Chapter Three
It so happened that Halbarad Dunadan was one of the men who had accompanied Aragorn, but he had no need to join the meeting that Aragorn was holding. That day, he had been sitting along the banks of the stream that ran through Rivendell, reading a book of lore. He was about to go back to the library, when he saw a woman running, and weeping. Watching her every move, he saw her collapse, crying, and ran to her side.
"Lady? Lady, are you all right?"
Melian, startled that someone was near, looked up, only to become more surprised. He was a tall man, with long brown hair and a fair yet way worn face, that stood before her. His eyes held the pain of seeing fellow men, perhaps friends, suffer and die in battle, and yet held much wisdom as well, perhaps from this pain that not many have suffered. She might have mistaken him for an elf, had his rough features not betrayed him to be a mortal. "Who are you?"
"Halbarad Dunadan. Here.let me help you."
He extended his hand, which she took cautiously. Helping her up, he kissed the hand she had given him. "May I ask your name, fair lady?"
"My name is Melian, but I am also called Nilromen."
"You are the second daughter of Master Elrond. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Although, this, I believe, is off the subject. You are, or were, upset; might I ask why?"
She looked at him curiously and yet cautiously for a moment the then said, "I - I may have lost the trust of a close friend, and perhaps even my sister."
"Truly? And who is this close friend, Lady Nilromen?"
"I know that you know him. The friend is Aragorn."
"Aragorn? In no way in saying do I mean to sound rude, Lady, but what have you done, for it is not easy to lose his trust."
Once again she hesitated, thinking of the trouble saying something had gotten her in before. "He and my sister, Arwen, are engaged. My sister was to tell my father when she returned today. However, she wrote to me, telling of the event and their plans. I - I showed the letter to my father, and now Aragorn is not allowed to wed Arwen until he is King of Gondor and Arnor."
"I think I understand. To keep this a secret, you would have to have lie, which some as - perhaps, perfect as you could not or would not wish to do. Am I correct?"
Melian felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Did you just - I - I am anything but perfect, my Lord."
"To some you may seem to be."
Melian looked into his eyes. She could not discern what she saw. Suddenly, they heard two voices; both were calling for Melian.
Melian let go of Halbarad's hand, as though it were on fire, that she had just realized she had been holding the whole time. "I am by the stream!"
From the gardens emerged Master Elrond, looking quite relieved. He was somewhat surprised to see Halbarad standing next to his daughter but he thought nothing of it, at the time. From across the stream came Aragorn.
Melian looked from her father to Aragorn. Surprised, she silently watched Estel wade across the stream. Bowing her head slightly, she took leave of Halbarad and started walking towards her father. Behind her, Aragorn called her name.
"Yes, Aragorn?"
He paused for a moment; she had never called him anything but Estel. He had not realized that he had hurt her, or caused her anger enough, that she would act like this towards him. "Why do you not call me Estel? Have I done something to offend you, Melian?"
Melian looked at him in disbelief. How could he not know? "Your comments to me, not long ago, still run through my heart and mind. I told my father of the letter, because he is her father as well. By sending me that letter, I was involved in the matter. I would not tell Father something that did not concern me."
Aragorn smiled. "Melian. I know you well, and in the heat of anger, words can be - misleading. Although I was a bit harsh, you have now made me sound quite crude, and arrogant!" He laughed a bit as he continued, "I would hope I am not so. But, if I am, I would wish to say that arrogance is not a trait of man, for it affects all; even Elves. You, however, seem almost ignorant at times; forgive me for saying such, for it is with light heart that I do so."
"How.why would you say.oh." Melian dropped her head. "Perhaps I am a bit ignorant at times. Forgive me."
"No. Forgive me Melian Nilromen. I spoke harshly before I stopped to think. Please accept my apology."
"Of course, my friend." She smiled, then she bowed her head, and headed towards the house. It had been a strange day, full of many awkward events. She wished to go to the library.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of several horses, and a few loud shouts. Arwen had returned. Melian turned, and, running, took the shortcut through the gardens. There was already a large crowd surrounding Arwen and her brothers. She would never find a way through! To her left, she saw a large tree. With all the stealth and strength of a ranger, she climbed onto a branch overlooking the crowd.
Then, she stood up and with ease, balanced herself without support. Suddenly, she leapt off the branch, and skillfully landed directly in front of Arwen, Elrohir, Elladan, and - her father.
Arwen immediately came forward and embraced Melian. She had to wonder if Aragorn had told Arwen of her father's decision concerning the engagement. Stepping back, Arwen looked at her for a moment, than pulled a leaf out of her braid. "It is good to be back home with my sister."
"I am quite glad myself."
Elrond spoke with a stern look upon his face, but Melian could hear the laughter in his voice. "Melian! What were you doing? Go and change for dinner. And please, don't pull a stunt like that again!"
Smiling, she simply replied, "Yes Father."
With that, she walked back inside. When she passed Aragorn on the way to her chamber, she swiftly said, "She is waiting for you Estel." She then laughed at the look on his face.
When she got to her room, she opened her wardrobe and chose a light purple dress with golden lining. It was one of her favorites, although it wasn't hers to begin with. It had passed from Celebrian, her mother, to Arwen, and then to her. Unbraiding her hair, she brushed it out, then braided two small braids in the front, and pulled them back, leaving the rest of her hair down.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door. "Come in," Melian called.
Elrond entered with a small box in his hands. "I have something to give you. In this box, is something your mother wanted you to have, when I deemed the time was right. I was going to wait, but you have turned into the lady I have never expected you would. Of course, that was questionable just a little while ago," he smiled.
Coming forward, he handed the box to her. On the lid, were the letters C and MN. The latter had been engraved quite recently. Slowly, Melian opened it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Little bit of a cliffy for you :) Sorry it took so long to update, but I hope you haven't all left me, you wonderful readers, you. Anyway, HUGS to all my reviewers, all THREE OF YOU :( Please Give ma few more folks) and my beta readers Yami Yugi and Melian. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewers - you are beautiful :)
Alkara_ringlord
Don't worry - Melian isn't going to fall in love with Legolas - I think it's a little more obvious now who she's going to love! Although - I suppose I could always change just at the last minute! :) No, I won't do that I don't think :)
Alaskantiger
Thank you - sry I didn't hurry, but here it is
K-chan
Thank you.
It so happened that Halbarad Dunadan was one of the men who had accompanied Aragorn, but he had no need to join the meeting that Aragorn was holding. That day, he had been sitting along the banks of the stream that ran through Rivendell, reading a book of lore. He was about to go back to the library, when he saw a woman running, and weeping. Watching her every move, he saw her collapse, crying, and ran to her side.
"Lady? Lady, are you all right?"
Melian, startled that someone was near, looked up, only to become more surprised. He was a tall man, with long brown hair and a fair yet way worn face, that stood before her. His eyes held the pain of seeing fellow men, perhaps friends, suffer and die in battle, and yet held much wisdom as well, perhaps from this pain that not many have suffered. She might have mistaken him for an elf, had his rough features not betrayed him to be a mortal. "Who are you?"
"Halbarad Dunadan. Here.let me help you."
He extended his hand, which she took cautiously. Helping her up, he kissed the hand she had given him. "May I ask your name, fair lady?"
"My name is Melian, but I am also called Nilromen."
"You are the second daughter of Master Elrond. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Although, this, I believe, is off the subject. You are, or were, upset; might I ask why?"
She looked at him curiously and yet cautiously for a moment the then said, "I - I may have lost the trust of a close friend, and perhaps even my sister."
"Truly? And who is this close friend, Lady Nilromen?"
"I know that you know him. The friend is Aragorn."
"Aragorn? In no way in saying do I mean to sound rude, Lady, but what have you done, for it is not easy to lose his trust."
Once again she hesitated, thinking of the trouble saying something had gotten her in before. "He and my sister, Arwen, are engaged. My sister was to tell my father when she returned today. However, she wrote to me, telling of the event and their plans. I - I showed the letter to my father, and now Aragorn is not allowed to wed Arwen until he is King of Gondor and Arnor."
"I think I understand. To keep this a secret, you would have to have lie, which some as - perhaps, perfect as you could not or would not wish to do. Am I correct?"
Melian felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Did you just - I - I am anything but perfect, my Lord."
"To some you may seem to be."
Melian looked into his eyes. She could not discern what she saw. Suddenly, they heard two voices; both were calling for Melian.
Melian let go of Halbarad's hand, as though it were on fire, that she had just realized she had been holding the whole time. "I am by the stream!"
From the gardens emerged Master Elrond, looking quite relieved. He was somewhat surprised to see Halbarad standing next to his daughter but he thought nothing of it, at the time. From across the stream came Aragorn.
Melian looked from her father to Aragorn. Surprised, she silently watched Estel wade across the stream. Bowing her head slightly, she took leave of Halbarad and started walking towards her father. Behind her, Aragorn called her name.
"Yes, Aragorn?"
He paused for a moment; she had never called him anything but Estel. He had not realized that he had hurt her, or caused her anger enough, that she would act like this towards him. "Why do you not call me Estel? Have I done something to offend you, Melian?"
Melian looked at him in disbelief. How could he not know? "Your comments to me, not long ago, still run through my heart and mind. I told my father of the letter, because he is her father as well. By sending me that letter, I was involved in the matter. I would not tell Father something that did not concern me."
Aragorn smiled. "Melian. I know you well, and in the heat of anger, words can be - misleading. Although I was a bit harsh, you have now made me sound quite crude, and arrogant!" He laughed a bit as he continued, "I would hope I am not so. But, if I am, I would wish to say that arrogance is not a trait of man, for it affects all; even Elves. You, however, seem almost ignorant at times; forgive me for saying such, for it is with light heart that I do so."
"How.why would you say.oh." Melian dropped her head. "Perhaps I am a bit ignorant at times. Forgive me."
"No. Forgive me Melian Nilromen. I spoke harshly before I stopped to think. Please accept my apology."
"Of course, my friend." She smiled, then she bowed her head, and headed towards the house. It had been a strange day, full of many awkward events. She wished to go to the library.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of several horses, and a few loud shouts. Arwen had returned. Melian turned, and, running, took the shortcut through the gardens. There was already a large crowd surrounding Arwen and her brothers. She would never find a way through! To her left, she saw a large tree. With all the stealth and strength of a ranger, she climbed onto a branch overlooking the crowd.
Then, she stood up and with ease, balanced herself without support. Suddenly, she leapt off the branch, and skillfully landed directly in front of Arwen, Elrohir, Elladan, and - her father.
Arwen immediately came forward and embraced Melian. She had to wonder if Aragorn had told Arwen of her father's decision concerning the engagement. Stepping back, Arwen looked at her for a moment, than pulled a leaf out of her braid. "It is good to be back home with my sister."
"I am quite glad myself."
Elrond spoke with a stern look upon his face, but Melian could hear the laughter in his voice. "Melian! What were you doing? Go and change for dinner. And please, don't pull a stunt like that again!"
Smiling, she simply replied, "Yes Father."
With that, she walked back inside. When she passed Aragorn on the way to her chamber, she swiftly said, "She is waiting for you Estel." She then laughed at the look on his face.
When she got to her room, she opened her wardrobe and chose a light purple dress with golden lining. It was one of her favorites, although it wasn't hers to begin with. It had passed from Celebrian, her mother, to Arwen, and then to her. Unbraiding her hair, she brushed it out, then braided two small braids in the front, and pulled them back, leaving the rest of her hair down.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door. "Come in," Melian called.
Elrond entered with a small box in his hands. "I have something to give you. In this box, is something your mother wanted you to have, when I deemed the time was right. I was going to wait, but you have turned into the lady I have never expected you would. Of course, that was questionable just a little while ago," he smiled.
Coming forward, he handed the box to her. On the lid, were the letters C and MN. The latter had been engraved quite recently. Slowly, Melian opened it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Little bit of a cliffy for you :) Sorry it took so long to update, but I hope you haven't all left me, you wonderful readers, you. Anyway, HUGS to all my reviewers, all THREE OF YOU :( Please Give ma few more folks) and my beta readers Yami Yugi and Melian. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewers - you are beautiful :)
Alkara_ringlord
Don't worry - Melian isn't going to fall in love with Legolas - I think it's a little more obvious now who she's going to love! Although - I suppose I could always change just at the last minute! :) No, I won't do that I don't think :)
Alaskantiger
Thank you - sry I didn't hurry, but here it is
K-chan
Thank you.