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)
**A/N** From my understanding of the books, Galadriel is Elrond's mother-in- law. If I'm wrong, just lemme know.
30.
Haldir could tell that the princess was angry and mentally chastised himself for bringing up courtship so soon. "I am sorry," he said as he helped her onto her horse, "Princess Elenath, It was not my intention to upset you. I hope that you will still consider joining us at Lothlorien."
"My lord, I am not angry with you, but with my grandfather. He meddles far too much in affairs that should not be his concern. And I plan to tell him so as soon as we return to the palace."
"You have your great grandmother's spirit, Lady." Haldir bowed and mounted his own horse. "I am yours to command should you ever have need."
"I think, Captain, that you shall be the one commanding should I accept your offer." Elenath smiled and eased into a gentle canter next to him.
"All too true," he agreed, "And I hope that you will, for you show great skill for one so young."
"Captain Thorondil taught me everything I know. It was for his honor that I fought today."
"Then he must be very proud."
Elenath's face was drawn and serious. "I hope that pride will offset his disappointment in what I am going to say to my grandfather. I have never been so angry."
"Perhaps you should wait until your anger cools?"
"Nay, Haldir. I have waited for long enough."
What happened then all seemed a blur to the great warrior from Lothlorien. He watched from a distance as she dismounted near the stables and strode into the courtyard where she requested the company of the Lady Merethiel and Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood.
"What is it?" they asked.
"We are going to tell Grandfather the truth. All of it. Now."
"But, Elenath-" began Merethiel.
"I have had it with his meddling and it must stop immediately."
"What has happened?" asked Legolas, looking at her with concern etched on his face.
"What has happened? Did you not hear the clash of swords? The cheering? Legolas, Grandfather wishes to send me to Lothlorien for training! I just bested Captain Haldir in a sparring match!"
"That is a great honor, Elenath!"
"Indeed! I shall not deny it, but he also gave Captain Haldir leave to court me. He practically offered my hand to the Captain of Lothlorien's guard!"
The color drained from the prince's face and Merethiel's eyes grew wide.
"He didn't," she said. "He can't!"
"He did."
"Then we must tell him at once," agreed Legolas. "Come. We will find him at the banquet."
"What banquet?"
Legolas shook his head. "I know not what the occasion is, but representatives have arrived from both Lothlorien and Mirkwood today. They say they were summoned to hear an important announcement by Lord Elrond."
If it were possible, an even darker cloud of anger covered Elenath's face. "I dread to think what that announcement might be. Come, before it is too late."
The three Elves strode into the banquet hall to find Lord Elrond standing upon the dais speaking to the gathering. It looked as if every Elf in the kingdom had come, and when they saw her, every one of them stood to their feet, bowing and curtsying as they would usually do to her grandfather. Gandalf came up beside them and whispered, "Elenath, your grandfather has just named you his heir."
The princess saw red. This was the last straw. Her entire body trembled as she approached the throne, and she actually wanted to strike him. She could not, however, for it was apparent that the entire kingdom was waiting for her to say something – to accept or decline what Elrond had offered. Fine. She had planned on discussing this with him in private, but he deserved to be humiliated after what he had just put her and Haldir through.
"Good Elves of Rivendell," she began and the room fell silent. Elenath's anger seemed to fill the hall, though her tone was even and unerringly respectful. "I am beyond honored to receive such praise from His Highness Lord Elrond – our King. He must think very highly of my abilities if he believes me able to rule in his absence, which I hope will not come for many more thousands of years. However, it is with deep regret that I must decline this offer."
The room burst into an uproar, all including Elrond asking why. She silenced them with a motion of her hands. Turning to face her grandfather, she narrowed her eyes. "I will not stay in Rivendell and therefore I cannot bear the crown."
"Of course you will stay here!" said Elrond. "I have not granted permission for you to leave!"
"Indeed you have not, unless it is for me to go to train in Lothlorien. Hear me now, Lord Elrond. I will go where love may lead me. I will not stay in Rivendell unless it be as a prisoner of the crown. I will not travel to Lothlorien unless my final destination is Mirkwood, for it is there, by Prince Legolas' side, that my heart resides now and will forever more."
"Legolas?" bellowed Elrond. "What is the meaning of this?"
The prince bowed respectfully before him and drew Elenath near. "She speaks truly."
"Treachery!" he shouted. "Against my wishes in my own house-"
"I will be heard!" interrupted Legolas. "Hear my words, Lord Elrond. When I went to rescue Princess Elenath from the deceitfulness of Dimnarion, you promised that I might return to Mirkwood with any jewel I so chose from Rivendell. That jewel stands beside me now, and I hold you to your promise." He paused for a moment as Elrond stood speechless before him, and then added. "I mean your granddaughter no harm. I love her, my lord. I love her more than I can tell you."
"Merethiel?" roared Elrond.
"I told you once, Grandfather, and I will tell you again. I do not wish to marry the Prince of Mirkwood. I have watched these two together and I can attest that their love is true – as true as any I have ever seen." Merethiel stood defiantly by her two friends. "I will not see them separated."
"And I will not see years of negotiations with Mirkwood fail because of the hard-headedness of three young Elves!" Elrond advanced upon them with such speed that they had to resist the urge to cringe. "Merethiel, you WILL marry the Prince of Mirkwood in one month's time as is your duty as my granddaughter! And Legolas, you should be ashamed! Your father would be ashamed! As for you, Elenath… I had expected better. I am deeply disappointed in you."
The princess' eyes filled with angry tears as she glared at her grandfather. "Not nearly so disappointed as I am in you, Your Highness." With that she turned and ran from the room.
***
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)
**A/N** From my understanding of the books, Galadriel is Elrond's mother-in- law. If I'm wrong, just lemme know.
30.
Haldir could tell that the princess was angry and mentally chastised himself for bringing up courtship so soon. "I am sorry," he said as he helped her onto her horse, "Princess Elenath, It was not my intention to upset you. I hope that you will still consider joining us at Lothlorien."
"My lord, I am not angry with you, but with my grandfather. He meddles far too much in affairs that should not be his concern. And I plan to tell him so as soon as we return to the palace."
"You have your great grandmother's spirit, Lady." Haldir bowed and mounted his own horse. "I am yours to command should you ever have need."
"I think, Captain, that you shall be the one commanding should I accept your offer." Elenath smiled and eased into a gentle canter next to him.
"All too true," he agreed, "And I hope that you will, for you show great skill for one so young."
"Captain Thorondil taught me everything I know. It was for his honor that I fought today."
"Then he must be very proud."
Elenath's face was drawn and serious. "I hope that pride will offset his disappointment in what I am going to say to my grandfather. I have never been so angry."
"Perhaps you should wait until your anger cools?"
"Nay, Haldir. I have waited for long enough."
What happened then all seemed a blur to the great warrior from Lothlorien. He watched from a distance as she dismounted near the stables and strode into the courtyard where she requested the company of the Lady Merethiel and Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood.
"What is it?" they asked.
"We are going to tell Grandfather the truth. All of it. Now."
"But, Elenath-" began Merethiel.
"I have had it with his meddling and it must stop immediately."
"What has happened?" asked Legolas, looking at her with concern etched on his face.
"What has happened? Did you not hear the clash of swords? The cheering? Legolas, Grandfather wishes to send me to Lothlorien for training! I just bested Captain Haldir in a sparring match!"
"That is a great honor, Elenath!"
"Indeed! I shall not deny it, but he also gave Captain Haldir leave to court me. He practically offered my hand to the Captain of Lothlorien's guard!"
The color drained from the prince's face and Merethiel's eyes grew wide.
"He didn't," she said. "He can't!"
"He did."
"Then we must tell him at once," agreed Legolas. "Come. We will find him at the banquet."
"What banquet?"
Legolas shook his head. "I know not what the occasion is, but representatives have arrived from both Lothlorien and Mirkwood today. They say they were summoned to hear an important announcement by Lord Elrond."
If it were possible, an even darker cloud of anger covered Elenath's face. "I dread to think what that announcement might be. Come, before it is too late."
The three Elves strode into the banquet hall to find Lord Elrond standing upon the dais speaking to the gathering. It looked as if every Elf in the kingdom had come, and when they saw her, every one of them stood to their feet, bowing and curtsying as they would usually do to her grandfather. Gandalf came up beside them and whispered, "Elenath, your grandfather has just named you his heir."
The princess saw red. This was the last straw. Her entire body trembled as she approached the throne, and she actually wanted to strike him. She could not, however, for it was apparent that the entire kingdom was waiting for her to say something – to accept or decline what Elrond had offered. Fine. She had planned on discussing this with him in private, but he deserved to be humiliated after what he had just put her and Haldir through.
"Good Elves of Rivendell," she began and the room fell silent. Elenath's anger seemed to fill the hall, though her tone was even and unerringly respectful. "I am beyond honored to receive such praise from His Highness Lord Elrond – our King. He must think very highly of my abilities if he believes me able to rule in his absence, which I hope will not come for many more thousands of years. However, it is with deep regret that I must decline this offer."
The room burst into an uproar, all including Elrond asking why. She silenced them with a motion of her hands. Turning to face her grandfather, she narrowed her eyes. "I will not stay in Rivendell and therefore I cannot bear the crown."
"Of course you will stay here!" said Elrond. "I have not granted permission for you to leave!"
"Indeed you have not, unless it is for me to go to train in Lothlorien. Hear me now, Lord Elrond. I will go where love may lead me. I will not stay in Rivendell unless it be as a prisoner of the crown. I will not travel to Lothlorien unless my final destination is Mirkwood, for it is there, by Prince Legolas' side, that my heart resides now and will forever more."
"Legolas?" bellowed Elrond. "What is the meaning of this?"
The prince bowed respectfully before him and drew Elenath near. "She speaks truly."
"Treachery!" he shouted. "Against my wishes in my own house-"
"I will be heard!" interrupted Legolas. "Hear my words, Lord Elrond. When I went to rescue Princess Elenath from the deceitfulness of Dimnarion, you promised that I might return to Mirkwood with any jewel I so chose from Rivendell. That jewel stands beside me now, and I hold you to your promise." He paused for a moment as Elrond stood speechless before him, and then added. "I mean your granddaughter no harm. I love her, my lord. I love her more than I can tell you."
"Merethiel?" roared Elrond.
"I told you once, Grandfather, and I will tell you again. I do not wish to marry the Prince of Mirkwood. I have watched these two together and I can attest that their love is true – as true as any I have ever seen." Merethiel stood defiantly by her two friends. "I will not see them separated."
"And I will not see years of negotiations with Mirkwood fail because of the hard-headedness of three young Elves!" Elrond advanced upon them with such speed that they had to resist the urge to cringe. "Merethiel, you WILL marry the Prince of Mirkwood in one month's time as is your duty as my granddaughter! And Legolas, you should be ashamed! Your father would be ashamed! As for you, Elenath… I had expected better. I am deeply disappointed in you."
The princess' eyes filled with angry tears as she glared at her grandfather. "Not nearly so disappointed as I am in you, Your Highness." With that she turned and ran from the room.
***
