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)

19.

"Where have you been all night, Dimnarion of Mirkwood?"

The elf spun around startled, as he was just about to pull the pouch of grimleaf from his drawer to begin preparation of Elenath's morning tea. He covered his intentions by pulling out a clean tunic instead. "Where I come from," he said, "It is not polite to lie in wait in someone's chambers, Old Man. What are you doing here?"

"Where I come from," responded Gandalf, eyes glowering beneath his bushy eyebrows, "it is a crime punishable by death to practice dark magic. Where did you learn it, Dimnarion? And why did you use it against the princess of Rivendell?"

"I know not of what you speak," he said calmly, "but if someone has harmed the princess, I shall be the first in line to punish them accordingly."

"Did you visit her last night?"

"I did," replied Dimnarion, "if you must know. But I do not understand why I should defend myself against a complete – and mortal, no less – stranger."

Gandalf nodded. "Point well taken. I am Gandalf the Gray, Known to the Elves as Mithrandir. A Man I may appear, but in reality I am a Wizard and a trusted advisor to Lord Elrond. There. I am no longer a stranger. But you… you appear to be an Elf. Are you really?"'

Dimnarion laughed amusedly. "What else would I be?" He removed his soiled tunic, revealing the rippling muscles beneath and quickly donned the clean one.

Gandalf gazed intently at him. "I know not… What did you do when you visited the princess last night?"

"I brought her tea," he replied, sitting down on his bed and facing the Wizard, "for the night was chilly and I knew she was ill. We talked for a short time. I helped her with her hair. Then she fell asleep so I left, not wishing to disturb her, the poor thing. Is she well now?"

The Wizard nodded. "She had a hard night, but she is well enough to come to breakfast this morning. I will be watching you, Dimnarion. You have been warned." With that he stood and left the room.

*Curses! Drat that meddling hobbit-loving Wizard!* Dimnarion stormed down the hall toward Elenath's chambers and inwardly cursed again when he saw it was guarded. "Let me pass," he said.

"None shall pass," said the guard, drawing his weapon, "by order of Lord Elrond."

"Fine!" spat Dimnarion, stepping back. "No need to threaten me when yesterday we trained as comrades. The Prince of Mirkwood shall hear of this."

"He is within, my lord," said the guard, "and it is by his advice that Lord Elrond posted me here."

***

Days passed, and Dimnarion was forced to lay low, going about his regular duties as bodyguard to Prince Legolas. He tried to talk his master into letting him visit with the princess, but Legolas' attitude toward him had cooled quite a bit and he refused.

They were onto him. That was becoming clearer and clearer to Dimnarion as time went on. Something had to be done, and quickly. He had to find a way to talk with her, but it seemed impossible. Even after Lord Elrond allowed her to rise from her bed and go about her training again, she was never alone. If Merethiel and Legolas were not laughing and talking with her, then Elrond, Gandalf, or her parents were. It made him sick to see them together, walking arm-in-arm. He had never seen one so coddled and overprotected and it amazed him to no end that Elenath even knew how to feed herself, let alone that she was a great warrioress.

One thing that he learned as he watched was that Elenath had a seemingly unbreakable bond with her grandfather. Elrond was fiercely protective of her and would only give her what she desired if he felt it was in her best interest. She, on the other hand, made clear her devotion to him while ever going her own way. They worried over each other, she telling him that he worked too hard and he begging her to be careful in her training. And although they had some terrific arguments, they always ended up in a friendly embrace in the end.

Dimnarion was not the only one who noticed this relationship. Legolas did as well, and asked Merethiel about it.

"He loves us all that way," she replied with a smile, "but most of us do not challenge him. I think that her headstrong nature intrigues him and reminds him of our grandmother."

"How will he respond when he learns that we do not plan to marry, Lady Merethiel?"

She paled a little. "I try not to think of it. His anger can be fierce and his heart can be stubborn. Our disinterest in one another he will understand and accept, I think. But when he learns of your feelings for Elenath… May the Valar help us all. He does not want to let her leave Rivendell."

"And I will not leave without her," he replied.

It was comical to Airedolas and Llilwen to see the prince and their niece strolling arm-in-arm through Rivendell. The betrothed couple did well at making the entire kingdom believe they were madly in love while Elenath's parents knew the truth and did everything they could to encourage their daughter's feelings.

As for Elenath, she was careful to spend no time alone with the prince for fear that her heart would betray her before the appointed time. She walked along with him and Merethiel quite often, though, and the more she learned about the prince, the more she liked him. He was not like most of the pampered princes she had met in the past. He was earthy and sincere, quick to laugh and slow to anger, gentle and kind in his dealing with her, fearless and strong on the battlefield and, not least of all, fair to look upon.

Legolas admired Elenath's complexity. She was every bit a lady, even with her unconventional ways. On the battlefield, she was tough and unafraid, but in the throne room, she was mostly soft-spoken and kind unless Elrond riled her to anger. He loved her fiery temperament, appreciated the fact that she stood up for herself and did not rely on chivalrous males to defend her honor. It was as if she was born to rule a kingdom such as Mirkwood – a slightly wild kingdom – one that was not so very safe.

Merethiel, though Legolas enjoyed her friendship immensely, would not last five minutes as princess of Mirkwood. The Lady had never even seen an Orc up close before, and the mere mention of giant spiders made her wriggle with disgust and fear. This he planned to tell Elrond as part of the reason he could not marry her. There was no way to protect her in Mirkwood as she was protected in Rivendell.

***

Days turned into weeks and Dimnarion had too much time to think about his plans. Originally, he had sought only to kill Elenath and take the Sword to destroy it. Now, he thought, death was to good for the princess. No. He would use her first for his own ends and then kill her after she had been thoroughly shamed and humiliated. He would kill her with Calmakil and then toss the Blade into the deepest sea along with her body. But first he had to get her alone, and to do that, he needed a distraction. A distraction which the Orcs would be more than happy to provide….