CHAPTER TEN

Elvish Crush #1

It was dark when Ariel awoke. The only light came from a candle on her bedside table, its flame casting a golden hue on the walls.

Only then did she realise she was lying in a bed, in a room. She straightened up, leaning on her elbows, marvelling at the comfort of the bed, which didn't creak with every move she made. The covers were soft and didn't itch, and airy pillows were stashed underneath her head.

She turned to her right and took the candle holder in her hands, then held it out to see the room she was in more clearly.

When she saw Dylis' figure sitting in a chair on her right, she almost dropped the candle in surprise.

Even in sleep Dylis didn't seem to be able to relax wholly. The space between her eyebrows was slightly pinched, and her cheek was pushed up by the fist she was leaning on.

Ariel felt a small smile play around her lips as she turned her attention back on the room she was in. The light of the candle was only faint, and she couldn't make out everything.

She did notice, however, that the room was exceptionally clean. Way more clean than their room in The Prancing Pony. There was also a slight breeze that made the candle light flicker, as though a window was left open. Filled with curiosity now, and the urge to explore her room, she pushed her covers aside.

She frowned at the night gown she was wearing. Had someone changed her clothes? She sneaked a look at Dylis, hoping it'd been her— not the handsome elf she faintly remembered carrying her.

Her toes wiggling at the cold of the stone floor, she straightened up, scowling at the faint throb in the back of her head.

"What are you doing?"

Ariel jerked and whirled around.

Dylis was frowning up at her.

"I'm exploring the room," Ariel replied simply. She paused at the exhaustion in Dylis' face. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours," she said. "It's probably past midnight."

Ariel nodded. She must have fallen on her head pretty hard, then. She turned back to the room, to the arches that functioned as windows, and listened to the sound of the cricket choir from outside and the rushing water in the background. "We're really here," she said, slightly breathless. "In… In Rivendell. With the elves."

Dylis nodded carefully, as if she was waiting for Ariel to burst out in a panic attack. Yet Ariel felt oddly calm. Perhaps it was the serene atmosphere that enraptured this place, or the knowledge that Rivendell was some sort of safe haven in Middle Earth.

But it definitely had to do with the fact that Dylis was here. She honestly didn't know what she would've done if Dylis weren't here by her side. If she had ended up in this place all alone.

Ariel probably would've died as a result of eating the wrong berries.

"How is Lithir?" Ariel asked, setting down the candle holder on her bedside table and sitting down on her bed.

"Still asleep, but stable," Dylis replied.

Ariel nodded. "Good." That was good. She couldn't bear the idea of having to tell Angharad his friend hadn't made it. She wondered if he was all right, Angharad. If the settlement was warned, and if he was already on his way to Rivendell. "So what happens now? We've made it to Rivendell. You're just gonna go stride up to Llord Elrond and beg him to help us?"

Dylis shot her dirty look. "I am not going to beg," she said. She went to sit on the bed as well. "In fact, I have already spoken his daughter."

"Arwen?" Ariel said surprised, nearly gaping. "You… you talked with a Lord of the Rings character."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't call them that," Dylis said sternly. "In case you haven't noticed, we are not exactly in a story anymore. This is all very much real."

Ariel lowered her gaze and swallowed thickly. "Yes. You're right, sorry," she muttered, shaking away the strange feeling of again realising they were in a fictional world turned real. "Anyway. You spoke to Arwen?"

"Lady Arwen, yes," Dylis said. "She knew of our coming—"

"What?"

"Well, not exactly, but she sometimes has visions—"

"She can see the future?"

"Could you stop interrupting me, please?" Dylis exclaimed exasperatedly. Ariel rolled her eyes but said nothing. "As I was saying," Dylis went on, "Lady Arwen dreamt of our arrival several times before it actually happened. That was why, when she heard of two strangers being escorted into the city, she came to see us as soon as possible."

Ariel was stunned into silence for a while before she shook her head unbelievably. "Wow," she huffed. "Just… wow. Arwen was here… in my room. I wish I'd been awake to meet her."

Dylis smiled. "She was very kind," she said fondly. "She told me she will tell lord Elrond of my wish to speak with him."

"Our wish," Ariel pointed out with a raised eyebrow. Somehow, she could already tell Dylis had forgotten their talk about being in this together. Seeing Dylis bite her lower lip with a pensive frown, Ariel deduced her suspicions were confirmed.

"About that," Dylis said slowly. "I know you want to be there… But I think it's best if—"

"No, Dylis," Ariel said. "We are doing this together, remember. Not you alone, or me alone— together."

"I know much more about this place and how to behave—"

"Which is exactly why I ought to be there!" Ariel said angrily. "I have as much a right to know what is going on as you have!"

Dylis shook her head, rubbing her temple tiredly. "We are not talking about this."

Ariel spluttered. "Excuse me?" she said incredulously. "How is that for you to decide? I'm not a kid anymore, Dylis!"

"Just— just go to sleep, Ariel." Dylis had stood up from the bed and walked to the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ariel asked, stalking after her. "Don't you walk away from me now."

Dylis opened the door and turned around. "I am going to my assigned room," she said frustratingly calmly. "Good night, Ariel."

The door closed in Ariel's face, and she just stood there glaring holes through it, absolutely fuming. Then she yanked open the door again, shouting at Dylis' back down the hall, "Fine! Go alone then! You might as well not tell them of my existence, seeing you've done everything alone, huh?"

She slammed the door shut again, not caring others could hear her throwing a tantrum. She let herself fall on her bed, rubbing her face, filled with the urge to throw something out of the window.

This time, Ariel told herself, she was done forgiving Dylis. Two could play this game; if Dylis was going to put her aside every single time, Ariel would simply have to ignore her in return.

She knew Dylis much rather did things on her own, but this was absurd. They had talked about this— they had agreed to work together, to make choices together, to tell each other everything. And here she was, shutting Ariel out again.

Ariel tried to go back to sleep but found she could only toss and turn. Heaving an angry sigh, she kicked the covers away and stepped out of the bed again.

She grabbed the candle holder, which flickered angrily at Ariel's harsh movements, and her gaze fell on the balcony.

Knowing sleep would not come for her just yet, she walked over to it. She set the candle holder on the thick stone balustrade and rested her hands on it as she took in the wondrous sight before her.

The sky was clear. Stars winked at her from above, and once again Ariel was awed by the sheer number of them. At home, if she'd walked to the very tip of the peninsula where there was barely any source of light, she wouldn't have seen half of the stars she could discern with the naked eye now.

No pollution, no climate change in this world. Ariel supposed it was one of the few good things. Of course, what she'd seen from Middle Earth was beautiful and all (except for Bree), but the lack of toilets, showers, and proper modes of transport was really getting to her.

She lowered herself to the ground, leaning with her back against the balustrade. She felt restless, and with a sense of growing frustration she realised she was bored.

At home, when she couldn't sleep and it was the middle of the night, Ariel would grab her phone and play games on it, watch YouTube videos, or she'd just read a book. Here, she couldn't do anything but stare outside.

She wished her phone was working. She wished she could just go home. She wished—

Ariel froze. As she'd been stuck in her head, her hand had sought for the ring to twirl it around her finger.

But it was gone.

"Oh, no," she breathed, shifting to see if maybe it'd fallen off here. "Oh, no no no no no… Shit!"

She stood up and walked over to the bed, this time throwing the covers away entirely, and felt the mattress for her ring. When she couldn't find it there, she went to the desk, then back to the bed to kneel to the ground to see if it was underneath it, then looked in every corner of the room.

"Fuck!" she hissed, standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by the pillows, covers, and a fallen chair. Tears of frustration filled her eyes, and she sank to the ground sobbing.

o0o

Ignoring Dylis was easier than Ariel would've thought, seeing as the blonde was nowhere to be found in the first place.

After having pondered on it for the remainder of the night, Ariel had finally walked to Dylis' room (having seen her walk through it after their fight), and knocked.

It wasn't answered. It wasn't like Dylis to blatantly ignore Ariel— she always sought her out after they had an argument. So Ariel opened the door, and found the room empty except for Dylis' backpack.

Livid, she had stormed off back to her room to sit and sulk.

Dylis had gone and met lord Elrond alone. She had heard Ariel's protests and her pleas and her angry shouts, and had gone anyway.

Ariel could hardly believe it. It felt like betrayal; as though Ariel wasn't good enough to talk to an elf-lord. Maybe she did have a tendency to speak her mind or to laugh at the exact wrong moment, but obviously Dylis could trust her!

An uneasy gnawing feeling settled itself in her stomach as she sank deeper underneath the sheets of her bed.

What if Dylis was hiding something?

She had been acting so aloof lately, so… almost secretive. How had she not questioned that strange behaviour before? Even when Ariel noticed it, she had turned a blind eye, blindly trusting Dylis.

Should she, though? If Dylis didn't trust Ariel to come with her, why should Ariel trust her?

She was broken out of her musings when someone knocked on the door.

Ariel dragged herself out of bed again, hiding her night dress beneath the sheets which she'd drawn around her body.

She opened the door and immediately went red.

Before her stood a gorgeous elf, wearing shining armour and sporting long, golden tresses. She couldn't remember his name, but she did know he was one of the elves to lead her and Dylis into Rivendell.

She also knew that she was wearing an outrageous dress made of bedsheets.

Well.

The elf cleared his throat, pointedly looking at Ariel's face instead of her ridiculous choice of fashion.

Ariel felt her face redden even more and drew the bedsheets even tighter around herself. "Uhm… hi?"

A vague flicker of amusement passed over his face. "I have news of your friend."

Ariel's fingers slipped from the doorknob and she nearly tripped over her makeshift dress. "What of him?" she asked quickly. "Is he all right?"

"He has awoken this morning," the handsome elf replied. "He's asked for you."

Ariel arched an eyebrow. "For me?"

The elf looked close to rolling his eyes. "Indeed." He gave her outfit a disdainful look. "If I am correct, the lady Arwen has sent some… proper attire for you to wear."

Ariel frowned. Had someone come in while she was asleep? Had Dylis forgotten to mention it to her?

"Change quickly and I shall lead you to the Healing Quarters," the elf continued. "I have matters to attend to."

Ariel swallowed and nodded before she closed the door in his face. "Such a warm and friendly elf," she grumbled to herself as she yanked open the closet. He was handsome, though, she mused internally. Shame he had to see her with 'woke-up-like-this'-hair and a gown made of bedsheets.

Her mood instantly lifted at the two dresses she saw hanging inside it. She took them both. One was of a deep purple colour and seemed quite warm for the sunny weather, and the other was pale blue, the fabric feeling considerably lighter in her hands. Knowing the handsome elf was still waiting for her outside her room, she quickly pulled her night gown over her head and stepped into the light blue dress.

It felt utterly weird to wear a dress without any undergarments. Weren't there supposed to be breeches or something, or was that inconvenient for women in these times? She struggled tying the cords on her back, but once she was done, she realised she could only find her own shoes.

Her All-Stars. With a groan, she hastily pulled them on, hoping they wouldn't be seen below the hem of her dress, and then quickly opened the door again.

The elf was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his fingers tapping his bicep impatiently.

"Sorry," Ariel mumbled.

"Let us go."

Ariel bit the inside of her cheek and followed after him. He had come across much kinder when she'd first met him; now, he reminded her a bit of Hugh when he was grumpy. The fact she was comparing the elf she had a minor crush on to her adoptive father was a bit bothersome though, so she quickly shook the thought away.

"Excuse me," she asked, trying to keep up with him. "What was your name again?"

He shot her a quick glance. "Glorfindel."

Ah. The lord Glorfindel, according to Dylis. "My name is Ariel."

"I know."

"Oh."

Duh. Dylis had introduced themselves upon their first meeting. Ariel could've slapped herself.

Trying to distract herself, she looked around as they walked. It was the first time she had gone out of her room, and though she already found her room beautiful, she faltered a bit when she took in all the masterpieces hanging on the walls, depicting battle scenes, seascapes and landscapes, and portraits of angelic faces.

Never before had she seen a place like this. It was unlike any building she'd been in. She couldn't compare it to Roman or Greek architecture, the era she was so familiar with, but she knew one wouldn't be able to compare it with medieval nor modern architecture. She could vaguely remember some of the scenes set in Rivendell from the movies, but those scenes definitely didn't do Rivendell justice.

This place emanated calm, serenity, and rest. She could tell why it was considered a safe-haven.

Lord Glorfindel cleared his throat, and upon noticing she had strayed behind a little, she quickly picked up her pace, mumbling a "sorry" again.

After a walk of only a few minutes, the elf stopped in front of a door and rapped his knuckles on it. A muffled voice came from inside, and lord Glorfindel opened the door.

Suddenly aware that she was not even remotely Lithir's friend, she hesitated before entering. But then lord Glorfindel shot her a withering look, and she figured she'd tested his patience more than enough. She entered the room.

Without so much as a goodbye, lord Glorfindel closed the door.

Ariel turned to the bed and the man propped up in it. Lithir looked better than when she and Dylis first found him, but he still looked like shit.

Ariel shifted a bit. She didn't know if she should stay where she was or if she should draw up a chair. "Hello."

Lithir scrutinised her, the silence stretching before he finally said, "You brought me here?"

Ariel nodded. "Well, my friend and I, at least until the river," she corrected herself. "Two elves took over from there."

Lithir nodded, then looked her over again. "You are that barmaid from the inn."

"I— yes, I was," Ariel stammered, knowing this was a subtle hint for an explanation. She couldn't give him one without sounding suspicious, though. "So how are you feeling?"

He gave her one more scrutinising look before he turned his head away from her, to the landscape outside. "Better."

"That's— good."

"Where is Angharad?" Lithir asked.

"He told us he would warn a… a settlement nearby before making his way to Rivendell," Ariel explained, daring to approach the bed.

"Lannen."

"Hmm?"

Lithir shot her a glance. "The settlement," he clarified. "It's called Lannen, and it's only a day's detour. He should've been here already."

Ariel fumbled with her hands. "Perhaps he got held back?" she suggested.

Lithir snorted humourlessly. "No doubt."

He turned back to look outside, almost longingly, and Ariel suddenly had an idea.

Five minutes later, she was pushing a wooden, medieval version of a wheelchair, in which Lithir sat with his left leg held up. She followed his directions to what he said would be a large garden which patients of the Healing and Guest Quarters usually visited.

Once they reached it, Ariel slowed her pace; the paths in the garden were of cobbled stone, and Lithir was already hissing and swearing under his breath, clutching at his leg.

"Do you want me to stop here?" Ariel asked.

Lithir nodded wordlessly.

Ariel pushed the wheelchair to a stone bench underneath an apple tree. She went to sit on the bench and looked around, ignoring Lithir's curious gaze directed at her.

"I've never been in Rivendell before," Ariel said conversationally with a sigh.

Lithir just grunted.

"Do you visit the elves often?" she asked him.

"Once in a while."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "You're very talkative. A true conversationalist. Very charismatic."

"You talk enough for the both of us," he said with a shrug.

Ariel clamped her mouth shut with a frown. She looked away from him, fumbling with her hands as she asked herself why she thought it a good idea to visit this grumpy man. Obviously he didn't appreciate her keeping him company.

But on the other hand, he did seem to enjoy breathing in the fresh air. Lithir had closed his eyes, head tipped back a little, his arms relaxed in his lap.

Without the dirt on his face, that permanent frown and that suspicious squint of his, he suddenly looked an awful lot younger than Ariel had expected.

Ariel hesitated between leaving him with his thoughts and staying, but decided on the latter; he needed someone to bring him back to his room, after all.

She pushed down the urge of filling up the silence, and instead looked around the garden. It was quite picturesque. There were many trees bearing all sorts of fruits, from apples to peaches and nectarines, and from here she could see a female elf reach up to pluck some and put them in her wicker basket.

Colourful flowers lined up the pathways, and it was clear it was the aftermath of summer; the paths were already slowly disappearing beneath layers of leaves and petals.

She could hear the trickling sound of water from the fountain set in the middle of the garden. In the small basin stood a proud statue of a male elf bearing a flute in one hand and a sword in the other.

But it was the figure sitting on the ledge that drew Ariel's attention. He was quite small and old, his hair white in the sunlight. He seemed to be reading something, a book bound in red leather.

Ariel's stomach gave a lurch at the realisation as to who this hobbit was.

Filled with a sudden desire to walk up to him, she turned to Lithir. "Would you like to stay here or move closer to the fountain?"

He lowered his head and shot Ariel an odd look. "Why would I want to go to the fountain?" he asked, turning a bit to glance at the fountain.

"I, uh, that statue is very impressive," Ariel quickly improvised. "Do you know who that is?"

Lithir narrowed his eyes. "The statue or the hobbit?"

Ariel reddened. So much for trying to be subtle about it. "Both?"

Lithir rolled his eyes and gestured for Ariel to push his wheelchair to the fountain. Ariel beamed excitedly and walked him to the hobbit.

Said hobbit looked up at the sound of the wheels creaking over the cobbled stones. He abruptly closed his book, but a smile lit up his crinkled face.

"Ah, Lithir, my friend," he greeted, his voice warm and welcoming. Perhaps that was a characteristic of hobbits— radiating warmth and hospitality. "I'd heard you were brought in the Healing Quarters. Whatever happened?"

Lithir shook his head. "Nothing too serious, I assure you," he replied smoothly. "Got myself injured when trying to play the hero."

Ariel's eyebrows shot up at his easy lie, but she didn't say anything.

Bilbo clucked his tongue. "You and your heroic antics," he said. Then his eyes fell on Ariel. "Lithir, aren't you going to introduce me to your lovely friend?"

"Of course," Lithir said. "This is Ariel. She and her friend brought me to Rivendell when I was wounded."

Bilbo regarded her, and Ariel shifted a bit. "Lithir is not the only one with a hero complex, I see," he said eventually, to which Ariel laughed nervously. "Pleasure meeting you, miss Ariel."

"Likewise, sir," she replied.

Lithir nodded his head to the book, which Bilbo had put aside. "Have you been writing again?"

Bilbo shook his head. "No, I've been rereading some chapters," he said, putting a somewhat protective hand over the cover. "I found I haven't got much to write about anymore. Perhaps I can squeeze out one last chapter… Not sure yet."

"And you are finally going to let someone read it?" Lithir prodded playfully.

Bilbo scowled. "No."

"Just jesting, Bilbo, just jesting," Lithir said holding up his hands in peace.

Ariel watched the two, faint surprise on her face. It was strange to see this sudden change in mood in Lithir, but she definitely preferred him being cheerful than having him sulk all day.

They spent most of the morning talking, until Ariel's stomach rumbled loudly and Bilbo was outraged she hadn't yet eaten.

The hobbit took it upon himself to take her to the kitchen, but first they brought Lithir back to his room. He had become quite tired, and it seemed the pain killer effects had worn off.

She helped him in his bed, despite his protests, and went to leave the room when Lithir called her name.

Ariel turned around questioningly.

"Thank you," he said. "For taking me outside."

"Oh, no problem," she replied, waving a hand dismissively.

"And I never thanked you for bringing me here," he continued.

Ariel shifted awkwardly. "Oh, really, it's no problem," she said. "I mean, we couldn't just leave you for dead."

Lithir eyed her seriously. "But you could've."

Ariel frowned. "No. I couldn't have."

With that, she left the room and followed Bilbo to the kitchens. He was already talking about the abnormally high quality of the bread, and how Ariel would not want to stop eating once she'd had a taste of it. Ariel's stomach only growled louder in reply.

o0o

"Bilbo?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Who is that elf?"

Bilbo turned around from where he was sitting on the fountain ledge to look at the statue of the elf with the flute and sword.

The past two days, Ariel had dragged herself out of bed before lunch (a very great feat, yes) and had seen Dylis only at breakfast and dinner. At first, she had prodded for information, but the only answer she got was that they were discussing their strange arrival.

Which did not provide any answers to the questions she had been asking her in the first place.

So she spent her time visiting and walking around Lithir, who was making fast progress with his injured leg, and she often sat with Bilbo in the Healing Garden. He did not like to talk about the book he was writing, but when Ariel professed her love for poetry, he could talk endlessly about writing them.

Today they were thinking up the second stanza of their own poem, which was about the fading of summer into autumn.

Bilbo turned back to Ariel. "That is Ecthelion," he replied, pointing behind him to the statue. "Look, his name is written over here."

He shifted a bit so that Ariel could see the writings on the statue's pedestal. It was written in an alphabet Ariel didn't know, and it looked not so different from the script on the sign of the Prancing Pony.

"Who was he?" Ariel asked curiously.

"He was Lord of the Fountain of an ancient city, ages ago," Bilbo answered, and Ariel noticed his voice had switched to story-telling-mode. "The city was hidden by encircling mountains, but someone betrayed them, and the city was attacked. During the siege, Ecthelion fended off three Balrogs. The last Balrog he slayed was the leader— and as Ecthelion wounded it, they both fell into the basin of the fountain, which was quite deep. There, Ecthelion drowned because of his weighty armour, but he took the Balrog leader with him."

Ariel looked up at the statue. The elf lord's features were expertly made, and she wondered how much the statue resembled the real Ecthelion.

These stories of heroism… those stories were the main reason she became interested in classical history. "What was this city called?" she asked.

"Gondolin," Bilbo said. "It is said it was the greatest city of the First Age. It stood in a wide glade and was made of white stone, its tower rising up tall and proud."

Ariel sighed. "It sounds very impressive," she said, staring up at the handsome statue.

Bilbo smiled at her. "If you want to know more, you could always ask Glorfindel to tell some more," he said. "He knows an awful lot about it."

Ariel instantly felt warm. "Uhm, well, it is pretty interesting," she mumbled, "but I think I'll just go to the library."

"How so? Glorfindel would only be pleased someone shows interest."

Ariel chuckled a bit. "Uhm, don't you think he is a little intimidating?" she asked Bilbo tentatively.

Bilbo's eyebrows shot up. "Who, Glorfindel?" he asked, surprise in his voice. Ariel nodded. Bilbo rubbed his cheek as he thought about it. "Well, now you mention it… Never really seen him that way… but then again, I'm not one to get scared of appearances."

Ariel nodded her head in contemplation. "I mean, that's only good, isn't it?" she said. "Perhaps I feel intimidated because these elves are so darn perfect."

Bilbo laughed. "Ah, yes, that is quite a difficult thing to look past," he said nodding. Then something caught his eye and he smiled broadly. "Ah, Lithir! No wheelchair, I see?"

Ariel looked up. Lithir was walking— or rather, limping— over to the fountain where they were sitting, using two wooden crutches.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said with an easy smile. Since that first day in the garden, he'd become less and less aloof, and more used to Ariel's presence. He didn't have Angharad with him, who was a very close friend of him, and Ariel didn't have Dylis to talk with, so they kept each other company. Perhaps it was also because Ariel forced him not to sulk alone in his bedroom and nearly dragged him outside.

He nodded at her in greeting. "Hello, Ariel."

"Hi," Ariel said, smiling back. "So you're feeling better?"

Lithir nodded. "Yes," he said. "Finally convinced the healer to let me go with these instead of the chair. I didn't feel like being a nuisance anymore."

"Oh, please," Ariel said, rolling her eyes. "You were hardly a nuisance."

Lithir gave her an unconvinced look, because several times had Ariel complained about him being so heavy. "I was thinking of heading to the training grounds."

Ariel cocked a sceptical eyebrow as Bilbo muttered wearily, "Has just come out of the wheelchair and already wants to go training."

Lithir rolled his eyes. "Of course I do not want to train," he said chuckling. "I just want to watch. I'm tired of sitting around and do nothing."

"You and me both," Ariel said, sounding slightly more resentful than she hoped.

Bilbo clicked his tongue and shook his head. "This generation doesn't even know how to be bored anymore," he said disapprovingly. "Well. I had best be off; I promised Mithel to help her in the kitchens."

"See you later, Bilbo," Ariel said. "Next time we will finish that stanza."

Bilbo waved his hand dismissively. "We have got all the time in the world."

Quite ironic an elderly hobbit said that, but Ariel supposed he was right to a certain extent. It wasn't as though she had some meeting to attend to.

She turned to Lithir. "Well, let's go to the training grounds."

She hadn't been to the training grounds yet, and she was quite curious to see what it would look like. Her history-obsessed mind was curious to see how the elves' army and training was organised, and if they were indeed more skilled than Men. She knew from the movies— and could remember as much from the books— that elves were seen as more superior in combat (and nearly everything else), but Ariel figured she wanted to see it first.

Her scepticism was knocked down as soon as she set foot on the training grounds. About two dozen elves were practising either their archery or sword skills— some were even throwing spears. Several circles were drawn in the ground where people could practise hand-to-hand combat or sword fighting, and archery targets lined up the back of the field, each farther away than the previous one.

All five elves practising archery hit their targets bull's eye. The elves wielding their swords went through the sequence of stances as though it was a dance. Muscles rippled underneath fabric as the elf to the far right threw his spear with such speed, it seemed she heard the thunk before she saw it embed the target.

"Close your mouth, Ariel," Lithir said from beside her. "You're gawking."

Ariel clamped her mouth shut and looked away from the spear-throwing elf she recognised as lord Glorfindel.

Lithir shook his head. "Should've thought better before bringing a young girl to the elvish training grounds."

"Excuse me, if admiring their strength is a girlish thing to do, what are you then?" Ariel said clipped. A few elves glanced at her with amusing smiles, and Ariel flushed red.

Elvish hearing. Great.

"Now, where d'you want to sit?" she asked Lithir.

He nodded to a patch of grass, and she helped him sit down before reclining as well.

"So you just want to watch these guys training?" she asked him after a brief silence. "The whole afternoon?"

"The whole afternoon," he echoed with a nod.

Ariel groaned. "Great."

She crossed her legs in front of her and let her head fall in the cups of her hands as she stared around the training grounds. Again, her eyes unwillingly fell on lord Glorfindel.

How could someone be so gorgeous? It should be prohibited, such handsomeness. Even an elf lord shouldn't be so beautiful.

This crush was starting to become ridiculous. Every time he only so much as glanced into the direction where she sat, she would quickly look at something else, face red.

Lithir even chuckled when it was obvious she'd been staring at him.

"Shut it," Ariel grumbled, pulling out blades of grass and chucking it in front of her.

"We've all been there, Ariel," Lithir said.

Ariel snorted. "Yeah? Have you ever crushed on an elf lord?"

Lithir raised his eyebrows at the blunt honesty. Then he tilted his head to the side in contemplation. "Well, there's not one ranger who hasn't looked at lady Arwen the way you've been staring at him."

Ariel stared at him. "Really?"

Lithir nodded. "Every time a young ranger goes to Rivendell for the first time and looks upon her, he comes home with a dreamy face."

Ariel laughed and clapped a hand over her mouth when several elves looked up. "No way," she said, still laughing.

Lithir nodded again, dead serious. "Only one of us succeeded, though," he said. He looked up at the sky, as if in despair. "Alas for the rest of us, doomed to compare every other maiden with the beauty of the Evenstar."

Ariel cocked an eyebrow. "Alas for all the women who deserve better than that," she corrected.

Lithir looked back at her. "I suppose," he said, shrugging.

"It is unfair that the female elves are so pretty," Ariel said. "Men will always fall in love with them instead of their own women, and the male elves would never settle for a mere mortal woman."

"Ellith," said Lithir. "Female elves are called ellith, elleth for a single elf. Male elves are called ellyn, or ellon if you mean one. Besides, it is rare ellith to settle for mortal men also. Too rough, too much hair and too much stench— their words, not mine."

"Ah, but women tend to like that toughness."

"Do they?"

"Most, I think," Ariel replied. "Though some like it if men have a bit more of a… feminine touch." She subtly nodded her head to the ellyn. "At least, I wouldn't mind."

Lithir laughed loudly. "You call them feminine?" he asked.

"Sshh! They might hear."

Lithir smirked at the nearby elves, who were scowling at the two of them. "Oh, they heard, all right."

Ariel turned red.

"But to come back to mortal men falling for ellith… Believe me," Lithir said, "there are very few men who look upon the elves in wonder. More would look upon them in fear."

"Mmh," mumbled Ariel, resting her head in the crook between her knees. "I can sort of understand why. They're kind of intimidating."

Lithir sighed when two look-alike elves nearby seemed to smirk instead of scowl. "You should know, Ariel," he said, louder than was needed, "elves hear everything. If you keep rotating between insulting and complimenting them, you should stick with insulting. At least then they won't be strutting around the training grounds so cockily."

The scowl on the elves' faces returned , and Lithir saluted them playfully.

Ariel, however, blanched. "Wait," she said, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "So he heard… you know… what I said earlier…"

Lithir seemed to have difficulty keeping his laughter in. "Yes," he said. "He probably knows."

Ariel slowly looked at the elf lord in horror, who was now sharpening his sword. Even though his eyes was on his blade, there was a definite amused smile on his face.

"Oh my God," Ariel muttered.

"Don't fret," Lithir said, still grinning. "Plenty ellith have been in your shoes."

"Yeah— in elvish shoes. They weren't some stupid human girl," Ariel hissed. "You consciously let me embarrass myself! After all I've done for you!" She shook her head, turning her back on lord Glorfindel so she wouldn't have to see that goddamn knowing smirk on his face. "I can't believe you."

Lithir didn't reply immediately. He regarded her a bit funnily, as though there was something he'd seen only now. "You know," he finally said, "you remind me a bit of someone."

Ariel frowned. "Who?" she asked curiously.

"Of Gwyneth, she's my—"

"Lithir!"

Ariel and Lithir shot up and looked to where the voice came from. An ellon was striding across the training grounds toward them, a deeply worried expression on his face.

"Lindir? What is it?" Lithir said, standing up as quickly as he could with his crutches.

The elf stopped in front of them, barely sparing Ariel a glance. "It's Angharad. He has arrived."

Lithir was already walking. "Where is he? Is he hurt?"

Ariel quickly followed them, looking back and forth between the elf and man.

"No, at least not seriously," the elf called Lindir said. "He said he has grave news."

Lithir faltered in his steps, and Ariel quickly held his arm to keep him from tripping over one of his crutches. "What is it?" he asked as he shot the elf a concerned look.

Lindir shook his head. "He wouldn't tell."

They hastened their way through the halls as quickly as they could, the sound of crutches clicking on the floor resonating. Ariel wasn't sure she was supposed to be there, to hear what news Angharad brought with him.

But if she wasn't supposed to hear it, Lithir would've sent her away. And he hadn't.

Lindir brought them to a double door, carved intricately with flowery vines. He knocked thrice, and a stern voice sounded from the other side.

Lindir opened one of the doors, and Ariel got a glimpse of a tall brown-haired elf dressed in rich navy robes.

Lord Elrond.

Lithir made to walk inside, and figuring this was definitely something she was not supposed to hear, she touched his arm briefly. "I will wait for you outside." It was not as though she had anywhere else to go.

"Miss Ariel?"

Ariel's head snapped to the elf lord, waiting in his study.

"Uh— yes? My lord," she added quickly.

"You may join us, as well," lord Elrond said.

Ariel was faintly aware of Lithir's eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. "My lord, surely I—"

"Just go," Lithir hissed, pulling her arm.

Ariel yanked her arm free and followed Lithir into lord Elrond's study, dumbfounded. But when she saw Dylis inside and caught the anxious look on her face, Ariel figured she was finally going to get some answers.

That was chapter ten! Thanks so much reading- and thank you RunningGolden for your review :)

As the title suggest, this won't be Ariel's only innocent elf-crush.

xoxo