A/N: All right - if there are / around a word, then that word should be in
italics. Can someone please enlighten me of how to use
bold/underline/center/italics on this site?
Chapter Three (29 Years Later)
Walking towards her father's study, thoughts flooded Melian's mind. She had received a letter from her sister Arwen, who was in Lothlorien, that morning. The letter had lain forgotten on her bedside table, until just an hour after she had gone to the library. The letter was clear, and Melian had to stop herself from crying with joy and sadness when she read its contents:
My Dearest Sister;
I have wonderful news; although, those I love may find it, well, upsetting, as it concerns my future. I'm betrothed. Estel and I plighted our troth on Midsummer's Eve, which was last night. I fear what Father will say, for he has always been against the idea of any of his children becoming mortal. I love Father, and I do not wish to displease him, but this is a choice that I chose many years ago, that I promised myself I would make if I could. I know you, Melian, will be able to understand. I hope to have your blessing, and I will tell all to Father when I return.
Love, Arwen Undomiel
These words kept going through Melian's mind, until she arrived at the doors of her father's study. She began to raise her hand to knock upon the door, but she couldn't! To tell her father, when Arwen said that she herself would tell him, was something she couldn't do. Turning, she went to the gardens, where she could clear her mind and watch the stars.
Above her, the stars were bright, and the moon was full. Walking just a short ways into the gardens, she came to a bench; her bench. It sat under the branches of a large oak tree, with a perfect view of all of Imladris. The bench was the perfect place to sit and think.
She wondered what it would be like to be loved by a man (a/n: or elf :); she had never experienced true love. Also, she wondered how her father would react to Arwen's betrothal. But the thing she pondered the most of all, was how she was to not mention any of this to her father. She had always told him everything, but now she had to keep this a secret. This was impossible.
Master Elrond gazed out his window, which happened to look out across the gardens, and saw his daughter. She was staring at the night sky with a questioning look upon her face. He was tired, and he hadn't spoken to his daughter for a few days, so he decided to join her.
Melian was still pondering things when Elrond stepped outside. She was so consumed by her thoughts; she didn't even notice his presence until he sat down by her side. "You haven't come out here for some time, Melian," Elrond stated quietly.
"I haven't had need to clear my mind. I have so many questions, with no one to answer them."
"What is troubling you?"
"Arwen. She is." Melian realized what she had said and stopped.
"She is what?"
"I cannot! I do not know all the facts, and she can tell you when she returns tomorrow!"
"Melian, calm yourself. You are her sister, and I'm sure she tells you things that she would never tell me, but I would like to know what goes on in her life. Please."
"She said she would tell you when she returns!"
"Melian, please. You said you had questions; you will not have so many if you tell me, I believe."
Melian paused, then let out a long sigh of defeat. Taking the letter from her side, she handed it to her father. "I received this letter from her this morning."
Master Elrond read the contents of the letter and was silent. He sat still for some time, for the news was hard to bear. Finally, he handed the parchment back to Melian and spoke. "Is this all you know?"
"Yes. I wish I knew more, but this letter is all."
He was quiet until he replied, "I have long foreseen this, and I have known there was no way to prevent it, and yet it is none the easier to withstand. Three of my children have now chosen the fate of mortality."
"But Elrohir and Elladan."
"Have decided to stay with the Dunedain."
Melian paused then said, "I shall go with you to Eldamar, Ada (Father)."
"I truly hope so Melian. I truly hope so." Lord Elrond was unsure of his daughter's future, but he promised he would do everything possible (and rational) in his power to make sure she did go with him to the Undying Lands.
Melian suddenly realized how tired she was; she stood, and wished her father a good night's rest. Perhaps some of her questions had been answered, but now she had all new ones, and she wished to let them fly away with her other thoughts while she slept away the night.
At dawn the next day, Melian awoke to the sound of horses outside her window. Quickly, she grabbed her robe, and walked outside on to her small balcony. She saw a way worn rider sitting tall upon his horse, which stood in front of eight others. Immediately recognizing him, she left her room, running down the steps to greet him.
When she arrived, finally, he had already dismounted, and they embraced as good friends. Melian was the first to speak. "You have journeyed for far too long Estel! I almost did not recognize you!"
"I have had a long journey with few places to rest, Melian."
"And yet, you stopped only two weeks ago in Lorien. Do not wonder, for my sister told me that you were there. I am happy you could see each other again," Melian said, and Aragorn could guess what she was hinting at.
"She wrote to you? So you know of us! Have you told anyone?"
Melian looked down at the ground as she remembered speaking to her father the night before. "Not knowing all the facts of the event, I did not feel it was my place to tell anyone," and at this Aragorn let out a sigh of relief. Melian heard it, and looked up at him slowly, as she continued. "But, I showed the letter to.my father."
Aragorn straightened, and looked down into her eyes, his own showing apprehension. He then proceeded to turn away and take his horse to the stables, when a voice came from just behind Melian. "Aragorn! Come with me; I need to speak with you alone!"
Melian and Aragorn spun around to see Master Elrond with a slight look of anxiety upon his face. He turned back towards the house, and Aragorn followed, looking resolute. Also following was Melian, who was, for the moment, forgotten.
Elrond stopped at his study, and let Aragorn through the door. But when Melian tried to go in, her father held his arm in her way, so she could not enter. Shutting the door behind him, he left his daughter, alone, sad, and confused.
Melian felt horrible. She had done what was right, hadn't she? Then, why did it feel so wrong? She may have lost the trust of a dear friend, and perhaps even her sister! She could only hope this would all work out in the end.
Suddenly, the door of the study opened and Aragorn walked out. The look upon his face was one of grief. "Estel?"
He didn't even look at her, as he walked off towards the gardens. For the second time that day, Melian followed him. "Estel, what happened?"
Aragorn stopped and turned to face her. When he spoke, his voice was just above a whisper. "If I tell you, will you /not/ make the same mistake /twice/? Will you /not/ tell Arwen? I.I must become king of - both Gondor and Arnor, before I can wed with the Evenstar.. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with some of the Dunedain that accompanied me." With that, he left.
Melian felt both pain and anger. Aragorn's comments had stung, and she felt tears well in her eyes. She ran from the hall, head in hands, to the gardens, where she collapsed by the stream in the long grass and clusters of Celeblote* all around.
*Celeblote - Silver blossom All right, I totally made this up, but I thought it would make sense for Elrond to name something after his wife (Celebrian) who went across the sea (More info? See prologue)!
Okay, big thanks to people who have reviewed - AND THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN TWO OF YOU!!!!! Alaskantiger and K-chan - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing, but I would like MORE THAN ONE REVIEW PER CHAPTER!!!!
PLEASE REVIEW!!!
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Chapter Three (29 Years Later)
Walking towards her father's study, thoughts flooded Melian's mind. She had received a letter from her sister Arwen, who was in Lothlorien, that morning. The letter had lain forgotten on her bedside table, until just an hour after she had gone to the library. The letter was clear, and Melian had to stop herself from crying with joy and sadness when she read its contents:
My Dearest Sister;
I have wonderful news; although, those I love may find it, well, upsetting, as it concerns my future. I'm betrothed. Estel and I plighted our troth on Midsummer's Eve, which was last night. I fear what Father will say, for he has always been against the idea of any of his children becoming mortal. I love Father, and I do not wish to displease him, but this is a choice that I chose many years ago, that I promised myself I would make if I could. I know you, Melian, will be able to understand. I hope to have your blessing, and I will tell all to Father when I return.
Love, Arwen Undomiel
These words kept going through Melian's mind, until she arrived at the doors of her father's study. She began to raise her hand to knock upon the door, but she couldn't! To tell her father, when Arwen said that she herself would tell him, was something she couldn't do. Turning, she went to the gardens, where she could clear her mind and watch the stars.
Above her, the stars were bright, and the moon was full. Walking just a short ways into the gardens, she came to a bench; her bench. It sat under the branches of a large oak tree, with a perfect view of all of Imladris. The bench was the perfect place to sit and think.
She wondered what it would be like to be loved by a man (a/n: or elf :); she had never experienced true love. Also, she wondered how her father would react to Arwen's betrothal. But the thing she pondered the most of all, was how she was to not mention any of this to her father. She had always told him everything, but now she had to keep this a secret. This was impossible.
Master Elrond gazed out his window, which happened to look out across the gardens, and saw his daughter. She was staring at the night sky with a questioning look upon her face. He was tired, and he hadn't spoken to his daughter for a few days, so he decided to join her.
Melian was still pondering things when Elrond stepped outside. She was so consumed by her thoughts; she didn't even notice his presence until he sat down by her side. "You haven't come out here for some time, Melian," Elrond stated quietly.
"I haven't had need to clear my mind. I have so many questions, with no one to answer them."
"What is troubling you?"
"Arwen. She is." Melian realized what she had said and stopped.
"She is what?"
"I cannot! I do not know all the facts, and she can tell you when she returns tomorrow!"
"Melian, calm yourself. You are her sister, and I'm sure she tells you things that she would never tell me, but I would like to know what goes on in her life. Please."
"She said she would tell you when she returns!"
"Melian, please. You said you had questions; you will not have so many if you tell me, I believe."
Melian paused, then let out a long sigh of defeat. Taking the letter from her side, she handed it to her father. "I received this letter from her this morning."
Master Elrond read the contents of the letter and was silent. He sat still for some time, for the news was hard to bear. Finally, he handed the parchment back to Melian and spoke. "Is this all you know?"
"Yes. I wish I knew more, but this letter is all."
He was quiet until he replied, "I have long foreseen this, and I have known there was no way to prevent it, and yet it is none the easier to withstand. Three of my children have now chosen the fate of mortality."
"But Elrohir and Elladan."
"Have decided to stay with the Dunedain."
Melian paused then said, "I shall go with you to Eldamar, Ada (Father)."
"I truly hope so Melian. I truly hope so." Lord Elrond was unsure of his daughter's future, but he promised he would do everything possible (and rational) in his power to make sure she did go with him to the Undying Lands.
Melian suddenly realized how tired she was; she stood, and wished her father a good night's rest. Perhaps some of her questions had been answered, but now she had all new ones, and she wished to let them fly away with her other thoughts while she slept away the night.
At dawn the next day, Melian awoke to the sound of horses outside her window. Quickly, she grabbed her robe, and walked outside on to her small balcony. She saw a way worn rider sitting tall upon his horse, which stood in front of eight others. Immediately recognizing him, she left her room, running down the steps to greet him.
When she arrived, finally, he had already dismounted, and they embraced as good friends. Melian was the first to speak. "You have journeyed for far too long Estel! I almost did not recognize you!"
"I have had a long journey with few places to rest, Melian."
"And yet, you stopped only two weeks ago in Lorien. Do not wonder, for my sister told me that you were there. I am happy you could see each other again," Melian said, and Aragorn could guess what she was hinting at.
"She wrote to you? So you know of us! Have you told anyone?"
Melian looked down at the ground as she remembered speaking to her father the night before. "Not knowing all the facts of the event, I did not feel it was my place to tell anyone," and at this Aragorn let out a sigh of relief. Melian heard it, and looked up at him slowly, as she continued. "But, I showed the letter to.my father."
Aragorn straightened, and looked down into her eyes, his own showing apprehension. He then proceeded to turn away and take his horse to the stables, when a voice came from just behind Melian. "Aragorn! Come with me; I need to speak with you alone!"
Melian and Aragorn spun around to see Master Elrond with a slight look of anxiety upon his face. He turned back towards the house, and Aragorn followed, looking resolute. Also following was Melian, who was, for the moment, forgotten.
Elrond stopped at his study, and let Aragorn through the door. But when Melian tried to go in, her father held his arm in her way, so she could not enter. Shutting the door behind him, he left his daughter, alone, sad, and confused.
Melian felt horrible. She had done what was right, hadn't she? Then, why did it feel so wrong? She may have lost the trust of a dear friend, and perhaps even her sister! She could only hope this would all work out in the end.
Suddenly, the door of the study opened and Aragorn walked out. The look upon his face was one of grief. "Estel?"
He didn't even look at her, as he walked off towards the gardens. For the second time that day, Melian followed him. "Estel, what happened?"
Aragorn stopped and turned to face her. When he spoke, his voice was just above a whisper. "If I tell you, will you /not/ make the same mistake /twice/? Will you /not/ tell Arwen? I.I must become king of - both Gondor and Arnor, before I can wed with the Evenstar.. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with some of the Dunedain that accompanied me." With that, he left.
Melian felt both pain and anger. Aragorn's comments had stung, and she felt tears well in her eyes. She ran from the hall, head in hands, to the gardens, where she collapsed by the stream in the long grass and clusters of Celeblote* all around.
*Celeblote - Silver blossom All right, I totally made this up, but I thought it would make sense for Elrond to name something after his wife (Celebrian) who went across the sea (More info? See prologue)!
Okay, big thanks to people who have reviewed - AND THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN TWO OF YOU!!!!! Alaskantiger and K-chan - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing, but I would like MORE THAN ONE REVIEW PER CHAPTER!!!!
PLEASE REVIEW!!!
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