"He dared to love her when no one would. He dared to love her when no one
could. He dared to love her when no one should. He dared to love her and by
his love stood."
Once Upon a Crest
Chapter 3: He Dared to Love Her
*************************************************************
The two Elven Kings entered the kingdom of Rivendell, home of Lord Elrond, with one extra addition to the party that had left earlier that morning. Many watched as they rode in, observing the bundle Elrond held in one arm, but the men continued forward without looking back.
They stopped in front of the council room, and jumped off their horses, leaving the tenants to take the animals back to their stables. Each step their feet fell upon was an unstained white, like most of the kingdom. Engravings marked the walls they passed, telling stories of the great elves from the past, present, and even of the future, though there weren't quite as many there.
Elrond and Thranduil stepped inside the room, where the council had been waiting for them. Elrond gave the account of the orcs, and the humans as he had found them, but the council continued to observe the child that he had clutched to his chest as if one false move, and the little girl would slip away forever.
"I know you are all greatly curious as to how I begot the child." Elrond spoke sternly. "The child has been entrusted into my care, and I will raise her here until I decide to send her on her own."
"My Lord," spoke one of the council, one of the less fair elves of Rivendell, "are you sure this is such a good idea?"
"Do not believe I don't take you wisdom to consideration. You have served me well, and have always proved good in judgment. I know the consequences, but I have not been left the choice to weigh them. I am king, and I decree, the child will stay here."
There was nothing the council could do, but nod in acceptance, and nothing more was spoken about it.
***
The child's parent's bodies were found bye servants of Elrond, and brought back, where they were given an honorable burial. Elrond ordered them buried in a place far into the kingdom next to the river, that was rarely visited by any elf, and the child could visit them when she grew. He knew he could do that much for her, for there was much he knew he could not.
***
He was sitting in a room he used to think, watching the child sleep on a mound of colorful pillows that rested on a round carpet on the floor. There had not been many a time he had been lost in decision making, but this was a matter he could not take lightly, and still he bewildered at the unexpected presence of the child.
A knock came to the door, and entered Thranduil, his grown son Legolas, and Elrond's grown daughter Arwin. "What ails you father?" She asked sitting next to him, for she had not yet heard of the child's coming. She looked over to see the sleeping girl, and was taken back. "To Whom does she belong father?"
But Elrond continued to sit silent and stare, so Thranduil spoke for him. "Her parents were taken by the orcs, and your father has brought her here to care for her."
Arwin looked at her dad questioning him with her eyes, but he would not take his eyes from the child.
"Her ears, they're not pointed." Legolas spoke for the first time.
Arwin looked back at the girl, and her mouth dropped a small amount. "Father? We cannot have a human here. You know the dangers."
"What?" Asked Legolas.
Thranduil answered his son. "You know of what we speak Legolas. The child will grow among elves, and one day die, leaving behind a group of immortals with broken hearts, and you know what that means."
"But we have been friends with humans before."
"Yes, but never have they grown among us, picking up our traits, becoming so much like us as too love us truly with their souls."
Elrond looked up at this toward his old friend, but still said nothing.
"Then why do you keep her?" Legolas asked, and the child began to stir.
Elrond stood and spoke. "I have no choice."
Arwin, who had not spoken for a while stood up next to her father, and though she angered inside, spoke calmly but sternly, "I will have no part in this." And walked out of the room.
"As you should." Elrond whispered after her.
Thranduil and his son said nothing for a while, until Thranduil could no longer bear the silence. "Have you some plan in mind?"
"Not exactly," Elrond Answered. "I suppose I shall take it day by day, and see where that leads me.
"Surely a child can not bring so much harm." Legolas jumped in enthusiastically.
"Legolas!" His father exclaimed. "You are young, and have little understanding of these matters. Do not try to contribute to this. Stand back in silence, and show a little more respect for Lord Elrond. Perhaps, try to show some respect for loyalty for once yes?"
Legolas obeyed his father's command to step back immediately, but his mind continued to argue their words.
"I should start with something simple, and I suppose that would be the matter of her name." Elrond claimed. Thranduil raised a brow curious as to hot the present situation would turn. "I don't think I can. Too much attachment comes with the naming of a being." He looked at his two companions. "Perhaps I will call in a maiden."
"Let me." Legolas said hesitantly. Both kings looked back at him. Thranduil, about to object, was silenced by Elrond.
"Let the boy." He demanded.
Legolas looked to his father, who nodded in approval after some time, and then walked slowly to the child.
"Be quick about it." His father spat. "And give her a name of human tongue."
Legolas nodded to the king, and then turned his attention back to the child. He dared not touch her, for fear of his father, but instead observed her blond locks, and golden eyes. "She shall be called Adah; ornament, for she is the prettiest babe I have ever beheld."
The baby cheered, and tried to lay her hands on Legolas, but he backed away, and smiled with pity at Adah. Thranduil shook his head in disapproval.
"Then so be it." Proclaimed Elrond. "She is Adah."
***
Adah grew with 4 maidservants to care for her, but they were warned never to speak to her, unless necessary, and they rarely did. She was kept far from Elrond, but not denied his presence, for he did swear to care for her.
3 years had passed, and Thranduil had not visited the kingdom of Elrond, though Elrond did come to see him when he could spare it, and Legolas was sent off with other young Mirkwood elves, (who were not extremely young. To your and my eyes, they may seem to be in only their twenties, but they were indeed a couple thousands of years. In their reference, they had recently come of age) on a quest to improve their strengths, and correct their weaknesses. So it was some time before he would see Rivendell, or the child again, though he did think of her often. He had come to agree with Elrond, that naming a being did precede attachment.
Though Adah had never any company besides her maid servants, she was still innocent to the world, and was more like a little sprite. She would jump and laugh whenever possible, and she clapped at, and praised the life inside the forest. She found friendship in animals, and their play was of some entertainment to the maidens that had to follow her daily.
The maidens did grow tired of watching a child they could not talk to, or befriend, and devised a system so they would not all grow weary or bored. During the child's play time, they took turns, one maid to the child a day.
And it was on a certain warm, beautiful sunny day, of her third year, when the flowers were full in blossom from the spring season, and the butterflies had gathered in large and wild bunches in the fields, that Adah's youngest maid servant had taken her out.
Adah was being taught to walk by a young fawn that visited her often, and the maiden fell asleep in the tall grass. She had been up all the night before, with a handsome gentleman who had been visiting from Mirkwood. Adah, not having anyone to stop her, climbed upon the fawns back, and was carried off to wear Arwin dwelled.
Arwin, at first thinking she was being brought an injured child ran to Adah, but at the site of the blond, curly locks, and the human ears, she frowned, and turned away.
Adah climbed off the animals back, and followed Arwin, leaving the fawn to rest. She climbed slowly, and with great effort up the steps that led from the dirt up to an upper part of the structure.
"How did you get here?" Arwin asked, but the child did not answer. Since her maid servants were not aloud to converse with her, Adah did not have much of a vocabulary as of yet. Instead she laughed and kept running after Arwin, excited that someone was giving her attention. "This place was given to me by my father, and no one else is aloud here." Arwin claimed demandingly.
They were surrounded by a stone walk way, and tall white pillars that held a stone roof. Under the roof was an open room, with a wooden bed covered in feathered pillows, and outside was a decent sized area where one could sit and think on the stone bench, or the circle stone pond with a statue of an elf girl none had ever seen in the center. Arwin liked to sit on the bench, stare out at the miles of beauteous nature before her.
She turned and bent down to the child, who grabbed at Arwin's long black hair. Arwin pulled back her hair, and spoke sternly to the child. "You should not be here. Do you understand? I do not want you here."
The last phrase was one the child understood, for she had heard it many times before. Adah's smile faded, and she turned and ran back to the fawn, who rushed her back to an angry maiden. She picked the child up, ignoring her tears, and took her back to her room.
*************************************************************
Jonathan Statton put down the last sheet he had read, and stared at a spot on the wall, letting his mind wander. It drew him back to a time when he was young, and lived with his mother, father, and two older brothers.
Him and his brothers were constantly competing for their father's attention, and love. They competed for a lot of things, and John's wit and stamina helped him to win most of the battles. But his father was beyond him. He only seemed to approve of his sons when they worked their hardest.
They were a poor family, and his mother was hardly ever home. She had to work long hours just to help the family buy food, and the father worked for a coal mining companies. The two older sons also worked with their father in the mines when they were old enough, but Jonathan knew that didn't earn them hardly anything, and swore to his family that he would go to America and earn a mountainful of money to support his family.
Thus his journey began. His goal for his family drove him on and on, and his practiced determination to please his father kept him at will. But the more money he made, which didn't start coming in till he was in late 20's, the more he remembered his father's drunkenness, and his mother's lack of presence in his life, and his brothers cold, angered hearts, the more he began to believe his family deserved nothing.
Still, he sent them a fair amount every month, but never as much as he could have, and he never wrote, or sent for them to come to America. Eventually, he had an assistant send the money for him, and concealed by his hate and his greed, his family was long forgotten, until now.
He began to feel a remorse for Adah, but nothing yet for himself or his family. He began to wonder how the child might turn out when she was older, if the story brought him that far.
"Relax Jonathan." He said to himself. "It's just a story. Nothing real. Elves and such. Ha! I think Falgand needs to go see a doctor himself."
He turned in his chair to look out the window behind him. Light was beginning to peak over the mountains, and the trees began to take shape before him. He soaked in the site, thinking of his own home as a boy. He remembered the trees he loved so much, and how he took comfort in them. And the remembrance of how he used to think he could talk with them and they could talk back began to creep back up into his thoughts. He laughed at himself. "Really John. You were an odd child."
He turned back to the story, wondering if he should go on with it, but the words of his dream were starting to haunt him again, and sighing, he picked up the next piece of paper. He studied the writing for a while. It didn't seem like regular ink, but more like calligraphy writing. It was how he first wrote. Ink and a feather pen.
He dismissed the thought, and continued on with the story.
***************************************************************
When Adah was 6, she was in her second year of school, and could speak fairly well. She still did not have any friends, and her elf maidens had been changed. The new one's were somewhat mean to her, and she didn't even know their names. They would not utter a word to Adah.
She rarely had seen Arwin since the day she had wandered off with the fawn. The times their paths did cross, their eyes would gaze at each other, but never a word was spoken.
Elrond was always there to give her what she needed, but they never developed any sort of friendship. No, Adah was very much alone in the world, but she still found comfort in nature, and companionship with the animals.
Spring was approaching, which made Adah happy, because it was her favorite season. Many new creatures of the forest were born at this time, and the trees and flowers blossomed more radiant then ever.
Unbeknownst to her, spring was also the time that she herself would change. This spring her golden locks fell straight to the center of her back, and though, shorter than most elves, she grew to quite a tall height for a normal 6 year old human girl.
***
School had just ended, and as usual, she was the first one out the door. She tried every day to get away as fast as she could, to avoid the taunting of the other children, but sometimes they caught her.
"Hey Adblah!" One child cried out.
Adah turned around, but before she could respond, another spoke up. "Did someone cut off your ears, or did they just come like that?"
She put her hands to her ears, as a little elf girl, who had been more popular among the elf children joined in. "Of course their natural. She's not an elf. No elf is that ugly."
Adah lowered her head, biting back the tears. "Well, then where do you come from? What are you? Surely you're not natural." Another elf boy chimed in, and then the first elf replied, "Isn't it obvious? She's a warg."
"Are you sure she's not an orc?" The girl asked.
"No, even they are too good for her."
Adah felt a fire grow inside her, and lifted her head back up. The Elven children were somewhat shocked by the look in her eyes, but none was surprised as the elf boy who made the last comment, when Adah flew at him. She instantly knocked him to the ground, and he screamed as she pounded on him.
Adah felt strong hands pull her off the boy, and she continued to swing and kick in the air. She was set down, and when she calmed, she turned to find she had been restrained by Elrond. He looked at her angrily, and she shrunk back.
He did not speak to her, but his eyes were fierce, and when he let go, she ran off into the trees away from the scene.
Elrond stood up, and ignored the convicting glances of his company, which consisted of a member of his council, a personal friend, and Legolas, son of Thranduil who had returned from his journey.
"What took place here today?" He asked the children.
They all looked down to the ground, except the kid who had been knocked down by Adah. "She just came at me. No reason." He claimed.
"No one fights without some reason boy."
"I swear. She's crazy. You know she is. What, am I supposed to be compassionate to her or something? She's human, remember?"
"Child, do not speak to the king in this manner." The council member spoke.
Elrond help up his hand to silence him, and then waved the children away.
"You're going to let them get away with that? You know they were lying." Legolas argued.
"What can I do Legolas? It's better they don't get along."
"You don't encourage this do you?"
"No, of course I do not encourage fighting among the children, nor anyone who is not training for battle."
"But you do nothing to stop it?"
"Legolas!" The king yelled, but his friend put his hand on Elrond's shoulder, calming him, and Legolas ran off after Adah.
"He is so young and Naive." The council member said.
"We must watch out for him. His father is a dear friend, and Legolas is a potential warrior." Elrond claimed.
"Yes," said his friend. "Have you not seen him with the bow?"
"Nay, I have not."
"Even the knife, but his father claims he has seen none greater, and I can testify. I have seen him, and never have I seen an elf take to such a weapon more naturally."
At this the council member joined in. "I do see a great strength in him, but he is still a child himself. He has never faced such a grave danger as to feel the sense of loss."
"Well, if he does what I think he's going to do, then loss is surely at hand."
***
Legolas found Adah kneeling down by the river, crying into her reflection. He walked silently behind her, and she saw his image standing over her in the water. She jumped up and backed away from him. "Who are you?" She demanded, her tears diminishing.
He bowed before her. "I am Legolas, son of the great Thranduil of Mirkwood."
"Thranduil? You are a prince?"
"Yes good lady."
"What do you want? I hope you have not come to taunt me more. The other kids have given me my fill for the day."
"Of course not." Legolas shook his head. He felt angered at the site of the hurt child.
"Well, I suppose you'll be on your way then."
"Can't I stay with you?"
She didn't reply. She stared at him confused. "Is this a joke? This is very mean. You said you weren't here to be mean to me."
Legolas laughed. "No this is not a joke."
Adah looked to the trees finding an escape if she needed it. "Well, even if it wasn't, I shouldn't, because I don't know you."
"Indeed we are not strangers child. You and I have met before."
"Have we?"
He stared into her golden eyes that had not changed since he first saw her as a baby. "Yes."
She waited for more, but he spoke nothing. "When?" She asked still prepared to run.
"When you were first brought here. I was with my father that day in Rivendell."
"Well, fine then. We know each other, or at least you know me. But I still think you should go."
"Why then?"
"Because they would get mad if you stayed with me."
"Why?"
"Because I am a heart breaker."
"Indeed, you are."
Adah started crying at this, and started off for the woods. Legolas ran after her and caught her. She struggled to get free, but she cried so much, her strength betrayed her.
"I meant heart breaker in the manner of your beauty." She cried more. "You are not listening child. I meant you are a very beautiful little girl, and are lucky to be so, elf or human, and when you grow up those boys will be sorry they were ever mean to you."
"I don't think it would make a difference. I have no friends."
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't. Well, except the animals, but not the elves."
"I will be your friend. May I?"
She stopped sobbing and looked at him for a long time. Had she been any older, perhaps she would have doubted him, but her child like nature kicked in, and she grew excited again. "Yes! Yes!" She jumped. Legolas laughed at the site, but she ignored it, grabbed his hand, and dragged him as far as she could through the forest showing him all her favorite spots, and introducing him to her animal friends.
He grew fascinated by her, and said nothing more of their first meeting, or of her name, and she didn't ask. She went on and on about what she liked to do, and the thoughts in her head, and her favorite games. She laughed and he carried her around on his back, so that she could reach some of the leaves on the trees.
They sat in the fields, and she taught him how to make a crown of flowers, which he reluctantly put on his head. He felt silly, but she thought nothing of it. When she told him she wished she could fly, he picked her up, held her in the air, and as she spread out her arms, he ran through the field.
Birds fluttered around them, cheering for Adah, and singing songs that claimed her tears were no more.
***
When they returned to the courts of Mirkwood, Elrond had been waiting for them, and Legolas' father arrived. He looked angered, and Legolas became nervous.
Elrond summoned one of Adah's elf maids to take her back to her room. One of the older maidens came, and picked her up. "Will you be here tomorrow Legolas?" Adah asked as she was carried off.
"No, I fear I leave for home tonight." Adah frowned. "But I promise to return every chance I get." Her smile returned, and she wrapped her arms around her carrier, and they headed back to her chamber.
He looked a the two kings before him. "Don't look at me like that."
"You know what you have done?" Elrond asked.
"I have done nothing but offered my love to a child that has received none."
"She has all she needs."
"How can she have everything when she lives without love?"
"She will live. You put yourself in danger here Legolas."
"I will be fine."
"I will not see my son lost over a human!" His father shouted. "You break whatever bond you have made with that child today, before it goes too far."
"Father, I have made my decision. I have befriended the child. I have befriended Adah." Legolas folded his arms as a sign he would not change his mind.
"As your king, I demand it!"
"And what will you do father? Banish me?" With that he left the company, and retrieved his horse from the stables, heading home ahead of Thranduil.
"I wonder where your son gets his stubbornness?" Elrond said eyeing Thranduil, trying not to smile.
But Thranduil's mood was far from humorous. "Elrond," he said, "this cannot go on. You cursed yourself the day you brought that child here, and now my son has been brought into it, and I will not have it."
"You deal with your son accordingly. You know I must care for the child until her hair darkens. If I break that oath, I fear worse curses upon my people."
"Farewell then, but I will not return here until that child is gone." He bid his friend farewell, and left Elrond to his own thoughts.
***************************************************
"Jonathan?" Jonathan looked up form the story he had been so entranced in to find his wife standing at the door in her aerobics uniform. "Honey, ho long have you been here?"
"I. I don't know. I think I woke at three?"
"John, it's 7 in the morning. You have to leave for your business trip tomorrow. Go get some sleep."
"I'm not really tired."
"Well at least eat something."
He looked at her tall slender body. Her blond hair was pulled back, and she had already done her make up. "O.K." He answered.
"I have to go in a few. I've got my martial arts class this morning. Ted is the instructor today."
"The weird one with the long brown hair?"
"Yeah."
"That man's kind of creepy. He's to quiet except when he teaches."
"Yeah, kinda mysterious." She giggled. "Anyway, I'll be back to shower after, but I'm going out with Susan and Amy after words for lunch, and then some shopping, and I may not even be home until after you fall asleep."
"O. K." He said remotely.
"Honey, don't forget to pack. You're going to be gone for a week, so be sure to pack plenty. And don't make Freda pack for you again. For a woman, and a maid, that woman cannot fold, and she never packs what you need. Remember last time, you ended up with all the clothes you bought for our trip to Tahiti, and you had to buy a whole knew set of business suits. Jonathan? Jonathan? Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, yes. Freda, pack, Tahiti, got it." He smiled at her, and she shrugged.
"Do something productive today. I'll see you, well, actually, you're leaving so early, I guess I'll see you next week. Love you." She kissed the air, and disappeared behind the door.
He folded his arms to his chest and blew out a breath he had been holding. He turned back to the window, and tried to picture Rivendell in his back yard. He found his imagination didn't work that well when it came to fantasy. Never the less, he stood up and put his hands to the window, and staring out, he thought of Adah, and how it must of been like for her to be touched with a compassionate hand after six years.
His mind didn't quite jump to the realization of how close Legolas and her might actually get, and he didn't quite comprehend the idea of immortality. He'd often heard ministers talk of Heaven, and living forever after you died, but they always preached there was no pain in Heaven. But to live forever on earth, with all the suffering, even he endured, though he would never admit it, he couldn't fathom how the elves would even want to live forever in such a place. Maybe Adah was the lucky one, he thought.
Then again, maybe not.
Once Upon a Crest
Chapter 3: He Dared to Love Her
*************************************************************
The two Elven Kings entered the kingdom of Rivendell, home of Lord Elrond, with one extra addition to the party that had left earlier that morning. Many watched as they rode in, observing the bundle Elrond held in one arm, but the men continued forward without looking back.
They stopped in front of the council room, and jumped off their horses, leaving the tenants to take the animals back to their stables. Each step their feet fell upon was an unstained white, like most of the kingdom. Engravings marked the walls they passed, telling stories of the great elves from the past, present, and even of the future, though there weren't quite as many there.
Elrond and Thranduil stepped inside the room, where the council had been waiting for them. Elrond gave the account of the orcs, and the humans as he had found them, but the council continued to observe the child that he had clutched to his chest as if one false move, and the little girl would slip away forever.
"I know you are all greatly curious as to how I begot the child." Elrond spoke sternly. "The child has been entrusted into my care, and I will raise her here until I decide to send her on her own."
"My Lord," spoke one of the council, one of the less fair elves of Rivendell, "are you sure this is such a good idea?"
"Do not believe I don't take you wisdom to consideration. You have served me well, and have always proved good in judgment. I know the consequences, but I have not been left the choice to weigh them. I am king, and I decree, the child will stay here."
There was nothing the council could do, but nod in acceptance, and nothing more was spoken about it.
***
The child's parent's bodies were found bye servants of Elrond, and brought back, where they were given an honorable burial. Elrond ordered them buried in a place far into the kingdom next to the river, that was rarely visited by any elf, and the child could visit them when she grew. He knew he could do that much for her, for there was much he knew he could not.
***
He was sitting in a room he used to think, watching the child sleep on a mound of colorful pillows that rested on a round carpet on the floor. There had not been many a time he had been lost in decision making, but this was a matter he could not take lightly, and still he bewildered at the unexpected presence of the child.
A knock came to the door, and entered Thranduil, his grown son Legolas, and Elrond's grown daughter Arwin. "What ails you father?" She asked sitting next to him, for she had not yet heard of the child's coming. She looked over to see the sleeping girl, and was taken back. "To Whom does she belong father?"
But Elrond continued to sit silent and stare, so Thranduil spoke for him. "Her parents were taken by the orcs, and your father has brought her here to care for her."
Arwin looked at her dad questioning him with her eyes, but he would not take his eyes from the child.
"Her ears, they're not pointed." Legolas spoke for the first time.
Arwin looked back at the girl, and her mouth dropped a small amount. "Father? We cannot have a human here. You know the dangers."
"What?" Asked Legolas.
Thranduil answered his son. "You know of what we speak Legolas. The child will grow among elves, and one day die, leaving behind a group of immortals with broken hearts, and you know what that means."
"But we have been friends with humans before."
"Yes, but never have they grown among us, picking up our traits, becoming so much like us as too love us truly with their souls."
Elrond looked up at this toward his old friend, but still said nothing.
"Then why do you keep her?" Legolas asked, and the child began to stir.
Elrond stood and spoke. "I have no choice."
Arwin, who had not spoken for a while stood up next to her father, and though she angered inside, spoke calmly but sternly, "I will have no part in this." And walked out of the room.
"As you should." Elrond whispered after her.
Thranduil and his son said nothing for a while, until Thranduil could no longer bear the silence. "Have you some plan in mind?"
"Not exactly," Elrond Answered. "I suppose I shall take it day by day, and see where that leads me.
"Surely a child can not bring so much harm." Legolas jumped in enthusiastically.
"Legolas!" His father exclaimed. "You are young, and have little understanding of these matters. Do not try to contribute to this. Stand back in silence, and show a little more respect for Lord Elrond. Perhaps, try to show some respect for loyalty for once yes?"
Legolas obeyed his father's command to step back immediately, but his mind continued to argue their words.
"I should start with something simple, and I suppose that would be the matter of her name." Elrond claimed. Thranduil raised a brow curious as to hot the present situation would turn. "I don't think I can. Too much attachment comes with the naming of a being." He looked at his two companions. "Perhaps I will call in a maiden."
"Let me." Legolas said hesitantly. Both kings looked back at him. Thranduil, about to object, was silenced by Elrond.
"Let the boy." He demanded.
Legolas looked to his father, who nodded in approval after some time, and then walked slowly to the child.
"Be quick about it." His father spat. "And give her a name of human tongue."
Legolas nodded to the king, and then turned his attention back to the child. He dared not touch her, for fear of his father, but instead observed her blond locks, and golden eyes. "She shall be called Adah; ornament, for she is the prettiest babe I have ever beheld."
The baby cheered, and tried to lay her hands on Legolas, but he backed away, and smiled with pity at Adah. Thranduil shook his head in disapproval.
"Then so be it." Proclaimed Elrond. "She is Adah."
***
Adah grew with 4 maidservants to care for her, but they were warned never to speak to her, unless necessary, and they rarely did. She was kept far from Elrond, but not denied his presence, for he did swear to care for her.
3 years had passed, and Thranduil had not visited the kingdom of Elrond, though Elrond did come to see him when he could spare it, and Legolas was sent off with other young Mirkwood elves, (who were not extremely young. To your and my eyes, they may seem to be in only their twenties, but they were indeed a couple thousands of years. In their reference, they had recently come of age) on a quest to improve their strengths, and correct their weaknesses. So it was some time before he would see Rivendell, or the child again, though he did think of her often. He had come to agree with Elrond, that naming a being did precede attachment.
Though Adah had never any company besides her maid servants, she was still innocent to the world, and was more like a little sprite. She would jump and laugh whenever possible, and she clapped at, and praised the life inside the forest. She found friendship in animals, and their play was of some entertainment to the maidens that had to follow her daily.
The maidens did grow tired of watching a child they could not talk to, or befriend, and devised a system so they would not all grow weary or bored. During the child's play time, they took turns, one maid to the child a day.
And it was on a certain warm, beautiful sunny day, of her third year, when the flowers were full in blossom from the spring season, and the butterflies had gathered in large and wild bunches in the fields, that Adah's youngest maid servant had taken her out.
Adah was being taught to walk by a young fawn that visited her often, and the maiden fell asleep in the tall grass. She had been up all the night before, with a handsome gentleman who had been visiting from Mirkwood. Adah, not having anyone to stop her, climbed upon the fawns back, and was carried off to wear Arwin dwelled.
Arwin, at first thinking she was being brought an injured child ran to Adah, but at the site of the blond, curly locks, and the human ears, she frowned, and turned away.
Adah climbed off the animals back, and followed Arwin, leaving the fawn to rest. She climbed slowly, and with great effort up the steps that led from the dirt up to an upper part of the structure.
"How did you get here?" Arwin asked, but the child did not answer. Since her maid servants were not aloud to converse with her, Adah did not have much of a vocabulary as of yet. Instead she laughed and kept running after Arwin, excited that someone was giving her attention. "This place was given to me by my father, and no one else is aloud here." Arwin claimed demandingly.
They were surrounded by a stone walk way, and tall white pillars that held a stone roof. Under the roof was an open room, with a wooden bed covered in feathered pillows, and outside was a decent sized area where one could sit and think on the stone bench, or the circle stone pond with a statue of an elf girl none had ever seen in the center. Arwin liked to sit on the bench, stare out at the miles of beauteous nature before her.
She turned and bent down to the child, who grabbed at Arwin's long black hair. Arwin pulled back her hair, and spoke sternly to the child. "You should not be here. Do you understand? I do not want you here."
The last phrase was one the child understood, for she had heard it many times before. Adah's smile faded, and she turned and ran back to the fawn, who rushed her back to an angry maiden. She picked the child up, ignoring her tears, and took her back to her room.
*************************************************************
Jonathan Statton put down the last sheet he had read, and stared at a spot on the wall, letting his mind wander. It drew him back to a time when he was young, and lived with his mother, father, and two older brothers.
Him and his brothers were constantly competing for their father's attention, and love. They competed for a lot of things, and John's wit and stamina helped him to win most of the battles. But his father was beyond him. He only seemed to approve of his sons when they worked their hardest.
They were a poor family, and his mother was hardly ever home. She had to work long hours just to help the family buy food, and the father worked for a coal mining companies. The two older sons also worked with their father in the mines when they were old enough, but Jonathan knew that didn't earn them hardly anything, and swore to his family that he would go to America and earn a mountainful of money to support his family.
Thus his journey began. His goal for his family drove him on and on, and his practiced determination to please his father kept him at will. But the more money he made, which didn't start coming in till he was in late 20's, the more he remembered his father's drunkenness, and his mother's lack of presence in his life, and his brothers cold, angered hearts, the more he began to believe his family deserved nothing.
Still, he sent them a fair amount every month, but never as much as he could have, and he never wrote, or sent for them to come to America. Eventually, he had an assistant send the money for him, and concealed by his hate and his greed, his family was long forgotten, until now.
He began to feel a remorse for Adah, but nothing yet for himself or his family. He began to wonder how the child might turn out when she was older, if the story brought him that far.
"Relax Jonathan." He said to himself. "It's just a story. Nothing real. Elves and such. Ha! I think Falgand needs to go see a doctor himself."
He turned in his chair to look out the window behind him. Light was beginning to peak over the mountains, and the trees began to take shape before him. He soaked in the site, thinking of his own home as a boy. He remembered the trees he loved so much, and how he took comfort in them. And the remembrance of how he used to think he could talk with them and they could talk back began to creep back up into his thoughts. He laughed at himself. "Really John. You were an odd child."
He turned back to the story, wondering if he should go on with it, but the words of his dream were starting to haunt him again, and sighing, he picked up the next piece of paper. He studied the writing for a while. It didn't seem like regular ink, but more like calligraphy writing. It was how he first wrote. Ink and a feather pen.
He dismissed the thought, and continued on with the story.
***************************************************************
When Adah was 6, she was in her second year of school, and could speak fairly well. She still did not have any friends, and her elf maidens had been changed. The new one's were somewhat mean to her, and she didn't even know their names. They would not utter a word to Adah.
She rarely had seen Arwin since the day she had wandered off with the fawn. The times their paths did cross, their eyes would gaze at each other, but never a word was spoken.
Elrond was always there to give her what she needed, but they never developed any sort of friendship. No, Adah was very much alone in the world, but she still found comfort in nature, and companionship with the animals.
Spring was approaching, which made Adah happy, because it was her favorite season. Many new creatures of the forest were born at this time, and the trees and flowers blossomed more radiant then ever.
Unbeknownst to her, spring was also the time that she herself would change. This spring her golden locks fell straight to the center of her back, and though, shorter than most elves, she grew to quite a tall height for a normal 6 year old human girl.
***
School had just ended, and as usual, she was the first one out the door. She tried every day to get away as fast as she could, to avoid the taunting of the other children, but sometimes they caught her.
"Hey Adblah!" One child cried out.
Adah turned around, but before she could respond, another spoke up. "Did someone cut off your ears, or did they just come like that?"
She put her hands to her ears, as a little elf girl, who had been more popular among the elf children joined in. "Of course their natural. She's not an elf. No elf is that ugly."
Adah lowered her head, biting back the tears. "Well, then where do you come from? What are you? Surely you're not natural." Another elf boy chimed in, and then the first elf replied, "Isn't it obvious? She's a warg."
"Are you sure she's not an orc?" The girl asked.
"No, even they are too good for her."
Adah felt a fire grow inside her, and lifted her head back up. The Elven children were somewhat shocked by the look in her eyes, but none was surprised as the elf boy who made the last comment, when Adah flew at him. She instantly knocked him to the ground, and he screamed as she pounded on him.
Adah felt strong hands pull her off the boy, and she continued to swing and kick in the air. She was set down, and when she calmed, she turned to find she had been restrained by Elrond. He looked at her angrily, and she shrunk back.
He did not speak to her, but his eyes were fierce, and when he let go, she ran off into the trees away from the scene.
Elrond stood up, and ignored the convicting glances of his company, which consisted of a member of his council, a personal friend, and Legolas, son of Thranduil who had returned from his journey.
"What took place here today?" He asked the children.
They all looked down to the ground, except the kid who had been knocked down by Adah. "She just came at me. No reason." He claimed.
"No one fights without some reason boy."
"I swear. She's crazy. You know she is. What, am I supposed to be compassionate to her or something? She's human, remember?"
"Child, do not speak to the king in this manner." The council member spoke.
Elrond help up his hand to silence him, and then waved the children away.
"You're going to let them get away with that? You know they were lying." Legolas argued.
"What can I do Legolas? It's better they don't get along."
"You don't encourage this do you?"
"No, of course I do not encourage fighting among the children, nor anyone who is not training for battle."
"But you do nothing to stop it?"
"Legolas!" The king yelled, but his friend put his hand on Elrond's shoulder, calming him, and Legolas ran off after Adah.
"He is so young and Naive." The council member said.
"We must watch out for him. His father is a dear friend, and Legolas is a potential warrior." Elrond claimed.
"Yes," said his friend. "Have you not seen him with the bow?"
"Nay, I have not."
"Even the knife, but his father claims he has seen none greater, and I can testify. I have seen him, and never have I seen an elf take to such a weapon more naturally."
At this the council member joined in. "I do see a great strength in him, but he is still a child himself. He has never faced such a grave danger as to feel the sense of loss."
"Well, if he does what I think he's going to do, then loss is surely at hand."
***
Legolas found Adah kneeling down by the river, crying into her reflection. He walked silently behind her, and she saw his image standing over her in the water. She jumped up and backed away from him. "Who are you?" She demanded, her tears diminishing.
He bowed before her. "I am Legolas, son of the great Thranduil of Mirkwood."
"Thranduil? You are a prince?"
"Yes good lady."
"What do you want? I hope you have not come to taunt me more. The other kids have given me my fill for the day."
"Of course not." Legolas shook his head. He felt angered at the site of the hurt child.
"Well, I suppose you'll be on your way then."
"Can't I stay with you?"
She didn't reply. She stared at him confused. "Is this a joke? This is very mean. You said you weren't here to be mean to me."
Legolas laughed. "No this is not a joke."
Adah looked to the trees finding an escape if she needed it. "Well, even if it wasn't, I shouldn't, because I don't know you."
"Indeed we are not strangers child. You and I have met before."
"Have we?"
He stared into her golden eyes that had not changed since he first saw her as a baby. "Yes."
She waited for more, but he spoke nothing. "When?" She asked still prepared to run.
"When you were first brought here. I was with my father that day in Rivendell."
"Well, fine then. We know each other, or at least you know me. But I still think you should go."
"Why then?"
"Because they would get mad if you stayed with me."
"Why?"
"Because I am a heart breaker."
"Indeed, you are."
Adah started crying at this, and started off for the woods. Legolas ran after her and caught her. She struggled to get free, but she cried so much, her strength betrayed her.
"I meant heart breaker in the manner of your beauty." She cried more. "You are not listening child. I meant you are a very beautiful little girl, and are lucky to be so, elf or human, and when you grow up those boys will be sorry they were ever mean to you."
"I don't think it would make a difference. I have no friends."
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't. Well, except the animals, but not the elves."
"I will be your friend. May I?"
She stopped sobbing and looked at him for a long time. Had she been any older, perhaps she would have doubted him, but her child like nature kicked in, and she grew excited again. "Yes! Yes!" She jumped. Legolas laughed at the site, but she ignored it, grabbed his hand, and dragged him as far as she could through the forest showing him all her favorite spots, and introducing him to her animal friends.
He grew fascinated by her, and said nothing more of their first meeting, or of her name, and she didn't ask. She went on and on about what she liked to do, and the thoughts in her head, and her favorite games. She laughed and he carried her around on his back, so that she could reach some of the leaves on the trees.
They sat in the fields, and she taught him how to make a crown of flowers, which he reluctantly put on his head. He felt silly, but she thought nothing of it. When she told him she wished she could fly, he picked her up, held her in the air, and as she spread out her arms, he ran through the field.
Birds fluttered around them, cheering for Adah, and singing songs that claimed her tears were no more.
***
When they returned to the courts of Mirkwood, Elrond had been waiting for them, and Legolas' father arrived. He looked angered, and Legolas became nervous.
Elrond summoned one of Adah's elf maids to take her back to her room. One of the older maidens came, and picked her up. "Will you be here tomorrow Legolas?" Adah asked as she was carried off.
"No, I fear I leave for home tonight." Adah frowned. "But I promise to return every chance I get." Her smile returned, and she wrapped her arms around her carrier, and they headed back to her chamber.
He looked a the two kings before him. "Don't look at me like that."
"You know what you have done?" Elrond asked.
"I have done nothing but offered my love to a child that has received none."
"She has all she needs."
"How can she have everything when she lives without love?"
"She will live. You put yourself in danger here Legolas."
"I will be fine."
"I will not see my son lost over a human!" His father shouted. "You break whatever bond you have made with that child today, before it goes too far."
"Father, I have made my decision. I have befriended the child. I have befriended Adah." Legolas folded his arms as a sign he would not change his mind.
"As your king, I demand it!"
"And what will you do father? Banish me?" With that he left the company, and retrieved his horse from the stables, heading home ahead of Thranduil.
"I wonder where your son gets his stubbornness?" Elrond said eyeing Thranduil, trying not to smile.
But Thranduil's mood was far from humorous. "Elrond," he said, "this cannot go on. You cursed yourself the day you brought that child here, and now my son has been brought into it, and I will not have it."
"You deal with your son accordingly. You know I must care for the child until her hair darkens. If I break that oath, I fear worse curses upon my people."
"Farewell then, but I will not return here until that child is gone." He bid his friend farewell, and left Elrond to his own thoughts.
***************************************************
"Jonathan?" Jonathan looked up form the story he had been so entranced in to find his wife standing at the door in her aerobics uniform. "Honey, ho long have you been here?"
"I. I don't know. I think I woke at three?"
"John, it's 7 in the morning. You have to leave for your business trip tomorrow. Go get some sleep."
"I'm not really tired."
"Well at least eat something."
He looked at her tall slender body. Her blond hair was pulled back, and she had already done her make up. "O.K." He answered.
"I have to go in a few. I've got my martial arts class this morning. Ted is the instructor today."
"The weird one with the long brown hair?"
"Yeah."
"That man's kind of creepy. He's to quiet except when he teaches."
"Yeah, kinda mysterious." She giggled. "Anyway, I'll be back to shower after, but I'm going out with Susan and Amy after words for lunch, and then some shopping, and I may not even be home until after you fall asleep."
"O. K." He said remotely.
"Honey, don't forget to pack. You're going to be gone for a week, so be sure to pack plenty. And don't make Freda pack for you again. For a woman, and a maid, that woman cannot fold, and she never packs what you need. Remember last time, you ended up with all the clothes you bought for our trip to Tahiti, and you had to buy a whole knew set of business suits. Jonathan? Jonathan? Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, yes. Freda, pack, Tahiti, got it." He smiled at her, and she shrugged.
"Do something productive today. I'll see you, well, actually, you're leaving so early, I guess I'll see you next week. Love you." She kissed the air, and disappeared behind the door.
He folded his arms to his chest and blew out a breath he had been holding. He turned back to the window, and tried to picture Rivendell in his back yard. He found his imagination didn't work that well when it came to fantasy. Never the less, he stood up and put his hands to the window, and staring out, he thought of Adah, and how it must of been like for her to be touched with a compassionate hand after six years.
His mind didn't quite jump to the realization of how close Legolas and her might actually get, and he didn't quite comprehend the idea of immortality. He'd often heard ministers talk of Heaven, and living forever after you died, but they always preached there was no pain in Heaven. But to live forever on earth, with all the suffering, even he endured, though he would never admit it, he couldn't fathom how the elves would even want to live forever in such a place. Maybe Adah was the lucky one, he thought.
Then again, maybe not.
