A/n: Guys, you are the best!!!! Thatnk you thatnk you thatnk you to my first 5 reviewers!!! You totally made my day! I was sooooo worried that no one would like my story! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: (which I 4got to post on the first chapter... oops!) i wish i did, but *sniff* I dont own any of J.R.R's fine characters or places. As for Lian, Galen and the rest of em... lets just say they own me more than i own them!
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"How could this happen?" Lian yelled loudly at her parents, "How in Middle-Earth did this mess happen?!"
"But Lian darling, we thought that you would be happy," Arwen tried to comfort her daughter, "any woman in both Gondor and Rohan would gladly be the bride of the prince. He is brave, charming, wise, and has won renown in battle, what is it that grieves your heart so about this?"
"I don't even know him! Isn't marriage supposed to be about love?! How can you love someone that you don't even know!?!?" She stormed about her room; her face reddening in anger, her muscles tensing.
"Please daughter," Aragorn sat down on the fluffy white bed and pulled Lian into his lap, "please give the prince a chance to earn your love. That is all we ask of you. If you should find some strong reason why you should not be wed after you have gotten to know him, then I give you my word; you will not be forced to go through with it." With that they left her, and Lian was suddenly alone and upset. She then did something that she had not done since she had been a small child--- she cried.
After an hours worth of tears had fallen from her clear gray eyes, they finally began to ebb. Lian became filled with a desire to be outside, high up in her tower. She resolved to spend the night there, and so she packed a warm blanket and a dry pillow into a small knapsack, then climbed swiftly out her window.
Racing along to the great watchtower, Lian used all her elvish grace to make as little noise as possible. So concentrated was she on her feet, that her ears failed to act quick enough. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and it was all she could do to keep from screaming.
"Lian? What are you doing out here? It 'twill be dark soon," It was Galen.
"Oh! I'm so glad it was you Galen, I thought you might've been one of the guards or something," they smiled at one another in the dark, then Lian continued. "After all the... news today, well, I just couldn't handle it. It's too much for one poor girl to have to deal with in a single day."
Concern swept over Galen, "You're not running away are you? because lady I do not think that," Lian cut him off before he could finish.
"Relax! Of course I'm not running away, don't be silly. I was merely planning to spend the night in my tower."
"Your tower?"
"Well, it's not actually my tower, I just call it that. I'm the only one who is ever up there, so I figure it might as well be mine. If you want.... I could take you. It's a rather hefty climb, but I'm sure you could manage." She hoped against hope that Galen could not see the smile she was holding back or the blush rising in her cheeks. If he had, he did not bring it up, a fact for which Lian was very grateful.
"Well, I suppose that would be alright, for a while anyway." Lian now dearly hoped he missed the huge smile that had crossed her face for an instant when he consented.
They made their way quickly to the tower, and then began to climb. It was not a difficult climb by any means. The main reason that no one climbed it was that it was without a doubt the tallest tower in all of Gondor. Lian was the only one who dared it because of its sheer heights. The prince however, seemed to not be bothered by the distance to the top, and he made the climb almost as fast as Lian. They reached the top just as the last rays of sun faded into the night. The air was crisp and cool, and stars began to shine down upon them.
"It's beautiful here," Galen gazed in astonishment and awe.
"Mmm," Lian murmured, "I come here whenever I need to think, or when I want to get away. It has a feeling about it, so free and wonderful, how I'd like to be."
"What do you mean? You are a wonderful person Lian, a great friend. And as for being free, you seem to be most oft." Lian gazed out onto her city, imagining the people al tucked away warm and snug in their beds.
"I suppose, but in my heart, there has always been something that nags at me, telling me that there is more." They sat for a time then in silence, each pondering the questions that gripped at their hearts. Lian was the first to break the quiet. She stood and reached into her bag, pulling out her warm blanket and wrapping it tightly around her.
"It's a chilly night," she stated.
"Indeed, would you like my jacket?"
"No, I am fine. Thank you though." Galen stared at Lian for several moments before she looked up and met his eyes.
"Do you want to talk Lian? I'm here for you, you do know that right?"
"Yes, I just don't really want to talk about... that. It still pains me to think of it. I mean, I don't even know him! How can I be expected to love him?"
"Well, perhaps you will grow to love him."
"But what if I don't? What if he is a horrid, wretched man whom I wind up hating!" Galen laughed at the serious fear on her face and smiled.
"Your parents love you dearly, do you really think that they would have you engaged to one who was unworthy of you?" He laughed again as she though of his words.
"Maybe your right. Well, this discussion is far too dreary for me; let us talk of merrier things. Tell me of yourself, it must be fascinating living in Mirkwood with the elves, being a prince of..." Lian trailed of as she realized her words. "Elves," she whispered again, "your an elf." Galen looked at her curiously, "Yes, and...?"
"Your an elf!"
"Yes, I believe we've already established that."
"No! You don't understand! I, and to think I almost, oh my.... I must go!" She practically leapt over the edge of the tower and climbed with haste down.
"What ever is the matter?" He called down to her in a frantic whisper, "Where are you going?"
"I'm so sorry, I must go, I can't stay here!" With that she reached the bottom and fled as quickly as she could back to her room, leaving Galen standing at the top of the tower, thoroughly confused.
Throwing herself onto her bed, Lian wept for the second time that night. How could she have been so daft as to not realize it? How could she have let her emotions run off like that? When she finally began to calm herself two and one half hours later, she promised that never again would she be so careless. Staring up at the ceiling, Lian lay for several hours in unease, until sleep finally came to her. She tossed and turned through out the night, and when she woke in the morning she was drenched in a cold sweat.
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A/N: okay, lousy chapter, I know. sorry that its so short, im gonna try to make the next chapter longer. I promise that the next chapter will be up soon, but it might be a couple days (my dad has been stealing the computer a lot lately..... makes it hard for a girl to post!)
thank you once again to my wonderful reviewers--- i hope i didnt disappoint y'all 2 much with this chapter.
Lani--- give eower an chance.... who knows what might happen (but i do agree that lian would be happier with Galen. we'll just have to wait and see what happens.... :)
Aranel--- thanks, and i will try 2 update asap!
star_cutie08--- thanks for the enthusiasm, keep checking back cause i promise to update as quickly as i possibly can!
Aldawen of Rivendell--- thank you a million times!!! i try reeeaaaally hard to make it as Tolkien-like as i can (though no one could eva match his skills!!!) im very glad u like my hobbit descriptions-- we should be seeing more of them in the near future!
christi- thank you! i will!
if you guys have ne ideas---- dont hesitate to lemme know!!! i appreciate all the reviews soooooo much..... please dont stop! i luv reviews (just as long as they arent flames!)
-hollie-