1 A/N: you know the drill. R+R PLEASE!!
2
3 CHAPTER 5
So the Princess of Gondor and future Lady of Rivendell became a titled priestess. Legolas was sent back to the court of King Thranduil with a replying message about a rapid increase in the number of Orcs bold enough to attack civilizations of Men and Elves. Nefhuine never knew whom it was she saved. She was too proud to admit that to Arwen and Aragorn that she did not know the identity of whom she had risked her life and they did not offer the information as they thought she knew.
Nefhuine was now given her first task as a priestess by Viviane. She is to stay for three weeks alone in the treacherous forest realm of Mirkwood. She cannot accept help from any man, elf, dwarf or hobbit. She is on her own, pitted against nature with nothing but bow and arrow, two mithril Elvish knives and however many lembas she can carry. She is also allowed to bring a single change of clothes, but nothing more.
Whilst Nefhuine was packing Arwen came to visit her in her chambers.
**Why must you go, my daughter?**
Inwardly cringing at the my daughter Nefhuine made no noticeable sign that she had heard Arwen until she replied rather stiffly **Because Viviane requests it and I have sworn to do her bidding when it is so important.**
**But it is important to your people that you stay alive,** cried Arwen.
**I do not plan on dying,** replied Nefhuine nonchalantly.
Arwen sighed, frustrated. **Is there any way to get through to you,** she asked without much hope.
Nefhuine paused and stared at Arwen in amazement, slightly taken aback. She had not expected Arwen's strait-forwardness. **I'm not sure,** she answered honestly. With that she stood and left the room. Arwen sat stunned for a moment before she too got up and left.
Nefhuine walked in the blooming gardens for a while before choosing a bench and sitting down. Up above the stars and moon shone bright white against the deep black of the sky, bathing the garden in a soft, pale light. Nefhuine sat for a long time, examining her confused thoughts. Why did she so try to avoid having a relationship with Arwen and Aragorn? What made her so hesitant? Trust, she decided. She can't trust them. She felt alone and abandoned by the people who were supposed to care for her the most. They had left her with mean, abusive foster parents who had taken advantage of her in the worst way possible. They hadn't stopped the abuse. Maybe they didn't know about it, but they should have taken more time in finding foster parents for her. If they had truly loved her they would have. Could she ever trust people who claimed to love her? No, she concluded, probably not. But why? Everyone can't be undependable, could they?
When the sun poked its head over the mountains that surrounded Rivendell Valley, Nefhuine still hadn't moved. It was only the call of a Lark that startled her out of her meditative state. She quickly left the garden and went to her room. She grabbed the things she had packed, slung her bow and quiver over her back and left for Mirkwood without looking back. She needed time to think and time to be away from Arwen and Aragorn. Mirkwood provided a solution to her problems and she would be following the orders of Viviane at the same time.
2
3 CHAPTER 5
So the Princess of Gondor and future Lady of Rivendell became a titled priestess. Legolas was sent back to the court of King Thranduil with a replying message about a rapid increase in the number of Orcs bold enough to attack civilizations of Men and Elves. Nefhuine never knew whom it was she saved. She was too proud to admit that to Arwen and Aragorn that she did not know the identity of whom she had risked her life and they did not offer the information as they thought she knew.
Nefhuine was now given her first task as a priestess by Viviane. She is to stay for three weeks alone in the treacherous forest realm of Mirkwood. She cannot accept help from any man, elf, dwarf or hobbit. She is on her own, pitted against nature with nothing but bow and arrow, two mithril Elvish knives and however many lembas she can carry. She is also allowed to bring a single change of clothes, but nothing more.
Whilst Nefhuine was packing Arwen came to visit her in her chambers.
**Why must you go, my daughter?**
Inwardly cringing at the my daughter Nefhuine made no noticeable sign that she had heard Arwen until she replied rather stiffly **Because Viviane requests it and I have sworn to do her bidding when it is so important.**
**But it is important to your people that you stay alive,** cried Arwen.
**I do not plan on dying,** replied Nefhuine nonchalantly.
Arwen sighed, frustrated. **Is there any way to get through to you,** she asked without much hope.
Nefhuine paused and stared at Arwen in amazement, slightly taken aback. She had not expected Arwen's strait-forwardness. **I'm not sure,** she answered honestly. With that she stood and left the room. Arwen sat stunned for a moment before she too got up and left.
Nefhuine walked in the blooming gardens for a while before choosing a bench and sitting down. Up above the stars and moon shone bright white against the deep black of the sky, bathing the garden in a soft, pale light. Nefhuine sat for a long time, examining her confused thoughts. Why did she so try to avoid having a relationship with Arwen and Aragorn? What made her so hesitant? Trust, she decided. She can't trust them. She felt alone and abandoned by the people who were supposed to care for her the most. They had left her with mean, abusive foster parents who had taken advantage of her in the worst way possible. They hadn't stopped the abuse. Maybe they didn't know about it, but they should have taken more time in finding foster parents for her. If they had truly loved her they would have. Could she ever trust people who claimed to love her? No, she concluded, probably not. But why? Everyone can't be undependable, could they?
When the sun poked its head over the mountains that surrounded Rivendell Valley, Nefhuine still hadn't moved. It was only the call of a Lark that startled her out of her meditative state. She quickly left the garden and went to her room. She grabbed the things she had packed, slung her bow and quiver over her back and left for Mirkwood without looking back. She needed time to think and time to be away from Arwen and Aragorn. Mirkwood provided a solution to her problems and she would be following the orders of Viviane at the same time.