the massive tree was quite large for being in a tree. There was about three levels to it, and littered with Melli's little elf siblings.
"Do you think she'll come down?" Elrohir asked, nudging his elbow into his brother's side. "She's obstinate, don't you think?" Elladan completely ignored the comment before his. "I've never seen such a shrewd and hardheaded woman."
…
"Ada, who are those men down there?" Melli heard her little sister Tania ask her father Ryneon. Ryneon made his way to the window to peer down at two brawny twins calling his daughter's name. "Melli, come down." He smiled at this.
"Melli, come here please." Her father said anxiously. She appeared around the corner, sipping wild-berry juice from a hollowed and dried gourd cup. "Yes, ada?" She set the cup down on the table to stir the boiling soup atop the wood stove.
"Some men are calling your name down there," Melli smiled to herself and made her way to the window. Just as she thought; Elrohir and Elladan. "How long have they been here, Tania?" She asked. "Ever since you came home, Mell-Mell. They've been sitting here calling your name, but you've been ignoring them."
"Who are they, my daughter?" Ryneon questioned.
"The Twin Sons of Lord Elrond." She replied casually, like it was no big deal. "The Lords of Rivendell? By Valar Melli, invite them up!" Ryneon had never met any royalty in all of his life, and he was pretty old—his 4,259th birthday was coming up soon.
"Ada!" She complained, but her father shot her a look that meant 'no further ado, daughter'. "They've been following me, and I've just gotten rid of them by coming up here!"
"Sedho!" Ryneon yelled to her, and opened up the door. "Tolo hi! Dine with us, sons of Elrond."—(Quiet! Come now!)
Melli slapped her forehead with one hand. "Lau,"—(No,)
The twins showed up at the door in a matter of seconds, grinning and greeting Melli's family like they were close friends. She tried to ignore them by stirring the soup, and putting spices into it. "Does it taste good?" Elrohir whispered, his face dangerously close to hers. She lifted the ladle to her lips before speaking again.
"Ti tállbe orch," She mumbled to him, putting in another pinch of spices. —(Go kiss an orc)
"Harsh, Melli. Aren't you pleased to see me?" She glared as she poured the soup into bowls. "Tania, Ravess, Kilya, can you please help me carry the bowls to the table?" Three little elflings made their way past Elrohir, grabbing handfuls of bowls and setting them on the long table.
"Brides, hmm? Well we've got many sweet ladies in this household." Ryneon told the other twin. "Aye, many indeed," Elladan began. "But we've come for Menelwen."
Melli's older sisters rolled her eyes. "Oh, she's a stick in the mud."
"Such a stubborn little blossom!"
"Why, she's too young and naïve."
"Linnia, Inimeitiel, Melda, that be enough! Now Elladan, what did you want with our little flower?"
Melli rolled her eyes as she turned to put the soup on the table before her. Elrohir took the seat across from her. "We wanted her to come and stay at the castle for a while with us."
Ryneon looked back and forth from Elladan and Melli. "Take her for as long as you please, your highness." He said at once, grinning like a mad fool—royalty wanted his daughter for a bride? "Lau, ada!"–(No, father) Melli shouted, surprising her guests and her father. "Avon, for I'd rather feast upon a live toad."—(I will not)
Her father looked at her with dumbfounded expression. "How dare you disrepute our company in such a way! Apologize!" Melli gritted her teeth together and lifted her chin in reluctance. "You will do as I say," Ryneon growled, rising from his chair. "Avon." She replied obstinately.–(I will not)
His fuse wore too thin; he slapped his daughter with the back of his hand. Melli's head whipped to the side as she cried out in shock. The sound the connection made deafened the room in an instant. Elrohir looked at Melli to see her cheek flaming red and a single tear rolling down her cheek.
"I will go with you." She finally managed to cough out. She stood from the table and walked off into the hallway to pack her things. "That was uncalled for, ada." Little Tania whimpered, and rushed off after her.
…
Her bags were packed, and she sat on the roof of her house, tear after tear rolling down her face. "Menelwen?" A soft voice called from behind her. She could feel the heavy, but light footsteps on the ground. "Tis I, Elladan."
"Go away; haven't you done enough damage?" But Elladan kept walking to her until he reached her and sat next to her. "But I am known to always make things better," He crooned. She stifled another downfall of tears when he was looking. "Why are you crying, bein?"—(Beautiful)
Melli thought it was odd that he was so very "cozy" with her already; calling her names like beautiful, and friend.
"None of your concern." She growled, and turned so her back faced him. Elladan just went around to her front. "Is it about coming to Rivendell?" Melli shook her head. "No."
"About your father?"
"No."
"What then?" He asked. She just pointed up to the stars. "My mother is the brightest one of all." She whispered. Elladan gazed at her, skin pale in the moonlight, soft brown eyes aflame. "She told me that when I got scared, look to the stars, and she'd be there."
Elladan put his hand over hers in attempt to comfort her. "It's what our mother used to tell us as kids, also."
"I've never seen them so bright." Melli said, gazing up at them. "Do they have this many stars in Rivendell?"
"Aye," Elladan said. "And you'll be another to add to our sky." Melli could feel herself struggling not to blush. "Elrohir and I are ready to depart." He said. "Are you coming with us, mellon, or not?"—(friend)
"It's what's expected of me." She plucked her bags from the ground and followed Elladan down the stairs. What if Rivendell wasn't as bad as she thought?
TO BE CONTINUED…