Scarletbow

By: The 80lb Carrot

Disclaimer: They aren't mine. I couldn't have written them as well. Areyin, however, is my own creation.

Summary: Arwen had a little sister--a rogue and a rebel destined never to rule.

Rating: PG-13

AN: Yes I read the books. In fact I read them in fourth or fifth grade. I am now in high school. But I saw the movie . . . three times in the past three weeks. Which one do you think I am more familiar with? Good guess. So sorry if this relies more on the movie than the book. Starts as the Fellowship is being formed. Skips the messy bits. Starts up again when Legolas gets home. Got it?

AN2: Areyin-- Air-yin

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Areyin was her name at birth. Scarletbow she had given herself after her father, the great Lord Elrond himself, had practically disowned her, knowing she would never be able to follow in his footsteps. Legend had passed down from generation to generation, never left and never forgotten. Only those blessed with hair the color of the woods could ever rule by the laws of Rivendell. Ever. Areyin had Arwen's clear, pale complexion and thin, fragile build but she did not have her sister's long head of brown hair. Areyin's shimmered like gold instead and thereby made her unfit to rule--and, in her father's eyes, unfit to be related to.

But Legolas, Legolas felt much differently. He had met her only fifty years before in an archery contest hosted by Lord Elrond himself, the only time the ruler would acknowledge his youngest child. The girl was as talented with a bow and arrow as any elf or even god and there were none that could deny that simple fact. However, at the time she was merely a few centuries old and had not the experience Legolas had--he beat her by a small margin. Areyin lost gracefully, he had to admit. At the festival later that same evening she introduced herself to him, offered a toast, and promptly drank him under the table. From then on they were practically inseparable whenever he was in Rivendell. Gradually over the next four decades their relationship had evolved so far that being friends was only a facade and in fact they were the best-kept secret in all of elven country. And now he was leaving, possibly never to return. Areyin was not going to be happy with him. She had put up with it when he was sent to spread word of the coming of Sauron, had even helped him leave as he went to fetch the council, but trudging across unforgiving lands into Mordor would be the last straw, he knew it. So with a heavy step and heavier heart, he made his way to her room.

He never bothered to knock any more, if she wanted time alone it meant she wanted to talk to him and if she wasn't decent she would just yell at him to 'get out and shut the damn door.' So he just walked right in. Areyin sat at her window, or more correctly put, in her window, leaving her legs to dangle out over the side of the building. She didn't bother to worry about anyone below looking up her skirts for the simple reason that she never wore them, she dressed differently from any girl Legolas had ever seen. Her pants were simple enough, forest green with enough room to move but not so much fabric it would get caught. Her shirt was made from a thin, white material that flowed in two pieces over her shoulders and met not far beneath her collarbone then separated again to their own ways at her stomach only to finally stop a few inches below her waist. The long locks of gold that denied her her birth-right were tied back at the nape of her neck with a thin string of twine. Her arms were at her sides, supporting her at her window sill, but her head was bowed. "You're leaving with them, aren't you?"

And once again he was amazed at her ability to know what he was thinking. Even though the fates wouldn't let her rule, they wouldn't leave her out of everything. Areyin had been blessed at birth with a gift only seen once in a few millennia--the gift of mind-reading. At first she had had no control over it whatsoever and had embarrassed her father further when word leaked out that his youngest heard voices inside her head. But that same rumor reached to the ends of Rivendell where the only other one born with the same gift had lived. He had taught Areyin all the control she had needed and then some. He was the oldest living elf and so well-trained in his art it was said he could tell the future, but if he could he would tell no one and thus he remained one of the secrets of the elven world. "How did you know?"

"Elrond."

She never gave him a title of any sort when she spoke of him, not 'lord' not even 'father.' Just 'Elrond.' It was something he had come to accept as part of who she was. Areyin had decided even before he met her that if her father already hated her than making him madder couldn't hurt any and thus acted out of character in any way she could, embarrassing him at every chance she had. Father and daughter were almost enemies now, despite the peace Arwen was constantly trying to bring about between them. "You mind-dropped on him?"

With a shrug she turned around to face him, her wide eyes reflecting nothing from inside her. It was a trick he himself had taught her, to hide and mask her emotions from an uncaring world and he hated it every day that she used it on him. "He would know." There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before either of them spoke again. "So you're really leaving with the halflings." It was a statement, not a question.

Legolas could do nothing but nod. His eyes lowered he approached her, sitting on the windowsill beside her with his back to the outside. Balanced precariously on the edge he reached behind him and took his bow and quiver from his back, placing them beside hers against the wall. "I have to," he told her, still staring at the ground, "It was either me or Iniih, and he doesn't have the bow skill I do. The others were too cowardly to volunteer. It had to be me." His shoulders sank further in the silence as his eyes bored holes into the ground. A thin hand under his chin brought his face back up until it was level with hers, their gazes evenly matched, his the color of the sky and hers of the bleeding sunset for which she was named.

"Someone down there--someones down there--they aren't going to come back. I can feel it, I really can." Areyin slid closer to him on the windowsill, her eyes never leaving his. "Don't let it be you."

Nodding, Legolas agreed. "I'll try my hardest to come back."

Then suddenly, she grinned. "If you die, I'll come kill you myself."

He stood, then reached around and swept her up, one arm under her shoulders and the other at her knees. He pulled her inside the room and sat her in her favorite chair in the corner, kneeling before her on the ground. "I'll promise you that if you'll promise me something in return." She agreed and he continued. "When I return, we make this public. Running around and hiding in secret, we shouldn't have to do that. It only gives your father something to be angrier about. So when I get back I'll court you properly. Do you agree?"

Areyin laughed. "Of course I do, Legolas. Truthfully I've been thinking the same thing myself." She smiled broadly, her eyes lighting up. "So you'd better make sure you get back safe because I don't think I could---mmmphhh!" Her laughter bubbled up from under his mouth as he kissed her firmly, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She looped her hands behind his head and twirled his long hair around her fingers, returning the kiss with equal passion. Her relationship with Legolas was nothing like the one she knew Arwen had with that human heir Aragon. Her sister's was sweet and romantic, her's was so much more fun. Yes Legolas was somewhat of a romantic and he was sweet when he put his mind to it but up until this point they had never been serious. She had often wondered if he would ever court her like Aragon courted Arwen, wondered if her father would ever allow it or just treat it as a warrior and a prince courting a simple archer woman. Grinning broadly she pulled her head back. Her eyes locked with his, fire dancing in their crimson depths. "And don't even think about coming back without a story to entertain me with."

The look on his face she recognized quite easily if only because she was the sole person he allowed to see it. Mischief sparkled from his sky blue orbs and his flirtatious grin smiled down at her. "Am I myself not entertaining enough?" he asked, once again sweeping her up in his arms.

"I seem to think you are," Areyin replied devilishly, "But maybe you should prove it to me." His laughter was her answer and she silenced him with kiss, just as passionate if not more so than the first. "And besides," she added, eyes twinkling, "How mad can Elrond get? After all, I am romancing a prince and not some common fighter who just happens to be in his favor." He grinned and was about to speak when she cut him off, fire-like eyes wide. "Someone's looking for you."

Legolas was silent for a second, then his face fell. "Gods, I forgot. I was only supposed to spend a few minutes before we had to leave. I've been up here for much longer than that." He rushed around, slinging his bow and quiver back over his shoulder and straightening his tunic. "How do I look?"

Areyin sighed. "Ready to leave."

Stepping towards her, he leaned down and kissed her one last time. "I will be back, my love!"

"You had better be!" she shouted after him, watching him run down the hall until he was no longer visible.

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i wrote sap . . . again. i really don't usually write sap, its just not me but here it just had to happen. i still lack a beta reader, email me or review if you want the job!

please please please tell me Areyin isn't a mary sue!