RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
7.
Calen, Legolas, and the others considered the scene before them with puzzled expressions on their faces. Twelve horses, nine guards, one prince, two Ladies, and two very large trunks.
As the males stood around discussing this problem, Isabella was utterly embarrassed. How many times had she taken off on adventures with nothing but her bow and quiver of arrows, her sword, a bedroll, and the clothes on her back?
"What is in that thing?" she asked her father quietly. "I need nothing but what I have here for the journey." She gestured to the small bag and quiver at her feet.
"I have no doubt about that, but you will be glad to have it once you arrive at the king's palace. It contains your mother's belongings and clothing appropriate for Court.
"Perhaps a cart?" suggested one of the guards, and Calen shook his head.
"A cart would require that we stay on the road. It would take too long."
"And be too dangerous," added the prince. "King Thranduil warned us to stay away from the road."
In the end, an extra horse was brought out and the trunks unpacked into soft leather packs to go on its back. Not everything would fit, so a pile of clothing and other odds and ends were left lying at the door of the cottage. Mostly comfortable clothes, noted Isabella with a disgruntled sigh.
"What troubles you, My Lady?" asked Calen gently.
Isabella looked up at him. Those were the first words that he had spoken to her since she had accepted the prince's proposal and she longed to reach out to touch him – his hand, his face, his shoulder – anything! She kept her arms firmly at her sides, however, and made a valiant effort to smile at him light-heartedly. "I think, My Lord, that I would rather leave the gowns behind and take that which is laying here at my feet." But, her smile came out more like a grimace and she turned away from him abruptly.
Calen chanced a light touch on her elbow, whispering, "You look lovely, Isabella."
She jerked away, her heart breaking at the hurt look in his eyes. "Please," she begged almost inaudibly, "Please do not touch me or I shan't be able to bear it."
"But Isabella-"
"Please!"
He bowed and backed away, a stiff formality descending upon him. "I am sorry, My Lady."
A moment later, she was saying farewell to her father who promised to join her at Court as soon as he was able. She looked up at him with eyes full of unshed tears, unable to say anything at all and he pulled her close. "Though I know that your heart rebels, you are doing the right thing. Rest assured that great joy will come of your loyalty to Mirkwood's Royal House," he whispered gently in her ear, stroking her hair as he did so.
"Lord Narulas, have you a message for us to take to the king?" asked Calen.
"Yes!" said her father, "Indeed!" He thought for a moment, stroking his chin. "Tell the king that I send my greatest treasure to him, and that he'd best take care of her! Or else!"
The guards chuckled as Calen bowed. "I will deliver the message personally," he said.
Narulas turned his attention to his daughter once more. "Now, Isabella, take this and keep it with you at all times while you travel. For the wilds of Mirkwood hide many dangers." He handed her a sword, its curved blade glinting in the early morning light.
"Narulas!" said his sister, "It is not appropriate for a Lady to carry such a weapon!"
"Perhaps not," he replied, "but it is necessary." He kissed his daughter one last time, whispering, "There is another stowed in your luggage for Hwestawen. Teach her well."
Isabella nodded. "May the stars watch between us while we are apart," she said. "I shall miss you, Father."
"And I you, Isabella."
***
They rode swiftly to the edge of the Wood before lunchtime, the breath of their horses sending clouds of mist into the chilly air. Isabella's cheeks tingled with the cold, her gloved fingers numbing a bit as she gripped the reins.
"Alright?" she asked Hwestawen when they paused for their midday meal. Her cousin eyed the edge of the Wood with suspicion and fear.
"Yes," she answered, dismounting. "I've just never been so near the forest."
Isabella dismounted as well, approaching the horse that carried their luggage. He stood off a ways to the side and Calen was tending him gently.
The Elf's eyes met hers briefly before falling away. "My Lady?"
"Calen," she spoke softly so that the others could not hear, "I am sorry for this morning. My will is weak and each time you look at me I fear… I fear…"
"What do you fear?" he asked.
She sighed, "That my resolve will fail and I will turn around and run home to my father."
"You mustn't," he whispered. "If you did my heart would ache worse than it already does."
"As, I fear, would mine," she replied, finding the sword that her father had stashed away for Hwestawen. "For at least this way I can still see you."
He drew a little nearer to her, speaking in hushed tones. "Isabella, I must tell you something," he said. "And you must not speak of it to your cousin. The prince does not want even you to know… at least not yet."
Her eyes filled with concern. "What is it, Calen?"
"The reason that we ride with such great haste to the palace, through the Wood and not on the road…"
"I had wondered," she said when he paused, "and I have had the feeling that we are in some kind of danger since we set out this morning. I could tell by the way my father looked at me when he handed the sword to me."
Calen nodded. "Your instincts are good. There has been a threat on Prince Legolas' life. That first night when we sought shelter in your father's barn, the would-be assassins were pursuing us through the rain. When you came upon us, we were afraid that you were the enemy. That is why you were greeted with two arrows pointed at your heart. Fortunately, our pursuers had lost our trail and we were safe as long as we stayed with you and your father. Who would think to look for the prince at the small cottage of Narulas? We knew from the start that we would not continue to the governor's house, for that is where the enemy would likely try to find us."
"Yet you stayed on with us for a fortnight."
"Yes. We stayed longer than we should have."
"Why?"
Calen sighed. "Because the Prince of Mirkwood was intrigued by you the moment he first saw you."
She looked suddenly to see all of their companions casting curious glances in their direction. "Excuse me, My Lord." With that she turned, her voluminous cloak swirling around her as she did. Approaching her cousin, she presented the blade to her. "Here, Hwesta," said Isabella. "A gift from my father. Do you remember what I taught you?"
A gleam showed in the Lady's eyes. "I have practiced in secret as often as I could." She wrapped the belt around her waist and sheathed the sword at her side. "Mother caught me once and threatened that I should never be left alone with you again."
Isabella laughed and drew her own blade. "On guard!"
With a giggle, Hwestawen complied and the two fought back and forth for a few moments before the prince bade them stop, looking about as if he heard something.
When they caught their breath, the Ladies could hear it too. Hoof beats – five or six horses, it seemed, riding hard in their direction.
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
7.
Calen, Legolas, and the others considered the scene before them with puzzled expressions on their faces. Twelve horses, nine guards, one prince, two Ladies, and two very large trunks.
As the males stood around discussing this problem, Isabella was utterly embarrassed. How many times had she taken off on adventures with nothing but her bow and quiver of arrows, her sword, a bedroll, and the clothes on her back?
"What is in that thing?" she asked her father quietly. "I need nothing but what I have here for the journey." She gestured to the small bag and quiver at her feet.
"I have no doubt about that, but you will be glad to have it once you arrive at the king's palace. It contains your mother's belongings and clothing appropriate for Court.
"Perhaps a cart?" suggested one of the guards, and Calen shook his head.
"A cart would require that we stay on the road. It would take too long."
"And be too dangerous," added the prince. "King Thranduil warned us to stay away from the road."
In the end, an extra horse was brought out and the trunks unpacked into soft leather packs to go on its back. Not everything would fit, so a pile of clothing and other odds and ends were left lying at the door of the cottage. Mostly comfortable clothes, noted Isabella with a disgruntled sigh.
"What troubles you, My Lady?" asked Calen gently.
Isabella looked up at him. Those were the first words that he had spoken to her since she had accepted the prince's proposal and she longed to reach out to touch him – his hand, his face, his shoulder – anything! She kept her arms firmly at her sides, however, and made a valiant effort to smile at him light-heartedly. "I think, My Lord, that I would rather leave the gowns behind and take that which is laying here at my feet." But, her smile came out more like a grimace and she turned away from him abruptly.
Calen chanced a light touch on her elbow, whispering, "You look lovely, Isabella."
She jerked away, her heart breaking at the hurt look in his eyes. "Please," she begged almost inaudibly, "Please do not touch me or I shan't be able to bear it."
"But Isabella-"
"Please!"
He bowed and backed away, a stiff formality descending upon him. "I am sorry, My Lady."
A moment later, she was saying farewell to her father who promised to join her at Court as soon as he was able. She looked up at him with eyes full of unshed tears, unable to say anything at all and he pulled her close. "Though I know that your heart rebels, you are doing the right thing. Rest assured that great joy will come of your loyalty to Mirkwood's Royal House," he whispered gently in her ear, stroking her hair as he did so.
"Lord Narulas, have you a message for us to take to the king?" asked Calen.
"Yes!" said her father, "Indeed!" He thought for a moment, stroking his chin. "Tell the king that I send my greatest treasure to him, and that he'd best take care of her! Or else!"
The guards chuckled as Calen bowed. "I will deliver the message personally," he said.
Narulas turned his attention to his daughter once more. "Now, Isabella, take this and keep it with you at all times while you travel. For the wilds of Mirkwood hide many dangers." He handed her a sword, its curved blade glinting in the early morning light.
"Narulas!" said his sister, "It is not appropriate for a Lady to carry such a weapon!"
"Perhaps not," he replied, "but it is necessary." He kissed his daughter one last time, whispering, "There is another stowed in your luggage for Hwestawen. Teach her well."
Isabella nodded. "May the stars watch between us while we are apart," she said. "I shall miss you, Father."
"And I you, Isabella."
***
They rode swiftly to the edge of the Wood before lunchtime, the breath of their horses sending clouds of mist into the chilly air. Isabella's cheeks tingled with the cold, her gloved fingers numbing a bit as she gripped the reins.
"Alright?" she asked Hwestawen when they paused for their midday meal. Her cousin eyed the edge of the Wood with suspicion and fear.
"Yes," she answered, dismounting. "I've just never been so near the forest."
Isabella dismounted as well, approaching the horse that carried their luggage. He stood off a ways to the side and Calen was tending him gently.
The Elf's eyes met hers briefly before falling away. "My Lady?"
"Calen," she spoke softly so that the others could not hear, "I am sorry for this morning. My will is weak and each time you look at me I fear… I fear…"
"What do you fear?" he asked.
She sighed, "That my resolve will fail and I will turn around and run home to my father."
"You mustn't," he whispered. "If you did my heart would ache worse than it already does."
"As, I fear, would mine," she replied, finding the sword that her father had stashed away for Hwestawen. "For at least this way I can still see you."
He drew a little nearer to her, speaking in hushed tones. "Isabella, I must tell you something," he said. "And you must not speak of it to your cousin. The prince does not want even you to know… at least not yet."
Her eyes filled with concern. "What is it, Calen?"
"The reason that we ride with such great haste to the palace, through the Wood and not on the road…"
"I had wondered," she said when he paused, "and I have had the feeling that we are in some kind of danger since we set out this morning. I could tell by the way my father looked at me when he handed the sword to me."
Calen nodded. "Your instincts are good. There has been a threat on Prince Legolas' life. That first night when we sought shelter in your father's barn, the would-be assassins were pursuing us through the rain. When you came upon us, we were afraid that you were the enemy. That is why you were greeted with two arrows pointed at your heart. Fortunately, our pursuers had lost our trail and we were safe as long as we stayed with you and your father. Who would think to look for the prince at the small cottage of Narulas? We knew from the start that we would not continue to the governor's house, for that is where the enemy would likely try to find us."
"Yet you stayed on with us for a fortnight."
"Yes. We stayed longer than we should have."
"Why?"
Calen sighed. "Because the Prince of Mirkwood was intrigued by you the moment he first saw you."
She looked suddenly to see all of their companions casting curious glances in their direction. "Excuse me, My Lord." With that she turned, her voluminous cloak swirling around her as she did. Approaching her cousin, she presented the blade to her. "Here, Hwesta," said Isabella. "A gift from my father. Do you remember what I taught you?"
A gleam showed in the Lady's eyes. "I have practiced in secret as often as I could." She wrapped the belt around her waist and sheathed the sword at her side. "Mother caught me once and threatened that I should never be left alone with you again."
Isabella laughed and drew her own blade. "On guard!"
With a giggle, Hwestawen complied and the two fought back and forth for a few moments before the prince bade them stop, looking about as if he heard something.
When they caught their breath, the Ladies could hear it too. Hoof beats – five or six horses, it seemed, riding hard in their direction.