A/N: It still ain't mine don't sue. Everybody have a Merry (and Pippin) Christmas! Anorwing will now be called by her true name.
A Chance Meeting
Several years had passed since Arathia had learned of who she was. And for all the joy this knowledge should have brought her, none came. She mourned the fate of her beloved brother. How she wished she could draw away Evil's eye so that he might be safe.
After Lord Elrond had told her who she was she, like Aragorn, had left for the Wild. Gilraen had objected, but finally relented. More then likely because Elrond made her. It had been a tearful farewell on both Arathia's and Gilraen's part, but mother and daughter were strong and were able to let go. Arathia had also had a hard time saying goodbye to Elladan and Elrohir.
"I can barely believe that you're not going to be here all the time anymore," Elladan had said. He seemed to be in a mix of joy and sorrow for her.
"I'll come back sometimes. Imladris is still my home," she had replied.
"Well, if you don't," continued Elrohir, "We'll come and get you."
That had made Arathia laugh. The twins could always do that. But she had not seen them in nearly four years. Often she had considered returning. To live in the safety of the known, then the danger of the unknown which she had walked in for so long.
West and south had she walked. Finding friends and foes where ever she journeyed. Now she walked in the northeast. Near Mirkwood. The forest that none could go through without following the Old Forest Road. And even then some never saw the other side. Arathia had followed the western border of the wood ever searching for the Forest River. With that as her guide, Arathia was going to go into Mirkwood. Why? Not even Arathia knew. Perhaps its infamous reputation drew her. Perhaps the thought of seeing more elves did. Whatever the reason Arathia was going to Mirkwood and was going to find something. She could feel it.
After many weeks of following the western border of Mirkwood, Arathia found what she sought. And with the Forest River as her guide, Arathia journeyed into Mirkwood. Now many adventures did she have in that forest. Encounters with spiders and other fell creature, but those adventures will not be discussed here, fantastic though they may be. Only this, a chance meeting. A meeting which spelled the doom of Arathia daughter of Arathorn and of Legolas son of Thranduil.
Now it came to pass that Arathia eventually left the Forest River to go north where she knew the Wood Elves dwelt. But not being completely familiar with the wood, she eventually became lost. But not so lost as that she did not know where she was going (always in a northeast way did she travel) but lost in the sense that the land was unfamiliar to her.
On this particular day, Arathia had climbed to the top of several trees to get her bearing, but unfortunately the sun was hiding behind a blanket of low clouds.
"*Aiya! This is so annoying!" Arathia complained as she jumped from the bows of the tree she had been climbing. She immediately regretted being so loud. Her keen ears had picked up something. The sound of one whom hunts with a bow and arrow. It had come from behind her. Arathia slowly crouched down to pick up her own bow and an arrow. She kept her ears opened the entire time. Who ever it was, they were coming closer. Arathia fitted the arrow to the bow. In three she was going to turn and face her opponent.
"One, two, three!" Arathia counted in her mind.
She turned with all the speed of the North wind and fired her arrow. But her assailant had the speed of all the winds in their fury. He dodged the arrow and hid behind a tree. It was a Wood Elf! It had to be. No orc was that fast and Arathia had caught a glimpse of golden hair. Arathia dropped her bow and put her hands up, palms outward.
"Mae govannen. Forgive me fair one, I did not know you were an elf."
The elf came out from his hiding place. Arathia's eyes went as big as saucers as she gazed for the first time upon Legolas Greenleaf. He was dressed entirely in green. His golden hair was pulled behind his perfectly chiseled face. But his eyes. Oh his eyes! They held wells of knowledge and his fea seemed to show through them. Each time they moved, a new and more wondrous look did they have. Everything came through those eyes. Every thought, every feeling. Arathia dropped her gaze to the ground for fear that if she looked to deep she would lose herself in those indescribable blue eyes. He was the most beautiful elf Arathia had ever seen. And she loved him.
Legolas could hardly keep his jaw from dropping. He had thought he was hunting a stray orc, but instead had found a greater prize. She was no elf, of that he was certain. But what maid could be so beautiful and not be of his kin? It was as though the sun had fallen into Mirkwood and then left, forgetting one of her rays. Her rich brown curls framed her strong pale face. A face that only the hands of the most skilled craftsman could make. Each curve was soft and accentuated her most prominent feature. Her eyes. Her large brown eyes. As strong as the oldest trees, yet young as a sapling they were. Legolas neither knew nor cared whom this maiden was. Only that whatever her doom was. It would be his doom as well.
For some time the two stood like that. Caught up in the doom of love and if any had seen them they would have known what had transpired. Finally Legolas spoke.
"Who are you?"
Arathia was caught again. His voice was like the sweetest song ever written. How could she respond with her pitiful mortal voice? And how could she say anything but the truth of who she was. If she said anything else, he would be able to tell that it wasn't the truth. She eventually found her voice and said,
"I was once Anorwing, but I am truly Arathia daughter of Arathorn. Pray tell who are you who has captured me so completely?"
And with those words did Legolas know that Arathia daughter of Arathorn loved him as much as he loved her.
"I was once Legolas Greenleaf son of Thranduil. But now I am a lover who is helpless to the one who has ensnared me."
Arathia and Legolas looked into each other's eyes. So many thoughts raced through their minds. Love, doom, the future. But whatever would happen, at that moment neither cared. Only each other and how one chance meeting could change their worlds forever.
TBC...
*Aiya: Oh!
A Chance Meeting
Several years had passed since Arathia had learned of who she was. And for all the joy this knowledge should have brought her, none came. She mourned the fate of her beloved brother. How she wished she could draw away Evil's eye so that he might be safe.
After Lord Elrond had told her who she was she, like Aragorn, had left for the Wild. Gilraen had objected, but finally relented. More then likely because Elrond made her. It had been a tearful farewell on both Arathia's and Gilraen's part, but mother and daughter were strong and were able to let go. Arathia had also had a hard time saying goodbye to Elladan and Elrohir.
"I can barely believe that you're not going to be here all the time anymore," Elladan had said. He seemed to be in a mix of joy and sorrow for her.
"I'll come back sometimes. Imladris is still my home," she had replied.
"Well, if you don't," continued Elrohir, "We'll come and get you."
That had made Arathia laugh. The twins could always do that. But she had not seen them in nearly four years. Often she had considered returning. To live in the safety of the known, then the danger of the unknown which she had walked in for so long.
West and south had she walked. Finding friends and foes where ever she journeyed. Now she walked in the northeast. Near Mirkwood. The forest that none could go through without following the Old Forest Road. And even then some never saw the other side. Arathia had followed the western border of the wood ever searching for the Forest River. With that as her guide, Arathia was going to go into Mirkwood. Why? Not even Arathia knew. Perhaps its infamous reputation drew her. Perhaps the thought of seeing more elves did. Whatever the reason Arathia was going to Mirkwood and was going to find something. She could feel it.
After many weeks of following the western border of Mirkwood, Arathia found what she sought. And with the Forest River as her guide, Arathia journeyed into Mirkwood. Now many adventures did she have in that forest. Encounters with spiders and other fell creature, but those adventures will not be discussed here, fantastic though they may be. Only this, a chance meeting. A meeting which spelled the doom of Arathia daughter of Arathorn and of Legolas son of Thranduil.
Now it came to pass that Arathia eventually left the Forest River to go north where she knew the Wood Elves dwelt. But not being completely familiar with the wood, she eventually became lost. But not so lost as that she did not know where she was going (always in a northeast way did she travel) but lost in the sense that the land was unfamiliar to her.
On this particular day, Arathia had climbed to the top of several trees to get her bearing, but unfortunately the sun was hiding behind a blanket of low clouds.
"*Aiya! This is so annoying!" Arathia complained as she jumped from the bows of the tree she had been climbing. She immediately regretted being so loud. Her keen ears had picked up something. The sound of one whom hunts with a bow and arrow. It had come from behind her. Arathia slowly crouched down to pick up her own bow and an arrow. She kept her ears opened the entire time. Who ever it was, they were coming closer. Arathia fitted the arrow to the bow. In three she was going to turn and face her opponent.
"One, two, three!" Arathia counted in her mind.
She turned with all the speed of the North wind and fired her arrow. But her assailant had the speed of all the winds in their fury. He dodged the arrow and hid behind a tree. It was a Wood Elf! It had to be. No orc was that fast and Arathia had caught a glimpse of golden hair. Arathia dropped her bow and put her hands up, palms outward.
"Mae govannen. Forgive me fair one, I did not know you were an elf."
The elf came out from his hiding place. Arathia's eyes went as big as saucers as she gazed for the first time upon Legolas Greenleaf. He was dressed entirely in green. His golden hair was pulled behind his perfectly chiseled face. But his eyes. Oh his eyes! They held wells of knowledge and his fea seemed to show through them. Each time they moved, a new and more wondrous look did they have. Everything came through those eyes. Every thought, every feeling. Arathia dropped her gaze to the ground for fear that if she looked to deep she would lose herself in those indescribable blue eyes. He was the most beautiful elf Arathia had ever seen. And she loved him.
Legolas could hardly keep his jaw from dropping. He had thought he was hunting a stray orc, but instead had found a greater prize. She was no elf, of that he was certain. But what maid could be so beautiful and not be of his kin? It was as though the sun had fallen into Mirkwood and then left, forgetting one of her rays. Her rich brown curls framed her strong pale face. A face that only the hands of the most skilled craftsman could make. Each curve was soft and accentuated her most prominent feature. Her eyes. Her large brown eyes. As strong as the oldest trees, yet young as a sapling they were. Legolas neither knew nor cared whom this maiden was. Only that whatever her doom was. It would be his doom as well.
For some time the two stood like that. Caught up in the doom of love and if any had seen them they would have known what had transpired. Finally Legolas spoke.
"Who are you?"
Arathia was caught again. His voice was like the sweetest song ever written. How could she respond with her pitiful mortal voice? And how could she say anything but the truth of who she was. If she said anything else, he would be able to tell that it wasn't the truth. She eventually found her voice and said,
"I was once Anorwing, but I am truly Arathia daughter of Arathorn. Pray tell who are you who has captured me so completely?"
And with those words did Legolas know that Arathia daughter of Arathorn loved him as much as he loved her.
"I was once Legolas Greenleaf son of Thranduil. But now I am a lover who is helpless to the one who has ensnared me."
Arathia and Legolas looked into each other's eyes. So many thoughts raced through their minds. Love, doom, the future. But whatever would happen, at that moment neither cared. Only each other and how one chance meeting could change their worlds forever.
TBC...
*Aiya: Oh!