A/N: Disclaimer-see Chapter One! R/R!
Chapter two
Many years had passed since that dreadful night; four hundred forty-one years actually. The infant had grown and blossomed into a beautiful elf. Her name was Melian, meaning 'dear gift.' Elrond had named her this because that was what Celebrian had called her just before she left, and she was Elrond's reminder that Celebrian was still in Eldamar, waiting for him. If his grief ever overcame him, he would call Melian to him, and she would comfort him. She was an exact replica of her mother, in body and mind. However, she had chosen to study lore like her father.
Melian was hard to describe, as, although very beautiful, she had the build of a warrior. She had long, dark brown hair with silver streaks, like the sky has many colors interweaving during the sunset. She was taller than most females, but not as tall as her father or brothers, and slender as well. Having trained along side her brothers, more for an activity, than for skill in battle, she was skilled with bow and arrow, as were most elves. Just as easily, she could wield a sword.
Her father loved Melian greatly, and was very protective of her, and also of Arwen, his other daughter. He knew dark times were upon them, and he did not want his daughters to worry about the hardships ahead. Of course, Melian was impatient and adventurous and did not want protection.
At the age of four hundred forty-one years, Elrond urged his daughter to find love in an elf of her choosing, but Melian could not. Fifty years before, she had tried, and had thought she had succeeded, only to be taken advantage of at the last; horribly taken advantage of.
Eighteen years ago, a woman had brought her son to Rivendell. This woman was Gilraen, the widow of Arathorn II, the heir of Isildur. Her son was Aragorn II. He was but the age of two.
Master Elrond took them into his household, and became Aragorn's foster father. Melian loved the little boy, and helped her brothers teach him swordsmanship and archery. As he grew older, the two created a bond of friendship that would last for the rest of their lives*.
(A/N: Back to the "present time")
Recently, Estel had returned from many valiant deeds against the enemy. He was at the age of twenty and early come to manhood. Elrond was greatly pleased with what he saw, so he called Aragorn to him. Master Elrond told him his true name, and lineage, and he gave Aragorn all the heirlooms of his house with the exception of the Scepter of Annuminas. This Aragorn would receive when he became King of Gondor, for the Scepter was like a crown, and the man who possessed it was King of Arnor.
Soon after, Arwen returned from Lothlorien. There was a great feast in her honor, but Aragorn did not attend. News of the enemy had come with Arwen's brothers, Elrohir and Elladan: a large band of orcs, journeying to a place unknown, had come across the company. All of the orcs were killed, and not a single wound was received by the elves.
After he had finished speaking with the twin brothers, Aragorn went for a walk in the woods.
His spirits were high, and he sang a part of the Lay of Leithian**. It was then that he met, and instantly fell in love with, Arwen Undomiel.
Melian and Aragorn had become close friends over the years. She immediately noticed a change in his behavior, after his meeting with Arwen. When Melian confronted him about it he would only tell her that he had met a beautiful creature that had stolen his heart.
From this message, Melian could discern many things. He had fallen in love with one of the elves that dwelt in Imladris. The question was, who? Melian had a guess, and if it was correct, well, she needed to tell her father immediately.
Her mind told her to leave things alone, but she knew in her heart, that she should not. She knew that Aragorn may never speak to her again, but her father would be very much against this. The sooner he was told, the better.
Melian had finally arrived at her father's study. She knocked upon the door, and heard someone within say, "Come in!"
Opening the door, Melian entered, and saw her father sitting at the desk writing. She walked towards him and curtsied. He looked up from his letter, and saw his daughter with a look of anxiety upon her face.
"What is it Melian?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
"I just spoke with Estel."
Elrond let out a sigh of relief at her words. "Oh?"
Melian told him how Aragorn had been acting strangely, and his strange comment about the beautiful creature in the woods. "That was all he would tell me."
"I believe that I am right in saying that whoever this 'beautiful creature' is, they are one of the elven race."
"I believe he speaks of a half-elven. I do believe, and somewhat fear, that my dear sister has unknowingly stolen Estel's heart."
"Arwen? Perhaps I should speak with Aragorn."
"Choose your words carefully Father. He is young in heart and mind still; he will suffer greatly if you tear him from her too quickly. If you must tear him away from her, please do it in a way that may put his heart at ease."
"Yes, and that we should share the father-son like bond that we do now would ease my heart in these times. I cannot prevent him from loving Arwen, but perhaps I can steer him away."
"Perhaps. Well, I must leave you Father; I shall see you at dinner."
With that, she left Elrond's study and went to one of her few sanctuaries: the library.
The library was large, grand, and completely extraordinary. One could look for a single good book on a subject, and find one hundred instead! Melian learned many new things from the books here. She learned new songs and poems, and about other people, and other lands, and history! How she loved history. She studied every book on the history of other lands and people, like and unlike herself. If she could not find peace here, she did not know where she could.
On this day, she sat in the library, and pondered the events of the day. All the while she tried to also think of what her sister would think if told of the new and strange matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *-This is nothing more than friendship, okay? K.
**- Lay of Leithian - Aragorn was singing the part where Beren sees Luthien in the woods! For the full story of Beren and Luthien, read The Silmarillion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay that's two! The whole 'taken advantage of'thing will come up again later! It's just to help develop the plot. Review and I'll be sure to post the next chapter. I checked all my information that I could, but if you catch something please say so! Thanks to all my reviewer (I would like more reviews than this per chapter :( ) -
K-Chan - Here's the next chapter! Thanks for the one and only review!!
Also, thanks to my beta reader Melian Nilromen!
Chapter two
Many years had passed since that dreadful night; four hundred forty-one years actually. The infant had grown and blossomed into a beautiful elf. Her name was Melian, meaning 'dear gift.' Elrond had named her this because that was what Celebrian had called her just before she left, and she was Elrond's reminder that Celebrian was still in Eldamar, waiting for him. If his grief ever overcame him, he would call Melian to him, and she would comfort him. She was an exact replica of her mother, in body and mind. However, she had chosen to study lore like her father.
Melian was hard to describe, as, although very beautiful, she had the build of a warrior. She had long, dark brown hair with silver streaks, like the sky has many colors interweaving during the sunset. She was taller than most females, but not as tall as her father or brothers, and slender as well. Having trained along side her brothers, more for an activity, than for skill in battle, she was skilled with bow and arrow, as were most elves. Just as easily, she could wield a sword.
Her father loved Melian greatly, and was very protective of her, and also of Arwen, his other daughter. He knew dark times were upon them, and he did not want his daughters to worry about the hardships ahead. Of course, Melian was impatient and adventurous and did not want protection.
At the age of four hundred forty-one years, Elrond urged his daughter to find love in an elf of her choosing, but Melian could not. Fifty years before, she had tried, and had thought she had succeeded, only to be taken advantage of at the last; horribly taken advantage of.
Eighteen years ago, a woman had brought her son to Rivendell. This woman was Gilraen, the widow of Arathorn II, the heir of Isildur. Her son was Aragorn II. He was but the age of two.
Master Elrond took them into his household, and became Aragorn's foster father. Melian loved the little boy, and helped her brothers teach him swordsmanship and archery. As he grew older, the two created a bond of friendship that would last for the rest of their lives*.
(A/N: Back to the "present time")
Recently, Estel had returned from many valiant deeds against the enemy. He was at the age of twenty and early come to manhood. Elrond was greatly pleased with what he saw, so he called Aragorn to him. Master Elrond told him his true name, and lineage, and he gave Aragorn all the heirlooms of his house with the exception of the Scepter of Annuminas. This Aragorn would receive when he became King of Gondor, for the Scepter was like a crown, and the man who possessed it was King of Arnor.
Soon after, Arwen returned from Lothlorien. There was a great feast in her honor, but Aragorn did not attend. News of the enemy had come with Arwen's brothers, Elrohir and Elladan: a large band of orcs, journeying to a place unknown, had come across the company. All of the orcs were killed, and not a single wound was received by the elves.
After he had finished speaking with the twin brothers, Aragorn went for a walk in the woods.
His spirits were high, and he sang a part of the Lay of Leithian**. It was then that he met, and instantly fell in love with, Arwen Undomiel.
Melian and Aragorn had become close friends over the years. She immediately noticed a change in his behavior, after his meeting with Arwen. When Melian confronted him about it he would only tell her that he had met a beautiful creature that had stolen his heart.
From this message, Melian could discern many things. He had fallen in love with one of the elves that dwelt in Imladris. The question was, who? Melian had a guess, and if it was correct, well, she needed to tell her father immediately.
Her mind told her to leave things alone, but she knew in her heart, that she should not. She knew that Aragorn may never speak to her again, but her father would be very much against this. The sooner he was told, the better.
Melian had finally arrived at her father's study. She knocked upon the door, and heard someone within say, "Come in!"
Opening the door, Melian entered, and saw her father sitting at the desk writing. She walked towards him and curtsied. He looked up from his letter, and saw his daughter with a look of anxiety upon her face.
"What is it Melian?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
"I just spoke with Estel."
Elrond let out a sigh of relief at her words. "Oh?"
Melian told him how Aragorn had been acting strangely, and his strange comment about the beautiful creature in the woods. "That was all he would tell me."
"I believe that I am right in saying that whoever this 'beautiful creature' is, they are one of the elven race."
"I believe he speaks of a half-elven. I do believe, and somewhat fear, that my dear sister has unknowingly stolen Estel's heart."
"Arwen? Perhaps I should speak with Aragorn."
"Choose your words carefully Father. He is young in heart and mind still; he will suffer greatly if you tear him from her too quickly. If you must tear him away from her, please do it in a way that may put his heart at ease."
"Yes, and that we should share the father-son like bond that we do now would ease my heart in these times. I cannot prevent him from loving Arwen, but perhaps I can steer him away."
"Perhaps. Well, I must leave you Father; I shall see you at dinner."
With that, she left Elrond's study and went to one of her few sanctuaries: the library.
The library was large, grand, and completely extraordinary. One could look for a single good book on a subject, and find one hundred instead! Melian learned many new things from the books here. She learned new songs and poems, and about other people, and other lands, and history! How she loved history. She studied every book on the history of other lands and people, like and unlike herself. If she could not find peace here, she did not know where she could.
On this day, she sat in the library, and pondered the events of the day. All the while she tried to also think of what her sister would think if told of the new and strange matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *-This is nothing more than friendship, okay? K.
**- Lay of Leithian - Aragorn was singing the part where Beren sees Luthien in the woods! For the full story of Beren and Luthien, read The Silmarillion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay that's two! The whole 'taken advantage of'thing will come up again later! It's just to help develop the plot. Review and I'll be sure to post the next chapter. I checked all my information that I could, but if you catch something please say so! Thanks to all my reviewer (I would like more reviews than this per chapter :( ) -
K-Chan - Here's the next chapter! Thanks for the one and only review!!
Also, thanks to my beta reader Melian Nilromen!