Disclaimer: I do not own anything that someone else (i.e. Tolkien) does. This is my first serious fic please R+R! No flames please.

The Non-Princess

1 Chapter 1

"Please let me go, I'm sorry please let me go." Aria wailed as she was dragged down the same dark, dingy corridor that she had seen most of her life. With her feet dragging behind her and tears running down her face. The woman who had the tight vice like grip on her wrist let go and spat in Aria's direction hateful words "Your nothing but scum. Dishonouring your family, choosing to run away. You disgust me! Stand up your weak just like your father, thank the heavens that he has finally gone. It was his constant whinging that got you out of here but now your back where you belong, nothing more than a prisoner! If you dare try and escape I will have you shot down by the guards or even worse let them have their way with you." Aria bit her lip at such a horrifying thought. The woman continued malice in her eyes and voice "You may try to over throw me but you have nothing and I on the other everything. You will get food and clothing, nothing more until I know what to do with you. I will place a guard at your door my little lady so do not patronise me with tears and such." The woman flinched her arm away from the young girl on the floor and turned away. Aria let out one last remark "Mother why do you seek to hurt me so?"

The woman looked her straight in the eye "I may have birthed you but I am not your mother, never insult me with such an expression again!"

Aria slowly walked into her confines and sat on a familiar looking bed, the room had not changed in 5 years. The only addition was a desk in the far corner. The room was adequate but no means what she was used to, but it was going to be her sanctuary from now. That was a dismal thought there was no such thing as a sanctuary, a place where you are safe from all harms that just did not exist. Aria undid a large plat at the nape of her neck and contemplated wishfully about her life so far. Not a very pleasant life hated by a mother because you were not like the rest of her children, dark hair and blue eyes. Accepted by a father because you brought him social stature and financial security once married off. This began at the age of 12 the prospect of marriage, an unwanted daughter that many suitors were after even though she was still a child, sick really disgusting and filthy what a father will do for gold. Aria still did not know why her family resented her so much, when Aria was younger she thought it was because she was the first born and not only that first born and a girl. She had a non- colour of hair not blonde not brown a non-colour, some people called it 'dirty blonde' and others 'mousy brown', but that did not disguise the fact that it was a non-colour. Her eyes were green, a deep shade of emerald green, not brown like either of her parents. One of Aria's first memories was a day when her mother was brushing her hair before bed and spoke lightly in her ear "You have the such a strange hair colour, very plain like the rest of you. Why on earth can't you try and be pretty for a change." Aria did not accept those words for what they were and merely agreed with herself to look pretty for her mother, but it was never enough. Once she tried to look pretty her mother disliked her even more calling her a floozy and a whore, always trying to catch the eye of a young man. That was not the case Aria had never bedded a man or had done a thing of any sort. It was after this she was put in this room. Where she spent most of her young life, playing in the cold dank air. She had a maid then, a voluptuous woman by the name of Mrs Banks; she was very old and had many children and grandchildren. It was when she reached the age of 12 that she was cast out into an alien world of dances and social feasts, tight boned dresses to give her a bust and a waist, men licking their lips at new meat trying to fondle her during a simple dance, worst of all the woman all fighting to get noticed and find a husband. That was no life for anyone. The last feast had been the only one, which she enjoyed a great numbers of people were there. All wearing they're very best because of the guests, the renowned fellowship. Not many girls Aria's age knew much about the fellowship, except the elf who had many admirers, Aria was different she stayed close to her father and found out the fate of the world she lived in. Her father had been summoned to Elrond's council, but he chose not to go and sent her younger brother Karr instead. Her father was insolent and arrogant; never wanting to know about the outside world perfectly happy to waste his life away, the most self centred man that she had ever known.

Aria lay back on the bed and sighed for she would not cry she had sobbed enough there was no point it would not help the situation. She pulled the covers around her to protect her form the cold and stared blankly until she slept.

Aragorn sat beside the fire deep in thought. Arwen slowly sat beside him stroking his hand "What troubles you so much that you cannot sleep?"

Aragorn lifted his eyes onto his wife's face "It was that young girl at the feast."

Arwen nodded slightly "Ah she was very pretty, was she elven?"

Aragorn shook his head "No she is the daughter of King and Queen Helvetin of Ahelstan. I thought the same when I first saw her."

Arwen still stroked her husband's hand comfortingly "What is it that troubles you about her?"

Aragorn's brow creased "I do not know, I feel that she is in danger her father died a few days ago. She was highly sought after at the feast and I feel that she has no one to protect her."

Arwen spoke smoothly "She is very young surely her mother would not do anything rash!"

Aragorn spoke flatly "It is her I that I fear will do the worst damage. She is plainly jealous of her own daughter, and she is only the age of 17 a child still, not physically but mentally. I really feel it my duty to help."

Arwen spoke knowingly "I shall send for her until then you can do no more, so you might as well sleep."

Aragorn rose stiffly "I do not think sleep will come easy."

Arwen took her husband's hand and led him back to bed.

Aria woke up with the cold she stood and wandered around her walled prison like a caged animal. Finally she sat down on the newly placed desk; Aria searched the drawers only to find some paper, writing tools and a large bound leather book. Aria lifted the book from its resting-place and fingered the yellowing pages; it showed her family tree. Aria scanned each page inquisitively it was the first time she had seen anything to do with her relatives, finally she got to her mother and father's names she scrolled down the line using her hand, to her shock she was not named. Aria knew how much her family disliked her but not to the extent of not including her in the family tree, the tears sprang forth like a great flood, not the tears of sadness but of enlightenment, she did not matter to her family not even enough to be remembered. She stopped eventually no more energy or inclination to continue; she put down the book and walked over to the small shabby window that covered in the room in a grey light. Aria loved the outdoors and nature, now she was cast like a leper into the highest point of her 'home'. There was a knock at the door breaking Aria's train of thought, a heavy well built man was standing in the door way, he rasped gruffly "Queen Helvetin wishes to see you, Princess." Aria nodded but there was no point she had no control on the situation, her mother entered dismay clouding her face. She bid the guard to go "Leave us." He promptly left. "Now child for some unknown reason Lady Arwen has asked you to join her, rather than you stay here I would gladly send you anywhere but this proposal I am not sure about."

Aria stood perfectly still "Why on earth not?"

Her mother flicked her hand "I do not think that you deserve such an opportunity. Now if it were one of your sisters I would gladly agree but you I am not so sure about."

Aria tried not to sound too keen "Please I will never bother you again if just do this one thing, I will renounce my title just let me go."

This did not have the desired effect her mother sparked with rage "WHAT TITLE? YOU HAVE NO TITLE! YOU HAVE NOTHING! I TELL YOU NOTHING!"

Aria did not shrink back but stood up to the banshee like woman in front of her "What are you so scared of? That I might be more powerful than you think, you are scared that I might have power. You are just a sad old woman!" The woman slapped the younger across her face pushing her to the ground "Do not ever speak to me in such a way, Princess." The woman spoke her rage on the edge of a knife that could tip either way. She turned around and began to walk out of the room; Aria stood up from the floor "Why am I not in the family tree?"

The woman merely turned her head "I thought you would have guessed."

Aria could only ask "Pardon?"

The woman turned around fully "You are my bastard child that's why. Conceived out of wedlock."

Aria was dumbfounded "That means that my father was not, my father."

The woman merely nodded "Yes he took you in and kept you in his house, he despised you as much as me until the offers of marriage came in. Did you seriously think that he really loved you?"

Aria muttered "Who…who is my father?"

The woman cackled "I do not know I was quite sought after when I was your age too. I had many suitors, I'm guessing he is an elf by your colouring although I do not remember ever bedding an elf."

Aria could not believe what her mother was saying, not only slating her name but also the name of the fair kind.

The woman smiled "This shocks you, but I do not know why for you are just the same."

Aria shook her head "I'm am not like you in the slightest, I have never been touched by a man in that way!"

The woman still smiled "Do not lie to me I see you with the young men at the feasts all over them. So in reality you have no title so do not use it as a tool to barter with. Good day, Princess." She spat the last word briskly leaving.

Aria knew she would have to go now for her life would be in danger more than before. She began to construct a plan in her head that could work if she tried hard enough. That night she slowly prepared for the next day and her final bid for freedom. There was only one place she could go and one person to see, Lady Arwen.