Hey, I'm back! I hope you read Cassia's stories because they are SO
AWESOME. Anyway, if you ARE done with Cassia's stories, go read Fire
Pendant's! Ya, she's one of my best friends, but her stories are really
good. Also, in this chapter, note that Mellonia talks to the elves. As
elves can hear trees, I couldn't see why they shouldn't be able to
communicate with animals as well. Of course, the animal chooses who hears
them.
Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth or any of Tolkien's work in any way. However, Mellonia, Celeloth, Daedel, Lingiliath, and Melyanna are mine, and I would like you to please ask if you would ever want to use them. As if anyone would, but just in case.
As I said, I hate that. On with the story! ~*Water's Angel*~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thranduil paced around his chambers as Legolas sat in an overstuffed chair, watching him.
"I don't understand it!" the King cried for the umpteenth time. "That girl looks so much like Celeloth, it's uncanny!" They both glanced at the young elf that lay on the Elvenking's own bed. "What color are her eyes, hazel like Celeloth's?"
"Father," Legolas spoke gently. "Perhaps you would tell me who Celeloth was?"
"She was Celebrian's twin sister, though her hair was dark, and Celebrian's was golden, like Galadriel's," Thranduil sighed. "Could have been Luthien Tinuviel's twin."
"But Arwen..."
"Arwen looks like Celeloth and Luthien both. Why do you think Celebrian very nearly burst into tears when she saw the newborn Arwen? Oh, that's right, you were only an elfling yourself. Arwen looked almost the same as her sister did, the sister that she lost years ago. They were bonded quite strongly, and after everyone else gave up hope that Celeloth was still alive, Celebrian insisted that she was. But years later, while Elrond, Arwen, the twins, and herself were visiting Lorien, she suddenly screamed and held her hands to her throat, as if she couldn't breathe. After a few minutes, when she could finally speak again, she whispered these words: 'She's gone. Oh, Celeloth is gone...she gave up....' And after that she broke into hysterical sobs."
Here, Thranduil's face creased with worry lines. "That girl reminds me of Celeloth so much.so much.while Arwen looks like Celeloth a great deal, Celeloth's face was more heart-shaped....like hers." He nodded towards the girl.
A low moan startled them both. "Where-----?" a light, musical voice asked as the elf-maiden sat up. Her eyes widened as she saw the crown on Thranduil's head. "King Thranduil! We are in Mirkwood?"
"We?" Legolas questioned from the chair. He had been too comfortable to get up.
"There were two?"
"Mellonia," the girl said, sleep-filled eyes searching around the room. "Where is she? The panther?"
A loud feline wail outside the window startled them all, and a pair of glowing green eyes could be seen. The elf-maiden sighed. "I suppose she answered my question. Could you let her in? I fear she would do damage to your palace."
Thranduil walked quickly over to the window, and the panther sprang lightly in. She leapt onto the bed in a fluid movement, and curled up into a ball next to the girl.
"It's getting dark," the Elvenking muttered, and lighted a lamp. In the lamplight, he could see that the elf's eyes were a bright sparkling blue that could rival those of himself or Legolas, not hazel like he had thought them to be. "Child, what is your name, and where is your family?"
Melyanna's eyes were immediately cast downwards, and her lips trembled slightly. "My name is Melyanna," she whispered. "I have no family. My mother was murdered by one I will not name. I...I have no father." She choked over the last few words, and a lone tear streaked down her cheek.
Legolas raised an eyebrow. Melyanna? He thought. "Dear gift"? Who would name her "dear gift" if she has no family?
Thranduil sat on the bed next to her, and gently lifted her chin up until she was looking him straight in the eye. "I must know, who was your mother? Does the name 'Celeloth' mean anything to you?"
Melyanna stiffened. How could the powerful king of Mirkwood know her mother? Her heart ached as she remembered Celeloth, her beauty, her hope that everything would turn out all right. "M-my m-mother was Cele..." she couldn't go on. Heartache throbbed as she pulled away from Thranduil and buried her face in Mellonia's soft fur. She cried hard, but softly. Anyone who was not quiet enough for Daedel was severely beaten with a whip he had taken from an orc he had killed. The elves under his control had had to learn to keep their voices lower than low, and train their ears to hear the tiniest of whispers.
Thranduil's eyes went wide with shock, though he had half expected this. "By the Valar," he breathed as he clutched a bedpost to keep himself from collapsing. "We thought we had lost her years ago..." Melyanna was too choked on tears to tell him that indeed, she had died years ago. Had he not been listening when she said that her mother was murdered?
Legolas was surprised, too. "Melyanna, who is your father?" he asked gently, not wanting her to suffer anymore.
"I have no father," she snapped, harsher than she intended. "I will never accept him."
Seeing that he had prodded too hard, Legolas backed down. Indeed, he himself had been like that for quite a while after a traumatic event of his own.
Watching her telltale eyes, Thranduil easily read the emotions that flickered through. Pain was there, laced with anger.and the undercurrent to it all was fear. The Elvenking didn't know that Daedel tortured Celeloth and her daughter regularly, and that Melyanna feared that Daedel's brother might be the same.
~You need sleep,~ Mellonia's voice rang through Melyanna's head.
"No, I'm fine," she replied, though she knew that was a lie. Her head had started swimming again, and spots danced before her eyes.
"Who are you talking to?" Legolas inquired. Melyanna ignored him; Mellonia was talking.
~Elfling, do not think that these new elves do not see your weariness. If I can, they certainly do.~
" I'm older than you are, panther cub. And no, I'm not tired at all," Melyanna yawned.
~Yes, of course. Then why were you yawning?~
Mellonia regarded Thranduil with cool, level green eyes.
~Put her to bed,~ She ordered, never mind that he was a king. ~She is exhausted. Surely you, a king among elves, can see that?~
The Elvenking started. So that's who had been talking to Melyanna! "Yes," he agreed. "I see that she is tired. She may sleep here. Come, Legolas, I must speak with you."
They went out of the room, and with one hand on Mellonia's silky fur, Melyanna drifted into a light, shallow sleep that rested her not at all. But this was how she had slept for almost her entire life, fearing Daedel's wrath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As his bed was occupied, and he wasn't the tired in the least, Thranduil sat by Melyanna for quite a long time that night. Mellonia had left; they had given her a stall in the stable which she didn't mind, and the elven horses had been calmed with sweet words.
After a while, Melyanna gasped sharply in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare. Thranduil made as if to wake her, but then stopped. If she said anything in her sleep, if she gave them any clue of who her father was, they might be able to find him. Surely he couldn't be as bad as the girl thought he was!
"No!" Melyanna cried as the whip came down yet again, cutting through her thin shirt and coming away bloody.
"Then you recognize me as your rightful father?" Daedel's voice purred from somewhere above her head.
"Never," Melyanna ground out through gritted teeth.
"Then pay the price," he growled.
Melyanna's breath came quick and fast, catching in her throat. "No father would treat their daughter as you are," She gasped out through the pain.
"They would. It is called discipline, young elfling. I see your mother has let you grow as you please. I will not. My father did, leaving me room for rebellion. You will have no such chance."
"Damn you," Melyanna muttered under her breath, thinking that Daedel wouldn't hear. (A/N: In this particular dream, she would be about the elven equivalent of seven, but being raised in a rough place has taught her things innocent little seven-year-olds shouldn't know. Out of the dream she would be about 12.)
All of a sudden the whip stopped coming. "What did you say?" Daedel's voice was a soft, deadly, lethal whisper.
"Nothing," she swallowed hard, knowing what was coming next. Worse pain.
"I think, my 'daughter', that you shall be the first that I will test my new whip on. Don't you feel privileged to help your father, child?"
"Daedel, I will never accept you as my father, even after I enter the Halls of Mandos because of you and your insanity! Never!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whew, ok! That took a while. Hope you enjoyed! I hate torture a lot, so I most certainly won't go into detail. Review, PLEASE! And did I tell you people about Mitzachiru? She's my muse, about four years old, and really sweet. More later! ~*Water's Angel*~
Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth or any of Tolkien's work in any way. However, Mellonia, Celeloth, Daedel, Lingiliath, and Melyanna are mine, and I would like you to please ask if you would ever want to use them. As if anyone would, but just in case.
As I said, I hate that. On with the story! ~*Water's Angel*~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thranduil paced around his chambers as Legolas sat in an overstuffed chair, watching him.
"I don't understand it!" the King cried for the umpteenth time. "That girl looks so much like Celeloth, it's uncanny!" They both glanced at the young elf that lay on the Elvenking's own bed. "What color are her eyes, hazel like Celeloth's?"
"Father," Legolas spoke gently. "Perhaps you would tell me who Celeloth was?"
"She was Celebrian's twin sister, though her hair was dark, and Celebrian's was golden, like Galadriel's," Thranduil sighed. "Could have been Luthien Tinuviel's twin."
"But Arwen..."
"Arwen looks like Celeloth and Luthien both. Why do you think Celebrian very nearly burst into tears when she saw the newborn Arwen? Oh, that's right, you were only an elfling yourself. Arwen looked almost the same as her sister did, the sister that she lost years ago. They were bonded quite strongly, and after everyone else gave up hope that Celeloth was still alive, Celebrian insisted that she was. But years later, while Elrond, Arwen, the twins, and herself were visiting Lorien, she suddenly screamed and held her hands to her throat, as if she couldn't breathe. After a few minutes, when she could finally speak again, she whispered these words: 'She's gone. Oh, Celeloth is gone...she gave up....' And after that she broke into hysterical sobs."
Here, Thranduil's face creased with worry lines. "That girl reminds me of Celeloth so much.so much.while Arwen looks like Celeloth a great deal, Celeloth's face was more heart-shaped....like hers." He nodded towards the girl.
A low moan startled them both. "Where-----?" a light, musical voice asked as the elf-maiden sat up. Her eyes widened as she saw the crown on Thranduil's head. "King Thranduil! We are in Mirkwood?"
"We?" Legolas questioned from the chair. He had been too comfortable to get up.
"There were two?"
"Mellonia," the girl said, sleep-filled eyes searching around the room. "Where is she? The panther?"
A loud feline wail outside the window startled them all, and a pair of glowing green eyes could be seen. The elf-maiden sighed. "I suppose she answered my question. Could you let her in? I fear she would do damage to your palace."
Thranduil walked quickly over to the window, and the panther sprang lightly in. She leapt onto the bed in a fluid movement, and curled up into a ball next to the girl.
"It's getting dark," the Elvenking muttered, and lighted a lamp. In the lamplight, he could see that the elf's eyes were a bright sparkling blue that could rival those of himself or Legolas, not hazel like he had thought them to be. "Child, what is your name, and where is your family?"
Melyanna's eyes were immediately cast downwards, and her lips trembled slightly. "My name is Melyanna," she whispered. "I have no family. My mother was murdered by one I will not name. I...I have no father." She choked over the last few words, and a lone tear streaked down her cheek.
Legolas raised an eyebrow. Melyanna? He thought. "Dear gift"? Who would name her "dear gift" if she has no family?
Thranduil sat on the bed next to her, and gently lifted her chin up until she was looking him straight in the eye. "I must know, who was your mother? Does the name 'Celeloth' mean anything to you?"
Melyanna stiffened. How could the powerful king of Mirkwood know her mother? Her heart ached as she remembered Celeloth, her beauty, her hope that everything would turn out all right. "M-my m-mother was Cele..." she couldn't go on. Heartache throbbed as she pulled away from Thranduil and buried her face in Mellonia's soft fur. She cried hard, but softly. Anyone who was not quiet enough for Daedel was severely beaten with a whip he had taken from an orc he had killed. The elves under his control had had to learn to keep their voices lower than low, and train their ears to hear the tiniest of whispers.
Thranduil's eyes went wide with shock, though he had half expected this. "By the Valar," he breathed as he clutched a bedpost to keep himself from collapsing. "We thought we had lost her years ago..." Melyanna was too choked on tears to tell him that indeed, she had died years ago. Had he not been listening when she said that her mother was murdered?
Legolas was surprised, too. "Melyanna, who is your father?" he asked gently, not wanting her to suffer anymore.
"I have no father," she snapped, harsher than she intended. "I will never accept him."
Seeing that he had prodded too hard, Legolas backed down. Indeed, he himself had been like that for quite a while after a traumatic event of his own.
Watching her telltale eyes, Thranduil easily read the emotions that flickered through. Pain was there, laced with anger.and the undercurrent to it all was fear. The Elvenking didn't know that Daedel tortured Celeloth and her daughter regularly, and that Melyanna feared that Daedel's brother might be the same.
~You need sleep,~ Mellonia's voice rang through Melyanna's head.
"No, I'm fine," she replied, though she knew that was a lie. Her head had started swimming again, and spots danced before her eyes.
"Who are you talking to?" Legolas inquired. Melyanna ignored him; Mellonia was talking.
~Elfling, do not think that these new elves do not see your weariness. If I can, they certainly do.~
" I'm older than you are, panther cub. And no, I'm not tired at all," Melyanna yawned.
~Yes, of course. Then why were you yawning?~
Mellonia regarded Thranduil with cool, level green eyes.
~Put her to bed,~ She ordered, never mind that he was a king. ~She is exhausted. Surely you, a king among elves, can see that?~
The Elvenking started. So that's who had been talking to Melyanna! "Yes," he agreed. "I see that she is tired. She may sleep here. Come, Legolas, I must speak with you."
They went out of the room, and with one hand on Mellonia's silky fur, Melyanna drifted into a light, shallow sleep that rested her not at all. But this was how she had slept for almost her entire life, fearing Daedel's wrath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As his bed was occupied, and he wasn't the tired in the least, Thranduil sat by Melyanna for quite a long time that night. Mellonia had left; they had given her a stall in the stable which she didn't mind, and the elven horses had been calmed with sweet words.
After a while, Melyanna gasped sharply in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare. Thranduil made as if to wake her, but then stopped. If she said anything in her sleep, if she gave them any clue of who her father was, they might be able to find him. Surely he couldn't be as bad as the girl thought he was!
"No!" Melyanna cried as the whip came down yet again, cutting through her thin shirt and coming away bloody.
"Then you recognize me as your rightful father?" Daedel's voice purred from somewhere above her head.
"Never," Melyanna ground out through gritted teeth.
"Then pay the price," he growled.
Melyanna's breath came quick and fast, catching in her throat. "No father would treat their daughter as you are," She gasped out through the pain.
"They would. It is called discipline, young elfling. I see your mother has let you grow as you please. I will not. My father did, leaving me room for rebellion. You will have no such chance."
"Damn you," Melyanna muttered under her breath, thinking that Daedel wouldn't hear. (A/N: In this particular dream, she would be about the elven equivalent of seven, but being raised in a rough place has taught her things innocent little seven-year-olds shouldn't know. Out of the dream she would be about 12.)
All of a sudden the whip stopped coming. "What did you say?" Daedel's voice was a soft, deadly, lethal whisper.
"Nothing," she swallowed hard, knowing what was coming next. Worse pain.
"I think, my 'daughter', that you shall be the first that I will test my new whip on. Don't you feel privileged to help your father, child?"
"Daedel, I will never accept you as my father, even after I enter the Halls of Mandos because of you and your insanity! Never!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whew, ok! That took a while. Hope you enjoyed! I hate torture a lot, so I most certainly won't go into detail. Review, PLEASE! And did I tell you people about Mitzachiru? She's my muse, about four years old, and really sweet. More later! ~*Water's Angel*~