"And the Fellowship of the Ring Shall Be Ten"
Chapter 2~ The Reunion
Teneriel grimaced . She knew that she really ought to meet the other members of the Fellowship , but at the moment , she feel much like talking to anyone. But even as she though this, Teneriel felt a familiar gaze land on her . As of she wanted show him that she was no longer a child , Teneriel grinned wickedly , in a very un~Elven way.
She climbed off the balcony and balanced easily on the extremely thin ledge. A nearby birch tree held out a long limb to her , as if to inviting her to jump into its arms. Teneriel smiled confidently , leaping lightly onto the branch . The tree gently brought the branch back close against the trunk , and Teneriel straddled the limb, resting her back against the tree.
A gently spoken voice came over her left shoulder , although she knew that the owner of this husky voice was not at home in the trees. "If I did not know you any better, daughter of Rivendell , I would be forced to think that you were running away."
Teneriel did not jump , nor did she look over her shoulder , for she knew the voice well. "Dunadan," she whispered , her eyes cast down into her lap.
Aragorn very carefully slid around the trunk to sit on a nearby branch , watching her intently. "Look at me, Eriel ."
She slowly glanced up and looked straight into his bright blue eyes. And immediately , she wished that she had not , for Aragorn's gaze shot through her just as it had done when she was younger. "I am looking at you , Dunadan ," she whispered. "For what purpose , I have yet to discover."
"You know the purpose , Eriel . I have not been as accessible of late as I have been in years past , and I regret the length of time that has passed since I last laid eyes on this place. You have changed little, young one."
Teneriel shook her head as he slid a little on his rather precarious perch. "I know not where you come to call me young . Though among my own , it may be true , but among mortals such as yourself, I am older than you can ever dream to be. But I thank you for the compliment , brother."
Suddenly, she sensed annoyance and anger from the tree at this intruder who knew little of how to move among its many limbs. "Dunadan , if you do not take care , you will not live to begin the Quest , much less finish it. This tree trusts you little . I would that you take the quickest route to the safety of the ground , or you may find yourself there in very short order," Teneriel warned.
He saw the wisdom in her words almost immediately , for the limb that he had been residing on suddenly retracted . Aragorn let out a sharp yelp as he plummeted toward the ground some hundred below. Teneriel swung down after him and caught him round the wrist. She grunted as his dead weight pulled her arm tight.
"I cannot hold you alone, Aragorn , " she hissed through gritted teeth , shunting the pain away with her mind. "I need help!"
Almost as though he had heard her desperate plea , an Elf landed lightly beside her , taking in the situation in a moment . Mimicking her position , Legolas Greenleaf wrapped his legs around the limb and swung down . "Aragorn , give me one of your hands, " he ordered firmly .
Aragorn ground his teeth and pulled one hand away from Teneriel's strong grip , grabbing for Legolas . Legolas caught Aragorn's wrist easily , pursing his lips in thought. Glancing over at Teneriel , he said, "On the count of three , we will pull . If we can get him up high enough , then he can grab this branch ."
As if in answer , the tree shook angrily , nearly dislodging them all. "Somehow , I do not think that that is an option ," she hissed , her smooth forehead creasing .
Aragorn glanced down past his dangling feet. "There is a branch about seven feet below me . Let me go , and I will land on it."
Legolas shook his head firmly ."Nay, Aragorn . The tree does not want you here."
Teneriel grinned suddenly . " I have an idea , Legolas . Here , take him!" She gave Aragorn's other hand to Legolas and dropped , flipping upright in midair . Teneriel landed easily on the branch in question , and it did not move.
"All right , Legolas , let him go!" she said firmly ." I will catch him , and the tree will have no choice but to hold him , or drop us both ."
Legolas nodded and let go . Aragorn fell heavily onto the limb . Teneriel grabbed him and pulled him close , leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Thank the Valar," she murmured. "Now , I think that perhaps you should descend before this tree tires of even our presence."
Aragorn nodded , a slight sheen of sweat shining on his forehead.
Once all three were safe on the ground , Aragorn sat down , weak-kneed. "My thanks to both of you ," he whispered wearily. "Had I been alone , I think that I would be dead right now."
Teneriel smiled softly and touched his shoulder gently . "It is not wise to dwell on those things that could have happened , yet did not." She gazed deep into his eyes. "Dunadan , our time here grows alarmingly short," Teneriel whispered . "I would that you spoke with Evenstar (Arwen) before our departure . She would answer those questions that you would not ask me."
Aragorn's eyes narrowed marginally , then he nodded ."Very well , Eriel . I will speak with her . It would no doubt do us both well ." He stood and strode away through the fast approaching darkness, leaving Teneriel and Legolas alone at the foot of the tree.
Night fell quickly , casting the valley of Rivendell into deep shadow . Teneriel glanced at Legolas and smiled. "I must go , there are things I must attend to elsewhere . Thank you for your help , Prince Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil , heir to the throne of Mirkwood."
His eyebrows raised slightly , then he bowed his head gently ."You are most welcome , Princess Teneriel Riverion , daughter of Lord Elrond , heir to the throne of Rivendell ."
Teneriel bowed back and turned , disappearing into the darkness , a tiny smile stretching her lips. "It will be a Quest worthy of many songs, " she thought.
Chapter 2~ The Reunion
Teneriel grimaced . She knew that she really ought to meet the other members of the Fellowship , but at the moment , she feel much like talking to anyone. But even as she though this, Teneriel felt a familiar gaze land on her . As of she wanted show him that she was no longer a child , Teneriel grinned wickedly , in a very un~Elven way.
She climbed off the balcony and balanced easily on the extremely thin ledge. A nearby birch tree held out a long limb to her , as if to inviting her to jump into its arms. Teneriel smiled confidently , leaping lightly onto the branch . The tree gently brought the branch back close against the trunk , and Teneriel straddled the limb, resting her back against the tree.
A gently spoken voice came over her left shoulder , although she knew that the owner of this husky voice was not at home in the trees. "If I did not know you any better, daughter of Rivendell , I would be forced to think that you were running away."
Teneriel did not jump , nor did she look over her shoulder , for she knew the voice well. "Dunadan," she whispered , her eyes cast down into her lap.
Aragorn very carefully slid around the trunk to sit on a nearby branch , watching her intently. "Look at me, Eriel ."
She slowly glanced up and looked straight into his bright blue eyes. And immediately , she wished that she had not , for Aragorn's gaze shot through her just as it had done when she was younger. "I am looking at you , Dunadan ," she whispered. "For what purpose , I have yet to discover."
"You know the purpose , Eriel . I have not been as accessible of late as I have been in years past , and I regret the length of time that has passed since I last laid eyes on this place. You have changed little, young one."
Teneriel shook her head as he slid a little on his rather precarious perch. "I know not where you come to call me young . Though among my own , it may be true , but among mortals such as yourself, I am older than you can ever dream to be. But I thank you for the compliment , brother."
Suddenly, she sensed annoyance and anger from the tree at this intruder who knew little of how to move among its many limbs. "Dunadan , if you do not take care , you will not live to begin the Quest , much less finish it. This tree trusts you little . I would that you take the quickest route to the safety of the ground , or you may find yourself there in very short order," Teneriel warned.
He saw the wisdom in her words almost immediately , for the limb that he had been residing on suddenly retracted . Aragorn let out a sharp yelp as he plummeted toward the ground some hundred below. Teneriel swung down after him and caught him round the wrist. She grunted as his dead weight pulled her arm tight.
"I cannot hold you alone, Aragorn , " she hissed through gritted teeth , shunting the pain away with her mind. "I need help!"
Almost as though he had heard her desperate plea , an Elf landed lightly beside her , taking in the situation in a moment . Mimicking her position , Legolas Greenleaf wrapped his legs around the limb and swung down . "Aragorn , give me one of your hands, " he ordered firmly .
Aragorn ground his teeth and pulled one hand away from Teneriel's strong grip , grabbing for Legolas . Legolas caught Aragorn's wrist easily , pursing his lips in thought. Glancing over at Teneriel , he said, "On the count of three , we will pull . If we can get him up high enough , then he can grab this branch ."
As if in answer , the tree shook angrily , nearly dislodging them all. "Somehow , I do not think that that is an option ," she hissed , her smooth forehead creasing .
Aragorn glanced down past his dangling feet. "There is a branch about seven feet below me . Let me go , and I will land on it."
Legolas shook his head firmly ."Nay, Aragorn . The tree does not want you here."
Teneriel grinned suddenly . " I have an idea , Legolas . Here , take him!" She gave Aragorn's other hand to Legolas and dropped , flipping upright in midair . Teneriel landed easily on the branch in question , and it did not move.
"All right , Legolas , let him go!" she said firmly ." I will catch him , and the tree will have no choice but to hold him , or drop us both ."
Legolas nodded and let go . Aragorn fell heavily onto the limb . Teneriel grabbed him and pulled him close , leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Thank the Valar," she murmured. "Now , I think that perhaps you should descend before this tree tires of even our presence."
Aragorn nodded , a slight sheen of sweat shining on his forehead.
Once all three were safe on the ground , Aragorn sat down , weak-kneed. "My thanks to both of you ," he whispered wearily. "Had I been alone , I think that I would be dead right now."
Teneriel smiled softly and touched his shoulder gently . "It is not wise to dwell on those things that could have happened , yet did not." She gazed deep into his eyes. "Dunadan , our time here grows alarmingly short," Teneriel whispered . "I would that you spoke with Evenstar (Arwen) before our departure . She would answer those questions that you would not ask me."
Aragorn's eyes narrowed marginally , then he nodded ."Very well , Eriel . I will speak with her . It would no doubt do us both well ." He stood and strode away through the fast approaching darkness, leaving Teneriel and Legolas alone at the foot of the tree.
Night fell quickly , casting the valley of Rivendell into deep shadow . Teneriel glanced at Legolas and smiled. "I must go , there are things I must attend to elsewhere . Thank you for your help , Prince Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil , heir to the throne of Mirkwood."
His eyebrows raised slightly , then he bowed his head gently ."You are most welcome , Princess Teneriel Riverion , daughter of Lord Elrond , heir to the throne of Rivendell ."
Teneriel bowed back and turned , disappearing into the darkness , a tiny smile stretching her lips. "It will be a Quest worthy of many songs, " she thought.