Eighteen Years Later...

By Brandy Camel

Chapter One: Departure

Disclaimer: See Prologue. I really don't want to put it in here to take up space. Read and Review, and, as always, enjoy.

* * * * *

Areisan bustled about her dim, castle home in Minas Tirith. Digging feverishly through her trunk, she finally grinned triumphantly, raising a green, elven-fashioned tunic to her chest. Quickly, she outfitted herself, grabbed a bow and fully-stocked knapsack (complete with leather quiver, of course), and slung it over her shoulder.

The young girl was over ecstatic for more than one reason. As of today, she had reached Gondor's set age of adulthood and could be granted her passage into Middle-Earth. Today was the day she asked the king to allow her to leave Gondor and train in the wilderness. Today, she was to beg her father to let her grow up.

Areisan slid down the staircase banister in a rather un-princess-like act and skipped happily to the throne room. Before her hand touched the large, ornate doors, she paused. Suddenly, the fear of a possible refusal from King Elessar caught tight in her throat. She swallowed once, then meekly pushed open the door.

Peering in cautiously, she stepped swiftly into the room. She figured that eventually, this would have to come. Several loyal subjects were discussing some kind of business with her father, but her mother noticed her right away.

"Oh, Areisan! I see you have finally decided to wake this morning," Queen Arwen smiled that smile every mother has, and arose to meet her daughter.

"Yes, mother. I have packed, and I am ready to leave now..." Areisan started, but noticed her presence had caught the attention of the subjects and, more importantly, her father. She took a deep breath and turned to King Elessar.

"Father, you know today is my eighteenth birthday, and by Gondor's law, I may now decide my fate. With your permission and, I pray, your blessing, I wish to now follow in your footsteps as a Ranger."

Well, that did not seem as hard as she thought it would have been. Her father stayed silent for a moment, looking deep into his daughter's eyes. Finally, after what seemed like eons to Areisan, he spoke.

"Areisan, by law, you would be granted this right, but..." As he said that word (damn that infernal word!), she gulped and avoided eye contact. "since you are my little... my daughter, I have only one request of you."

Areisan looked up once more to meet her father's kind, yet piercing gaze.

"What you ask of me, I will always have obligation to do, father." Elessar smiled when he heard her say those words, knowing them to be true.

"Daughter, please do not think of me as too overprotective, but... Ever since I knew this day would come, I have worried. I have taken the liberty of hiring a guide for you."

Areisan's jaw dropped, and her presence reverted back to typical teenager for a moment.

"I have a babysitter?!?"

Elessar sighed, figuring this was inevitable. "Please do not take it that way, Areisan. Trust me, he will train you in the basics and leave when you are ready to be on your own. He will be more like a personal trainer,"

Areisan sighed, and rather than argue, she knew she was beat. She nodded in silent agreement and turned to leave.

"Areisan. Go to the courtyard. The horses have already been prepared, and your guide is waiting."

Areisan's shoulders sagged a bit, and she made her way with dragging steps to the courtyard.

* * * * *

Areisan walked down the hallway, half dejected, and half offended.

"So is a guide just a fancy word for babysitter now?" she began talking to herself as she often did when alone. Her pace picked up the more she talked, but her thoughts and passage were promptly interrupted when she collided with a familiar figure.

"Ow! Arei! Do you ever watch where you are going?!" A female voice cried out to the tousled princess. Arie, as her friend called her when royalty was NOT around, blinked and reoriented herself. Her eyes focused on her local human friend, Delia.

"You really should not talk to royalty that way..." Arei got up and dusted herself off.

"You are my friend," she paused. "I can talk to you however I wish. Of course, you are higher in class than me and slightly taller, but you did not answer my question! Do you ever watch where you are going?!" Arei's blonde friend straightened out her hair in an indignant way.

"Only on rare occasions. Come with me, I am on my way to the courtyard. You can see me off..."

"Just one moment, Princess!" Arei shuddered. As nice as it was to be a princess in some respects, she did not appreciate being called one. Arei was a bit of a tomboy, really.

"Do you really think I would let you go on an adventure all by yourself? It is almost against the law for you to go anywhere without me!" Delia held up a pack of her own, grinning slightly. Arei smiled, grabbed her friend's hand, and tugged her in the direction of the courtyard. Maybe this trip would be better yet...

* * * * *

The two girls were laughing as they stepped into the courtyard. The topic they were laughing about wasn't particularly important. They were just being girls, after all. Just the same, Arei's laughter stopped the moment she spotted her guide.

There, tending to the horses, was quite possibly the handsomest elf she'd ever seen (not that she had seen many more outside of her mother and Elrond, before he had set out of Middle-Earth as well. Most of the Elves had left the land over the sea by now, and seeing one was a rare occurrence). His platinum blonde hair hung just below his shoulders and there was an amazing softness to his sky blue eyes.

"My, he is pretty..." Delia sighed and, out of habit, Arei smacked her in the side. Delia muttered something about stating the obvious when Arei noticed the elf had turned his attention to them.

"Uh, Arei, can I have him when you are finished?"

Arei shot a look at her friend, whom just shrugged in reply.

"Oh, I think I heard your parents talking about him. They said his name was Legoleaf Greenless, or something like that..."

"Hello, I am Legolas Greenleaf,"

"Ha! I told you,"

Arei gave her another look. This time it was that "you are such a moron," look. Delia shrugged again and grinned a stupid grin. Arei turned back to Legolas and, trying hard not to blush or anything to that effect, began to introduce herself.

"I am Arei, I mean, Areisan, Elessar's daughter," Arei introduced herself the way she was supposed to in front of all important visitors.

Delia stepped in front before Legolas could shake Arei's hand and shook his instead.

"Good morrow! You may call me slave, err, Delia."

Not only was Legolas slightly weirded out now, but he told himself that this was going to be a long, long trip.

"Um, yes... A pleasure. We had better start out now. It is a very long trip to Mirkwood,"

Delia stopped. "M-m-mirkwood? Where there are spiders and orcs and other assorted nasty things?" she stuttered.

Areisan looked at her friend strangely. Delia was never afraid of anything. She was the one usually dragging her into trouble.

"Yes, Miss Delia. That is where it has been arranged for Areisan to train," Legolas answered in that polite way of his.

"You know, Arei, on second thought... I think I would much rather stay in Gondor and learn to be a bard or something..." Delia laughed nervously to herself. "Besides, there are only two horses ready, and it would take too long for a third to arrive,"

"Delia... You will not come with us?" Arei was a little sad, but a little happy. You would be too if you got to travel alone with Legolas for a few months, let alone train with him for who-knows-how-long.

"Um, no, I do not think I will after all... Good luck on your trip, Arei! I cannot wait to see you back again!" Delia hugged her friend dearly, then bolted as if Shelob herself had been standing behind them.

"I apologize for her. She is somewhat... strange..." Areisan turned back to Legolas and smiled a bit, hoping he didn't think the same of her.

"I had noticed. Have you prepared everything you need?"

"Down to the lembas,"

Legolas looked at her strangely. "Lembas in Gondor?"

"Elrond gave us consent to make it when he found out I was going to leave one day. He knew I would need it," She smiled a bit, having always been fond of her grandfather. She missed him dearly.

Legolas nodded.

"Then let us be off,"

That was the last time in a long while that Arei saw Minas Tirith.