******
Legolas woke fairly early, expecting Lashriel to be fast asleep as most hobbits were. Instead, he found her already up, and starting a very meager breakfast.
" You are surely the earliest rising hobbit I know."
She ignored him. It wasn't a hard concept. Just DON'T look at him. But, it was the don't that she couldn't seem to get.
" If you listened to my words, you would know I claim neither to be a hobbit, or to be an elf. I am Lashriel Baggins. I carry both names, though neither belongs to me."
She continued to tend the fire, stoking it gently with a twig, lifting it to watch the smoke curl from the blackening tip.
" It is not right to steal a name." Legolas tried reasoning.
" You're right. So therefore, I have no name."
Suddenly, she got up.
" Forgive me. In my carelessness, I've burned your breakfast."
She stood up, and walked away, leaving him to look at the rabbit that cooked slowly over the fire. It was fine.
******
Lashriel swam slowly through the cool clear water, feeling the rush of the current around her neck. Her thought swam also, but with memories of how the hobbits feared and mistrusted her. They thought her a witch, because she enjoyed swimming on warm days. She remembered seeing some of the children watch her wistfully from the bank, but hesitating because their mothers and fathers also watched in disapprovement. She felt a low hanging branch brush by her ear, making her face redden in shame.
She hadn't been very pretty for a child. Her feet were too small for a hobbit, her face freckly from the sun, too dark for an elf, and her ears, already larger than hobbit ears, made her feel like a horse or a donkey. She also never seemed to gain any weight. While the other girls grew robust, her body stayed slim, and willowy. The children made her everything from an underfed troll, to the underfed dragon, to an underfed orc - while the other hobbit girls were rescued by the hobbit boys, she was their target for rocks and swords. After all she never fit their perfect mental embodiment of an elf, so obviously she was some woebegone deformed hobbit or other.
At one point, a particularly daring boy, trying to impress his damsel in distress, had gotten close enough to swipe his wooden sword across her neck, just below her ear. She never played with them again after that, both by her uncles' warning, and by her own caution. Her finger caressed the short scar below her ear. It was the only physical marking of her abuse. If anyone were to turn her inside out now, they would be shocked at the maze of mental barriers and scars that riddled her mind.
A sudden noise made her whirl about in the water. Legolas was leaning against the trunk of a tree, watching her make her way back. She'd kept her clothes on, both for modesty, and for wariness, and simply stood up, giving the edge of her tunic a squeeze.
" Must we head to Rivendell, Master elf?"
" Where else do you wish to go?"
" I don't know." She said," My uncle's whereabouts are a mystery, and I don't know where to start."
" We should head to Rivendell then. Perhaps Lord Elrond could be of some assistance."
" Lord Elrond?"
" He's the Elven ruler of Rivendell...and your grandfather."
******
It was a little disappointing not to get a reaction out of Lashriel. Most people would start asking questions. He'd have to attribute this then, to her lack of communication with the outside world. All, the better then. He'd hate to have to explain to her why her mother and father had pushed her aside so. They did love her, he was sure of that much - Lord Elrond had him drop by the village of Bree every so often to check on Lashriel's progress. But, there were dangers to her existence. Ones, that even he did not understand.
" Shall we continue Master elf?"
" What about second breakfast," Legolas teased.
This did not have the effect he hoped.
" Hobbits eat two breakfasts, elves eat one. I eat none at all. Where does that leave me?"
" You haven't had anything to eat?"
" Not for three days."
Legolas looked around, then plucked a pair of fruit from the trees. He tossed one to her.
" Eat."
She looked at the fruit for awhile, as though studying it.
" Come on. It won't hurt you."
Legolas took a small bite, then walked in the direction he knew so well as Rivendell. He could pick up no sound from her, and several times he had to look back, just to be sure that he hadn't lost her. At one point, he'd been given quite a scare, for when he turned, she'd disappeared.
" Lashriel? Lashriel!"
He whirled around listening for a cry for help or, gods forbid, pain. But, the whole of the forest was silent.
" Lashriel!"
Legolas quickly retraced his steps, but could find no trace of her behind. He turned back around and proceeded forward, returning to the place where he'd first noticed her disappearance.
" Lashriel!"
******
Lashriel wasn't exactly sure herself of where she'd gone either. One minute she'd been following the elf, and the next...she was here...somewhere else. She was sure he'd been following the path, and that he hadn't walked ahead. Could he have swerved off the path suddenly? No. He was so intent upon her following him. He would have told her if he'd changed directions.
" Master Elf!"
She turned about, clutching her still damp tunic to her side. Her boots whispered softly against the mossy floor. Her fear began to get the better of her, as she turned and found herself surrounded by trees, and alone.
" Master Elf?"
She looked around in fear. It was almost as if the trees here were surrounding her. She backed away from all of the only to find herself further lossed in the wilderness. Where was she? Suddenly, as she turned around again, her heart stopped as she ran into someone. She fell to the floor with a cry of surprise.
" Master Elf?" She looked up expectantly.
" No, I'm afraid I'm not an elf. But, perhaps I can still be of service."
It was a young man, human by the looks of it, and with long dark hair and deep gray blue eyes. She looked at his hand suspiciously, but he just smiled and bowed.
" Do not fear me, Elven maiden. I will not harm you."
Her eyes narrowed at his words.
" I am no elf. I need no assistance."
She stood up and started to walk away. But, she was no more than four steps forward, when a familiar voice called her name.
" LASHRIEL! There you are!"
The young human man looked at her, then at Legolas who ran from the brush.
" Tell me, Legolas. Who is your young...er...companion?"
" She is Lashriel Baggins, niece of the late Frodo Baggins. She's here to search for her uncle."
" I see. And may I inquire as to the reasons you parted company, though I shouldn't be surprised considering the curtness she enjoys."
" We were separated on our way."
" I see. Well, what can I say."
Legolas turned to Lashriel.
" Forgive me, milady, this is Arweyon, son of Aragorn, grandson to the great Lord Elrond."
" Pleased to meet you." She said softly, bowing her head briefly.
Legolas and Arweyon talked the rest of the way, every now and then one of them would glance back, just to be sure she was still there. She was in a world of her own, walking behind them silently gazing at everything, but them.
" Legolas, she is an extraordinary girl."
" Don't get too acquainted, just yet, Arweyon. Your father has some rules against marrying your own kin."
Arweyon paused briefly, his mouth open.
" You can't mean..."
" Yes, and with her return, will the chain of events unfold."
Legolas woke fairly early, expecting Lashriel to be fast asleep as most hobbits were. Instead, he found her already up, and starting a very meager breakfast.
" You are surely the earliest rising hobbit I know."
She ignored him. It wasn't a hard concept. Just DON'T look at him. But, it was the don't that she couldn't seem to get.
" If you listened to my words, you would know I claim neither to be a hobbit, or to be an elf. I am Lashriel Baggins. I carry both names, though neither belongs to me."
She continued to tend the fire, stoking it gently with a twig, lifting it to watch the smoke curl from the blackening tip.
" It is not right to steal a name." Legolas tried reasoning.
" You're right. So therefore, I have no name."
Suddenly, she got up.
" Forgive me. In my carelessness, I've burned your breakfast."
She stood up, and walked away, leaving him to look at the rabbit that cooked slowly over the fire. It was fine.
******
Lashriel swam slowly through the cool clear water, feeling the rush of the current around her neck. Her thought swam also, but with memories of how the hobbits feared and mistrusted her. They thought her a witch, because she enjoyed swimming on warm days. She remembered seeing some of the children watch her wistfully from the bank, but hesitating because their mothers and fathers also watched in disapprovement. She felt a low hanging branch brush by her ear, making her face redden in shame.
She hadn't been very pretty for a child. Her feet were too small for a hobbit, her face freckly from the sun, too dark for an elf, and her ears, already larger than hobbit ears, made her feel like a horse or a donkey. She also never seemed to gain any weight. While the other girls grew robust, her body stayed slim, and willowy. The children made her everything from an underfed troll, to the underfed dragon, to an underfed orc - while the other hobbit girls were rescued by the hobbit boys, she was their target for rocks and swords. After all she never fit their perfect mental embodiment of an elf, so obviously she was some woebegone deformed hobbit or other.
At one point, a particularly daring boy, trying to impress his damsel in distress, had gotten close enough to swipe his wooden sword across her neck, just below her ear. She never played with them again after that, both by her uncles' warning, and by her own caution. Her finger caressed the short scar below her ear. It was the only physical marking of her abuse. If anyone were to turn her inside out now, they would be shocked at the maze of mental barriers and scars that riddled her mind.
A sudden noise made her whirl about in the water. Legolas was leaning against the trunk of a tree, watching her make her way back. She'd kept her clothes on, both for modesty, and for wariness, and simply stood up, giving the edge of her tunic a squeeze.
" Must we head to Rivendell, Master elf?"
" Where else do you wish to go?"
" I don't know." She said," My uncle's whereabouts are a mystery, and I don't know where to start."
" We should head to Rivendell then. Perhaps Lord Elrond could be of some assistance."
" Lord Elrond?"
" He's the Elven ruler of Rivendell...and your grandfather."
******
It was a little disappointing not to get a reaction out of Lashriel. Most people would start asking questions. He'd have to attribute this then, to her lack of communication with the outside world. All, the better then. He'd hate to have to explain to her why her mother and father had pushed her aside so. They did love her, he was sure of that much - Lord Elrond had him drop by the village of Bree every so often to check on Lashriel's progress. But, there were dangers to her existence. Ones, that even he did not understand.
" Shall we continue Master elf?"
" What about second breakfast," Legolas teased.
This did not have the effect he hoped.
" Hobbits eat two breakfasts, elves eat one. I eat none at all. Where does that leave me?"
" You haven't had anything to eat?"
" Not for three days."
Legolas looked around, then plucked a pair of fruit from the trees. He tossed one to her.
" Eat."
She looked at the fruit for awhile, as though studying it.
" Come on. It won't hurt you."
Legolas took a small bite, then walked in the direction he knew so well as Rivendell. He could pick up no sound from her, and several times he had to look back, just to be sure that he hadn't lost her. At one point, he'd been given quite a scare, for when he turned, she'd disappeared.
" Lashriel? Lashriel!"
He whirled around listening for a cry for help or, gods forbid, pain. But, the whole of the forest was silent.
" Lashriel!"
Legolas quickly retraced his steps, but could find no trace of her behind. He turned back around and proceeded forward, returning to the place where he'd first noticed her disappearance.
" Lashriel!"
******
Lashriel wasn't exactly sure herself of where she'd gone either. One minute she'd been following the elf, and the next...she was here...somewhere else. She was sure he'd been following the path, and that he hadn't walked ahead. Could he have swerved off the path suddenly? No. He was so intent upon her following him. He would have told her if he'd changed directions.
" Master Elf!"
She turned about, clutching her still damp tunic to her side. Her boots whispered softly against the mossy floor. Her fear began to get the better of her, as she turned and found herself surrounded by trees, and alone.
" Master Elf?"
She looked around in fear. It was almost as if the trees here were surrounding her. She backed away from all of the only to find herself further lossed in the wilderness. Where was she? Suddenly, as she turned around again, her heart stopped as she ran into someone. She fell to the floor with a cry of surprise.
" Master Elf?" She looked up expectantly.
" No, I'm afraid I'm not an elf. But, perhaps I can still be of service."
It was a young man, human by the looks of it, and with long dark hair and deep gray blue eyes. She looked at his hand suspiciously, but he just smiled and bowed.
" Do not fear me, Elven maiden. I will not harm you."
Her eyes narrowed at his words.
" I am no elf. I need no assistance."
She stood up and started to walk away. But, she was no more than four steps forward, when a familiar voice called her name.
" LASHRIEL! There you are!"
The young human man looked at her, then at Legolas who ran from the brush.
" Tell me, Legolas. Who is your young...er...companion?"
" She is Lashriel Baggins, niece of the late Frodo Baggins. She's here to search for her uncle."
" I see. And may I inquire as to the reasons you parted company, though I shouldn't be surprised considering the curtness she enjoys."
" We were separated on our way."
" I see. Well, what can I say."
Legolas turned to Lashriel.
" Forgive me, milady, this is Arweyon, son of Aragorn, grandson to the great Lord Elrond."
" Pleased to meet you." She said softly, bowing her head briefly.
Legolas and Arweyon talked the rest of the way, every now and then one of them would glance back, just to be sure she was still there. She was in a world of her own, walking behind them silently gazing at everything, but them.
" Legolas, she is an extraordinary girl."
" Don't get too acquainted, just yet, Arweyon. Your father has some rules against marrying your own kin."
Arweyon paused briefly, his mouth open.
" You can't mean..."
" Yes, and with her return, will the chain of events unfold."