Chapter 6
"Arual?"
The soft voice of her father. She turned, panic rising in her chest.
"I heard about the falling out with Persevore," he spoke gravely.
She almost doubled over and giggled. Oh, how she loved Percy. Her heart skipped a beat. But was it love - or just gratefulness?
"Erm . yes. Something like that," she muttered.
"He's very upset about it. I think you ought to go down and talk to him. He's a very nice boy."
Oh Jesus he's hinting at me, Arual thought. Her father had never agreed with her 'thing' with Celeblain.
"Mmm."
"Arual - you must talk. It does not do well to keep your feelings to yourself-"
You wanna know my fuckin' feelings? Well, my dear old father, I'm pissing off. Off with my best friend Lego. And I know you are jealous, and what you ought to know is that I wouldn't give a rat's ass. You bore me with your crafts and business of Middle-Earth. Why should it involve me - YOU caused it.
"I know, father. But it was Percy who began the argument."
"Arual! You began an argument with me not so long ago! I think you had better get used to apologising to people you have hurt."
Their eyes - both black - were locked.
"Close the door on your way out," she snarled.
Elrond left, and Arual slung herself over her bed, where she lay, motionless for a while. She was leaving her home life with both her father and friend angry with her. Serves them right, Arual thought, and settled for sleep before she did leave.
* * *
Night. Arual's eyes reflected the dotted stars in the sky as she lifted herself flawlessly onto the banister surrounding the porch outside her room. A 40-foot drop. The rope was around her waist on one end and attached to the banister on the other in an instant. Hoisting her rucksack on her back, then stepped off the five-inch wide banister, and fell. As she was about to smash into the paved ground, she straitened, landing on her small feet.
She yanked the rope to the side, and it fell like a tossed serpent. She caught it, looped it, and lifted over her head, wearing it like a sash. Then, yanking the cloak out of her bag, she draped it over her body, shielding herself from prying eyes. And, faster than she could have ever before, though not matching her imagination, she sprinted up the bank to the boundaries of the pinewoods, which seemed immensely more dense than she could have anticipated.
She lay on her stomach, her back arched, observing the woods, which she was about to pass through. One utter came from her lips; "shit."
"Arual?"
The soft voice of her father. She turned, panic rising in her chest.
"I heard about the falling out with Persevore," he spoke gravely.
She almost doubled over and giggled. Oh, how she loved Percy. Her heart skipped a beat. But was it love - or just gratefulness?
"Erm . yes. Something like that," she muttered.
"He's very upset about it. I think you ought to go down and talk to him. He's a very nice boy."
Oh Jesus he's hinting at me, Arual thought. Her father had never agreed with her 'thing' with Celeblain.
"Mmm."
"Arual - you must talk. It does not do well to keep your feelings to yourself-"
You wanna know my fuckin' feelings? Well, my dear old father, I'm pissing off. Off with my best friend Lego. And I know you are jealous, and what you ought to know is that I wouldn't give a rat's ass. You bore me with your crafts and business of Middle-Earth. Why should it involve me - YOU caused it.
"I know, father. But it was Percy who began the argument."
"Arual! You began an argument with me not so long ago! I think you had better get used to apologising to people you have hurt."
Their eyes - both black - were locked.
"Close the door on your way out," she snarled.
Elrond left, and Arual slung herself over her bed, where she lay, motionless for a while. She was leaving her home life with both her father and friend angry with her. Serves them right, Arual thought, and settled for sleep before she did leave.
* * *
Night. Arual's eyes reflected the dotted stars in the sky as she lifted herself flawlessly onto the banister surrounding the porch outside her room. A 40-foot drop. The rope was around her waist on one end and attached to the banister on the other in an instant. Hoisting her rucksack on her back, then stepped off the five-inch wide banister, and fell. As she was about to smash into the paved ground, she straitened, landing on her small feet.
She yanked the rope to the side, and it fell like a tossed serpent. She caught it, looped it, and lifted over her head, wearing it like a sash. Then, yanking the cloak out of her bag, she draped it over her body, shielding herself from prying eyes. And, faster than she could have ever before, though not matching her imagination, she sprinted up the bank to the boundaries of the pinewoods, which seemed immensely more dense than she could have anticipated.
She lay on her stomach, her back arched, observing the woods, which she was about to pass through. One utter came from her lips; "shit."