Disclaimer: I only own Rhyline and Nimroth the horse. That's it. Poor me.
******************************
Rhyline crept around the edge of her home, to the stables where her family kept their horses.She slowly opened the door, and whistled softly. In the back to the barn, a horse's head moved up, and turned in her direction.
"Nimroth, come here.", she whispered. The horse trotted over, and rubbed his head on her shoulder.
"There isn't time to play right now, we've got to leave, and leave fast." She sprang onto his back, and they galloped into the woods.
*********************
That night, Legolas was camping in the woods near Rivendell. His thoughts drifted back to his daughter. His heart nearly broke when he had to leave her behind with those people. He had tried to let his father to allow him to bring her, but he had said that it would be disgraceful for the Elves of Mirkwood if she had went to Rivendell. It was disgraceful one other time, too.
He thought back several years to when his daughter was a young child. At first, she was able to pass off as Anaron and Jocasta's child. But as she grew older, she started looking more and more like her father. And then her hair grew in. Blond, like Legolas's. Both Jocasta and Anaron had dark hair, and other Elves grew suspicious. Soon they were prying into the lives of Jocasta and her young daughter. They soon grew so brash that Jocasta could not stand it anymore, and came to him. They thought of all the effects that telling people would have, but it came that they could not hide the secret any longer.
Thranduil was repulsed when her found out about his son's affair. Princes should not act like some street scum, he said. He would not allow Rhyline to come to the palace, and would not even look upon his grandchild. Legolas had to leave the palace every week to visit the girl. He was also never allowed to speak of his daughter in the palace. It was made so that to the nobles, the young girl did not exist.
***********************
Nimroth thundered down the path in the forest. Rhyline held on tight, her head calculating how long it would take to get to Rivendell. Then a thought struck her like a bat out of hell. She had brought no food. She cursed at herself for making such a stupid mistake. It was days to Rivendell. She wouldn't make it if she used the road. She had to cut through the forest.
She gave the signal for Nimroth to turn into the trees. He hesitated for a split second, for horse though he was, he knew of the dangers of the forest in the night. But in the end, his mistress's wish won out.
They were racing through the wood when a howl broke through the night air. Before she could react, a werewolf leapt at her, and knocked her off her horse. Nimroth skidded to a halt, and whinnied loudly. The wolf ignored him, and turned on Rhyline.
She could feel the claws and teeth rip into her flesh as she tried to fight the beast off. She couldn't do anything, though, since the animal had her pinned down. This was a fight she had a feeling she would lose. She lost consciousness, but not as fast as she had wished.
***********************
The next morning, to her surprise, she woke up. She tried to sit, but as soon as she raised her head, the woods around her started to spin. A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"So. You're alive.", it said, with a hint of amusement.
"Unfortunately", she groaned, pain searing through her head whenever she moved it.
Two heads came into her view. "Damn, it can't be good if I'm seeing double", she grimaced.
Her rescuer laughed. "No, I'm Elrohir, and this is my twin, Elladan."
"Well, at least I'm not seeing double.", and she closed her eyes.
"You know, it is polite to say who you are, and what you're doing in the middle of Mirkwood.", said Elladan, or maybe Elrohir. She couldn't tell.
She struggled to sit up, and after a while the forest lay stationary again. "I'm Rhyline. I was on my way to Rivendell."
"And why weren't you on the road?", one of the twins asked.
"I forgot to pack food."
"You forgot to pack food?", said the other, in disbelief.
She stood up, still wobbly on her feet. "Yeah, I feel stupid enough. Don't rub it in."
"Well, Rhyline, I suggest that you get on your horse. We'll accompany you to Rivendell, for that is where we are headed.", he replied.
"On one condition.", she stated, moving towards Nimroth.
"What is it?', said Elladan in surprise. At least she thought it was Elladan.
"YOU brought food with you, right?", and she grinned at the twin's laughter.
*******************
A couple uneventful days went by, then Elladan, Elrohir and Rhyline reached Rivendell. The twins brought her straight to see their father, Lord Elrond. As they walked into the great hall. It appeared that they were in the middle of a feast. Rhyline was looking around the Great Hall, when she heard a shout. Within seconds her father was by her side.
"Rhyline! What in Manwe's name are you doing here?", he gasped, and looked at all her bandages. "And what happened to you?"
"I'm fine. I was riding, and got attacked by a wolf. Elladan and Elrohir found me, and they brought me here. I knew you were here, and they were on their way, so I went with them instead of home."
Legolas turned to the twins. "You saved her?" They nodded, and Legolas continued. "Then I am forever indebted to you for saving her life." Legolas pulled his daughter into a hug.
Lord Elrond walked up. "Prince Legolas, how do you know this girl?"
"She is my daughter."
******************************
Rhyline crept around the edge of her home, to the stables where her family kept their horses.She slowly opened the door, and whistled softly. In the back to the barn, a horse's head moved up, and turned in her direction.
"Nimroth, come here.", she whispered. The horse trotted over, and rubbed his head on her shoulder.
"There isn't time to play right now, we've got to leave, and leave fast." She sprang onto his back, and they galloped into the woods.
*********************
That night, Legolas was camping in the woods near Rivendell. His thoughts drifted back to his daughter. His heart nearly broke when he had to leave her behind with those people. He had tried to let his father to allow him to bring her, but he had said that it would be disgraceful for the Elves of Mirkwood if she had went to Rivendell. It was disgraceful one other time, too.
He thought back several years to when his daughter was a young child. At first, she was able to pass off as Anaron and Jocasta's child. But as she grew older, she started looking more and more like her father. And then her hair grew in. Blond, like Legolas's. Both Jocasta and Anaron had dark hair, and other Elves grew suspicious. Soon they were prying into the lives of Jocasta and her young daughter. They soon grew so brash that Jocasta could not stand it anymore, and came to him. They thought of all the effects that telling people would have, but it came that they could not hide the secret any longer.
Thranduil was repulsed when her found out about his son's affair. Princes should not act like some street scum, he said. He would not allow Rhyline to come to the palace, and would not even look upon his grandchild. Legolas had to leave the palace every week to visit the girl. He was also never allowed to speak of his daughter in the palace. It was made so that to the nobles, the young girl did not exist.
***********************
Nimroth thundered down the path in the forest. Rhyline held on tight, her head calculating how long it would take to get to Rivendell. Then a thought struck her like a bat out of hell. She had brought no food. She cursed at herself for making such a stupid mistake. It was days to Rivendell. She wouldn't make it if she used the road. She had to cut through the forest.
She gave the signal for Nimroth to turn into the trees. He hesitated for a split second, for horse though he was, he knew of the dangers of the forest in the night. But in the end, his mistress's wish won out.
They were racing through the wood when a howl broke through the night air. Before she could react, a werewolf leapt at her, and knocked her off her horse. Nimroth skidded to a halt, and whinnied loudly. The wolf ignored him, and turned on Rhyline.
She could feel the claws and teeth rip into her flesh as she tried to fight the beast off. She couldn't do anything, though, since the animal had her pinned down. This was a fight she had a feeling she would lose. She lost consciousness, but not as fast as she had wished.
***********************
The next morning, to her surprise, she woke up. She tried to sit, but as soon as she raised her head, the woods around her started to spin. A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"So. You're alive.", it said, with a hint of amusement.
"Unfortunately", she groaned, pain searing through her head whenever she moved it.
Two heads came into her view. "Damn, it can't be good if I'm seeing double", she grimaced.
Her rescuer laughed. "No, I'm Elrohir, and this is my twin, Elladan."
"Well, at least I'm not seeing double.", and she closed her eyes.
"You know, it is polite to say who you are, and what you're doing in the middle of Mirkwood.", said Elladan, or maybe Elrohir. She couldn't tell.
She struggled to sit up, and after a while the forest lay stationary again. "I'm Rhyline. I was on my way to Rivendell."
"And why weren't you on the road?", one of the twins asked.
"I forgot to pack food."
"You forgot to pack food?", said the other, in disbelief.
She stood up, still wobbly on her feet. "Yeah, I feel stupid enough. Don't rub it in."
"Well, Rhyline, I suggest that you get on your horse. We'll accompany you to Rivendell, for that is where we are headed.", he replied.
"On one condition.", she stated, moving towards Nimroth.
"What is it?', said Elladan in surprise. At least she thought it was Elladan.
"YOU brought food with you, right?", and she grinned at the twin's laughter.
*******************
A couple uneventful days went by, then Elladan, Elrohir and Rhyline reached Rivendell. The twins brought her straight to see their father, Lord Elrond. As they walked into the great hall. It appeared that they were in the middle of a feast. Rhyline was looking around the Great Hall, when she heard a shout. Within seconds her father was by her side.
"Rhyline! What in Manwe's name are you doing here?", he gasped, and looked at all her bandages. "And what happened to you?"
"I'm fine. I was riding, and got attacked by a wolf. Elladan and Elrohir found me, and they brought me here. I knew you were here, and they were on their way, so I went with them instead of home."
Legolas turned to the twins. "You saved her?" They nodded, and Legolas continued. "Then I am forever indebted to you for saving her life." Legolas pulled his daughter into a hug.
Lord Elrond walked up. "Prince Legolas, how do you know this girl?"
"She is my daughter."