CHAPTER THREE

Girls Grow Up

This chapter was so much fun to write! I hope jou'll enjoy it as much as I've had in writing it :)

Thanks to those who've reviewed so far, you have no idea how happy reading them makes me!

[DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of Tolkien's universe. I do, however, own my own characters and premise.]

Will looked up as the book slid from Dylis' hands to the floor. He rolled over from his lazy position on the rug and took the book, closed it, and put it on the stack with the other books she'd already finished.

With a questioning look he tilted his head up to her. She was lying on her bed, her elbows propped up on the edge. There was a stunned look on her face.

"They defeated him," she breathed. "They truly defeated the Dark Lord Sauron."

Will arched an eyebrow at her statement, the relief obvious on her face. Then he huffed. "Of course they did," he said. "Otherwise, there'd be no America, no Provincetown and no Brooke family to begin with."

Her eyes shifted to him, and Will sat up leaning against the bed. Dylis clambered off it and settled down beside him.

"Aragorn," she started, looking at him curiously and pensively at the same time. "He rebuilds Arnor, no?"

Will nodded, averting his eyes. "Yes," he replied. "In due time. His main focus is on Gondor, though. There isn't much known about how he rebuilds Arnor, but I do know he makes Annúminas its capital city again."

Dylis remained silent for a long time, and though he tried to continue reading his own book again, Will found he couldn't really concentrate. He put his book aside and turned himself fully to Dylis, who suddenly had a numb look on her face.

"Arthedain will cease to exist, even if I do manage to bring Ariel back home."

A look of sympathy crossed Will's face as he watched her stare at the wall opposite of her.

"I do not wish for Ariel to long for a land she cannot have anymore," she continued quietly, but with resolve. Will raised a question eyebrow, and she turned her head to him. "Who knows if we can ever go back again? I want Ariel to live happily, without having to carry a burden she will not be able to bear, especially since she cannot get home." She paused then, sorrow in her voice and on her face. "Already she is forgetting her mother and father's faces. Perhaps it is for the best."

Now, Will frowned deeply. "Wait," he said. "You want her to forget she's royalty?" Until now, the Brookes only knew that Ariel was of nobility, but before starting their reading marathon, Dylis decided to tell Will about Ariel being a princess.

"What good does it to know you're a princess of a land you cannot go to?" Dylis asked rhetorically in reply. "It is not like she will have recognition for it here."

Will shrugged in defeat. "You're right." He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "But still… having her forget her family… her duty…? What if you do return?"

"I am not getting my hopes up," Dylis said. "The disappointment would be too crushing."

He nodded, a sad look on his face. "I understand," he replied softly. "What will you tell her, though?"

There was a long, thoughtful silence. "That your family adopted us."

Dylis and Will left the topic after that for a while. They both figured they still had time to flesh out their story about her and Ariel being adopted. However, only a month later, little Ariel had everyone stunned to silence with an innocent question.

"Am I adopted?" she'd asked as she put a fry in her mouth, legs swinging back and forth since she couldn't yet touch the ground with her feet. "My friends say I don't look like you, and they think I'm adopted."

Dylis had swallowed thickly, suddenly dry in her throat. "Do you still remember your parents, Ariel?" she'd asked tentatively.

"Yes." Ariel had paused then and tilted her head. "Well… no. They don't look like you." She looked at Abby and Hugh as she said it. "Are you my new parents?"

Abby's eyes flickered to Dylis, who smiled sadly, and nodded slightly. "Yes," she said. "Yes, Ariel, we are."

The little girl looked at Dylis then, inquisitive. "Where are my old parents?" she asked, not knowing the pang of hurt and guilt Dylis felt.

"They are gone, Ariel."

"Why?"

"Because we are here, and they are still there."

"Where?"

Seeing the tension in Dylis' face, Hugh decided to cut in there. "They are in a fairy land, with the strangest and most beautiful creatures. Maybe one day, you'll get there, too." He told Ariel this with a twinkling smile in his eyes, trying to distract her from her everlasting questions.

Ariel giggled, and it worked indeed, since she ceased her prodding.

It was after this that Dylis explained Abby and Hugh, too, the real situation of Ariel, and in what way exactly she was of nobility. Will had been the one who accepted her story most easily, since he'd seen her wield the sword, he'd seen her being protective of Ariel the day that he found them, and he'd heard her call Ariel 'little princess' often enough. She also had uncanny detailed knowledge of Middle Earth.

Hugh had, until now, always been the most sceptic of the three, and it took a while before he truly believed Dylis. They all did respect Dylis and her sense of duty very deeply.

They made agreements about how they were going to take care of Ariel, and what they'd tell her about her parents. It was eventually agreed that they would tell Ariel her parents died of a car accident, and that Dylis was the only one they'd considered as family. She then went to the Brookes for help, having known them for a time, and they moved in with the family.

Abby made sure to Dylis that if she wanted to tell Ariel of her heritage and history, Dylis could count on her, Hugh and Will to help her.

She was glad for this, but she suspected that Ariel would never find out about her past. Call her pessimistic, but she didn't think she would ever get home again.

22-year-old Dylis

The tires screeched to a halt when the light jumped to red, and Dylis was all but thrown against the back of her seat. Sweat dripped down her face in droplets, and she was tense all over her body. This must have been the most terrifying thing she'd ever done in her entire life.

She didn't like driving. In fact, she despised the fast machines and how they made the environment filthy, and how nature was put aside in order to make roads. People relied on them far too much and seemed to have lost every sense of patience because of these things.

Will, however, had insisted she get her driver's license. He wouldn't be able to drive her everywhere every given time, nor did Abby and Hugh have the time to do so. Thus, she'd begrudgingly accepted Hugh's offer of teaching her how to drive.

Of course, she should be thankful, but after a few 'lessons' she realised he wasn't the best at giving constructive criticism.

"You're terrible at this," Hugh said from beside her in the passenger's seat, his face white as he clutched the handle above the window and tried to calm his breathing. He gave her a sideways look, but Dylis was too focused on the intersection to notice. "Never again am I stepping inside a car with you behind the wheel."

"I thought you were supposed to guide me," Dylis gritted out without taking her eyes off the road, "not to throw discouraging comments at me."

Her hands were clammy around the leather of the wheel, and in all honesty, she'd rather fight off a Balrog than to continue this drive to the supermarket. After second thought, maybe not a Balrog, but an army of orcs. At least she would know how to deal with that better than vehicles racing by.

"There is no reason to be so stressed," Hugh said, trying to sound calming and supportive. "Just be aware of your surroundings, be alert at all times and remember to watch out for your blind spot. If you don't remember to do these things, then it will be fatal."

"Right," Dylis said with a nod. "This was the most encouraging speech of all times. No reason to be stressed at all."

Hugh looked at her and his blue eyes wrinkled in a wry smile. "Well, whether or not you get your driver's license, you'll at least have a certificate for speaking sarcasm fluently," he said. "You've done well, after two years of living here. Congratulations."

"Thank you very much," she said and went to say more, but the car behind her honked and she jolted in her seat.

The light had turned green and she slowly and carefully drove on. Hugh rolled his eyes. "Don't be so careful," he ordered. "Drive!"

This was what they later would call a 'bonding experience', though at the moment they could tear each other's head off. Needless to say, it took Dylis almost a year to get her license.

7-year-old Ariel, 23-year-old Dylis

Dylis woke up in the middle of the night, not really sure why, or what had roused her. She blinked a few times and sat up, then looked around in the dark.

Only then did she become aware of the heavy breathing coming from the bed next to hers.

Dylis sprung up from her bed and turned on her bedside light, then rushed to Ariel who was sitting on her bed. She was hyperventilating badly, tears streamed from her eyes, and her pyjama was drenched with hot sweat. Her eyes were shut tightly and she whimpered, shaking and crying.

"Ariel," Dylis said with as much calm as she could gather, putting a hand on Ariel's shoulder. Worry etched her face. "I'm here for you."

Ariel breathed hard, her whole body shivering and she put a a small hand on her chest.

"I understand you're scared," Dylis continued, holding her other hand, "but you'll get through this. You are not there. You are here, in bed, in our room, at Will's. It's alright."

Slowly, Ariel opened her eyes, still breathing heavily and quickly, and looked at Dylis, fear and anxiety making her grey eyes stormy.

"Take deep breaths," Dylis said, taking a demonstrative deep breath herself and blowing out air. "Here, breathe with me." She put Ariel's hand on her belly and covered it with her own hand. Again, she breathed in deeply. "Do you feel that?"

Together, they breathed in and out, and eventually, Ariel's breathing became more and more even. They sat like that for a few more minutes, merely the sounds of them taking deep breaths filling the dimmed room.

After a while, when she was calm again, Ariel crept closer to Dylis and snuggled against her. Dylis smiled softly, encircling the little girl with her arms. She waited for the little girl to speak.

"They were chasing me again," she said quietly, staring at the yellow light from the bedside. Dylis said nothing, a silent encouragement to tell more. Ariel continued, looking up at Dylis with big, round eyes full of dread. "But it was different. The monsters were bigger. Scarier. And I could feel this freezing breeze, and I felt like I was being watched, but I couldn't see him. It scared me, Dyl. Really much."

Dylis looked down at her, her hand rubbing over Ariel's back. "Nightmares are scary," she said softly, soothingly. "But that's what they are. Nightmares. They're not real."

Ariel looked away, back to the light. The shadows fell on her face. Her voice was a bare whisper. "But why did it feel so real?"

"The mind can do strange things, little princess," Dylis said. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

The little girl nodded, her hands clutching the blanket. Dylis lay down in front of her on her side, careful not to get too close to the edge of the bed. She played with Ariel's hair and hummed she knew from when she was younger, herself, thinking back to when her mother hushed and comforted her in nights of thunder and lightning.

Finally, Ariel drifted to sleep, taking Dylis with her.

10-year-old Ariel, 26-year-old Dylis

"Ariel!"

The voice came from beneath them, and the young girl put a finger in front of her lips as she turned to her friend, who had laughed.

"Ariel, Vincent! This is not funny," Dylis' voice sounded, closer now. Ariel bit her lip, hearing the strict tone her guardian had put on. "The game has gone on long enough now."

Vincent carefully leaned closer, all the while tightly holding on to the branch he clung to, and whispered, "Maybe we should go down."

But Ariel shook her head vigorously. "No!" she hissed. Then she smirked mockingly. "What? Is Vincent the Almighty scared?"

Vincent, eyes wide, shook his head just as frantically, and started climbing a little higher for good measure. "Of course not. I'm never scared."

"Yeah, right," Ariel huffed, rolling her eyes as she followed him up.

Once they were satisfied, they shifted to sit as comfortably as the tree would allow. They shared a broad grin.

"I wanna build a tree house," Vincent said, daring to speak slightly louder now that they were higher up in the tree. "In a tree so big and so tall, that I can see miles and miles away in the distance!"

"But what if you had to pee?"

Vincent shrugged. "Easy," he said. "You just stand on the edge of the platform and—"

"Stop! Stop!" Ariel yelled, giggling. "A girl can't do that."

Vincent seemed to think about it for a second. "Hmm…" he mumbled. "Well, then I'd have to make a hole in the platform so that you can squat over it." He laughed at Ariel's disgusted expression. "What? They did that in the Middle Ages."

"Ew." Ariel shuddered. "I'm glad I'm born here and not in the Middle Ages."

Vincent sighed, wistful for memories he never had but wished he could have. "I'd like to live in the Middle Ages," he said dreamily. "Then I'd be a knight and save the princess."

"Who says the princess needs saving?"

"What do you mean?" Vincent asked with a confused look on his face. "Princesses always do."

Ariel looked away, into the foliage of the other trees, a scowl on her face. "If I were a princess in the Middle Ages, I would save myself."

"But you're not a princess," Vincent said. "And you're here, not in the Middle Ages."

"Well, you're not a knight, are you?" Ariel snapped.

Vincent raised his eyebrows, puzzled as to what he'd done to make her so crabby. "I wasn't serious," he said, carefully.

Ariel fingered the hem of her shirt. "Well, I just don't understand why boys think girls are weak," she said. "Yesterday, Robbie said I couldn't join them playing soccer because I'm a girl."

There was a brief silence.

"Robbie's a buffle-headed oaf."

Ariel looked at Vincent, surprise on her face. He gave her a little shrug, but a smile threatened to split his face. "It's true," he mumbled.

Then Ariel burst out in giggles, almost letting go of her hold around the tree trunk but thought better of it.

Vincent was soon to join in with the laughter, and they were both unaware of the fact that Dylis stood below the tree, listening to them.

The blonde ought to have been unamused, but honestly she had to restrain herself from smiling. Hearing the two talk and laugh, she was reminded of her friendship with Aeron when they were both younger. Oh, how often they would run around playing sword, climb the trees to whisper and giggle about the other children, or test their parents' patience.

Aeron was the one who understood her better than anyone— probably even better than her father. He was the one who cheered her on as she pursued her goals, the one who knew how important it was to her to live up to her mother's name.

And she was the one who knew how hard it was to deal with death when his father died. They were each other's rock.

They even had a crush on each other for a while, when she was but fifteen and he seventeen. They'd tried. They really tried to see how it would be if they were closer, on another level. In the end, they decided that it would be best to remain friends.

Things were different from then on, but not in a bad way. They still were best friends, and they still knew each other differently than the rest, but they were careful not to get too touchy, or too close.

The memory faded, and Dylis was brought back to reality. The smile left her face. She could still hear the two giggling above her, and decided that enough was enough.

"Alright, you two buffoons," she called up to them, and immediately the laughter ceased. "First one to get down will get banana pancakes— the loser gets an apple for lunch."

That was enough to get the two moving. Dylis gazed up intently and was relieved to finally see them come back into view. "Careful! You can't have pancakes if you break a leg," she said when Vincent almost slipped.

Her heart thumping in her chest, she watched as Ariel and Vincent got closer and closer to the ground.

"Ha! I won!" Ariel exclaimed happily as she landed onto the forest floor with a thud.

Vincent dropped himself and landed on his feet only a second later, a very dismayed look his face. "I let you win," he grumbled.

"Now, now, Vincent," Dylis said with a chuckle. "There's no need for you being a sore loser." She winked at Ariel, having perfectly heard their conversation about girls being just as capable as boys. "Let us go have lunch, shall we?"

"But I don't want an apple for lunch," Vincent said, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Oh, did I say an apple?" Dylis said with raised eyebrows and put on an innocent face. "I meant apple pancakes. You like those, don't you?"

Vincent's face broke into a grin and he nodded quickly.

"Now then," she said and stepped aside to let the two children walk in front. "Come on."

As they passed her, walking side by side, Dylis saw Ariel lean over. From here, she could hear the young girl ask, "Do you really think Robbie is a buffle-headed oaf?"

"Yes," Vincent said simply. "He was mean to my bestest friend."

Ariel grinned broadly. "You're my bestest friend, too."

27-year-old Dylis

The wind swept into her face harshly, tearing her blonde hair away from her eyes even as she lowered her upper body even more. The sound of it rushing past her filled her ears as constant music, so much so that she didn't even hear Brynn's thundering hooves from beneath her, and it brought a relishing grin on her face. Her lips tasted of salt even though she never touched the water.

Brynn's muscles strained against her calves as she raced over the sand. No one else was on Herring Cove Beach for as far as the eye could see, and Dylis was glad.

Of all the ways she could spend her time, racing with Brynn was by far the best way to do it. The ocean was something marvellous, and she could remember well the first time she saw it.

Will had taken her to Race Point Beach early in the morning on a mid-August day, to see the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, as it was called. The sight of it had been awe inspiring. Dylis had never seen anything like it. The only bodies of water she'd seen at home were rivers and lakes; never had she been by the sea shore.

Though however beautiful the sea, she refused to go near it during summer. Not because of the weather or water in itself, but because of the people. Even after seven years of being here, she still couldn't get used to those bee-kee-nees and bare chests. The fact that people didn't mind showing off so much skin was outrageous.

Thus, Dylis was a regular visitor in all other months, preferably when it was too cold to take off any layer of clothes. Like now.

She felt Brynn starting become tired, and she whispered words to her horse before she pulled the reins a little. When they came to a stop, both seemed to be needing a moment to catch some breath.

Dylis looked up at the November sky. The blue above the dunes to her east was already darkening, and the sun was nearing the horizon in the west. It was a clear late afternoon with a few thin, wispy clouds here and there.

With a content sigh, she swung her leg over to the other side and slid down her mare. She took off Brynn's saddle and muttered an apology at seeing the horse relax a bit more. She knew better than to sniff on the saddle blanket, and spread in over the light brown sand, on which she set the saddle itself.

She sat down on the sand, not caring it was still a little wet and sticky from the rain earlier, and drew her knees up to rest her chin in the crook between. The clouds were painted a soft pink colour and Dylis had half a mind to snap a picture of it with her Polaroid camera that she'd brought with her. She'd made a ton of those already, though, so instead she decided to make some pictures of Brynn, the pink skies a gorgeous canvas in the background. After looking through them and humming satisfyingly, she leaned back on her hands behind her and enjoyed the beauty of the sunset.

Closing her eyes, her mind brought her back home, to the days when Dylis was training hard to follow in her mother's footsteps. That was an intense period, in which she was taught many things by her father and the new Captain of the Royal Guard, who had been very close with Dylis' mother before she died (and found that the Guard was different without Dylis' mother, so he was planning on retiring). Dylis was one of the youngest in the Royal Guard at that time, and only one out of many striving to be more than one of the Guards.

She was respected by many, because of her mother's deeds and loyalty to the Royal family. But Dylis could also remember how some had disliked her, knowing she had ties to the King and Queen thanks to her father. They knew the odds were in her favour because of her family's name and begrudged her for it. Luckily, she didn't have to do much with them often, and her friends were those who cheered her on.

She was sixteen in the particular memory that drifted to the surface.

The sons of Elrond had come to visit the King and Queen, for the first time in many years. The previous time Dylis had seen them, she was only twelve years old and had sparsely talked to them. This time, though, Dylis was to be part of the welcome committee. It was the first time she would stand beside her father, greeting the noble lords.

She smiled softly as she recalled how nervous she was back then, now knowing very well that the twins were nothing to be scared of. Well, if you stayed in their good graces, that was.

"Last time I saw you, you were half your height!" Elladan had said with a broad grin as she greeted them and introduced herself. At that time, by the way, Dylis didn't know who'd said it; they looked so much alike that it took her a long time before she was able to tell who was who.

Elrohir had arched an eyebrow at his brother, saying, "You sound just like grandmother."

She'd been so baffled by their casual banter between each other and their way of speaking to her, she had just stood there for a moment, not knowing how to react.

She quickly warmed up to them, though. The twins were holding council with the King and her father most of the times, and she was often tasked to fetch them. They weren't hesitant to start up a conversation with them, and it took only a few days to get herself to their level of joking.

Elladan and Elrohir were jovial and didn't refrain from making light of situations. They were good at it, too; even when a situation was dire and urgent, they knew how to unburden the King.

They came back more often after that particular week, though, and Dylis knew that wasn't because they merely enjoyed the city. There was something brewing in the distance— in the North, to be exact— and everyone who would ponder on it a tad too long could feel it.

Realising her memories were slowly becoming darker, Dylis forced herself to think of her time in Rivendell. If she thought Fornost was stately and imposing, then the Elven city was that a hundred times more while still seeming delicate.

Rivendell— or Imladris as they called it— was resplendent, stunningly glittering when the sun shone down on the Hidden Valley. It was, by far, the most beautiful settlement Dylis had ever seen.

Her father was often busy with lord Elrond and his sons, and other important elves. While she was allowed to be present during most meetings, she had little more obligations than that. She often had a whole afternoon free after those meetings, and she spent much of her time with Arwen. The elleth, too, attended these councils, since it was expected from her to know what was going on in and outside of Rivendell's borders.

She thought of that one afternoon, when Arwen and she went out riding. She was surprised by the elleth's looseness, but she supposed that was because she was one of the youngest elves of Rivendell at the time, being 'merely' 1,703 years old. Just like her older brothers, she had an easy but genuine smile and a tinkling laugh. She was just as bold, too, perhaps even more so. She was just very skilled in getting herself out of trouble.

If Dylis could freeze one memory from that trip and make it palpable, she'd choose the afternoon riding with Arwen. She could see it with her eyes closed: galloping hard over a grassy plain in the valley, the sound of laughter carrying over the wind, panting when coming to a stop but grinning broadly like madwomen.

She sighed wistfully, but jerked when she heard a snort above her. She tilted her head up and looked at Brynn, standing over her.

Then she realised the sun was nowhere to be seen; there was only the pale light coming from below the horizon, but it was slowly fading as well. The bright light of the light house a little farther away blinded her momentarily before it went on.

"You are right," she said to Brynn and stood up, dusting off the sand. "We'd better get going."

After flapping the blanket in the wind, she put it on Brynn's back and saddled her. Then, she climbed the horse, and steered her to where they'd come from, going back to the house in a leisure pace.

14-year-old Ariel, 30-year-old Dylis

"You know," Ariel said after she swallowed a mouthful of her chicken melt sandwich, "I suddenly thought of something."

Dylis lifted an eyebrow, taking a sip of her tea. "About what?"

They were sitting in a lunchroom in the city centre of Boston, and had been staring at the people walking by outside and making up stories for each person. Now, Dylis looked back at Ariel. For a second, she suddenly saw how grown-up she looked. She had just finished middle school and would be a freshman in High School after the summer. The world was slowly opening up around her, showing her billions of paths and directions she could go into.

"Well, there's this little story you used to tell me," Ariel followed, oblivious of this sudden epiphany Dylis had just had. "When I had nightmares, remember? About a lost princess and all that?"

Dylis forced a laugh and shook her head with a fond smile. "Oh, yes, I remember," she said.

"I haven't heard the fairy tale in ages," Ariel hinted with a giddy grin.

"You want to hear it? Right now?" Dylis asked, her head tilted to side and her brows furrowed in a curious frown.

Ariel nodded quickly. "Please?" she pleaded playfully. "I can't remember all of it, but I do know I loved the story."

Dylis turned her gaze to the streets thoughtfully before meeting her eyes again and nodding. "Why not," she gave in with a smile. She set down her tea mug and began.

"Once upon a time, there was a young couple, otherwise known as the King and Queen of a prosperous land. They were everything the kingdom could have hoped for: kind, generous, and responsible towards their people.

The prince, their first child, people believed to be destined to become a King just as good as his father. He visited the city often with his parents, learning the ways of the common people, showing them he was willing to sacrifice his life for these citizens during war. The people loved him, even though he was merely a young child at that time.

When news came round, the people rejoiced: for a princess was born. The royal family was in love with the little princess, eyes as grey as storm and as bright as stars. There were feasts held for all citizens of the city in which the family resided, and all was sunny and rose-coloured.

But all the while, darkness and evil was brewing in the north. One day, scouts of the city entered the castle with great haste, reporting an army of thousands was seen only few leagues away, marching straight toward the city. The King and Queen knew what it was the Witch-King from the North wanted: to eliminate all heirs to the throne, for the King's line was a threat to him.

Thus, the King and Queen did what they must do: they sent their children away with their most trusted guards, to the safety in the realm of the Elves. The Elves were wise, immortal beings, and ever strong. The royal pair knew this place would be safe for their children.

However, when the guards and their children rode away with all haste, they were ambushed. The prince and one guard were able to escape and ride back to the city… but the other guard and the princess… they disappeared in plain sight. And they were never to be seen again.

Still, the King and Queen go to the city walls every day, hoping that one day, their lost daughter will walk through the gates and into their arms again."

There was a pause, and Dylis looked at Ariel expectantly.

Ariel had been listening with an amused smile, eyes twinkling as she saw the images appear in her mind. The story of a lost princess… She used to think up her own ending of the story, where the lost princess, now a grown up woman, would return to her parents and brother after a long journey of finding her way back to her kingdom. A journey full of adventure, of meeting new people and learning new cultures.

"You know," she started with a smirk, "this story actually sounds like a crossover between Disney's Tangled and The Lord of the Rings."

Dylis choked on her tea. "Why would you think that?" she asked, trying to sound merely curious and not taken aback. Now, she second-guessed if showing her the Lord of the Rings movies last week was a good idea.

Ariel shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Because of the elves that suddenly appeared in the story, and the whole concept of a lost princess."

Dylis decided to just play along, and she tilted her head in consideration. "Hmm," she mumbled pensively, a smile spreading over her face. "I guess you are right. Apparently my story is not that original, is it?"

Ariel laughed and shook her head. "No, it's not," she replied. "It's still a cool story, though I'm not really that into fantasy anymore after having to watch those horrendously long movies. I've got to tell Vincent. He likes writing about fantasy lands and stuff."

Dylis quirked her eyebrows a little, suggestively.

"Oh, hush up, you. He's just a friend," Ariel said before Dylis could say anything, and made a face. "We've been best friends since kindergarten."

Dylis held up her hands in defence, chuckling. "I said nothing," she said amusedly. "You only talk about him a lot, but I shall take your word for it."

Ariel rolled her eyes, but she could feel her cheeks warm up a little. "Whatever," she muttered. Then she changed the subject. "Speaking of stories, I finished that book yesterday. That one about Ancient Rome…"

16-year-old Ariel, 32-year-old Dylis

It was already nearing midnight, but Ariel was still studying hard for tomorrow's test. Soft, soothing music played in the background, and she had lit candles to give her a calm vibe.

'Cause she needed calm vibes. Especially during stressed periods like this one.

Finals were no joke to Ariel. She needed the best grades, even in Sophomore Year, or else she would not get a scholarship. Abby and Hugh didn't have an infinite bank account, and Dylis could only make so much money in a month by working in a lunchroom.

Ariel had a job as well, at the local bookstore. She was actually supposed to work earlier this evening, but she needed to study. Seeing no other option, she'd just called in sick. It was an ugly thing to do, something she didn't like doing at all, but she had to sort out her priorities.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she murmured, a bit annoyed that Dylis came interrupting her study session again. This time, she didn't have cookies, but tea.

"Hello," Dylis said softly, setting the mug down on her desk. "Are you almost done?"

Ariel shook her head. "No one's ever done with history," she said. Not that she minded— she actually quite liked history. She'd been playing with the idea of studying something in that direction later. Ariel already knew where she wanted to study, but what was still a question she had no definitive answer to.

Dylis said nothing for a while, watching her closely. Ariel pretended not to notice, busying herself with trying to find the answer to a question about the Roman Empire. "Just… don't stay up too late, will you?" Dylis said, a little worried. "You need sleep as well."

"I'll just drink loads of coffee," Ariel mumbled with a shrug.

"No, you will not," Dylis said with a frown. "In thirty minutes, I will be back and you better be in bed by then."

Ariel shot her an irritated look. "Who are you, my mother?"

"Excuse me?"

"Just— stop pretending you're my mother," Ariel snapped angrily, throwing down her pen. "Hell, you're not even related to me, so why are you even ordering me around? It's fucking annoying."

Dylis clenched her teeth and swallowed thickly. That stung.

The brown-haired teen sighed as she looked at Dylis and saw the hurt look on her face. "Sorry," she muttered. "I'm just… stressed." She frustratingly fumbled with all the loose papers and notes, searching for her pen. "I've got so much shit to do and to study and I have the feeling I don't even know half of it and I don't know how to get this in my fucking head and I—I just—"

Ariel felt the dread wash over her at first.

Then, she felt her breath quicken.

Oh no, she thought. Oh no. Not this on top of it. She couldn't have it now. In a week, yes. But not now.

"Dylis," she gasped in between her already heavy breathing. "It's—It's happening…"

Before she knew it, Dylis rushed and knelt by her side, and she was talking to her, but all Ariel could hear was the blood pounding in her ears. Her hands were shaking as they grasped her desk.

She felt nauseous, so sick. Her chest hurt from the quick beating of her heart. She didn't notice the tears as they leaked out of her eyes.

It was as if she couldn't breathe. As if she was completely unable to breathe.

This would last forever, she thought frantically. Forever! What if it never ended? What if she would never breathe normally again?

Calm down! Calm down, goddammit! Stop it! It'll never stop!

She didn't know how long she was crying and she was breathing like she'd run a marathon. All Ariel knew was that after a long, long time, she slowly started hearing a calm voice through the drumming in her ears. A voice telling her that it was okay to be scared. That everything was temporary, so this wouldn't last for ever as well.

"Things are always going to be alright," the voice said softly. "Ariel, open your eyes."

Ariel shook her head frantically.

No! No! Don't listen! You're dying!

"Ariel, it's alright. You are safe with me. You are in your room, at home, with me. See for yourself."

Ariel yielded, opening her eyes and blinking against the light. It took a while before she saw clearly, and she looked at Dylis, listening to her voice, feeling her comforting touch.

"Breathe with me," Dylis said. "In… and out…"

Ariel tried, but her breath faltered.

"Again," Dylis said with an encouraging smile. "Breathe in deeply… and let it all go." She nodded, coaxing. "There you go, good. Now, three more times…"

And in the end, they held on to each other, and Dylis tried to hold back her own tears as Ariel fell asleep in the chair, her head falling on Dylis' shoulder.

Dylis stroke the girl's hair gently, worry etching her face. These panic attacks were starting to happen more frequently lately, and Dylis had no idea how to help her. It made her feel so helpless, so powerless, and she hated seeing Ariel suffer so.

She shook Ariel softly, and the brunette opened her eyes.

Ariel looked exhausted.

"Come," Dylis said, straightening. "Go to sleep. You have studied well— I'm sure you'll do great."

Ariel nodded and stood up. She'd already changed into her pyjamas, and she let herself fall on the bed. Her bed covers were a mess, which was unusual, and Dylis tucked her in. "I may not be your mother," she said to Ariel, "but I do care for you— more like an older sister. Please, let me take care of you. I hate seeing you like this. You put too much weight on your shoulders."

"I just don't want to disappoint—"

"You'll never be able to disappoint me, Ariel," Dylis interrupted, smiling down at her.

"But I don't want to disappoint myself," Ariel pressed. "I've worked so hard… what if I'm not good enough for Harvard?"

Dylis put a hand on her cheek. "Then you'll get into another university," she said. "Do you really want to be part of that prissy, stiff community?"

"It's the best university in the region."

"But there are so much more," Dylis replied. "Boston University could be just as great!"

Ariel frowned a little. "I know, but…"

Dylis nodded. "It's not Harvard," she finished for her. She sighed and leaned back. "You cannot focus on only one university, Ariel. I'm afraid you'll have to broaden your options." Ariel didn't reply, and Dylis shook her head. She stood up and walked to the bedroom door. This used to be Will's room, but now he's off living in Boston, so the room was given to Ariel. She'd made a nice place of it, but too often did she spend her time studying in it. "Just… promise you'll look at other universities?"

Ariel nodded, but she wasn't looking at Dylis. She'd already curled up. "Good night, Dyl."

"Good night," Dylis replied, a soft smile on her face. She turned off the lights, then closed the door.

17-year-old Ariel, 33-year-old Dylis

They drove to Ida's horse farm in silence. There was no music playing, no radio in the background. The only sound was that of the car as it went as quick as the glazed frost on the asphalt road would allow.

Ariel kept stealing glances at Dylis, who sat stock still in the passenger's seat. From the backseat, the teenager could see the way Dylis had her jaws clamped onto each other, and how a muscle twitched as she swallowed.

Will was driving. He, too, shot Dylis an occasional glance, but both he and Ariel knew better than to ask how she was doing.

From the moment Will had hung up the phone and looked at Dylis with an apologetic, sorrowful gaze, Ariel had known. She hadn't caught much of his conversation with Ida on the phone, but she'd heard enough to draw conclusions.

Dylis had said nothing. She'd just grabbed their winter coats and handed them to Ariel and Will. Then she'd walked out of the door. Ariel and Will had followed after sharing a worried look.

Slowing speed, Will turned left, driving onto the lot and parked his car. It was less tightly done than usual, but he couldn't care much. They got out, and Dylis stopped for a second, trying to recollect herself. She hadn't cried— she never did— but she still felt all over the place.

Will put a hand on her shoulder and she glanced sideways at him as he gave her an encouraging nod. With a shaky breath, Dylis walked towards the entrance of the horse farm. Ida was already there and met them halfway.

She wore a solemn face as she greeted the three. "She is declining fast," she said sadly. "Come. Before it is too late to say good bye."

They followed the red-haired woman to the stables. Only last week did Dylis visit the homestead, and though Brynn was indeed old, she had been doing fine then.

Ida held open the gate to let them inside. Will stayed with his aunt, letting Dylis and Ariel have their last moments with the mare.

Brynn blinked up slowly at the pair, eyes soft and kind, but tired. Dylis froze, taking in the mare's meagre form. Throat dry, she knelt down before her and softly stroke her neck. "Oh, Brynn," she said with a sigh as she smiled down at her. "You must be exhausted."

The mare made a huffing sound, as if agreeing with her. Dylis chuckled quietly.

Ariel lowered herself next to Dylis and the two shared a sad smile. Her hand gently playing with Brynn's auburn mane, Ariel whispered sweet words to the mare she'd so often ridden on when she was younger. Brynn nuzzled her cheek, and Ariel laughed quietly. She ruffled her mane a little and then took her leave.

The corner of Dylis' mouth tugged up a bit as she tried to give Ariel a grateful smile. Ariel smiled back and closed the gate.

Dylis turned back to her mare and gazed into those big, black eyes with a sorrowful smile. She remembered when Brynn was still a filly, barely past three, when she'd always looked at Dylis with those round, inquisitive eyes. "You are a strong mare, dear Brynn," she said softly. Not only had she run as swift as the swiftest of horses of Arthedain to bring Dylis and Ariel to safety, but she had adapted well to the way people cared for their horses here. She sighed heavily, her eyes closing as she caressed Brynn's cheek. It had been wrong to give her medicine when she'd shown signs of ageing. She'd always been a healthy horse, so she wasn't used to the chemicals in those drugs. Perhaps, if they hadn't given her any medicine, she might have lived longer.

She brought her forehead to Brynn's. "I am sorry. I'm so sorry for bringing you here."

She stayed like that for a long moment. Then Brynn started to heave and huff, and Dylis leaned back, her eyes following the movement with anguish. Brynn blinked tiredly when it passed.

"It's okay," Dylis said, her voice cracking. She held Brynn by her face, and brought her forehead to her own. "It's alright. You have done wonderfully." Her voice was a bare whisper, her face contorted in grief. "You can let go now."

Dylis cupped two fingers along the inside of Brynn's jawbone and felt for her pulse as she watched the blinking become more lengthy, as if the mare struggled opening her eyes again after closing them. "You can let go, dear Brynn," Dylis whispered, feeling the pulse slow gradually. "It's okay."

Her mare's eyes fell close, and Dylis sucked in a breath. The pulse was gone. Brynn lay lifeless in the hay.

The tears finally fell down her face as continued to caress the mare's neck. "Be rested, Brynn," she whispered quiveringly. Then she bent down and kissed the space between Brynn's eyes, and for a long moment she sat beside her mare; one of the last remembrances of her father now, too, gone.

18-year-old Ariel, 34-year-old Dylis

It was the end of summer break, but Ariel was in her room, packing. Even though the song was "so 2013" as Will liked to say, she was singing along softly with Royals from Lorde as she did a final check.

Her suitcase's stretching mechanism was already being tested and she knew she couldn't bring all her clothes with her. She was stubbornly convinced, though, that she might just be able to stuff two more shirts and one knitted sweater in the suitcase.

She checked the time on her phone. In two hours, Vincent would be here to pick her up. They were going to study in Boston together, both at Boston University. She was glad she wouldn't be studying and living alone in a new city (even though she'd been in Boston often enough), and to have her best friend with her.

She wasn't admitted to Harvard, and at first it crushed her to realise all her hard work was for nothing. But then she was admitted to the other colleges she'd applied for, and eventually she realised that not going to Harvard wouldn't be the end of the world. Boston University offered the Classics program, too, with many majoring options, so Ariel had gone for that. Yes, Harvard was prestigious and highly selective, and being admitted was a life accomplishment in itself, but that didn't mean the other universities were trash.

Ariel shook her head. She was sure Boston University would be just as fun. Either way, she was sure to live the student life. She'd already seen some student clubs online she liked, and she just couldn't wait for the weeks of welcome.

Vincent, however, had complained he hadn't come across any writer's club and already vowed to found his own if there really wasn't one.

Just when she had finally managed to close her suitcase, a knock startled her. "Come in!" she called, and hopped off her suitcase to turn down the music.

"Hello, little princess," she heard from behind her as the door opened.

Ariel turned and smiled. "Hey, Dyl," she greeted. Then she scowled. "Could you at least not call me little princess? I'm eighteen now, you know. 'Princess' will do just fine." Dylis chuckled and shook her head. Ariel continued, unaware of her diva attitude. "Anyways, what do you think, should I take all my books with me? I already decided to take the books you bought for me with me. You know, sentimental and stuff. Maybe I'll finally have the guts to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings again, haven't done so in ages. I don't understand how you managed to convince me to read The Lord of the Rings, these books are awfully boring. Oh, and I have to take these with me, too."

Dylis smiled, amused. "Is your dorm even big enough for all those books?" she asked, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorway.

Ariel stopped and frowned. "I don't know…" she mumbled. "I do hope so."

Dylis walked into her room, looking around. It was almost empty, and she felt her insides cramp up at the sight of it. She couldn't believe Ariel would leave her after fourteen years of living so close with each other. She had vowed to protect the King and Queen's daughter with her life, and now she was forced have to let her go.

When she'd voiced this to Will, he'd laughed loudly, saying she sounded like a mom bordering on suffering from the 'empty nest syndrome'.

"It's difficult to imagine you living so far away," Dylis finally said softly, sitting down on Ariel's bed.

The younger girl sighed, pulling her hair together in a bun. "Dyl, it's only a two-and-a-half-hour drive," she said, rolling her eyes. "You'll be fine."

"But will you be fine?" Dylis asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm not alone in the city, Dyl," Ariel replied as she smacked Dylis' arm lightly. "Vincent's in Boston, too. It's only a ten minute walk to his dorm. We've already looked it up."

"Right. Vincent." Dylis' face fell into a sceptical look. "That Casanova. That truly eases my troubles."

Ariel laughed at that and put her hands in the pockets of her Harvard hoodie. "Vincent is a nice guy," she said and shrugged. "By the way, he's never tried to hit on me. We're friends, he wouldn't risk that."

"Of course he wouldn't," Dylis replied dryly, eyeing Ariel. "You are out of his league anyways."

Ariel didn't reply, but a second later, a pillow flew straight into Dylis' face. She yelped, and the brown-haired girl laughed even harder than before. "That's what you get when you say mean things about my friends," she said, grinning.

Dylis sighed loudly, then continued to watch her packing. After several minutes, she spoke up again.

"I have something for you."

Ariel looked up, curiously, and watched Dylis pull something out of her pocket. It was a tiny box-shaped object in brown wrapping paper.

Dylis handed it to her, and Ariel turned it over before glancing at Dylis again.

"Go on," the blonde urged. "Open it." She went to sit down on her bed.

Ariel did so gingerly, and saw it was indeed a small case, meant for jewels. It had a soft, velvety feel. When she lifted the lid, her eyebrows shot up all the way to her hairline.

"A ring?" Ariel mumbled, carefully taking the ring out of the velvet box and holding it between her fingers.

The ring was of pale white, and it had a single dark green gem which shone brightly as it caught the light from above the dinner table. It was simple, yet beautiful, and it had a strange, almost otherworldly feel to it.

"Is this silver?" she asked, looking at Dylis questioningly. There was something about this ring. It was unlike anything she'd before.

"No," Dylis replied. "It is made of mithril."

Ariel gave her a look and rolled her eyes. "Ha-ha, very funny, Dyl," she said sarcastically. "Did you get this from a Lord of the Rings Etsy page?"

If it weren't for the fact that Dylis and Will both were Lord of the Rings maniacs (as was Russell, Will's current boyfriend), Ariel would have no idea as to what mithril was.

Dylis winced and shook her head. "Not in the slightest, you fool," she said with a forced chuckle. "It is actually an heirloom."

Ariel stilled and looked at her. "An heirloom?" she repeated, baffled. Dylis nodded. "You mean to say that this used to belong to…"

Dylis nodded again, a smile on her face. "To your parents," she finished. "Yes. After they… died from the car crash, they left many of their stuff to you, and in their will it said that I was to keep them safe for you until you were grown up."

It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't the complete truth, either. This royal heirloom was given to Dylis for safe-keeping. It was meant to reach the elves in Lindon, where it would be secret and hidden. But now they were here, it was more secret and hidden from that wicked Witch-King than it would ever be.

"It is quite pretty, isn't it?" Dylis asked, smiling as Ariel studied the ring closely, an awed look on the brunette's face.

"This is… this is beautiful," Ariel murmured quietly, and put the ring on. It fit perfectly.

Dylis swallowed thickly at the sight. "Yes," she said softly. "It is."

Ariel joined Dylis on the bed and gave her a fierce hug. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Thank you so much."

Dylis encircled her with her arms and held on tight, not wanting Ariel to leave her but knowing she had to let her. "The pleasure's mine," she replied. "Your parents would've been so proud."

Ariel sat back, wiping away a tear. "Tell me about them?" she asked carefully. Dylis had known her parents, and she'd told her stories about them but not as often as Ariel would've liked.

"Well," Dylis started, "they were very loved by everyone. Though your father could be proud, too proud perhaps. He hated it when people damaged his ego or took what was his by right. Your mother, however, was a soft soul, but she was also the only one who could reprimand your father without being killed."

Ariel was silent for a while, a sad look on her face. "I wish they could've seen me now," she said quietly, her chin resting on the knee she'd drawn up. She turned the ring around her finger. "I know Abby and Hugh have always cared for me like I was a child of their own… but sometimes, something doesn't feel right."

Dylis' face fell. "I understand," she said mournfully. "Like something is missing."

Ariel nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Like that."

For the remainder of the hours, they huddled close together and talked about their parents— well, Dylis mostly anyways. But Ariel listened and laughed at her stories, all the while turning the ring around her finger or admiring it, the way it shone in the sunlight that filtered through the window blinds.

And when the bell rung and Vincent stood before the door, Ariel and Dylis embraced each other tightly. Dylis made Ariel promise she'd take care of herself, to call her if anything was amiss, and that she should at least drop by twice a month.

Ariel nodded, saying that she'd probably visit even more frequently since Boston wasn't that far anyway. Then she said good bye to Abby, Hugh and Will.

Dylis gave Vincent a smile, wishing him good luck on his studies and saying that if he ever wanted to join Ariel visiting her and the Brookes, he'd be most welcome.

Then they were off.

And even though it was only a two-and-a-half-hour drive, and that there was even a ferry if she wanted to waste money, she already felt empty without her.