A/N: thank you for all the gracious reviews!!! I appreciate them more than
you know! Ok well on with the story! Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Secrets Reveled
Silence surrounded them as they walked down the path in the bright sunshine. Flowers grew along side the path and made whispers on the wind, the only sound that could be heard.
Soon they came upon a green clearing full of daisies. Aerin, seeing this, squeaked and dropping Legolas's hand ran out into the field, gathering the flowers in her arms. Legolas watched her for a moment a small smile on his strong features, and then he looked up at the sky. As he watched the clouds he didn't notice that Aerin had disappeared until he looked back out into the field.
His keen eyes searched for a trace of green cloth, but found none. Panic washing over him, he took off towards the spot where he had last seen her.
Pushing through the daises he spotted her. She was lying down golden crown resting beside her and her hair flung out of its braid. It fanned around her like a wing on a raven and her green eyes stared mercilessly up at the sky.
"Melamin?" he asked looking at her with concern, trying to see if she was all right.
"Tell me Legolas." She said turning to look at him, her head rested on her hand, "Why did you not tell me you where a prince?"
He looked flustered, "I thought it wouldn't matter to you." He said quietly hold her green eyes with his blue ones. When she didn't say any thing he swore darkly in eleven and reaching up to his forehead, he yanked the crown off and tossed it aside. He marched swiftly up to her and pulling her from the ground he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her dark locks. "I wanted you to see me for who I really was, and not some eleven prince." He said pulling away and looking her in the eyes.
"I would not have judged you differently, Legolas." She whispered, but that was all she got out before his lips descended onto hers in a warm kiss. Aerin felt her self go weak in the knees and griped his tunic for support. He chuckled softly against her lips, and pulled away. She whimpered at the lose of contact but was silenced as a finger came to rest on her lips.
"Lle naa vanima, A'maelamin." you are beautiful, my beloved he whispered as he picked her up in his arms and carried her back up to the path.
"I really must learn eleven someday." She said resting her head on his shoulder.
"I shall teach you later, if you wish it." He said setting her down on a bench, "but now it is time that you tell me what troubles your heart so." He said waiting for her reaction.
She sighed and was quiet for along time, trying to think if a way to begin. "Is it that hard to start?" Legolas asked, breaking through her thoughts.
"Oh yes." She replied hesitantly staring at the flowers with blind eyes, "and don't interrupt because I fear I will not have the courage to go on." He nodded and she began:
"It was along time ago. Winter had just set in, and Ma and I had finished with the chores and we were sitting down to knit by the fire. Mossien was always beautiful in the winter." She smiled at the memory but the smile faded as she began once more. "There was a knock on the door, and Ma got up to see who it was, muttering about late night visitors. She looked though the peephole and gasped. She whorled around her face was ghostly pale and she whispered get in the cupboard, don't make a sound until I call for you and don't come out, no matter what you hear."
"I did as I was told, and crawled into the cupboard, but not before she hugged me and said "I love you Aerin". Those where the last words I ever heard her say to me." A tear leaked from one of Aerins eyes but her voice remained strong. " I heard her open the door and say go away you should not have come. The intruders didn't listen and pushed their way through the door. A rugged man demanded that Ma give me up, that I was his now. And that if she didn't she would be killed and I taken anyway. Ma resisted them, she was always a fighter, but they over powered her and the man ran her through with his blade."
"After they had killed her, they searched the house, and finally one of his men found me. They dragged me before him and he walked slow circles around me, like a cat ready to pounce on its prey. I have never been more scared in my life, then I was at that moment. He said then that "I would do" and his men carried me to a large wagon out side. Placing me in side I tried to get away but they hit me on the head with something and everything went black" she paused and took a deep shuddering breath and continued.
"When I came to, I was in a dark room. It was cold and damp and I couldn't see anything. I could hear voices coming from somewhere and then a light flickered on. Before me was the rugged man who had killed my mother. I threw myself at him but one of the guards slung me back to the ground. I sat there huddling in fear as I watched him raise a hand. Black mist gathered around his fingers but it quickly vanished. "I can not see in to her mind" he said, "She must be broken, for my use." He snapped his fingers and the guards came up to me pulling me gruffly to my feet. The man turned to leave but at the last second he turned around to cast a piercing glare at me. He smiled evilly and said, "Enjoy your self, daughter." And with that he swept out the door leaving me to be tortured by his men." She was silent for a moment and then went on in a tired voice. "And that's how it went for 12 years. Wake up only to be tortured. I never broke down though I came close many times. Finally I decided enough was enough and I tried to escape, but he found me and the process began again. I would try to escape but he always found me. I found out later that he wanted my life force to make him stronger, but when I wouldn't give it to him he became angry and then the ring of power was found. I learned a lot about the ring and the ones who where trying to destroy it, mainly from my father cursing them." She risked a look at Legolas and saw his eyes were fixed on her face. Looking away she went on. "I wanted to escape and come and help you but every time I tried he found out. So I stopped trying. Soon the war over the ring was over and I had no hope of escape, until one day.
"I was being tortured as usual when the alarm went off. They left quickly forgetting to close the door, so I slipped out unnoticed and made off for the exit. Once outside I ran, knowing that they would be on my trail soon, and I wouldn't go back. I couldn't. So I ran for all I was worth and spent my nights looking for the orcs I knew where fallowing me. One day I came upon an orc scout and he spotted me. He chased me for what seemed like hours, and then I came to your clearing and you saved me. So here I am in rivendell with you." She stopped and turned to Legolas, tears running down her face. "I don't ever want to go back, legolas." She whispered, "Never."
He took her in his arms and murmured softly, " You wont have to, Melamin. I wont let him harm you." He lifted her face and wiped away her tears, and then he said, "Thank you for telling me." And before she could get anything out his lips claimed hers in a kiss.
* * * * * *
As the day wore on Aerin, became happier. She seemed, to every one, lighter and more carefree. "If only they knew." She thought as she sat down next to Legolas to have lunch. He smiled at her when she touched his hand.
"Now is a good time to tell her." He thought and turned to her. "Aerin?" he asked to get her attention.
"Yes, love, what is it?" she asked when she saw a troubled look in his eyes.
"Elrond wishes you to have battle skills." He stated bluntly and in answer to her silence he said, "I knew you would not wish to have…"
"No." Aerin replied silencing him with a finger on his lips, "I wish to have battle skills, and learn how to fight, but I never thought he'd offer such a thing."
"Well he says that if your ready, training will begin tomorrow." Legolas studied her face to make sure she was ready for training.
"Oh joy." Aerin sighed, " would you please tell him I will do it?" she questioned.
"I believe you may tell him your self, for he is right behind you." Legolas said with a smile.
"Oh!" Aerin turned to look into the eyes of Elrond. "How silent elves feet are! I did not know you where there!" she exclaimed.
Elrond smiled in reply, but the smile faded a little and he asked, "You will do it then?"
"Yes, but may I ask something? Two things actually." She replied timidly.
"Yes, my lady. You may ask what you wish." He replied taking a seat next to her.
"Ok, well first thing, why are you doing this?" she asked looking him directly in the eyes.
Elrond sighed and said, " Because you of all people need to know how to protect your self." Aerin took this as an answer and asked no more on the subject, suspecting Elrond knew more than he showed.
" And who are to be my teachers?" she asked and Elrond smiled.
"Legolas here well help you with archery. Aragorn, whom you just met, well help you with swordsmanship. And the rest of the fellowship well help in some way shape or form. They all have taken quite a liking to you, lady Aerin." He smiled and stood, " If that is all then I must return to my other guests."
Aerin nodded, and he turned to leave. "Oh! Wait!" she called after him.
He turned and smiled, "Yes, lady Aerin?"
She blushed but asked, "Where do I go in the morning?"
"Issa will know." Elrond said, "Do not worry and don't be late!" he turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
"Well that went well." Legolas commented when she turned around.
"Yes it did." She said looking up at him, "and I cant wait for tomorrow!" she said joyously turning her attention back to her food.
Legolas smiled at her enthusiasm and thought to him self, "Neither can I, lady Aerin. Neither can I."
A/N: whew!!! That was long! Hope you liked it! Now go review!!! You know you want to!!!!
Chapter 9: Secrets Reveled
Silence surrounded them as they walked down the path in the bright sunshine. Flowers grew along side the path and made whispers on the wind, the only sound that could be heard.
Soon they came upon a green clearing full of daisies. Aerin, seeing this, squeaked and dropping Legolas's hand ran out into the field, gathering the flowers in her arms. Legolas watched her for a moment a small smile on his strong features, and then he looked up at the sky. As he watched the clouds he didn't notice that Aerin had disappeared until he looked back out into the field.
His keen eyes searched for a trace of green cloth, but found none. Panic washing over him, he took off towards the spot where he had last seen her.
Pushing through the daises he spotted her. She was lying down golden crown resting beside her and her hair flung out of its braid. It fanned around her like a wing on a raven and her green eyes stared mercilessly up at the sky.
"Melamin?" he asked looking at her with concern, trying to see if she was all right.
"Tell me Legolas." She said turning to look at him, her head rested on her hand, "Why did you not tell me you where a prince?"
He looked flustered, "I thought it wouldn't matter to you." He said quietly hold her green eyes with his blue ones. When she didn't say any thing he swore darkly in eleven and reaching up to his forehead, he yanked the crown off and tossed it aside. He marched swiftly up to her and pulling her from the ground he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her dark locks. "I wanted you to see me for who I really was, and not some eleven prince." He said pulling away and looking her in the eyes.
"I would not have judged you differently, Legolas." She whispered, but that was all she got out before his lips descended onto hers in a warm kiss. Aerin felt her self go weak in the knees and griped his tunic for support. He chuckled softly against her lips, and pulled away. She whimpered at the lose of contact but was silenced as a finger came to rest on her lips.
"Lle naa vanima, A'maelamin." you are beautiful, my beloved he whispered as he picked her up in his arms and carried her back up to the path.
"I really must learn eleven someday." She said resting her head on his shoulder.
"I shall teach you later, if you wish it." He said setting her down on a bench, "but now it is time that you tell me what troubles your heart so." He said waiting for her reaction.
She sighed and was quiet for along time, trying to think if a way to begin. "Is it that hard to start?" Legolas asked, breaking through her thoughts.
"Oh yes." She replied hesitantly staring at the flowers with blind eyes, "and don't interrupt because I fear I will not have the courage to go on." He nodded and she began:
"It was along time ago. Winter had just set in, and Ma and I had finished with the chores and we were sitting down to knit by the fire. Mossien was always beautiful in the winter." She smiled at the memory but the smile faded as she began once more. "There was a knock on the door, and Ma got up to see who it was, muttering about late night visitors. She looked though the peephole and gasped. She whorled around her face was ghostly pale and she whispered get in the cupboard, don't make a sound until I call for you and don't come out, no matter what you hear."
"I did as I was told, and crawled into the cupboard, but not before she hugged me and said "I love you Aerin". Those where the last words I ever heard her say to me." A tear leaked from one of Aerins eyes but her voice remained strong. " I heard her open the door and say go away you should not have come. The intruders didn't listen and pushed their way through the door. A rugged man demanded that Ma give me up, that I was his now. And that if she didn't she would be killed and I taken anyway. Ma resisted them, she was always a fighter, but they over powered her and the man ran her through with his blade."
"After they had killed her, they searched the house, and finally one of his men found me. They dragged me before him and he walked slow circles around me, like a cat ready to pounce on its prey. I have never been more scared in my life, then I was at that moment. He said then that "I would do" and his men carried me to a large wagon out side. Placing me in side I tried to get away but they hit me on the head with something and everything went black" she paused and took a deep shuddering breath and continued.
"When I came to, I was in a dark room. It was cold and damp and I couldn't see anything. I could hear voices coming from somewhere and then a light flickered on. Before me was the rugged man who had killed my mother. I threw myself at him but one of the guards slung me back to the ground. I sat there huddling in fear as I watched him raise a hand. Black mist gathered around his fingers but it quickly vanished. "I can not see in to her mind" he said, "She must be broken, for my use." He snapped his fingers and the guards came up to me pulling me gruffly to my feet. The man turned to leave but at the last second he turned around to cast a piercing glare at me. He smiled evilly and said, "Enjoy your self, daughter." And with that he swept out the door leaving me to be tortured by his men." She was silent for a moment and then went on in a tired voice. "And that's how it went for 12 years. Wake up only to be tortured. I never broke down though I came close many times. Finally I decided enough was enough and I tried to escape, but he found me and the process began again. I would try to escape but he always found me. I found out later that he wanted my life force to make him stronger, but when I wouldn't give it to him he became angry and then the ring of power was found. I learned a lot about the ring and the ones who where trying to destroy it, mainly from my father cursing them." She risked a look at Legolas and saw his eyes were fixed on her face. Looking away she went on. "I wanted to escape and come and help you but every time I tried he found out. So I stopped trying. Soon the war over the ring was over and I had no hope of escape, until one day.
"I was being tortured as usual when the alarm went off. They left quickly forgetting to close the door, so I slipped out unnoticed and made off for the exit. Once outside I ran, knowing that they would be on my trail soon, and I wouldn't go back. I couldn't. So I ran for all I was worth and spent my nights looking for the orcs I knew where fallowing me. One day I came upon an orc scout and he spotted me. He chased me for what seemed like hours, and then I came to your clearing and you saved me. So here I am in rivendell with you." She stopped and turned to Legolas, tears running down her face. "I don't ever want to go back, legolas." She whispered, "Never."
He took her in his arms and murmured softly, " You wont have to, Melamin. I wont let him harm you." He lifted her face and wiped away her tears, and then he said, "Thank you for telling me." And before she could get anything out his lips claimed hers in a kiss.
* * * * * *
As the day wore on Aerin, became happier. She seemed, to every one, lighter and more carefree. "If only they knew." She thought as she sat down next to Legolas to have lunch. He smiled at her when she touched his hand.
"Now is a good time to tell her." He thought and turned to her. "Aerin?" he asked to get her attention.
"Yes, love, what is it?" she asked when she saw a troubled look in his eyes.
"Elrond wishes you to have battle skills." He stated bluntly and in answer to her silence he said, "I knew you would not wish to have…"
"No." Aerin replied silencing him with a finger on his lips, "I wish to have battle skills, and learn how to fight, but I never thought he'd offer such a thing."
"Well he says that if your ready, training will begin tomorrow." Legolas studied her face to make sure she was ready for training.
"Oh joy." Aerin sighed, " would you please tell him I will do it?" she questioned.
"I believe you may tell him your self, for he is right behind you." Legolas said with a smile.
"Oh!" Aerin turned to look into the eyes of Elrond. "How silent elves feet are! I did not know you where there!" she exclaimed.
Elrond smiled in reply, but the smile faded a little and he asked, "You will do it then?"
"Yes, but may I ask something? Two things actually." She replied timidly.
"Yes, my lady. You may ask what you wish." He replied taking a seat next to her.
"Ok, well first thing, why are you doing this?" she asked looking him directly in the eyes.
Elrond sighed and said, " Because you of all people need to know how to protect your self." Aerin took this as an answer and asked no more on the subject, suspecting Elrond knew more than he showed.
" And who are to be my teachers?" she asked and Elrond smiled.
"Legolas here well help you with archery. Aragorn, whom you just met, well help you with swordsmanship. And the rest of the fellowship well help in some way shape or form. They all have taken quite a liking to you, lady Aerin." He smiled and stood, " If that is all then I must return to my other guests."
Aerin nodded, and he turned to leave. "Oh! Wait!" she called after him.
He turned and smiled, "Yes, lady Aerin?"
She blushed but asked, "Where do I go in the morning?"
"Issa will know." Elrond said, "Do not worry and don't be late!" he turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
"Well that went well." Legolas commented when she turned around.
"Yes it did." She said looking up at him, "and I cant wait for tomorrow!" she said joyously turning her attention back to her food.
Legolas smiled at her enthusiasm and thought to him self, "Neither can I, lady Aerin. Neither can I."
A/N: whew!!! That was long! Hope you liked it! Now go review!!! You know you want to!!!!